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Best Treatments for COVID-Related MIS-C
The RECOVERY trial focused on pediatric MIS-C patients treated with immunomodulators and anti-cytokine therapy demonstrated the benefits of first-line therapy with intravenous methylprednisolone or second-line tocilizumab in children refractory to initial treatment.
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Is MTX Safe in the Elderly? (12.1.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews this past week's news and journal reports from RheumNow.com. Good news is that nearly 99% of adult rheumatology positions matched! But the challenge is that 45% of pediatric fellowship programs and 39% of pediatric rheum slots were unfilled in the 2024 NRMP match.
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Sleep Apnea Smart Watches (10.13.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory approvals from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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RheumNow Podcast – with Special Guest Dr. Peter Nash (9.15.2023)
This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news with special guest, Dr. Peter Nash. They discuss COVID Autoantibodies, SpA life expectancy, HCQ, extraarticular RA and our approach to Early RA referrals and pre-clinical RA.
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Pizza and Rheumatoid Arthritis (8.11.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the wonderful wide world of Rheumatology. This week:
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Hydroxychloroquine for COVID may have caused 16,990 deaths. Systematic review of 44 cohort studies showed HCQ use in COVID was associated with 11% increase in mortality in 6 countries (US 12,739, Spain 1,895, Italy 1,822, Belgium 240, France 199,Turkey 95 https://t.co/vmhvSx4XLO https://t.co/KRxqiiSFC3
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
🔥 HOT OFF THE PRESS for #ACR23
Effectiveness of a fourth dose of #COVID19 mRNA #vaccine in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases using DMARDs: an emulated target trial https://t.co/bvc75BP4aG @zach_wallace_md @jeffsparks https://t.co/CAlgjvUr9X
The Lancet Rheumatology TheLancetRheum ( View Tweet)
COVAD2 data:
⬆️proportion of SLE pts from lmHDI countries were on CS(73% vs 59% p=0.0002), antimalarials(81% vs 68% p=0.0002) & IS(66% vs 53%p=0.0009) vs pts from hvhHDI countries
Comorbids more in younger pts from lmHDI (prob from CS use)
#ACR23 ABST2269 @RheumNow @rheumarhyme https://t.co/4CLGFYG1d0
sheila ( View Tweet)
Kevin. Winthrop knocks it down on WHO is immunocompromised among rheumatic disease pts at Innovation Theater @CCalabreseDO #ACR23 @alhkim @AdamJBrownMD @ELittlejohnDO https://t.co/4hFtQgvaIf
Leonard Calabrese LCalabreseDO ( View Tweet)
Our collaborative study on nirmatrelvir-ritonavir (Paxlovid) virologic rebound is out in @AnnalsofIM @DrJLi @zach_wallace_md
-Paxlovid: 21% with rebound vs. 2% in untreated (OR 10)
https://t.co/RRDxerGdBy
Jeffrey Sparks MD MMSc jeffsparks ( View Tweet)
Is rituximab still a problem with COVID - esp if our patients have been vaccinated pre-ritux?
Antibody titres better when not getting regular ritux around boosters
Maybe boosters 9mo (or so) gap after ritux helps immunogenicity
@TroldborgAnne et al #ACR23 ABST2511 @RheumNow https://t.co/dE0uC6B9hx
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
A#2316 #ACR23 @RheumNow
91 SLE pts w COVID v 182 SLE wo COVID ifn
11 SLE/COVID: serious disease
1 death, 7 severe compl
W/in 90d, 15% mild/mod SLE flare 2% severe SLE flare
Flare rate 17.6% higher than no COVID ifn 5% p=0.001
High HV ifn (2% v 1%)
dsDNA/C3 changes not signif diff https://t.co/dxGJNNWuFy
Eric Dein ( View Tweet)
Two-week interruption of MTX for IMIDs enhanced boost of antibody responses after COVID-19 vaccination, sustained at 12, 26 weeks. Consistent across ages, MTX doses, route, IMIDs, primary vaccination platform,COVID-19, Abhishek A Abst#1677 #ACR23 @RheumNow https://t.co/T0KdsGh6vg
Dr. Antoni Chan ( View Tweet)
VROOM 🏎️ study
2 wks interruption of MTX just after COVID vaccine:
-Increase S1-RBD Ab response for 26 wks
-Improves Neutralizing Ab titres (Wuhan Hu-1)
-Leads to more flares wks 4 & 12
Greater effect when MTX dose>15mg
@RheumNow #ACR23 ABST1677 https://t.co/SJmaRHtbRH
Aurelie Najm ( View Tweet)
Abishek et al. 2 week break from MTX enhances response to COVID-19 vaccination, mirroring what we saw for flu. Trade off is short term worsening of disease activity. Abstr#1677 #ACR23 @RheumNow https://t.co/gguRWER81x https://t.co/1hncvDTahH
Richard Conway ( View Tweet)
@Dr_K presenting long COVID data from FORWARD RA.
These pts had some symtoms before COVID!- More comorbidites, depression patient reported scores, fibromyalgia but no different DMRD use.
PHQ8 and wodepread paid were the most important PROMs @RheumNow
#ACR23 https://t.co/JaWc4oDnaI
Bella Mehta bella_mehta ( View Tweet)
Michaud et al. RA patients with long COVID had more fibromyalgia pre-COVID (41% vs 13%), higher rates of pain, depression, and worse PROs pre-COVID. Authors suggest long COVID may partially reflect pre-existing illness Abstr#1629 #ACR23 #ACRbest @RheumNow https://t.co/mrcGWrSD6c https://t.co/YiGCbvBDtn
Richard Conway ( View Tweet)
COVID boosters in RA patients:
getting the job done (versus healthy controls, irrespective of non-withheld DMARDs excluding ritux)
@UChicagoMed #ACR23 ABST0416 @RheumNow https://t.co/HVRjC4dauw
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
Ph 3 360 pt RCT of sarilumab in #GCA was terminated early (COVID). 83 pts Rx'd, only 35%(29) completed. Sustained remission @wk 52:
- SAR 200: 6/13
- SAR 150: 3/7
- PBO: 0/6
All had 26wk GC taper
Sm sample size & COVID ruined RCT interpretation https://t.co/axOvJGpUti #PMR https://t.co/Xpabxn1IjZ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Comparison of 354 527 COVID-19 infected vs 6.1 mill controls shows COVID incr risk of alopecia areata (aHR 1.12), alopecia totalis (aHR 1.74), ANCA vasculitis (aHR 2.76), Crohns (aHR), & sarcoidosis (aHR). https://t.co/enwb2taza4 https://t.co/ljY7uMPIrm
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
