Most physicians believe they understand and can manage gout. Yet, the number of gout patients has risen at an alarming rate and the introduction of 4 new drugs has done little to close the education gap and improve the care and outcomes of gout patients. Misuse, misunderstandings and missed opportunities abound in the wide world of gout.

Treat-to-target (T2T) works when they are pragmatic and conform well to daily practice.  

Gout is an ideal therapeutic area where T2T could be and should be applied.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews news and highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com.  Sign up at RheumNow.com to received daily or weekly news, blogs and tweets on all things rheumatology

Reuters has reported that European drugmakers have taken the tact of warning EU physician contemplating the switch from existing (originator) biologic therapy to newer, cut-rate biosimilar.  Biosimilar use is widespread outside the USA.

The February 2017 RheumNow “Live Vote” surveyed US and non-US rheumatologists about their beliefs and practices regarding folic acid and methotrexate (MTX) use. A total of 495 responses were tabulated in 2 weeks. Here are the results, and comments from Dr. Kremer on his preferred answers to these questions.

The TNF inhibitor drug development trials have indirectly taught us that monoclonal antibody based TNFi was capable of retarding the recurrence of anterior uveitis (AU) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

On the heels of the recently published EULAR recommendations for the management of pregnancy in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and the anti-phospholipid syndrome (APS) comes a new meta-analysis published in the Journal of Autoimmunity on pregnancy outomes in lupus.

Chronic inflammation is a well-known risk factor for cardiovascular disease and stroke.

There is a significant unmet need with regard to counseling and managing SLE and APS patients who become pregnant or who may be planning for pregnancy.

The Washington Post has reported on the variable laws, views and use of marijuana in treating pain.

Currently 1.4 million patients in 28 states use legal medical marijuana for a variety of medical conditions - chronic pain being one.

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

Sirukumab is a human monoclonal antibody that selectively binds to the interleukin-6 (IL-6) and is being developed for use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other inflammatory diseases.

Patients often characterize certain foods as  “inflammatory” or “anti-inflammatory” as they combat their arthritis.

Multiple patient- and disease-related factors -- including medication use -- were associated with the development of severe infections among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, a Spanish study found.

This appears to be the year for biologic treatments in giant cell artertis (GCA).

Biosimilar reports is an ongoing series dedicated to advances, discussions and developments in biosimilar agents intended for use by rheumatologists. Many of these items were compiled from news sources, journal articles and regulatory documents and are cited and linked within each section.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week's news and information from the 2017 RWCS meeting in Maui.

The European Commission has approved Eli Lilly's rheumatoid arthritis drug Olumiant (baricitinib) for use in Europe for RA patients with moderate-to-severe active disease in adults who have not responded one or more disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs.

The American College of Physicians (ACP) recommends that physicians avoid prescribing drugs, especially narcotics, for patients with acute or subacute low back pain.

Dr. Jack Cush discusses the news and reports from this week on RheumNow: