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ICYMI: 2020 Rheumatology Year in Review
2020 was historic, memorable and game-changing. Under the cloud of COVID-19, there were many significant and memorable advances and setbacks for the rheumatology world. In our accounting of most read articles for 2020, (not surprisingly) 17/20 were COVID-related.
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ICYMI: Rheumatologists Rank 2nd in Physician Burnout
The 2021 Medscape Survey on Physician burnout ranks rheumatology second, just behind Critical Care medicine.
The survey included over 12,000 physcians from 20 specialties. While 42% of MDs claimed to be burnt-out, Rheumatologists claimed this 50% of the time. The top 3 this year were Critical care (51%), Rheumatology (50%) and infectious disease (49%).
ICYMI: Actemra FDA Approved for Systemic Sclerosis Interstitial Lung Disease
Genentech announced Thursday that the US Food and Drug Administration approved tocilizumab (Actemra) for the treatment of Systemic Sclerosis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease (SSc-ILD), specifically indicated for slowing the rate of decline in pulmonary function in adul
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ICYMI: JAK Inhibitor Misses Endpoint in Safety Study. Now What?
Pfizer announced results Wednesday from its FDA-mandated postmarketing safety study of tofacitinib (Xeljanz), and they don't bode well for the drug and possibly others in its class.
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Gender Trends in Rheumatology
A study of rheumatologists in Ontario, Canada has shown an increasing percentage of women in rheumatology; unfortunately they have lower salaries but see fewer patients than do their older, male colleagues.
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New ACR Rheumatoid Arthritis Guideline: Emphasis on Methotrexate
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has issued new guidelines on the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, addressing questions about initial treatment with methotrexate and minimizing reliance on glucocorticoids.
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The Potential of Rituximab Efficacy in Systemic Sclerosis
Rituximab (RTX) has been in the news a lot lately; more surprisingly for its potential benefits in progressive systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Ebata and colleagues have published the results of a double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial comparing intravenous RTX to placebo in 56 SSc patients. Patients had to have a modified Rodnan Skin Score (mRSS) of 10 or more. The primary endpoint was the change in mRSS at 24 weeks.
ACR Stands Against Insurer Mandated Infusion Locations
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released an updated position statement on patient safety and site of service for biologics outlining several reasons why the ACR strongly believes infusions should be administered in a monitored health care setting with onsite supervision by a provid
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RheumNow Podcast – Modern Treatment of RA Pregnancy (6.25.2021)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week’s news and journal reports featured on RheumNow.com.
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Efficacy of 6 Weeks Antibiotics with Prosthetic Joint Infections
The NEJM has published the results of a French multicenter study showing that prosthetic joint infections can be successfully managed with 6 weeks of antibiotic therapy; this was noninferior and had better outcomes compared to 12 weeks of antibiotic therapy.
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Congress Slams AbbVie Over Price Hikes, 'Frivolous' Patents
House lawmakers on both sides of the aisle pummeled AbbVie CEO Richard Gonzalez for raising the price of two widely used drugs and for the company's "legally questionable" tactics to head off competition from biosimilars, despite pulling in healthy profits.
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RheumNow Podcast – BandAids for Rheumatologists (5.14.2021)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com - a website for rheumatologists, by rheumatologists.
We love Rheumatology!
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Insurers Bet Big on Bribing Patients
Last month, psoriasis patients covered by Cigna received a curious letter from the insurance giant's pharmacy management division.
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Higher Hydroxychloroquine Blood Levels Reduces Thrombosis Risk in Lupus
Petri and colleagues have published that measuring hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) blood levels can be useful in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), as low levels are associated with an increased thrombotic risk in SLE.
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RheumNow Podcast – Falling or Falling in Love?
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the best journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Uric Acid: A Major Player in the Metabolic Syndrome
An open source, free read from the European Journal of Internal Medicine discusses how uric acid has evolved from the toxic cause of gout and nephrolithiasis and evolved, by way of science, into a pleiotropic recidivist in the evolution of obesity, diabetes, insulin resistance, renal disease, hypertension, fatty liver, and cardiovascular disease.
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RheumNow Podcast – Coconspirators: RA and Lung Disease
Dr. Jack Cush reviews and discusses more than a dozen news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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USPSTF - No Need to Screen for Vitamin D Deficiency
JAMA has published the new recommendation from the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) stating that screening for vitamin D deficiency is unnecessary and unwarranted in asymptomatic adults.
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Implementing Smoking Cessation Programs
Rheumatologists are keen to the effects of smoking (increased arthritis risk, worse outcomes, blunted DMARD responses, added cardiopulmonary risks), but often do not have the resources or plan to encourage or implement smoking cessation from the rheumatology clinic. A new study details the success of a rheumatology staff‐driven protocol, Quit Connect, to increase the rate of electronic referrals to free, state‐run tobacco quit lines.
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Rheumatology Care Derailed by COVID-19
A survey study from the ArthritisPower PPRN or CreakyJoints database shows that during the COVID-19 pandemic patient care was substantially affected in unforeseen ways.
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