Meta-analysis Reveals Numerous Pregnancy Complications Associated with Lupus

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On the heels of the recently published EULAR recommendations for the management of pregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) comes a new meta-analysis published in the Journal of Autoimmunity on pregnancy outomes in lupus.

Ophthalmic Giant Cell Arteritis and the Risk of Stroke

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Chronic inflammation is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

Rheumatoid Progression Slowing Down

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Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with onset in the modern era had significantly lower baseline and annual rates of radiographic disease progression versus those with onset before 2001, researchers in England reported.

Obesity Associated with Late-Onset Psoriatic Arthritis

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A recent study reports that obesity is linked to late-onset psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).  By contrast being of normal weight may be associated with an earlier onset of the disease adn HLA-B27.

Can Marijuana Reduce Opioid Dependance?

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The Washington Post has reported on the variable laws, views and use of marijuana in treating pain.

Currently 1.4 million patients in 28 states use legal medical marijuana for a variety of medical conditions - chronic pain being one.

High Level Rheumatoid Responses to the GM-CSF inhibitor Mavrilimumab

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Despite recent advances in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), MANY patients on existent biological therapy fail to achieve remission. Therapies with novel mechanisms of actions, great efficacy and well balanced safety profile remain an unmet need.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 24 February 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com:

Higher Hip and Knee Replacement Revision Rates in Younger Patients

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Joint arthroplasty has grown into a billion dollar industry worldwide. However, optimal timing and the success of total joint replacements in younger patient groups has not been well studied.

Biosimilar Reports – February 2017

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Biosimilar reports is an ongoing series dedicated to advances, discussions and developments in biosimilar agents intended for use by rheumatologists. Many of these items were compiled from news sources, journal articles and regulatory documents and are cited and linked within each section.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 17 February 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week's news and information from the 2017 RWCS meeting in Maui.

BEAM Study: Baricitinib Beats Placebo and Adalimumab in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Baricitinib is a novel inhibitor of Janus kinases JAK1 and JAK2 that has been extensively studied in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).  Baricitinib (AKA Oluminant) was recently approved by the EMA for use in Europe at a once daily dose of 4 mg per day.

An Integrated Analysis of Tofacitinib Safety

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Since its US approval in 2012, tofacitinib has become a widely used treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Whether you're impressed with its efficacy, or distressed with its side effects, its track record is voluminous and has been recently reviewed.

Intra-articular Corticosteroids or Methotrexate for Oligoarticular JIA?

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Oligoarticular-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis accounts for nearly half of all JIA patients. While many of these children will require DMARD therapy, many others are treated with antiinflammatory meds or intra-articular corticosteroids. But the evidence for this latter approach is scant.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 3 February 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week's highlights from RheumNow.

Limited Efficacy of NSAIDs in Spondyloarthritis

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Prior to the biologic era, nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) were the mainstay of drug therapy in thos with spondyloarthritis (SpA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS).  Their role in the modern era has changed and the claims for efficacy have varied. 

Is the Jury Still Out on Triple Therapy vs. MTX + TNF inhibitor?

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There are several trials that test the efficacy and safety of combination tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) plus methotrexate against triple therapy (methotrexate plus hydroxychloroquine plus sulfasalazine) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The Challenge of Screening for Obstructive Sleep Apnea

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A JAMA article presents the US Public Health Task Force review of OSA testing.

Ties to Pharma Influences Clinical Trial Results

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A study published in The BMJ shows that financial ties between researchers and companies that make the drugs they are studying are independently associated with positive trial results; thereby questioning the bias in these objective trials.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 20 January 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.

EULAR Revised Recommendations for Fibromyalgia

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The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for fibromyalgia (FM) management were published in 2007 and largely had recommendations based on expert opinion’. These guidelines were updated in May of 2015 after a systematic reviews and meta-analyses of the data.