DSB - Safety Update and Drug Shortages January 2017

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RheumNow will periodically report safety issues as Drug Safety Bulletins. These will update you with safety issues, label changes and reports of new, ongoing and resolved drug shortages that affect rheumatology. If you have suggestions or information about specific drug shortages or drug safety issues, please email us at info@rheumnow.com.

FDA Issues Draft Guidance on Biosimilar Interchangeability

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Interchangeability, or the substitution of a biosimilar for its innovator biologic, is on the horizon. Will the prescriber chose the biosimilar in place of the originator? Or will this allow pharmacists or healthcare plans to substitute a biosimilar, without intervention from a healthcare provider?

PPIs Reduce Post-Hip Fracture Mortality

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The association between the use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs), osteoporosis (OP) and OP-related fragility fractures has been a topic of ongoing discussion in rheumatology community.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 13 January 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from this past week on RheumNow.com:

Psoriatic Arthritis Patients have More Heart Disease

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A study of 90 consecutive male (50.3±11.1 years) with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) were were compared to 240 age matched controls without known cardiovascular (CV) diseases who underwent angiography for chest pain and/or multiple CV risk factors.

Statins Don't Increase Risk of Colchicine Myopathy

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Neuromyopathy is a rare side effect of chronic colchicine use. Statins are more commonly implicated as a cause of drug-induced myopathy.  

Given the frequent occurrence of the metabolic syndrome, simultaneous use of both colchicine and statins is common.

Multiple Comorbidity Risks with Giant Cell Arteritis

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Elderly patients treated with high doses of corticosteroids are bound to have multiple medical problems. But this was only recently quantified by researchers analyzing a a population-based cohort of biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients in Southern Sweden.

Less Education Yields Higher Cardiovascular Risk

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Similar to the findings in rheumatoid arthritis, lower levels of education can have predictable negative consequences. And the reasons for more heart attacks with lower educational levels is not entirely clear.

The RheumNow Week in Review – 6 January 2017

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the first week of 2017 on RheumNow.com.

Happy New Year!

Pregnancy Outcomes in Psoriatic Arthritis

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Disease Activity Pre-pregnancy During Pregnancy Post-pregnancy
Mild 10 6 4
Moderate 2 6 8
Severe 2 2 2

DMARDs Under Study for Secondary Prevention of Cardiovascular Events

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Several important lines of population and large cohort research have shown that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have a substantially higher risk for myocardial infarction and major cardiovascular events.

Modest Benefits with Intraarticular Corticosteroids in Knee Osteoarthritis

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The current online edition of JAMA examines the evidence from 27 clinical trials and 1767 patients to assess the impact of intra-articular corticosteroids in patients with knee osteoarthritis (OA).

PPI Safety Issues

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There are more than 11 million proton pump inhibitor (PPI) prescriptions written each year in the United States. While these agents have dramatically changed the management and outcome of upper gastrointestinal (GI) erosive and inflammatory disorders, their use has not been without safety concerns.

Cautious Optimism for Biosimilars in Rheumatology

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A Low Risk of Inflammatory Bowel Disease with IL-17 Inhibition

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Colitis onset or worsening inflammatory bowel disease has been reported with either of the new IL-17 inhibitors, ixekizumab (IXE) and secukinumab (SEC). Large database studies show these to be rare.

CHMP Recommend Baricitinib for Approval in Europe

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Eli Lilly and Company announced last friday that the European Medicines Agency's (EMA) Committee for Medicinal Products for Human Use (CHMP) has issued a positive opinion, recommending the approval of baricitinib for the treatment of adults with moderate to severely active rheumatoid arthritis (R

BEST-D Trial: Higher Doses of Vitamin D may be Required for Optimal Osteoporosis Prevention

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Osteoporosis is a major public health problems and is associated with a high burden of fractures and subsequent increased mortality.

Risk of GI Perforations on Biologics

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Gastrointestinal perforation is a rare but serious complication that RA patients may be at particular risk for.

RheumNow Week in Review – 16 December 2016

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from this week on RheumNow.com

EULAR 2016 Recommendations on Early Arthritis

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Combe and leading European rheumatologist have published an update to the 2007 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for management of early arthritis.