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Most Clinicians Do Not Order MRI/CT for Nonspecific Low Back Pain
Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent public health problem. Not surprisingly, imaging of LBP is also an expensive and often overused diagnostic tool.
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Good News for Lupus Pregnancies
The Washington Post recently interviewed Dr. Eliza Chakavarty of the OMRF about the evolution in attitudes and outcomes of lupus women who wish to get pregnant.
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Nor-Switch Study Shows it's Safe to Switch to a Biosimilar
The results of the Nor-Switch study were presented at the United European Gastroenterology annual congress this week demonstrating no significant difference in effect, adverse effects or antibody formation in patients switched from Remicade to the biosimilar infliximab (CT-P13, Remsima).
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Inflectra Biosimilar Ships in Late November 2016
Pfizer has announced it will ship its new FDA-approved biosimilar, Inflectra, in late November and that it will be priced at a15 percent discount to current wholesale prices.
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Low-Molecular Weight Heparin Does Not Reduce Pregnancy Complications
A Lancet meta-analysis has reviewed the preventative effects of low-molecular-weight heparin (LMWH) on placenta-mediated pregnancy complications include pre-eclampsia, late pregnancy loss, placental abruption, and birth of a small-for-gestational-age (SGA) neonate.
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RheumNow Week in Review – 14 October 2015
Dr Jack Cush reviews highlights from the news and journal articles appearing this week on RheumNow.com:
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My Take on New Ocular Screening Guidelines for Plaquenil
A recent article published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology presented new recommendations for screening of patients being managed with hydroxychloroquine that changed the previous monitoring paradigm. More importantly, it has repositioned hydroxychloroquine from one of the safest medications that rheumatologists use to a drug that can have potentially significant ocular morbidity (if used in doses greater than 5 mg per kilogram and or for prolonged periods of time).
First Degree Relatives and the Risk of Spondyloarthritis
The risk of developing ankylosing spondylitis (AS) if you are HLA-B27+ and a first degree relative is often said to be 20%.
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Those with Osteoporotic Fractures are Going Untreated
The International Osteoporosis Foundation (IOF) reports that nearly 80% of those who have already suffered a broken bone due to osteoporosis remain unprotected against the risk of further disabling fractures.
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New Criteria for the Cryopyrinopathies (CAPS)
The diagnosis of periodic fevers is unified by undiagnosed but recurrent fever. Unfortunately the diagnosis of these disorders is hampered by their infrequency, protean features and a lack of clear criteria. Even more problematic is knowing who should be tested and for which monogenic marker?
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RheumNow Week in Review – 7 October 2016
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the journals and news this week on RheumNow.com.
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CDC Says Prevalence of Severe Joint Pain is Rising
The October 7th edition of MMWR reports that severe joint pain (SJP) has significantly risen from 10.5 million in 2012 to 27.2% in 2014, based on recent NHIS surveys.
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Necrotizing Myopathy is a Unique Form of Myositis
Muscle involvement in immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) was more extensive compared with other inflammatory myopathies, according to a retrospective chart review.
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Infection Rates Stable in JIA With Anti-TNF Therapy
Children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) treated with biologic therapies were at no higher risk for hospitalized infections than those treated with methotrexate alone, But, higher rates were seen with anakinra in systemic JIA.
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The Arthritis Spectrum after Lyme Infection - Something New
Symptoms attributed to chronic Lyme disease are the bane of a rheumatologist’s existence. We often see patients referred for a variety of nonspecific complaints that do not resolve after antibiotic therapy, including the so-called post-Lyme disease syndrome.
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RheumNow Week in Review – 30 September 2016
Three new FDA approvals, proteomics, cancer, infectious risk, nonadherence and disappointing clinical trial results covered in this RheumNow Week in Review.
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NSAIDs Pose a Dose-Related Risk for Heart Failure Hospitalizations
BMJ has reported the results of a case-control study that analyzed the risk of hospitalization from heart failure associated with the use of NSAIDs amongst healthcare databases from four European countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom).
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ICD-10 Grace Period Ends October 1st
A year ago, physicians panicked with a new and formidable change in practice called ICD-10. This newer and more complex coding system had the angst of Y2K and nearly as much true trouble - largely because of the "relaxed" stance taken by CMS with its introduction.
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No Difference in Infection Rates Among SLE Drugs
Rates of serious infection and mortality among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) did not depend on the immunosuppressive drug regimen they were on, investigators reported.
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Ilaris Gets FDA Approval for Rare Febrile Disorders
Ilaris was previously approved for use in systemic JIA and CAPS. The FDA has expanded this to include TRAPS, Hyper-IgD and FMF based on clinical trials.
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