Aside from diarrhea, colchicine use is generally well tolerated, but its metabolism via the CYP3A4 cytochrome P450 enzyme pathway poses a potential risk of medication interaction. Statins are one of the most widely prescribed medication classes also metabolized by this pathway thus positing question of additive risk when colchicine and a statin are prescribed concurrently.

Avacopan (Tavneos), the complement pathway inhibitor for antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV), appeared strongly effective in an Italian registry study -- a step, maybe, toward setting to rest questions about its efficacy, if not its safety.

After years of inactivity, therapeutic development for dermatomyositis has begun to move forward with several new therapies and therapeutic strategies.

On this week's podcast, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news: Steroids are easy to start and hard to stop; hold the MTX but not the biologic or JAK, weighing in on avacopan, and age-old messages for old-age patients. 

Close to 90% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) well controlled on targeted therapies were able to take 50% dosage reductions without experiencing worsened disease activity in a randomized trial, South Korean researchers said.