Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy in Dermatomyositis

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A study of nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) finds abnormalities in more than half of patients suggesting this could be a useful clinical tool in diagnosing and managing patients with IIM. 

Genetic Diagnosis for Previously Undiagnosed Disorders

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The NEJM has reported the NIH's Undiagnosed Diseases Network (UDN) study results of genetically identifying new diseases from prospectively followed persons with undiagnosed disorders.

The UDN was formed in 2014 as a network of seven clinical sites, two sequencing cores, a coordinating center, central biorepository, a metabolomics core, and a model organisms screening center. It was established to apply a multidisciplinary model in the evaluation of the most challenging cases and to identify the biologic characteristics of newly discovered diseases.

RheumNow Podcast – Can RA Be Prevented (12.7.18)

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

FDA Approves Biosimilar Rituximab for NHL, not RA

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Wednesday approved Celltrion biosimilar of rituximab called Truxima; previously called CT-P10, now generically labeled as rituximab-abbs. This is the first biosimilar to the Rituxan currently approved to treat non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma. Truxima is not approved for use in rheumatoid arthritis, vasculitis, pemphigus vulgaris or chronic lymphocytic leukemia.

Diagnosing Early Lupus from Mimics

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A multicenter study of early systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients examined manifestations at disease onset and found that certain clinical features can help to distinguish early SLE from other SLE‐mimicking conditions. 

First FDA Approved Drug for HLH

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The first drug specifically for primary hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) was approved today, the FDA announced.

The RheumNow Podcast – Heartbreak of Methotrexate (11.16.18)

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

Pilot Data on Rituximab in Henoch-Schonlein Purpura

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Management of Henoch-Schonlein purpura (HSP) can be challenging as supportive care and avoidance of corticosteroids are often insufficient options. A new series of case reports and literature review of steroid refractory HSP suggests that rituximab may be effective in reducing hospital admissions, overall steroid use, and is capable of inducing remission.

RheumNow Weekly Podcast – 3 Wiseguy Rheumatologists (11.9.18)

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Dr Jack Cush reviews the News and Journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.  Be sure to check out our upcoming meeting in March 2019 - RheumNow Live.

Spotlight on Interstitial Lung Disease at ACR 2018

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Here are a few important advances in our understanding of interstitial lung disease (ILD) from the ACR 2018 meeting last week.

RheumNow ACR Week in Review: ACR Wrap-Up (10.26.18)

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This past week in Chicago gave us a plethora of new and eye-opening research, people, KOLs, exhibits, sessions, guidelines, posters and a never-ending supply of coffee served in small paper cups.  ACR 2018 highlights for me included:

ACR 2018 - Day 3 Report

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Highlights from Tuesday, day 3 of the ACR Annual meeting in Chicago, included:

The PEXIVAS Study –  2x2 Trial of Plasma Exchange and Reduced Steroids in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis (AAV) - Abstract #2788

Because It's Rare Doesn’t Mean It Doesn’t Exist: A Tribute to Relapsing Polychondritis

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During medical training, we were taught about rare diseases that are unlikely to be encountered, but there is a reason why our professors even mention these diseases. It is not just for our board exams; the lectures are for us to recognize the features of the disease when the rare patient comes across our exam table.

RheumNow Week in Review – ACR Preview Edition (10.19.18)

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Dr. Jack Cush summarizes the news and reports from RheumNow.Com this past week and previews RheumNow activities at the upcoming ACR 2018 meeting in Chicago.

IL-6 for Adult Still's: A New Option?

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Some clinical benefits were seen among patients with adult-onset Still's disease treated with tocilizumab (Actemra) in a small clinical trial, but the study's primary endpoint was not met, Japanese researchers reported.

SLE-Scleroderma Overlap Outcomes

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Overlap of autoimmune disorders represents a significant diagnostic and management challenge to the rheumatologist. A novel cohort analysis of overlap between systemic sclerosis (SSc) and systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) suggests such patients tend to be younger, more frequently have PAH, but less cutaneous manifestations of SSc.

RheumNow Week in Review – Vitamin D Falls Again (10.4.18)

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

Predictive Risk Factors for Uveitis in JIA

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Researchers from Germany have studied a large cohort of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients and shown that JIA disease activity scores and laboratory biomarkers could be used to better define the group of JIA patients at high risk of uveitis onset.

Long-Term Efficacy of Canakinumab in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

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Only inhibitors of IL-1 (canakinumab) and IL-6 (tocilizumab) are FDA approved for use in children with systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA). Now, long-term data from the extension studies from two phase III studies shows that canakinumab yields long-term improvements with reduced glucocorticoid dosing with no new safety findings with long-term use.

An Association between GCA and IBD ?

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A population based analysis from Israel suggests that giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients may be at increased risk for  inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) mainly target.