Higher Fracture Risk with PMR and GCA

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Corticosteroid therapy is integral to the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and giant cell arteritis (GCA) and a new retrospective cohort study from the UK shows that PMR and GCA have similar, increased risk of fractures.

The RheumNow Week in Review - 26 January 2018

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The RheumNow Week in Review discusses the past week's news, journal articles and highlights from RheumNow.com. This week's report covers the price of biologics treatment in psoriasis, comorbidities in myositis, bronchiectasis with MPO antibodies, and the risk of secondary TNF failure with anti-drug antibodies.

Obesity Outweighs Psoriasis in Comorbidity Risk with Children

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Like their adult counterparts, psoriasis in children is an independent risk factor for comorbidity, but not as much as  obesity.

PRESERVE Study: HAQ, BMI and Age Predict Responses to Combo Therapy

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Rheumatoid arthritis patients who were younger and who had lower body mass index, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) scores, and less disease activity at baseline were most likely to achieve remission after combination etanercept (Enbrel) and methotrexate induction therapy, a post hoc analysis of the PRESERVE trial found.

Teriparatide Superior to Risedronate in the VERO Trial

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Lancet reports that in a study teriparatide with risedronate, post-menopausal women with severe osteoporosis had significantly fewer new vertebral and clinical fractures on teriparatide comared to those receiving risedronate.

Apremilast’s Rapid Onset in Psoriatic Arthritis

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Monotherapy with apremilast (Otezla) among patients with psoriatic arthritis who were biologic-naive was significantly more effective than placebo as early as week 2 in a phase IIIb study. 

Prevention of HBV Infection: How Are We Doing?

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In 2016 the WHO set out to eliminate HBV infection as a public health threat by 2030. So far, we are far from this goal as vaccine implementation has been suboptimal in a number of important patient populations, including patients with rheumatologic diseases, as well as other immunocompromising diseases like HIV.

IL-1 and IL-6 Inhibition Preferred in Systemic JIA

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Since 2000, the German Biologics register (BiKeR) has prospectively enrolled children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis to assess outcomes with biologic therapies.  A new report evaluates the efficacy and safety of etanercept (ETA), tocilizumab (TOC) and the interleukin-1 inhibitors (anakin

Laparoscopic Gastric Sleeve Compared to Bypass Bariatric Surgery

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JAMA reports the results of a 5 year Finnish study comparing the results of laparoscopic sleeve gastrectomy vs Roux-en-Y gastric bypass and shows that gastric bypass yielded greater weight loss at 5 years, the difference was not statistically significant, in patients with morbid obesity. 

New Rise in Hip Fractures Amongst Women

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Reuters reports that the incidence of hip fractures in older women in the U.S. is rising after more than a decade of decline, according to a large new study of Medicare recipients.

Stroke Risk Confirmed in SLE

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The most common cerebrovascular events (CVEs) seen among a large cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were stroke and transient ischemia, and the majority of these events were attributable to the disease itself, a multinational study determined.

The RheumNow Week in Review - 12 January 2018

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews a dozen highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com.

B Cell Changes Predict Autoimmunity with Checkpoint Inhibitors

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The Journal of Clinical Investigation reports results of a study showing that increases in CD21lo B cells and plasmablasts following that combination checkpoint blockade preceded the onset of immune-related adverse events.

While some have postulated that IRAEs are thought to be T cell mediated, B cells have also been implicated. Investigators studied 39 melanoma patients undergoing treatment with either anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1, or combination CCB therapy. They analyzed changes in circulating B cells before and after the first cycle of therapy of immune checkpoint blockade (23 received combination therapy, 8 received anti-CTLA4, and 8 received anti-PD1).

Ibuprofen’s Anti-androgenic Effect May Result in Hypogonadism in Males

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PNAS reports use of ibuprofen by males may result in antiandrogen effects that may contribute to adult male reproductive problems.

2018 Predictions for Rheumatology

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MedPage Today Editors surveyed a few rheumatologists for their major news predictions in 2018. Read on for predictions regarding drug pricing, biosimilars, autoimmunity and checkpoint inhibitors, and thrombotic events and JAK inhibition.

Calcium and Vitamin D Supplements Do Not Reduce Hip Fractures

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Recent JAMA study shows metanalysis of 33 clinical trials and 51,145 participants, showed that calcium, vitamin D, or both affords no decreased risk of hip fractures compared with placebo or no treatment and therefore questions their routine widespread use in the elderly.. 

Stem Cell Transplant Succeeds in Scleroderma

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Myeloablative autologous stem cell transplantation was significantly more effective than 12 months of cyclophosphamide among patients with severe scleroderma, an open-label multicenter study found.

Sorting Out the Complexities of Autoimmunity with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy

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An editorial and systematic review of complications seen when checkpoint inhibitor (CPI) therapies are given to patients with immune mediated inflammatory disorders (IMIDs) and cancer shows that nearly 75% manifest autoimmune and inflammatory immune-related adverse events (irAEs).

Community Screening for Fracture Risk in Older Women is Effective and Feasible

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A UK Study published in Lancet shows that community-based screening programme for fracture risk in older women is feasible, and may reduce hip fractures.