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Dr. Jack Cush updates the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com, with information on enthesitis, nr-Ax-SpA, UAB, Blockbuster Rheum Drugs and use of ACE inhibitors.
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Several recent publications have focused on the risk and outcomes of rheumatic disease (RDD) and autoimmune patients who become infected with SARs-CoV-2.
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Following are the latest CDC numbers for COVID-19 in the U.S., including total cases and deaths; the states with the highest number of COVID-19 deaths; and COVID-19 healthcare case numbers.
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Cachexia is an underappreciated complication of systemic lupus erythematosus, researchers reported.
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Risk factors for perioperative infections include age, comorbidity, rheumatoid arthritis and steroids to name a few; whether concurrent use of TNF inhibitor (TNFI) therapy adds to this risk has been debated. In a study of elderly patients receiving infliximab infusions, infliximab use prior to surgery did not change the risk of post-operative infections.
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An observational study of patients with systemic autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRD) who also had COVID-19 disease shows that AIRD increased the risk of hospitalization, but that the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were not associated with hospitalization.
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The PREVENT trial was a one year, phase III study that showed significant benefits when secukinumab (SEC) was given to patients with active non‐radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr‐axSpA) for 52 weeks.
Dr. John Cush
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Prevalence of SARS-CoV-2 Antibodies in Health Care Personnel in NYC - 46 117 were tested. Overall 13.7% were seropositive. For PCR-positive HCP, 93.5% were also seropositive; PCR-negative HCP 89.7% were also seronegative. https://t.co/ZjzQUK6jmW
Dr. John Cush
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Study of 181 elderly pts with knee osteoarthritis: Kellgren-Lawrence scores were not associated w/ depression, cognitive loss, QOL, but higher KL 2-4 were assoc w/ the worst WOMAC scores and risk of falls. Thus WOMAC correlates w/ Xray damage in Knee OA https://t.co/OMBA2g5f9J
Dr. John Cush
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Study of 52 Takayasus arteritis patients (age 31 yrs; 6yrs F/U): 15 (29%) had severe severe ischemic events (13/15 at or before Dx): 5 CVA, 5 ACS, 1 ischemic cardiomyopathy, 4 limb ischemia. Dz outcomes & damage scores were similar with and without SIE. https://t.co/Qhzks0gJz6
Dr. John Cush
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Congrats to the great Dr. Ken Saag, named the new director of the Division of Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham. He is the Jane Knight Lowe Professor of medicine and VC of Outcomes & Effectiveness Research UAB https://t.co/jxz4kG8Cmp
Dr. John Cush
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3 pts w/ myasthenia gravis occurring after the onset of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), all were AChR antibody–positive. MG Sxs begain within 5 to 7 days after fever onset. They postulate neurologic damage from COVID may have autoimmune mechanisms https://t.co/YSy0SYoSmL
Dr. John Cush
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Ann Int Med reports that the use of ACE inhbitors or ARB use is not associated with more severe COVID-19 disease (High-certainty evidence), and these meds are not associated w/ pos. SARS-CoV-2 tests- based on observational studies w/ 23565 COVID-19 adults https://t.co/px0rMH1Pjz
Dr. John Cush
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COVID Testing study of 3046 NY Hospital employees (56% Ab testing, 20% RT-PCR, 12% both); found (9.8%) who tested positive for antibodies; Thus SARS-CoV-2 infection among Hospital workers is lower than that reported for the general public. PPE WORKS!
Dr. John Cush
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Rheum has 4 of top 10 Best Selling Blockbuster drugs of 2019:
1. Humira $21.4 billion
3. Enbrel $8.1 billion
4. Stelara $6.6 billion
10. Remicade $4.7 billion
https://t.co/tE6nAdXRYS
Dr. John Cush
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Life expectancy for t2009 to 2011 was 78.60 years for the total U.S. population, with the highest life expectancy for Hispanic women (84 yrs) , according to the Aug. 7 National Vital Statistics Reports https://t.co/j3THyitmie
Dr. John Cush
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477 Ax-SpA pts in the CORRONA Registry finds 25% with enthesitis - those with enthesitis had worse disease activity and quality of life than those with no enthesitis. https://t.co/weQC798mck
Dr. John Cush
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Apremilast FDA approved for Behcets in 2019 based on significant improvement in oral ulcer severity. What about genital ulcers? There was a signif improvement in QOL, but a nonsignificant trend to genital ulcer resolution (71% vs 41%) in 17 pts. https://t.co/OqDGcklyot
Dr. John Cush
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Correlation study of MRI and OA features finds meniscal extrusion, full thickness cartilage loss and osteophytes were associated with clinical knee pain. Study of 294 OA knee patients from the Osteoarthritis Initiative (at least 4 MRI over 6 years) https://t.co/t95eGbX9iN
Dr. John Cush
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Mortality study of 18,943 patients with PMR and 87,801 matched controls from the Clinical Practice Datalink with 8 yrs of followup finds NO increase in mortality in PMR patients adjusted MRR 1.00 [95% CI 0.97, 1.03]). https://t.co/moZwiuhOxC
