Success of Stopping Depends on the Biologic

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The type of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) being used and remission duration were important factors predicting whether remission was maintained among patients with rheumatoid arthritis after cessation of the biologic, a Japanese study found.

Cardiovascular Benefits of Maintaining Biologic Therapy

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An Australian prospective study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) has shown that sustained use of tumour necrosis factor (TNFi) inhibitors or biologics can reduce the risks of cardiovascular events (CVEs).

Fractures Augment 10 Year Mortality Risks

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This nationwide study of adults (50+ yrs) from Denmark has shown that following a fragility fracture, the 10-years mortality risk was increased, especially in the first year following the fracture. 

Febuxostat (IR or XR) Effective in Gout with Renal Impairment

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Saag and colleagues report the results of a 3 month phase III trial demonstrating equal efficacy between febuxostat extended release (XR) and immediate release (IR) formulations in patients with gout.  and normal or impaired renal function.

Big Advances for Two Osteoporosis Drugs

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New developments with the FDA and new scientific findings are adding momentum to two drugs experts believe are game-changers in osteoporosis treatment.

Back Pain in Psoriatic Arthritis

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A single center study of psoriatic arthritis patients has shown that rheumatologist-judged inflammatory back pain (IBP) and criteria defining IBP may not perform well when ascertaining axial involvement in PsA patients. 

Maternal RA Increases Offspring Risk of Autoimmune Disorders

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A Danish population study suggests that fetal exposure to maternal rheumatoid arthritis results in an increased offspring risk of thyroid disease, epilepsy and RA, compared to children born to mothers without RA.

Opioid Aversion is Augmenting Spinal Steroid Injections

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As physicians turn away from opioids, are they resorting to options that may also be unsafe?

The New York Times reports that some physicians are using the anti-inflammatory drug, Depo-Medrol, for intraspinal injections to manage painful spinal and perispinal disorders.

IL-1 Suppression May Improve Dilated Cardiomyopathy

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Interleukin-1 (IL-1) suppression helped reverse symptoms of dilated cardiomyopathy (DCM) for one patient in a case study that may implicate inflammation in the development of the condition.

The RheumNow Week in Review – Lupus in the News (7.27.18)

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

Minimal Disease Activity: The Goal in PsA

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The majority of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who achieved a state of minimal disease activity (MDA) after 6 months of treatment with adalimumab (Humira) maintained that response through 24 months, a large observational study found.

Erectile Dysfunction in Gout

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The Journal of Rheumatology reports a population-based study demonstrating that gout is associated with an increased risk of developing erectile dysfunction (ED) suggesting that hyperuricemia and inflammation may be independent risk factors for ED.

Baricitinib Effective in SLE Trial

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Dan Wallace and colleagues report in Lancet the results of a phase II study of the selective baricitinib, an oral selective Janus kinase (JAK1 and JAK2) inhibitor, in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, demonstrating the efficacy and safety of JAK1/2 inhibition with baricitinib as a new potential oral therapy for SLE.

Biomarker Combo Predicts TNF Inhibitor Responses

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Based on clinical trial data, patients starting tumour necrosis factor-alpha inhibitors (TNFi) have roughly a two-thirds chance of achieiving a good clinical response. French investigators have studied a series of potential biomarkers and surmised that the combination of baseline prealbumin, platelet factor 4 and S100A12 can predict a 78% response to TNFi in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

The Lung in RA: Little Progress

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The progress that has been seen in the management of many aspects of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not been paralleled for the pulmonary disease that remains the second most common cause of death among these patients, an Australian expert reported here at the annual meeting of the Florida Society

The Diverse Fate of Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis

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A Finnish Rheumatology Center followed 435 early, seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients for 10-years and found that only 3% became erosive or seropositive RA.

Defining Refractory RA by Biologic Use

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A study from the  British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register (BSRBR) has shown that biologic refractory disease is seen in at least 6% of patients who have ever received a biologic DMARD (bDMARDs).

IL-23 Inhibitor Fails in Ankylosing Spondylitis

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A study of the IL-23 risankizumab in active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients failed to show efficacy and did not meet primary efficacy endpoints in a 6-month trial.

Systemic Sclerosis: More Common than Expected

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Systemic sclerosis is more common in the United Kingdom than previously reported, a nationwide population-based study determined.

Best of 2017: Cause of Death in Ankylosing Spondylitis

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A French population based study of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) was report in the Journal of Rheumatology.

They analyzed the death certificates and cause of death in 2940 AS patients over 3 different decades (1969-78; 1979-99; 2000-2009).