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Lower Mortality Results from Lower Activity in Lupus
Data from the longitudinal Tromsø Lupus Cohort study has shown that lupus patients who achieve a Lupus Low Disease Activity State (LLDAS‐50) were shown to have significantly less severe damage, and a reduction in mortality.
This was a population‐based study of SLE patients in the northern‐most counties of Norway.
AAD/NPF Guidelines on Biologic Use in Psoriasis
Menter and colleagues from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) and National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) have published their expert consensus guidelines for the use of biologics in psoriasis.
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Canadian Vaccination Guidelines for the Immunosuppressed
A multidisciplinary Canadian task force has developed guidelines for vaccination in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapies, based on the evidence that immunosuppressive use in immune-mediated disease may be associated with an elevated risk of infections.
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Lupus Microbiome May Drive Disease Activity
Silverman and colleagues have published their study of the fecal microbiome of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and found roughly five times more gut bacteria known as Ruminococcus gnavus, and that these abnormalities in microbiota can correlate with measures of disease severity i
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RheumNow Podcast - MTX vs. Etanercept in Psoriatic Arthritis (2.15.19)
Dr. Jack Cush discusses the news from the past week on RheumNow.com - including the SEAM trial, MRI guided T2T, biologics and infection, contraceptive use, ANA negative lupus, etc.
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Mortality and Hospitalization with Pulmonary Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis
PHAROS is a prospective cohort studying the natural history of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in systemic sclerosis (SSc). They have shown that risk factors for poor outcomes in this cohort included male sex, DLCO < 50%, exercise oxygen desaturation, and pericardial effusions.
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Noninfectious Proximal Aortitis Needs Serial Follow-ups
A Cleveland Clinic review of patients undergoing thoracic aortic surgery (1996‐2012) identified 196 patients with histopathology‐proven non‐infectious aortitis.
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Ten Contemporary Challenges Facing Lupus Treatment
A group of French researchers have pooled their interests to identify the challenges ahead in the management of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
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RheumNow Podcast – Downside of Lupus (2.9.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews this past week's news and reports from RheumNow.com:
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Elevated Fracture Risk in Lupus
A Medicaid study of lupus (SLE) patients finds that fracture risks are elevated in low‐income SLE and lupus nephritis patients compared to those without SLE.
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RheumNow Podcast - Scurvy and Mechanics (2-1-19)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews new journal articles, news reports, and more from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Improved Survival with Renal Transplant in SLE
The Annals of Internal Medicine has published a cohort study of lupus nephritis patients with end-stage renal disease showing that renal transplantation is associated with improved survival benefit, and a reduction in death from cardiovascular disease and infection.
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Major Challenges for Lupus in 2019
Despite striking improvements in survival among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in recent decades -- from 1-year survival of less than 50% before the introduction of prednisone to 90% today in most specialized treatment centers -- many challenges remain in this perplexing, multis
Read ArticleMalar Rash and Polyarthritis
58-year-old woman with a history of hypothyroidism presents with a 2-week history of joint pain and swelling in her right knee, which became migratory and later affected the metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of her fingers; this followed a series of others being sick in the household.
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IL-6 Blocker Succeeds in Real-World Vasculitis
Tocilizumab (Actemra) was effective for refractory giant cell arteritis (GCA) in real-world practice, although serious infections occurred relatively frequently, Spanish investigators reported.
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Early Predictive Factors for Scleroderma Renal Crisis
It has been historically said that risk factors for scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) includes include cold exposure, steroid use, dehydration, rapid progression of skin disease, tendon friction rubs, anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies and pregnancy. A new study examines risk factor for S
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2018 Rheumatology Year In Review
This annual appraisal of hallmark moments, news and research articles from 2018 are gleaned from that published in RheumNow during the last year and filtered by other news sources and literature review. The top 10 list herein is rooted in what rheumatologists should know and what will likel
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Best of 2018: The Safety of Paternal Exposure to DMARDs and Biologics
Pregnancy and drug safety is a complex issue, often with limited information about maternal drug exposure on the offspring. Greater uncertainty exists when considering whether paternal exposure may also influence fetal outcomes.
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Best of 2018: Hydroxychloroquine Being Over-Dosed with New Guidelines?
Hydroxychloroquine retinopathy prevention guidelines have revised from ideal body weight-based dosing to actual body weight-based dosing; the question remains whether these have been adopted in clinical practice.
A database of nearly 21,000 new HCQ users from a UK general population database studied HCQ dosing and use between 2007 and 2016. Specifically they examined whether users were subjected to excess HCQ dosing per ophthalmology guidelines (defined by exceeding 6.5 mg/kg of IBW and 5.0 mg/kg of ABW).
Best of 2018: Ustekinumab May be Effective in Lupus
Ronald F van Vollenhoven and colleagues have reported in Lancet that ustekinumab (UST), an interleukin-12 and -23 inhibitor, when added to usual therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, was shown to be superior to placebo at improving clinical efficacy and laboratory param
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