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Biologics in Pregnancy: Are They Safe?
Exposure to biologic therapies among women with autoimmune diseases was not associated with increased risks of preterm delivery or having small for gestational age babies, a population-based Canadian study found.
Read ArticleDSB – Safety Updates & Drug Shortages – March 2018
This edition of RheumNow's Drug Safey Bulletin includes drug safety news, FDA updates, FDA safety labeling changes and reported drug shortages.
Read ArticleOpioid Overdoses Jump 30% in 2017
The CDC released new information yesterday showing that emergency department (ED) visits for opioid overdoses rose 30% in the US from July 2016 through September 2017; in addition, those with an overdose are more likely to a repeat overdose.
Read ArticleAbatacept Efficacy in JIA
Subcutaneous abatacept (Orencia) showed efficacy among children with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in an open-label phase III trial.
Read ArticleSevere Stevens-Johnson and Toxic Epidermal Necrolysis Syndromes May Respond to Etanercept
The Journal of Clinical Investigation reports the results of a trial wherein etanercept (ETN) was shown to be effective in treating cytotoxic T lymphocyte–mediated (CTL-mediated) severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (T
Read ArticleThe RheumNow Week in Review - 2 March 2018
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read ArticleSteroid Use During Rheumatoid Pregnancies
Pregnant women (n=254) with rheumatoid arthritis who enrolled in the MotherToBaby Autoimmune Diseases in Pregnancy Study and who were taking oral glucocorticoids were studied.
Read ArticleInflammatory Arthritis Variants with Checkpoint Inhibitors
Capelli and colleagues have studied patients treated with ICIs and found two variants of inflammatory arthritis (IA) - a reactive arthritis like large joint arthritis with combination ICI therapy or a small joint IA with ICI monotherapy.
Read Article2017 Rheumatology Year in Review
This retrospective review is drawn from the authors collection of the most impactful publications, research and news that occurred in 2017. In no particular order, here are my top rheumatology advances, news and research reports for calendar year 2017.
Read ArticleIL-18 Binding Protein Effective in Adult-Onset Still's Disease
Gabay and colleagues have reported the results of a novel new recombinant human IL-18 binding protein, tadekinig alfa, demonstrating its effectiveness in an open-label dose escalating study in patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).
Read ArticleProbenecid Benefits Heart Failure
In animal studies, probenecid was shown to have positive inotropic effects on the cardiomyocyte mediated by transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 activation.
Read ArticleThe RheumNow Week in Review - 23 February 2018
Dr Jack Cush reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week’s video is in two parts; for part Ii, go to https://buff.ly/2BM9MjL
Read ArticleOral Anticoagulation Effective Following Hip and Knee Replacement Surgery
Many protocols call for anticoagulation after total hip or total knee arthroplasty to prevent venous thromboembolism (proximal deep-vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism), and some reports have suggested a role for aspiring or direct oral anticoagulants as preventative therapy. The NEJM has reported that oral anticoagulation with rivaroxaban (Xarelto) followed by aspirin to be effective prophylaxis.
Read ArticleEqual Cardiovascular Risks in Hypertensive Patients Treated with Selective and Nonselective NSAIDS
A Taiwanese study of 55,629 hypertensive patients shows no increased risk of major cardiovascular events comparing outcomes of patients started on COX-2 selective NSAIDs compared with nonselective NSAIDs (including ibuprofen, diclofenac and naproxen).
Read ArticleASCO/NCCN Guidelines for Checkpoint Inhibitor Immune-Related Adverse Events
New guidelines have been developed by the American Society of Clinical Oncology (ASCO) and the National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) on how to assess and manage of immune checkpoint inhibitor side effects that are often autoimmune in nature.
Read ArticlePediatric Use of TNF inhbitors Does Not Increase Malignancy Risk
A study of USA administrative claims data between 2000 to 2014 assessed the risk of cancer with exposure to tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) in pediatric patients and found that TNFi therapy did not significantly increase the risk compared those not receiving TNFi.
Read ArticleHERO Trial - Hydroxychloroquine Fails in Hand Osteoarthritis
UK researchers have treated 248 patients with moderate to severe hand pain and radiographic osteoarthritis (OA) and demonstrated no benefit after 12 months of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ), according to a recent article in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Read ArticleCalcium and Vitamin D Do Not Increase Cardiac Events/Death
An analysis of the UK Biobank study found no link between calcium/vitamin D supplementation and incident cardiovascular events/deaths in a large prospective study of 475,255 men and women aged 40 to 69 years.
Read ArticleDMARDs Lower Dementia Risk in Rheumatoid Arthritis
UK researchers have analyzed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients from the UK Clinical Practice Research Database and shown that chronic conventional DMARD (cDMARD) use was associated with 40% lower risk of dementia (nearly 50% with methotrexate use).
Read ArticleRWCS Day 4 Podcast
Listen in on the proceedings from the 2018 RWCS meeting in Maui, with excerpts from leading teachers in rheumatology. This podcast features presentations from Drs.
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