It is well known that influenza infection is more common in patients with rheumatologic diseases. Blumentals et al.

The RheumNow Week in Review discusses the past week's news, journal articles and highlights from RheumNow.com. This week's report includes trends in MTX use and outcomes, fibromyalgia as an inflammatory disorder, drugs that stop psoriasis pruritus, drugs that don't cause TB, cardiovascular risk, and what Rheums think of ACR/EULAR criteria.

The introduction of a growing number of biosimilars into the market poses a substantial change in cost of care for patients with inflammatory rheumatologic disorders.  

The June 2017 RheumNow “Live Vote” surveyed US and non-US rheumatologists and patients about how they diagnose and treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and whether they rely on newer diagnostic criteria and management guidelines propagated by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR).

This week's report includes new data on IL-1 inhibition and protection from CV events and lung cancer, baricitinib given a reprieve, and features on infections: HBV, shingles and mortality of septic arthritis.

The RheumNow Week in Review discusses the past week's news, journal articles and highlights from RheumNow.com. This week's report includes new data on IL-1 and pregnancy, contraceptives and the risk of RA, Calprotectin the biomarker, T2T failing, and the loss of a giant in rheumatology.

Dr. H. Ralph Schumacher passed away from ALS in July 30, 2017. The current issues of The Rheumatologist  and the Journal of Clinical Rheumatology have beautiful tributes written by Dr. Simon Helfgott and past ACR president Dr.

In this Therapeutic Update, Drs. Mease, Gibofsky and Cush answer five questions regarding the August 3rd FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee meeting that reviewed the potential approval of tofacitinib (Xeljanz) in patients with active psoriatic arthritis. The panel was nearly unanimous (10-1) in favor of the efficacy and safety profile of of tofacitinib, and similarly voted 10-1 to approve this drug for use in PsA. Final decisions on these recommendations from the AAC panel will be made at a later date by the FDA. 

The RheumNow Week in Review discusses the past week's news, journal articles and highlights from RheumNow.com.

A population-based cohort study shows that comorbidities in psoriatic arthritis patients (PsA) were associated with higher disease activity, shorter persistence and reduced clinical response to TNF inhibitors (TNFi). 

The RheumNow Week in Review caps the week's news every Friday. Dr Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and important events from the past week in rheumatology.

Early diagnosis and early intervention has been the mantra of all who manage musculoskeletal (MSK) diseases for decades. While the rules for referral may be clear to some, the lack of uniformity and promotion amongst primary care providers is less certain.

Adult patients with a history of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) showed poorer health-related quality of life decades later, compared with individuals who were healthy as children -- even if they were in clinical remission, reported researchers in Norway.

In the United States, musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) in rheumatology has grown significantly in the last few decades. Ten years ago, more than half of rheumatology fellows had training or exposure to MSUS. A current survey of training programs shows that 94% provide MSUS training.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews new FDA decisions on sirukumab and tofacitinib as well as other news items from the past week on RheumNow.com. 

The STRUCTURE trial results have been reported in Lancet and have shown that after 12 months of therapy, romosozumab (ROMO) had superior gains in bone mineral density (BMD) compared to teriparatide (TER) in women with postmenopausal osteoporosis who have previously taken bisphosphonate therapy.

 In the wake of the well-publicized "opioid epidemic", researchers report in the Annals of Internal Medicine (online July 31) that more than one third of U.S.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and articles from the past week on RheumNow.com:

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news from the past week on RheumNow.com: 

Curbside Consults are cases submitted by our rheumatology colleagues as challenging therapeutic or safety issues. Answers are based on experience, with added evidence from the medical literature and published guidelines. Here are four new cases.