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Long-Term APP Retention: Building Success for Practices and Providers
Advanced Practice Providers (APPs) play an increasingly vital role in rheumatology practices across the country. With rising patient volumes and a growing demand for timely, high-quality care, incorporating an APP into a rheumatology team can be transformative.
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Managing Perioperative DMARDs with Arthroplasty
Postoperative complications with arthroplasty may be related to chronic inflammation and immunosuppressive therapy. Yet a recent retrospective study total ankle arthroplasty in end-stage RA patients shows that early postoperative wound complications are unaffected by the continued use of their preoperative medications including DMARDs.
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Taiwan Health Insurance study of 5749 #RA pts Rx w/ b/tsDMARD, followed >2.5 yrs - 268 (4.7%) had serious infx (1.3 SIE/100PYs); 51% pneumonia, 25% UTI, 10% TB). 60% had b/tsDMARDs dose reduction- not assoc w/ increase SIE (3.4% v 4.2%), but D/C increased SIE (35% v 26%) https://t.co/6J8rB3IyFR
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
10 yr European retrospective study of haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis found 3345 deaths due HLH from 29 countries. Crude mortality rate = 5.3 per 10million PYs (range: 1.1-11.3). From 2011 to 2021, increasing from 3.9 to 6.6/10millPYs, varying by country, sex, age. https://t.co/58gCQ72saF
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Zantac is Back! Ranitidine has been off the market for 5yrs, withdrawn over concerns about N-nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) impurity affecting shelf-life. The FDA has approved reformulated ranitidine tablets - the drug has the same prior efficacy and safety label. https://t.co/ktTz5EO2Ja
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Serious infections w/ adalimumab. Marketscan MarketScan claims study (1/17-12/20) of ADA Rx in Hidradenitis Supprativa (n 1650) or psoriasis(8699). Risk of SIE & hospitalization greater w/ HS (HR 1.53); esp for sepsis & GU infxn https://t.co/2qa7O2v6fm
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Australian Vaccine study (2019 - 2021) - w/in 12 mos of b/tsDMARD initiation 73% (11,225/15,460) recv influenza vaccination. High-dose Flu vax used in 28% in 60–69 yo, but > 80% older than 70yo. Only 9.7% recv pneumococcal & 2.4% zoster Zostavax or Shingrix) vax w/in 6 months of https://t.co/xoGTWMUi1L
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
In 2024, 77 pts referred to Rheum for possible PMR were ultimately Dx w/ B19 viral infx. 96% had arthralgia & 7% had PMR-like features (5/5 w/ BL shoulder/neck. prolonged AM stiff, fever & Hi CRP/ESR - none had hip pain. 4/5 were male, w/ mean age of 55 yrs. None were RF/CCP+ https://t.co/SsLVEyL8X8
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Having #RA does not increase mortality in CA pts Rx w/ immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI). 301 Veterans w/ RA & 2114 nonRA controls were compared: all-cause mortality was similar (HR 1.09; 0.94, 1.25). Most deaths from cancer (90% & 91%), but rarely from infection (<1%) https://t.co/gsXie6HpTu
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Western Australia study of 1854 SLE pts (median 40 yrs old). Interstitial lung disease was seen in in 3.8% of SLE, 26 fold more than controls. Risk factors for ILD included older age, smoking and serositis. SLE-ILD pts had higher mortality rates (MR 52.0, CI 37.0–71.1).
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Biologic use in 5008 IBD pts finds higher serious infxn (SIE) rates (vs, RA or PsO). In UC the SIE rate was 5.5/100PY w/ vedolizumab & 7/100PY w/ other biologics. In Crohns the SIE rate was 7.9/100PY w/ vedolizumab vs 6.5/100PY w/ other biologics (adj HR 1.15; 0.95–1.40) (P .16) https://t.co/R7YC220NnO
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Systematic review of 10 studies showed TNFi exposure in utero not assoc w/ incr risk of infant severe infxn (4 RCTs); same for breast milk exposure (2 RCTs).
Infant vaccination outcomes unaffected by TNFi use, but rec delaying BCG vaccination if TNFi exposed https://t.co/02Nn6TuzR3
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
In 2024, 77 pts referred to Rheum for possible PMR were ultimately Dx w/ B19 viral infx. 96% had arthralgia & 7% had PMR-like features (5/5 w/ BL shoulder/neck. prolonged AM stiff, fever & Hi CRP/ESR - none had hip pain. 4/5 were male, w/ mean age of 55 yrs. None were RF/CCP+ https://t.co/AiK2K9whBH
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Hospitalization in Stills: Is it "Still" an infection?
Dr. Janet Pope discusses abstract 0163, "Trends in hospitalization and outcomes among patients admitted with Adult-onset Still’s disease in the United States: INSIGHTS FROM THE NATIONAL INPATIENT SAMPLE (2016-2022)," https://t.co/3Z0U9XN3nx
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Why are vaccine Abs maintained after CAR-T
-depletion of pathogenic #Abs are dampened/eliminated
Clonal repetoire expansion
Remission=naive B cell pop'n
Reset immune system sparing memory cells
vs ?not all pathogenic cells eliminated in tissue
#ACR25 @RheumNow @ACRheum
#26S21 https://t.co/jb3dD5Ssip
Janet Pope Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)
Another toxicity signal to watch in the CAR T space: LICATs
Abstract 1537 reports a new immune-related toxicity distinct from CRS or ICANS:
🔹Affects organs prev involved in autoimmune dx: skin (35%) and kidneys (22%)
🔹Mostly mild (Grade 1–2); 3 cases Grade 3
@RheumNow #ACR25 https://t.co/mtZh47nWtv
Akhil Sood MD, MS AkhilSoodMD ( View Tweet)
CAR-T toxicity in hematology
(the things we have to look out for in rheumatology, as application of CAR-T potentially broadens)
@andrew02114 @MGHCancerCenter with the heme-onc point of view in the #ACR25 BCRC @RheumNow https://t.co/1YjadL7LCF
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
Post-CAR-T myelopathy has been an issue in heme onc, and is still an unpredictable quantity without a clear cause. Will this be a problem for autoimmune CAR-T as we gain more experience? @CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila in the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/RhhdOiyEAX
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
#2682 In a randomised trial of 320 RA patients, the recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) was safe and did not trigger disease flares. But methotrexate use and older age significantly blunted antibody responses ➡️key factors to consider for vaccine strategies in RA. @RheumNow #ACR25
Mrinalini Dey DrMiniDey ( View Tweet)
Observational study from VCRC AAV patinet, >70% had pulm involvement at some point
As expected, nodules favor GPA (63% vs 12% MPA) & DAH favors MPA (61% vs 31%)
More ILD in MPA (11% vs 1%) & more endobronchial in GPA (12% vs 2%)
Helpful pearls!
@RheumNow #ACR25 Abstr#0721 https://t.co/Iu5MdiTABR
Mike Putman EBRheum ( View Tweet)
