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RheumNow Podcast – Rituximab Monitoring (5.31.19)
Dr. Jack Cush presents the news and best of rheumatology and medicine from the past week on RheumNow.com
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Biologic Retention in Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients
A study of biologic-naïve patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) who started therapy with a tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) shows that after 5 years only 46% are still on a TNFi and that some are able to lower the dose over time.
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Additive Effects of Insomnia and Depression on Osteoarthritis
A study of osteoarthritis patients, finds that pain is the primary driver for health care utilization, and that the presence of insomnia or depression augments health care use.
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EMA Restricts Tofacitinib Dosing
The Pharmacovigilance Risk Assessment Committee of the European Medicines Agency issued recommendations limiting the use of Xeljanz (tofacitinib) 10 mg twice daily in patients with ulcerative colitis in the EU.
The new recommendations are temporary while PRAC undertakes a review of all available evidence on the safety and efficacy of tofacitinib. The review follows warnings of an increased risk of pulmonary embolism (PE) and death from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration based on Pfizer's large post-marketing safety study (in high risk rheumatoid arthritis patients with one or more underlying cardiovascular risk factors) wherein those receiving in tofacitinib 10 mg twice daily in study A3921133 had more PE and mortalities than comparator groups (tofacitinib 5 mg bid or adalimumab).
RheumNow Podcast – Richer or Poorer (5.17.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com
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FDA Final Guidance on Interchangeability with Biosimilars
The FDA has published an industry guidance document to define interchangeability as regards to biosimilar use in the United States under section 351(k) of the Public Health Service Act (PHS Act) (42 U.S.C. 262(k)).
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Methotrexate Use Not Linked to Interstitial Lung Disease in RA
People with rheumatoid arthritis have a significant risk of developing interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), yet there is often a question as to whether methotrexate (MTX) exposure can cause or worsen ILD. A controlled cohort study suggests that MTX use is not associated with an increased ris
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Low Serious Infection Risk with Newer Agents in Psoriasis
JAMA Dermatology reports on a comparative cohort study of 107,707 psoriasis patients, finding a decreased risk of serious infections among users of apremilast, etanercept, and ustekinumab when compared with methotrexate.
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CDC: One in Four US Adults have Arthritis
MMWR reports that in 2017, one in four US adults have arthritis (range from 22.8% to 34.6%), with higher rates in Appalachia and Lower Mississippi Valley regions. Of those with arthritis, 31% reported to have "severe arthritis".
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Skyrizi (risankizumab) FDA Approved for Psoriasis
AbbVie has announced that the US FDA has granted the approval of Skyrizi (risankizumab-rzaa) for the treatment of moderate to severe plaque psoriasis.
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NIH Workshop on Unmet Needs in Osteoporosis
In October 2018, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) convened a workshop to address the "Appropriate Use of Drug Therapies for Osteoporotic Fracture Prevention"
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Higher Comorbidities in Hidradenitis Suppurativa
JAMA Dermatology reports that patients with hidradenitis suppurativa have significantly more comorbidities than do patients with psoriasis.
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Polypharmacy Blunts Responses and Ups the Safety Risks
A study from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register (BSRBR-RA) demonstrates that polypharmacy is a predictor of lower treatment responses and more serious adverse events (SAEs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
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An Autoimmune Diagnosis Alters Perceptions of Pregnancy and Lactation
A study from UT Southwestern and the Baylor Research Institute examined the preceptions and practices of women with autoimmune or inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIRD) noting that an AIRD diagnosis changed most womens future hopes and plans regarding pregnancy and lactation.
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RheumNow Podcast – Loretta Lynn Arthritis (3.29.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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FDA Approves Cimzia for Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration today approved Cimzia (certolizumab pegol) injection for treatment of adults with a certain type of inflammatory arthritis called non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), with objective signs of inflammation.
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RheumNow Podcast – You Owe Me a DEXA (3.15.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week's news and highlights from RheumNow.com.
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Lower TNF Inhibitor Persistence in Spondylitis
A claims data analysis shows that only one-third of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) therapy remain on their initial drug in the 2 years post initiation.
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Biologic Agents have Equal Efficacy in Enthesitis and Dactylitis
A systematic review has shown that TNF inhibitors (TNFi) are equaled in efficacy by other biologic agents (ustekinumab, secukinumab, and ixekizumab) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with in dactylitis and enthesitis.
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Dual IL-17 Inhibitor in Psoriasis Succeeds
Patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis attained durable complete and near-complete responses for more than a year with a dual inhibitor of interleukin (IL)-17, data from a randomized trial showed.
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