All News
Again, a High Mortality with Depression and RA
Last week we reported on a Korean study showing a 66% elevated mortality risk in RA patients (n=38,487) with depression.
Read Article9 Facts about Leflunomide
Medscape has published an informative review of leflunomide, drawn from Dr. Eric Ruderman’s recent lecture on the subject at the February RWCS meeting in Maui.
Read ArticleHidradenitis Suppurativa-Related Autoinflammatory Syndromes
Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a suppurative inflammatory skin disorder that is considered to be autoinflammatory by many. HS includes a specturm of disorders, linked by suppurative (or psoriatic) skin disease and potentially genetics.
Read Article
DANBIO #RA registry study: in 21,982 Rx starts (96K PtYrs) saw 1423 cancers w/ no overall increase in cancer risk with tocilizumab, sarilumab, abatacept, or rituximab (HRs from 0.7–1.1). No diff betw ABA vs TNFi (HR 1.41) nor HEME CA RTX vs TNFi (HR 0.09) https://t.co/mIEqALnnwI https://t.co/N1v3TzuBGm
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Chinese SLE registry study of 350 SLE-TP (low plts) pts - 55% were aPL Ab+ (who had lower Plts @baseline (61K vs 76k). aPL+ SLE-TP pts w/ higher relapse rate (58% vs. 44%, P=0.009) & lower complete response rate. > more aPLs--> increased relapse rates https://t.co/Mb2YhsniVJ https://t.co/92QRWICcB4
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

JAMA Review of DMARD Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis
JAMA has reviewed the "2022 EULAR Recommendations for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis With Synthetic and Biological Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs".
https://t.co/pJLriraWqq https://t.co/JElMzDyeMs
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

COX-2 (on the left) have lower ulcer risk than COX-1 (to the right) NSAIDs. @BCryer https://t.co/Xfm7xJkvzd
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

High risk pts on NSAIDs need prophylaxis!! @bcryer https://t.co/NAnHtkTNvL
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Endoscopy and Worry are indicated in the face of DYSPEPSIA and any of these: @BCryer https://t.co/6TabKhiLPO
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Testing for H. Pylori. Serologic tests are OK but after Rx eradication, 25% of pts will remain positive for H. Pylori. @BCryer
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Multiple Rx options to treat H. Pylori - Dr. Cryer recs regimens of 14ds; top line w/ bismuth is most recommended. (most effective is the one the patient will actualy take!) @BCryer https://t.co/f6836Ga1Fz
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

H. Pylori is usually acquired during childhood, remains dormant until activated years later. Is assoc w/ PUD and gastric cancer, not dyspepsia. Baylor Univ Grand Round By Dr. Byron Cryer @BCryer https://t.co/KXZfigVYX9
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Mixed Long-term Effects of Calcium and Vitamin D in Postmenopausal Women
https://t.co/u2cf5hmTAE https://t.co/A4kdwG6eRm
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

JAK-pot: 46913 Rx courses on JAKi, TNFi, other MOA. Rx D/Cs for AEs:
- TNFi = JAKi (HR 1.0)
- Other MOA > JAKi (HR 1.11)
- TNFi < tofacitinib (0.81)
- TNFi > baricitinib (1.15)
- TNFi < JAKi; if >65yrs w/ CV risk (0.79) https://t.co/N5XnPjxAXO https://t.co/AnoKM7fzM7
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

What do you know about monogenic and polygenic autoinflammatory diseases? Join Drs Liebowitz and Mehta as they review the challenges of these conditions. https://t.co/EqJRXSzrEs https://t.co/z5yuHDXUZ3
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Effective Treatments for Still's Disease
A systematic review of pharmacological treatments for adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) supports the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ), anakinra (ANK), and canakinumab (CNK).
https://t.co/Qi98OXyoLJ https://t.co/DCgXfs0Bot
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Depression and RA
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory approvals from the past week.
https://t.co/nJZD4D2ByC https://t.co/ET3Xp9cK62
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Vaccinations NOT linked to SLE risk. 17 studies (45 million) w/ F/U up to 2 yrs. No signif SLE risk:
- all vaccinations (OR=1.1; CI 0.86–1.5)
- HBV vax (OR=2.11; 1.11-4)
- HPV (OR=1.4; 0.88–2.3)
- Flu (OR=0.96; 0.82–1.1)
- COVID (OR=0.44; 0.18–1.2) https://t.co/YpxSYL97DM https://t.co/hsytm9UpDC
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

JAK inhibitors maybe an option in refractory Juvenile Dermatomyositis. Metanalysis of 26 reports (195 pts) JDM Rx w/ JAKi (median 5 rys); most Rx w/ tofacitinib (57%), ruxolitinib(27%), baricitinib (15%), w/ Improvement in 90%, 69%, 93%, respectively. https://t.co/acdlU13MfX https://t.co/fTFVvPz0EH
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Lyme Disease 2022
The CDC has updated its Lyme disease surveillance report based on a new case definition. Compared to 2017–2019, the number of cases in 2022 rose by 69%.
https://t.co/iCAbSYbhsB https://t.co/7q8hCXV1CZ
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)