RheumNow Podcast- Corona Increases RA Risk (3.13.20)

Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.

Earlier Anakinra Initiation Warranted in Still's Disease

Save

An Italian study examined the outcomes in adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) based on whether they received early or delayed treatment with anakinra (ANK). 

A total of 141 AOSD patients were retrospectively studied.

EMA Final Recommendations on VTE Risk with Tofacitinib

Save

On 14 November 2019 the European Medicines Agency (EMA) concluded that Xeljanz (tofacitinib) could increase the risk of blood clots in the lungs and in deep veins in patients who are already at high risk.  These recommendations have been formally published and are intended for EU nation

RheumNow Podcast - Despite Corona (3.6.20)

Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.

Need for Disruptive Innovation in Rheumatology

Save

A full-read, novel Viewpoint article published in the Annals of Rheumatic Disease (Huizinga TWJ, et al) spotlights a recent international meeting of big thinkers, scientific collaborators and industry dedicated to innovation in rheumatology.

Venom Peptide-Steroid Conjugate Effective in Collagen Induced Arthritis

Save

Science Translational Medicine features a report from the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center showing that a scopion venom peptide, coupled to steroid, can significantly reduce joint inflammation in a rat model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Updates on Psoriatic Arthritis at ACR 2018

Save

I think 2018 was the year that belonged to psoriatic arthritis (although some may argue in favor of immune conditions induced by Checkpoint inhibitors). Many years ago the late Professor Verna Wright in Leeds (UK) was a lone voice for many years describing the clinical subtypes of Psoriatic arthritis as something distinctive from rheumatoid arthritis. For a long time we thought that the treatments for PsA were just the same as RA since we were treating the same problem of synovitis.

Don't Blame the Weather in Sjogren's

Save

Seasonal variations in symptoms -- commonly reported by patients with rheumatic diseases -- were not observed in a large cohort of patients with primary Sjogren's syndrome, French investigators found.

Folate Levels Protect from CV Mortality in RA

Save

In a study of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, JAMA reports that serum folate level of greater than 4.3 ng/mL was associated with lower CV mortality risk.

Interleukin-37 Targeting in Gout

Save

The Annals of Rheumatic Disease reports that interleukin- 27 (IL-37) may play an important role in the pathogenesis of gout, paving the way for future therapy with recombinant IL-37 in gouty arthritis.

RheumNow Podcast- Methotrexate Mechanisms (2.28.20)

Save

Dr Jack Cush Reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com

Why You Should Come to RheumNow Live March 13th

Save

RheumNow Live kicks off its second annual meeting - a little, big meeting in Fort Worth - in just 2 weeks and I think you should be there.

Bariatric Surgery Improves Rheumatoid Activity

Save

Obesity is a risk factor for the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may also an impediment to optimal DMARD and biologic responses.  A new study has shown that after 1 year, obese RA patients undergoing bariatric surgery with weight loss had significantly lower disease activity.

ACR Releases Reproductive Health Guidelines for Rheumatic Diseases

Save

Today, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) published the 2020 Guideline for the Management of Reproductive Health in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases.

Hyperuricemia Predisposes to Coronary Artery Disease in Men

Save

There are numerous associations between hyperuricemia and cardiovascular disease (CVD). An analysis of the Swedish SCAPIS Pilot study shows that higher levels of serum urate (SU) are associated with an increase in coronary artery calcification score in men but not in women. SU is not associated with common carotid intima-media thickness and carotid plaque scores in either men or women.

No Cancer Increase in Psoriatic Arthritis or with Biologics in Psoriasis

Save

JAMA Dermatology reports that psoriasis is associated with a slightly increased risk of cancer, particularly keratinocyte cancer and lymphomas.

RheumNow Podcast- Half-Empty Flu (2.21.20)

Save

Dr Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com

Tofacitinib Effective in Refractory Still's Disease

Save

Fourteen cases reported from mainland China suggest that tofacitinib (TOFA) may be effective in patients with refractory adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD), further adding to a growing list of potential use of JAK inhibition in managing inflammatory, and now autoinflammatory, disease.

JAK Inhibitors Stimulate Osteoblasts

Save

Science Translational Medicine has a report on how the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors may boost osteoblasts to battle bone erosions in conditions like rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Adverse Effects of Low-Dose Methotrexate from the CIRT Trial

Save

Low-dose methotrexate (LD-MTX) was studied in high risk cardiac patients in the cardiac intervention trial (CIRT), but was prematurely ended for not showing a change in cardiovascular event rates. Nonetheless this trial studied the safety and adverse event rates of LD-MTX and those results are reported in the current issue of Annals of Internal Medicine.