Guselkumab, a human IL-23 inhibitor, was evaluated in patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and shown to have both clinical and radiographic benefits at weeks 24 and 48.

JAMA Dermatology has published a pilot study demonstrating the safety and efficacy of intermittent intravenous methylprednisolone pulse (IVMP) therapy plus mycophenolate in 28 patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM).

A retrospective review of US rheumatology manpower and training between 2009 and 2024 shows that US rheumatology training has become competitive with an increasing surplus of applicants compared to available training positions, which have also increased over time.

Lupus patients entering a prospective cohort study with low vitamin D levels faced doubled all-cause mortality risk and tripled risk for major cardiovascular events during follow-up averaging 6 years, researchers said.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal articles, news and guidelines from this past week on RheumNow.com

In a new study involving 402 U.S.-based primary care physicians, researchers from Northwestern University and the University of Sydney identified a “sweet spot” in clinical decision-making. By presenting just the right number of treatment alternatives in the electronic health record (EHR) system, physicians were more likely to choose a high-quality alternative rather than defaulting to the status quo.

Controlled clinical trials in patients with calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease (CPPD) are scant. Now a metanalysis provides evidence that anakinra, an interleukin-1 inhibitor, is a promising alternative for patients with acute CPPD flares.

Nipocalimab, a neonatal Fc receptor blocker that reduces circulating IgG and autoantibodies, was shown to be effective in a phase 2 trial in patients with severe Sjögren's disease.

A matched cohort study shows that HLA-B*58:01 and HLA-A*34:02 are strongly associated with allopurinol-induced severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), these alleles were absent in more than one-third of those affected, suggesting these are strong but incomplete indicators of SCAR risk. 

Written by Lisa Sammaritano, MD, of the Hospital for Special Surgery in New York City, and a committee of nearly 50 other experts, the new guideline also stipulates that corticosteroids are OK for gaining symptom control in newly diagnosed patients and when flares erupt, but the duration should be kept as short as possible.