Abbvie has announced the US Food and Drug Administration has approved upadacitinib (Rinvoq or UPA) for use in adults with active ankylosing spondylitis, who have not responded or been intolerant of one or more TNF blockers. The recommended dose is 15 mg per day.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports and takes viewer questions this week.

While tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) have been shown to alter/retard X-ray outcomes in peripheral inflammatory arthritis, the inhibitor effects of TNFi on axial skeletal progression in spondylitis has been difficult to prove, owing to difficulties in study design, identifying best cohorts and a presumed slower rate of change in the spine. 

The efficacy of ultrasound guided intra-articular hip injection of corticosteroid in adult hip osteoarthritis (HOA) was shown to be effective when added to conventional current treatment. But was this a clinically meaningful outcome?

Playback now available! Watch our Tuesday Nite Rheumatology, held April 26th, 2022, which featured a Journal Club panel discussion  about two important studies.

Dr. Jack Cush discusses the news and recent journal reports from last weeks RheumNow.com, and answers viewer questions from #ACA - Ask Cush Anything.

Putman et al has reported vaccine survey results from the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance (C19-GRA) in Lancet Rheumatology showing the uptake and vaccine hesitancy among people with rheumatic diseases (RMD).

Survey data from 7005 vaccinated and unvaccinated, adult RMD respondents from 102 countries was analyzed.

A single dose of the monoclonal-antibody AZD7442 (combination of tixagevimab and cilgavimab) has been shown to be safe and effective as prophylaxis against COVID-19 infection in high risk individuals who tested positive for COVID-19. 

Held on April 19, 2022, Tuesday Night Rheumatology: Controversies in PsA, featured a lively and informative panel discussion, moderated by Dr. Jack Cush.

The PsA Expert panelists included:

A recording of this week’s Tuesday Night Rheumatology is now available. This outstanding webinar featured a robust discussion of the EXCEED study and Discover-2 trial, with Drs. Philip Mease, Peter Nash, Jack Cush and Rachel Tate.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal Reports from the past week on RheumNow.com - including fellowship COVID-19 concerns, the limits of T2T in gout and the real odds of RA remission with your first biologic. 

Pediatric patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis obtained significant improvement in disease status for as long as 2 years with the interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor ixekizumab (Taltz), long-term follow-up from a randomized trial showed.

While treat-to-target (T2T) is commonly advocated in gout management, it is unknown if T2T (or more intensive T2T) may result in less bony erosions in gout.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week and discusses the use of fibroscan in RA, steroid hip injections in OA and famous quotes from a famous cardiologist.