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Heart Risks Elevated in RA Patients Despite Biologic Tx
Hopes that biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) would cancel the extra cardiovascular risks normally seen with the disease dimmed a little in the face of findings from a population-based study from Scandinavia.
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The Effect of Socioeconomic Status on Lupus Outcomes
Socioeconomic status (SES) often associates with poorer outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients; and a current study suggests this is unrelated to healthcare access issues.
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Tacrolimus Measures Up in Lupus Nephritis Trial
In a phase III trial, oral tacrolimus (Prograf) proved non-inferior to intravenous cyclophosphamide for treating lupus nephritis, researchers said.
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FDA Authorizes 2nd Booster for Older and Immunocompromised Individuals
Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older people and certain immunocompromised individuals.
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Differences in Biologic Persistence in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis
Administrative claims analysis of biologic use in psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in French health insurance databases shows that despite widespread biologic use, overall drug persistence (beyond 3 years) was low for PsO and PsA biologics.
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Baricitinib Efficacy in Alopecia Areata
The NEJM has published the results of the BRAVE-AA1 and BRAVE-AA2 trials, demonstrating that baricitinib is effective at regrowing hair in alopecia areata (AA) patients, thus paving the way for future regulatory approval for this difficult to treat disorder.
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Comorbidity Drives Risk of Death in Gout Patients
A study of men with gout from the US Veteran’s Health Administration (VHA) shows that excess mortality in gout could be attributed to comorbidities.
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Poor Outcomes in Lupus Patients Not at Target
A prospective, longitudinal systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cohort study examined outcomes and showed that failure to control SLE was common and associated with poorer outcomes including organ damage, glucocorticoid exposure, poor quality of life, and increased mortality.
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Adalimumab Addition vs. Methotrexate Escalation in Psoriatic Arthritis
An interesting study in Lancet Rheumatology shows that psoriatic arthritis patients not responding to methotrexate alone can respond after adding or escalating adalimumab (ADA) on top of methotrexate (MTX) to reach minimal disease activity (MDA) response.
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Consequences of TNF inhibition (3.18.2022)
This week we're going to talk about the downside of TNF inhibitors, a few interesting observations in gout, and yes, kids do get COVID. We're also going to preview what's coming in April (hint: it's about PsA). This and more as Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Iberdomide in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
The NEJM reports that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients treated with iberdomide, a cereblon modulator, was effective at yielding a significant SRI-4 clinical response after 24 weeks.
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Individualized Therapy in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Whether patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) would improve substantially with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor therapy was predicted with moderate to high accuracy based only on a standard lab test and two measures of disease activity, researchers reported from a modeling study.
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Low Dose IL-2 Efficacy in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A novel biologic intervention trial has shown that subcutaneous, intermittent therapy with low-dose interleukin-2 (Ld-IL2) is potentially effective and safe in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
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Efficacy and Safety of Mavrilimumab in Giant Cell Arteritis
A phase II trial in patients with active giant cell arteritis shows that mavrilimumab, a monoclonal antibody against granulocyte-macrophage colony-stimulating factor [GM-CSF]) is capable of inducing clinical remission.
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Predicting Spondylitis in At-Risk Relatives
The risk of developing axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) if you’re a first-degree relative (FDRs) of an ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patient has been deflined by a 35 year follow-up study showing that if you are a FDR of axSpA you may be at higher risk of acute anterior uveitis (AAU).
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RheumNow Live is Coming to Town (3.11.2022)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Psoriatic Arthritis Responds to Tyk2 inhibition with Deucravacitinib
Deucravacitinib, a selective tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2) inhibitor, was studied in a phase II trial of active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients and shown to be effective and safe.
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Could Anifrolumab Work in Lupus Nephritis?
Anifrolumab is effective and FDA approved for use in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); and now, a trial in lupus nephritis that almost shows benefit.
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Kawasaki Disease Guideline from ACR and Vasculitis Foundation
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in partnership with the Vasculitis Foundation (VF), released a new guideline for the management of Kawasaki disease that addresses diagnostic issues relating to Kawasaki disease, the treatment of high-risk patients, and the management of
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Baricitinib’s COVID-19 Efficacy in the RECOVERY Trial
Pre-print results of the RECOVERY Trial has shown that when baricitinib (BAR) is given to hospitalized severe COVID-19 patients, it results in significantly less mortality.
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