Secukinumab Improves Patient-Reported Outcomes in Psoriatic Arthritis (FUTURE 1)

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Secukinumab (Cosentyx) has recently been approved for use in ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis; the latter largely based on the FUTURE 2 and the just reported FUTURE 1 clinical trial. FUTURE 1 demonstrates the efficacy and safety of secukinumab, with inital weekly intravenous loading, given monthly as a subcutaneous injection. 

Scleroderma Digital Ulcers Fail to Respond to Endothelin Antagonist

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Khanna and coworkers have published the results of the DUAL-1 and DUAL-2 clinical trials (sponsored by Actelion Pharmaceuticals) testing the efficacy macitentan in reducing the number of new digital ulcers in patients with systemic sclerosis.

faSScinate Study Shows Tocilizumab to be Effective in Systemic Sclerosis

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The results of the faSScinate trial were published in Lancet showing that treatment with Actemra (tocilizumab) resulted in a reduction in skin thickness and an improvement in lung function in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methotrexate Yields No Added Benefit in Etanercept Treated Psoriatic Arthritis Patients

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Despite a paucity of clinical trial proof, methotrexate is often advocated or mandated to treat psoriatic arthritis. A recent comparison of clinical trials outcomes fails to show any added value when MTX is given to PsA patients taking etanercept.

Poor Outcomes for Dermato/Polymyositis Admitted to ICU

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Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) may be complicated with life-threatening conditions requiring intensive care unit (ICU) admission.  The outcomes of such complications may be dire, but there are few series addressing the outcomes of those admitted to the ICU. 

Vaccine Success is Limited in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Numerous guidelines (ACR, ACIP/CDC, ATS, NICE) all call for timely vaccinations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and those receiving immunosuppressives or biologics. 

BeST Trial and 10-Year Outcomes of Four Treatment Strategies

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Markusse and investigators from The Netherlands have reported their 10 year results of treating early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using targeted treatment strategies.

Osteoporotic Fractures at Higher Risk for Subsequent Fractures

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Harvey and coworkers reported the results of subjects followed in the Reykjavik study, demonstrating that a first osteoporotic fracture was followed by an increased risk for a second fracture, both immediately and over time.

Does Psoriasis Increase Risk of Abdominal Aneurysm?

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Danish researchers studied a cohort of 59,423 mild psoriasis and 11,566 severe psoriasis patients over a 14 year period, and found 240 and 50 cases of abdominal aortic aneurysms (AAA), repectively. (Citation source http://buff.ly/1YxGpDA)

Lupus Patients Genomically Stratified to Explain Treatment Responses

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Systemic lupus is a clinically heterogeneous disorder, unified by requisite clinical features and exuberant humoral response to unknown triggers.  While the diagnosis is easy, the disease course and management can be complicated and challenging.  

Population-Based TB Risk and Prevention with RA and Biologics

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In a retrospective cohort comparison study, 42,180 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were compared 1:4 with 168,000 normal controls to examine the incidence of new tuberculosis in Taiwan. The RA population included those receiving csDMARDs (36,162), etanercept (3,577), adalimumab (1,67

Tofacitinib Efficacy Revealed in OPAL Study

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Pfizer has issued a press release of its preliminary results from the OPAL study that examined the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib 5 mg and 10 mg twice daily (BID) in adults active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Cardiology Anti-inflammatory Trial Fails to Improve CV Outcomes

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Researchers at Brigham and Women's Hospital, Boston evaluated the efficacy and safety of the anti-inflammatory drug losmapimod on cardiovascular outcomes given to patients with a history of myocardial infarction and CV risk factors.

Incidence of Psoriatic Arthritis Among Psoriasis Patients

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Researchers at the University of Toronto have prospectively studied a cohort of 464 psoriasis patients without a diagnosis of arthritis and followed them over 8 years to estimate the incidence and frequency of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). 

Antibiotics Fail to Treat Chronic Symptoms of Lyme Disease

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(Reuters Health) - Twelve weeks of antibiotic therapy proved ineffective at combating the long-term symptoms seen in some people who have had Lyme disease, a new test of 280 sufferers found. (Citation source http://buff.ly/1Rs21R5)

1 in 2 Americans Have Musculoskeletal Conditions

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A recent report from the United States Bone and Joint Initiative (USBJI) estimates that 126.6 million Americans (one in two adults) are affected by a musculoskeletal (MSK) condition; a number on par with the number of Americans living with a chronic lung or heart conditions.

High Mortal Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis Following Arthroplasty

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Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with an increased risk of myocardial infarction (MI) and post-MI fatality compared with the general population. At issue is whether this applies to those undergoing a surgical procedure.

Biologics Are Safe When Used During Pregnancy in IBD

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This is a reposting of an earlier report on RheumNow that includes additional commentary from Dr. Sunada Kane, a gastroenterologist at the Mayo Clinic who specializes in both inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) and pregnancy. 

Week in Review - 25 March 2016

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1. phase 3, BRIDGE study shows romosozumab (anti-sclerostin MAb) significantly increases lumbar BMD in men with osteoporosis


2. Statin use is associated with a 21% increased risk of skin cancer (NMSC) - data

The Increasing and Disappointing P Value

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In the March 15th issue of JAMA, Chavalarias and coworkers describe the evolution of the “P value” and its use in biomedical research in the last 25 years.  (CItation Source http://buff.ly/22L0pG7)