Lancet Rheumatology has published a retrospective analysis showing patients receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) for cancer have the same outcomes (mortality and severe immune-related adverse events (irAEs)) even when they have pre-existing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com, including Rheumatology success in the NRMP MATCH, Cocaine vasculitis and worrisome safety risks with Biologics and tsDMARDs.

Today, the CDC and FDA provided new updates on the scope of pain in the USA and guidance on the use of opioids.

MMWR April 14, 2023

A new Swedish ARTIS registry study of key safety outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving either targeted synthetic or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/ts DMARDs, including Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKi)), has been updated and affirms previously held risks.

A retrospective study of cancer patients who developed immune checkpoint inhibitor-associated inflammatory arthritis (ICI-IA) shows that biologic DMARDs were more effective than conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) in rapid control of arthritis.

A prospective, cross-sectional analysis of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) shows those with interstitial lung disease (ILD) tend to be older, obese and have a smoking history.

Having their clinics shut down and patients staying away during the COVID-19 pandemic was bad enough for physicians' finances, but now a new study finds that, at least for rheumatologists, payments from industry dried up as well.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and highlights from our "Women in Rheumatology" Campaign from last week on RheumNow.com

BRIDGE-PMR proof-of-concept trial assessed the efficacy of rituximab (RTX) in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and showed that a single 1000 mg dose of lead to a significant number of glucocorticoid-free remissions after 1 year. 

British Society for Rheumatology (BSR) last published its guideline for systemic sclerosis (SSc) in 2016. Given the many advances in the field the BSR has outlined their plans to update the management of SSc.

The EMA has updated recommendations regarding the use of JAK inhibitors by issuing a direct healthcare professional communication summarizing the data and warnings regarding an increased risk of malignancy, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), serious infections, VTE, and mortality in some patients receiving JAKi for the treatment of chronic inflammatory disorders.