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High False Negative Rate with PFTs in Scleroderma
Researchers in Zurich studed 102 systemic sclerosis with serial PFTs and high-resolution computed tomography of the chest (HRCT). They found significant interstitial lung disease (ILD) by HRCT in 63 percent.
Read ArticleAdvances in Uveitis Associated with Juvenile Arthritis
Uveitis is a common association of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) that has previously been characterized by poor visual prognosis with limited options for effective treatment.
Read ArticleSerious Infections are Increasing in Lupus
Tektonidou and coworkers have analyzed hospitalized serious infections (SIE) involving lupus patients over a 15 year period and show that SIE in SLE have increased substantially between 1996 and 2011, and in 2011 are 12 times higher than seen in patients without SLE.
Read ArticlePoor Compliance in SLE Leads to More ER Visits and Hospitalizations
Feldman and coworkers have analyzed US Medicaid claims data from 9,600 hydroxychloroquine and 3,829 new immunosuppressive new users with a diagnosis of SLE.
Read ArticlePriorities for NIAMS Research Funding
Dr. Steven Katz describes how NIAMS sets priorities for investing congressionally-appropriated funds.
Read ArticleAlemtuzumab Effective in Behcet's Syndrome
Behcet's disease is difficult to treat and often has an over-reliance on corticosteroid use. Alemtuzumab (previously known as Campath-1H) has been studed in patients with Behcet's.
Read ArticleHypothyroidism is Increased in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients
In a study that compared seropositive (RF+, CCP+) and seronegative RA with healthy participants, the frequency of thyroid antibodies was assessed.
Read ArticleRituximab Induced Neutropenia
In reviewing submitted abstracts for the 2014 ACR meeting, I was surprised by several abstracts focusing on neutropenia in patients receiving rituximab.
Read ArticleMetformin May Improve Netosis Driven Lupus Activity
Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) are first line defense tools used to trap microbial pathogens.
Read Article10 Year Study Identifies Predictors of Skin Progression in Systemic Sclerosis
The European Scleroderma Trials and Research (EUSTAR) cohort has reported the results of their prospective study to identify onset symptoms and risk factors for skin sclerosis and digital ulcers (DUs) in early onset systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients.
Read ArticleBidirectional Association Between Uveitis and Psoriatic Disease
A Danish population, claims-based study studied the the associations between 74,129 patients with incident psoriasis and 13,114 with incident uveitis between 1997 and 2011.
Read ArticleACTEMRA Gets "Breakthrough" Status from the FDA for Scleroderma
The FASSCINATE study presented at EULAR 2015 was instrumental in tocilizumab (TCZ) getting a nod from the FDA to develop TCZ for scleroderma.
Read ArticleB cell Inhibition with Epratuzumab Fails in Two Phase III Lupus Trials
Targeting B cells in systemic lupus erythematosus, the prototypic autoimmune disorder, has long been an attractive target for researchers. Despite negative trials with rituximab and the limited success of belimumab, efforts to inhibit B cell activity have continued.
Read Article2015 Guidelines for Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis
Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a chronic, progressive, fibrosing form of interstitial pneumonia, with poor survival rates of nearly 50% at 3 years.
Read ArticleWhat's Your Diagnosis? Truncal Rash, Arthritis and +ANA
An 80 year old woman complains of 3 months of rash on her back. It is modestly pruritic. The lesions are both annular and papular appearing over her back, torso and upper arms. She also complains of pain and swelling in her fingers.
Read ArticleTacrolimus Tops Other DMARDs as Induction Therapy for Lupus Nephritis
Metanalysis of nine clinical trials and 972 lupus patients examined the comparative efficacy of tacrolimus, mycophenolate (MMF) and cyclophosphamide (CYC) as induction therapy for lupus nephritis.
Read ArticleDSB: Drug Shortages July 2015
Several drugs continue to be in short supply, posing significant problems for patients. Foremost on this list is leflunomide (Arava) which is backordered for both 10 mg and 20 mg tablets.
Leflunomide Shortage
Read ArticleRituximab Induced Serum Sickness
Karmacharya and colleages have reviewed 33 cases of rituximab-induced serum sickness. Half of these patients had the classic triad of SS fever, rash, and arthralgia and a self-limiting course. The time to onset after infusion was greater with the first dose of rituximab c
Read ArticleIL-1 Inhibition May Be an Alternative Treatment for Behcet's
Behcet's disease is difficult to manage, especially if the goal is to avoid corticosteroids.
Read ArticlePost-Translationally Modified Proteins as Potential New Early Arthritis Activity Markers
Defects in protein citrullination and its consequences in patients with RA have been studied widely in the recent decade. It appears that autoantibodies, including those against citrullinated proteins, are of diagnostic and prognostic relevance.
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