All News
NEJM Reviews Psoriatic Arthritis
A comprehensive review of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) was published this week in the NEJM, authored by leaders in the field, Drs. Ritchlin, Colbert and Gladman.
High points from their review inlcuded:
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The RheumNow Week in Review – 17 March 2017
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights in the news from the past week at RheumNow.com. News on hepatitis C in RA and risk of hepatotoxicity; TNF inhibitor persistence in PsA; unnecessary injections in pre-operative OA knee patients; and a delay in the FDA decision on abaloparatide.
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FDA Invites Open Commentary on Biosimilar Interchangeability
In January 2017, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released its draft guidance on the issue of interchangeability between biosimilars and originator biologic drugs. The window for your input will close on May 18, 2017. RheumNow encourages you to participate in this exercise and express your opinion.
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Oral Bacteria Driving ACPA and Rheumatoid Arthritis
The current JAMA has a perspective piece on the role of the oral microbiome in the pathogenesis and references a recent article by Konig et al on "Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans–induced hypercitrullination links periodontal infection to autoimmunity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)." (Citation
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Targeting CD11b as Treatment for Lupus
Researchers from Rush University Medical Center have reported in the March 6 issue of the Journal of Clinical Investigation that engagement of the integrin CD11b with a novel compound, may improved outcomes in patients iwth systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
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TNF Inhibitor Therapy and the Risk of Anterior Uveitis Recurrence
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).
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Baricitinib Approved in the EU for Use in Rheumatoid Arthritis
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.
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Crohn's Arthritis Linked to E. Coli Infection
Articular manifestations of Crohn's disease affects a significant number of patients with either oligoarticular or RA-like polyarthritis or spondyloarthritis.
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Cytoplasmic Autoantibodies in the Anti-Synthetase Syndrome
Patients known to be autoantibody positive (e.g., anti- Jo1) for the anti-synthetase syndrome were assayed by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) for other reactivities, showing antinuclear staining (ANA) or cytoplasmic staining (Anti-Cyt Ab+).
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Novel Peripheral Helper T Cells in RA
US and UK researchers have identified a unique subset of helper T-cells called ‘peripheral helper’ T-cells in the synoviums that may be linked to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis.
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Curbside Consults - January 2017
Curbside Consults are cases submitted by our rheumatology colleagues as challenging therapeutic or safety issues. Answers are based on experience, with added evidence from the medical literature and published guidelines.
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Efficacy of Pneumococcal Vaccine in RA Patients
Infection is a major cause of morbidity and mortality in RA patients and thus vaccinating against preventable infections is a top priority for rheumatologists.
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Complement Driven Vasculopathy Underlies Neuropsychiatric Lupus
Neuropsychiatric lupus (NPSLE) is a diagnostic challenge as its clinical manifestations are protean and the pathophysiology is poorly understood.
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C5a and Neutrophils as Early Mediators in Inflammatory Arthritis
Researchers from the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have studied the initial steps in an animal model of inflammatory arthritis and found that complement C5a is critical to neutrophils migration into joints.
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The RheumNow Week in Review – 20 January 2017
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.
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TREG Innovators Win the Crafoord Prize
The 2017 Crafoord Prize from the Royal Swedish Academy of Sciences has been awarded to a Japanese scientists and two American scientists for their discovery and research on T regulatory cells (TRegs).
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A Link Between Periodontal Disease and Rheumatoid Arthritis
Research from Johns Hopkins reports that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with periodontitis exhibited patterns of autoantigen hypercitrullination similar to that seen in RA. Results published in Science Translational Medicine showed that Aggregatibacter actinomycetemcomitans can produce hypercitrullination of patient neutrophils, indicating its possible role in triggering RA. (Citation source: http://buff.ly/2hZTBG8)
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Random Drug Levels and Anti-Drug Antibodies Predict Rheumatoid Outcomes
Researchers from Manchester, UK have reported the results of their BRAGGSS study showing that certolizumab (CZP) random drug levels and anti-drug antibody (ADAbs) levels can predict optimal outcomes in CZP treated rheumatoid arthritis patients.
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Diffuse Cutaneous Systemic Sclerosis: Results of the SCOT Trial
Diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) is one of the most difficult autoimmune diseases to treat. In case of major organ involvement (lung, kidney), prognosis is poor and treatment options are limited.
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Maintenance of Remission in ANCA-vasculitis: MAINRITSAN study.
It is well known that ANCA-associated vasculitides can be hard to control and relapses are common. The choice of maintenance therapy is rather limited and therapies are not always effective.
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