What Can 30 Years of Rheumatic Disease Research Tell Us About the Future?

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As a practicing rheumatologist for more than 30 years, I can recall a time – just a couple of decades ago – when waiting rooms were full of patients in wheelchairs, debilitated and in pain from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other related conditions.

Turnabout for Baricitinib

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Eli Lilly and Company and Incyte Corporation announced today that, after discussions with the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in late August 2017, Lilly will resubmit a revised New Drug Application for baricitinib before the end of January 2018. The resubmission package will include new safety and efficacy data. 

Shingles Vaccine Studies in A&R

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The current issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology features an editorial and two novel articles on the herpes zoster vaccine.

Canakinumab Reduces CV Outcomes in High Risk Patients

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The results of a randomized, double-blind trial have shown that canakinumab (CAN), an interleukin-1β inhibitor, given as 150 mg every 3 months, resulted in a significantly lower rate of recurrent cardiovascular events (in high-risk CV patients), independent of lipid-level lowering. The results of the CANTOS studywere simultaneously published in NEJM, Lancet and were presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting in Barcelona.

Adalimumab Biosimilars Adding Up

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Reuters reports that yet another adalimumab biosimilar has been approved by European Union regulators.

The new drug is named Imraldi, and is manufactured by Samsung Bioepis, a company who has several biosimilars approved or in development for worldwide use.

Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterial Infections - Diagnosis and Management for the Rheumatologist

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Non-Tuberculous Mycobacterial infections are among the most frequently reported opportunistic infections in the setting of biologic therapy. While there are hundreds of NTM species, only a minority are clinically relevant. In this review, I'll address important NTM diagnosis and management issues relevant to patients receiving biologic therapy.

Treat-to-Target a Bust with Rheumatologists

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Treat-to-target strategy is widely advocated as an important means of optimizing treatment responses in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Even though T2T is encouraged by most guidelines, a current report shows that US Rheumatologists fail to implement T2T in their daily practice.

It's Rheumatoid Arthritis, not the TNF inhibitor, that Drives Lymphoma Risk

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Evidence from multiple studies suggests there is an increased risk of lymphoma in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that is believed to be linked to the cumulative activity of the disease.  

Rheumatoid Arthritis Increases Risk of Repeat Coronary Events and Mortality

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Studies have shown that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have increased risk of acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and may suffer from poorer short-term outcomes after ACS. The long-term outcomes in patients with RA with ACS was shown to be worse than matched non-RA patients also with ACS.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 18 August 2017

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

Bad Knees Through the Ages

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The average American today is twice as likely to be diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis as in the years before World War II, Harvard scientists say. And the reasons are less clear than you might think.

Based on a study of more than 2,000 skeletons from cadaveric and archaeological collections across the United States, a Harvard report is the first to definitively show that knee osteoarthritis prevalence has dramatically increased in recent decades.

How Much Testing is Enough?

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I saw a patient this past week with new onset polyarthralgia, which led me to ponder how my fellow rheumatologists would utilize laboratory testing in such a patient.

Kids with Crohn's have Profound MSK Deficits - but No Increase in Fractures

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Crohn’s disease (CD), a chronic inflammatory condition of the gastrointestinal tract, is also known for its propensity to affect the musculoskeletal system.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 11 August 2017

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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.

Joint Pain Linked to Increasing Temperature, Not Rainfall

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Every rheumatologist knows and every rheumatic patient woes about the havoc weather inflicts on joint pains. Yet, research on this issue has seldom confirmed these impressions.

Criteria for Early Referrals from Primary Care

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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.

JIA Worsens Quality of Life Long into Adulthood

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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.

Therapeutic Update: 5 Questions on Sirukumab FDA Hearing

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Drs. Cush and Gibofsky answer 5 questions about the August 2, 2017 FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee meeting that reviewed the NDA for sirukumab use in rheumatoid arthritis. The panel voted against (1-12) the approval of sirukumab.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 4 August 2017

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

Arthritis Advisory Panel Votes Down Sirukumab

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On Wednesday, August 2, the FDA convened the Arthritis Advisory Committee (AAC) to evaluate the safety and efficacy of Janssen’s anti-IL-6 monoclonal antibody, sirukumab.