Article
Dr. Jack Cush sings the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
All News
Article
NEJM reports the results of the SELECT-Choice trial, a head to head study of upadacitinib (UPA) and abatacept (ABA) in biologic refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA); 12 weeks results showed UPA was significantly more clinically effective than ABA using a DAS28-CRP remission, but ABA had fewer safety signals and serious adverse events.
Article
Cancer patients treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) who develop severe arthritis may be at risk for progression of the malignancy, a single-center study suggested.
Article
The CDC has analyzed temporal trends in percent positivity by age group in COVID-19 hotspot counties before and after their identification as hotspots.
Article
Mease and colleagues have reviewed the tofacitinib drug development and clinical trial data, finding the risk of venous (VTE) and arterial thromboembolism (ATE) to be low and augmented in patients with baseline cardiovascular abd VTE risk factors and those taking higher doses of tofacitinib (10 m
Article
A large RA cohort study from the Swedish Rheumatology Quality Register shows a higher risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and that risk is linked to RA disease activity.
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
259 SLE patients followed an 80% were in lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS); 82% in remission; 19% w/ active dz. 56 pst in subjective Low activity (SLQ<6) compared to SLAQ>6, latter had more arthritis, fibromyalgia and took steroids https://t.co/IdeSNlaEOG
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Juvenile localized scleroderma was Rx w/ MTX or MMF (in MTX refractory) and compared retrospectively. Facial linear scler. more likely in MTX pts and MMF pts had pansclerotic morphea or mixed subtype. Outcomes were same at 9.4 yrs: inactive in 100% & 91% https://t.co/2X9SpqeLwx
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
EUSTAR study of ILD in systemic sclerosis: 826 pts with SSc-ILD finds 27% with progressive ILD (mod-severe FVC decline >5-10%) over 12 mos. Predictive factors for FVC decline over 5 yrs were male sex, higher mRSS skin score and reflux/dysphagia symptoms. https://t.co/lLd2FrMIkx
Angus Worthing MD
Tweet
@MattieRheumMD @News_CRA @statnews People are being crushed by co-pays- rheumatology patients' co-pays doubled to $1000 last year - and medical staff are wasting much time on paperwork. Plus, the @Aetna @CVSHealth merger caused prior auth meltdown in many. (Intentional?) Rebate system must go! ASK STAKEHOLDERS.
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
There have been many cases of Kawasaki vasculitis in kids ith COVID-19; now Lg vessel vasculitis in 79 yo Japanese man w/ COVID-19 pneumonia, CRP 17.7 mg/dL, spiking fevers and CTA and FDG-PET evid of aortic and LVV, neg ANCA, nl IgG4, but was HLA-DR4+. https://t.co/UpL4Z1qK2p
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Observational study of 123 Spanish rheumatic dz pts w/ COVID-19, finds 54 hospitalized. Admitted pts were 69.7 yrs, and 22% died. Admission was assoc w/ older age, autoimmune dz (vs inflammatory arthritis; OR: 3.55), but not DMARD Rx. https://t.co/UWNyhOKbvF
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
In elderly AAV, initial steroid dose should be rapidly reduced be required to safe outcomes. Study of 179 AAV pts 80yrs old w/ high Birmingham Vasculitis Score 16.1. 94% MPO+, 6% PR3+, Serious infections seen in high-dose Pred vs low dose (43% vs. 22%) https://t.co/mZbtKvPUIX
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Studies of inflammasome generated kinase activity (using UCN-01-mediated inflammasome activation) shown to discriminate familial Meditteranean fever patients from healthy donors and other inflammatory disorders https://t.co/euThYpSQMx
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Study of 196 RA pts shows lung Dz common by chest CT, regardless of serostatus. RA lung=higher mortality (HR of 5.3). RA lung dz found in 28%; 16% had ILD, 14% bronchiectasis, 9.5% w pleural dz. RA lung dz in both seropositive (29%) & seronegative (28%) https://t.co/upNX7cvlWq
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Study of 5792 RA pts from 11 RCTs compared ACR Boolean remission with (4V) or without Pt Global scores (3V) using Xray & functional outcomes. 3V (TJC28, SJC28, CRP CRP mg/dL<=1) was as validi as 4V-remission in predicting Xray, less so functional, outcomes https://t.co/r1azrh3SHS
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis= meeting axSpA criteria without Xray sacroiliitis. Swiss study compared women & men w nr-axSpA. Women had a longer Dx delay, higher Dz activity & enthesitis, less B27+ & signif lower TNFi resp rate (OR 0.19) vs Men https://t.co/ykAHfimOd5
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
The RheumNow Podcast is up - Bad Disease & Bad Outcomes. COVID consequences, TNFi Switching in SpA, psychosis in lupus? Watch it here> https://t.co/ced3cKg5eB or listent to podcast on iTunes> https://t.co/FHJv01AAbC or SoundCloud> https://t.co/e4nWr3wECz
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Congratulatons to Professor Ian McInnes on his appointment as Vice Principal & Head of College to the College of Medical, Veterinary and Life Sciences (MVLS), within the University of Glasgow. https://t.co/m3joegAEsK
Dr. John Cush
Tweet
Congratulations to #NIH's Anthony Fauci, director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID), on winning the 2020 Federal Employee of the Year award! #Sammies2020 https://t.co/S5n3M97o8d
