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Dietary Supplements Send 23,000 to the ER Annually
The CDC has reported in the NEJM that dietary supplements may be associated with higher than expected rates of adverse events requiring medical evaluation in the emergency department (ED).
Read ArticleHydroxychloroquine Retinal Toxicity Reviewed
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ or Plaquenil) retinopathy is rare, but still a major concern among patients and prescribers.
Read ArticleDSB Reports and Updates - October 2015
This month's DSB addresses labeling changes as well as safety reports from literature, including steps to prevent major birth defects, timing and intervals between PCV13 and PPSV23 vaccines, PPIs and subacute cutaneous lupus, and FDA warnings on tramadol in children.
Read ArticleInfertility in Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Disease Activity
Women with rheumatoid arthritis are said to have a normal number of pregnancies. However, most of these are conceived prior to the onset of RA. Once diagnosed, the RA patient who wishes to become pregnant may be faced with difficult medication choices if she is planning to become pregnant.
Read ArticleIncreased Risk of Shingles with Inflammatory Myositis
A study from the Taiwan National Health Insurance examined 2023 patients with new diagnoses of dermatomyositis or polymyositis and population controls and examined the frequency of Herpes zoster.
Read ArticleSecukinumab Wins in Psoriatic Arthritis
Mease and colleagues have published their results of a phase 3 trial of secukinumab (anti-IL-17A Mab) in 606 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
Read ArticleDSB: Drug Shortages - September 2015
RheumNow is committed to reporting safety issues in our monthly Drug Safety Bulletins. Each month we will update you with reports of new, ongoing and resolved Drug Shortages that will affect the practicing rheumatologist.
Read ArticleHigh Sodium Intake Linked to Risk of RA
Diet has long been considered a potential risk factor for the onset or pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthris. Obesity and the microbiome are being intensively studied as risk factors for RA.
Read ArticleThe Deadly Truth behind Paxil’s Study 329
Study 329 was published in 2001, and became a pivotal study for the anti-depressant drug Paxil (paroxetine). In 2002, over 2 million prescriptions were written for Paxil.
Read ArticlePLLR - The Pregnancy & Lactation Labeling Rule Explained
A recent article from Healio.com reviewed the FDA’s Pregnancy and Lactation Labeling Rule (PLLR) that became effective June 30th.
Read ArticleDATA-Switch Study Finds the Right Sequence to Building Better Bone Mass
Long-term management of osteoporosis can be challenging, and given the increasing number of choices, the best sequence of drug use has not been addressed adequately.
Read ArticleMonitoring of Novel Therapies in Rheumatology
The rheumatology therapeutic landscape has changed almost yearly in the last 15 years, with the introduction of at least 16 biologic or novel agents for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), spondyloarthritis (SpA), juvenile arthritis,
Read ArticleShingles Vaccine Not Cost-Effective in Those Under 60
The herpes zoster (HZ- shingles) vaccine was FDA approved for use in individuals over age 50 years. However, the CDC Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) has recommended it only be used in those over age 60 years.
Read ArticleDrug Safety Reports & FDA Updates – August 2015
Safety reports from literature include long-term safety of rituximab, rituximab-induced neutropenia, tabalumab (Anti-BAFF Mab) results from the ILLUMINATE trial, colchicine toxicity increased in CKD patients, FDA updates and drug labeling changes, and more.
Read ArticleSerious Infections Increased in Etanercept-Treated Juvenile Arthritis Patients
UK researchers set out to study medically significant infections (MSI) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients enrolled in the British Society for Paediatric and Adolescent Rheumatology Etanercept Cohort Study (BSPAR-ETN).
Read ArticleSCOT Study Shows NSAID Safety
Since the 2005 FDA hearing that resulted in the removal of Vioxx and Bextra from the US market, the safety of nonselective NSAIDs (nsNSAIDs) and selective Cox-2 inhibitors (e.g., celecoxib) has been repeatedly questioned, often without new or substantive data.
Read ArticleHospitalized Infections are Higher with the Second Biologic
Using Medicare claims data on 189,326 RA patients, researchers at the University of Alabama at Birmingham examined the rates of hospitalized infections in previously biologic-treated RA patients and compared rates in cohorts starting new treatment with etanercept, adalimumab, certolizum
Read ArticleDSB: Drug Shortages August 2015
RheumNow is committed to reporting safety issues in our monthly Drug Safety Bulletins. Each month we will update you with reports of new, ongoing and resolved Drug Shortages that will affect the practicing rheumatologist.
Read ArticleFemale "Viagra Pill" Controversy - Grandstanding or Equal Rights?
The FDA is under pressure over the recent approval of the "female viagra" pill. On August 18th, the FDA announced its approval for Addyi (flibanserin) to treat acquired, generalized hypoactive sexual desire disorder (HSDD) in premenopausal women.
Read ArticleColon Cancer Risk Cut by Aspirin and NSAIDs
A population-based study from Northern Denmark studied the effects of aspirin and NSAIDs on colorectal cancer rates (Citation source http://buff.ly/1KJQ6H3).
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