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When to Taper Patients Off Opioids
I am often asked the question: When is the right time to taper a patient off opioids?
My view is that a patient should be tapered any time the risks exceed the benefits, or when treatment goals are not being met.
Read ArticleBariatric Surgery Improves Rheumatoid Arthritis Outcomes
Obesity is a modest risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) onset. More importantly, obese patients have significanty lower treatment responses to DMARDs and biologics, making them harder to treat than your average RA patient.
Read ArticleHerpes Zoster Increases the Risk of Stroke and MI
At the 2015 ACR annual meeting in San Francisco, Len Calabrese, DO, of the Cleveland Clinic, gave a plenary session talk linking "shingles" infection to an increased risk of CVA (
Read ArticleCDC Reports Increases in Tularemia
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has reported a sharp rise in tularemia, especially in Colorado, South Dakota, Wyoming, and Nebraska.
Read ArticleRA Guidelines, Methotrexate and Mortal Risks in Gout: November 2015 top social media news
Here's what you may have missed: in November 2015, RheumNow published 80 tweets on news, research and teaching points that impact the rheumatology community. We had a reach (impressions) of 79,100, 79 mentions, and over 3399 visits to RheumNow.com to check out what we publish.
Read ArticleTwo-Fold Increase of Demyelinating Diseases with TNF Inhibition
Despite the potential contributory role of TNF in the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis, several trials have shown that TNF inhibitor (TNFi) use may lead to worsening of MS, optic neuritis and other demyelinating disorders.
Read ArticleDRIVE Trial: Denosumab and Methotrexate Prevent Joint Erosions
Joint erosions in RA result from a complex process with multiple contributing mechanisms. One of those mechanisms involves RANK receptor activation by RANKL leading to osteoclast differentiation, activation and survival.
Read ArticleChanging Patterns of Drug Use in Pregnant Rheumatic Patients: Steroids Down, Biologics Up
Desai and coworkers analyzed public and private insurance claims data (2001-2012) to assess patterns of drug use in pregnant woment with RA, SLE, PsA and AS. Specifically, they looked at immunosuppressive drug use in the 3 months preceding and during pregnancy.
Read ArticleEULAR 2015 Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment Guidelines
The management of psoriatic disease, including psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has evolved significantly in the last decade. Nevertheless, there are still some uncertainties - such as what the role of methotrexate should be, and when to use newer and novel therapies.
Read ArticleDrug Safety Update for November 2015
The Down-Side of Electronic Medical Records. EMRs (or EHRs) have become increasingly utilized in daily practice. The benefits of these include better record-keeping, safe prescribing, patient and drug tracking, adverse event monitoring and checks for drug interaction.
Read ArticleAzathioprine Adverse Events Associated with TPMT Polymorphisms
Azathioprine (AZA) is widely used in the treatment of several autoimmune diseases. Its use and optimal dosing may be limited by adverse drug reactions (ADRs). Thiopurine S-methyltransferase (TPMT) is an important enzyme involved in AZA metabolism.
Read ArticleIn RA TNF-Inhibitors Prove To Be Durable Choice
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were less likely to discontinue their first biologic when that treatment was a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor than if it was a non-TNF biologic, and especially if treatment was initiated prior to 2005.
Read ArticleJuvenile Dermatomyositis Responds Best to Methotrexate and Prednisone
Lancet reports the results of a randomized controlled trial comparing prednisone alone to prednisone combined with either methotrexate (MTX) or cyclosporine (CyA) in new-onset juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).
Read ArticleCurbside Consults - December 2015
The following is a collection of cases presented to me by my colleagues in Canada during a day of workshop case discussions among clinical consultants. Each case is presented because of a challenging therapeutic issue.
Read ArticleFertility in RA Linked to Disease Activity, NSAIDs and Prednisone
Brouwer and colleagues from the University Medical Center Rotterdam in The Netherlands have studied the issue of infertility in a cohort of RA patients followed prospectively.
Read ArticleDSB: ACR 2015 Safety Reports
The following is a compilation of abstracts presented at the 2015 Annual ACR meeting in San Francisco. These were chosen on the basis of impact, quality and safety message.
Read ArticleEU Endorses Biosimilar Etanercept (SB4) from Samsung/Biogen
Reuters today reported that a copy of the blockbuster biotech drug Enbrel (SB4) was recommended for approval in Europe on Friday, making it the second so-called biosimilar antibody medicine to win such a green light from the continent's regulators.
Read ArticleOpioid Use Ups the Risk of Hospitalized Infections in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Researchers from Vanderbilt University have studied the issue of opioid use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and whether this influences infection risk.
Read ArticlePsoriasis May Not Be a Risk for CV Events
Patients with psoriatic skin and joint disease are uniquely susceptible to multiple comorbidities, obesity and possibly more cardiovascular risks. In rheumatoid arthritis, the increased CV risk and CV events have been closely aligned with inflammation and disease activity.
Read ArticleAMA Proposes Ban on Television Drug Ads
The American Medical Association has called for a ban on direct-to-consumer (DTC) advertising for prescription drugs and medical devices, noting these forms of advertising drive up health care costs and often mislead the public.
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