JAMA reports that there is a trend of increasing mortality from falls in older US adults between 2000 to 2016 and that mortality rates are increased with increasing age. 

The American College of Physicians (ACP) is encouraged by the Trump administration’s executive order to improve transparency of health care costs.

A large administrative claims analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients undergoing arthroplasty has shown no difference among biologics with regard to the risk of infections, but corticosteroid use was associated with a dose dependent risk of infection. 

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

Reuters has reported that Mallinckrodt Plc has tentatively agreed to pay $15.4 million to resolve a US Justice Department investigation into company promotional practices for Acthar gel.

Australian researchers have assessed the problem of exercise in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). After posing 10 questions to 11 experts they have provided evidence and consensus-based ecommendations on exercise in AS.

Dr. Jack Cush presents the news and best of rheumatology and medicine from the past week on RheumNow.com

 In August 2018, the CMS announced that Medicare Advantage (MA) plans would be allowed to utilize step therapy for Part B drugs. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) expressed strong concerns about this proposal.

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

A Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on a registry of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients from two Georgia counties (Fulton and Dekalb) shows SLE mortality was 2-3 times higher compared to the general population, especially amongst blacks; notably deaths occurred sooner after diagnosis

The NY Times and 60 Minutes have reported that Connecticut, along with 43 other states, filed a mega-lawsuit accusing the generic drug makers of a massive, systematic conspiracy to bilk consumers out of billions of dollars.

For the first time in the United States, employed physicians outnumber self-employed physicians, according to a newly updated study on physician practice arrangements by the American Medical Association (AMA).

Reuters reports on regulatory efforts by Canada and the US to curb the rising cost of drugs, especially expensive new medicines. 

MMWR reports that in 2017, one in four US adults have arthritis (range from 22.8% to 34.6%), with higher rates in Appalachia and Lower Mississippi Valley regions. Of those with arthritis, 31% reported to have "severe arthritis".

A comparative cohort study of patients with osteoarthritis (OA), gout, diabetic peripheral neuropathy (pDPN), post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), and fibromyalgia (FM) shows that nonadherence to pain medications is high and leads to greater overall health care resource utilization and costs. 

Studies from a cohort of gout patients in Mexico shows that long-term goals of a target serum urate (sUA) 6 mg/dL and remission are rare, especially for those with severe gout.

The American College of Rheumatology Committee on Rheumatologic Care has released new drug pricing and step therapy position statements that they hope legislators will consider as they continue to explore policy and regulatory options to make drugs more affordable and accessible.  

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) has been a hot topic in numerous journals recently with reports of increasing incidence and links to disease activity.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.

A recent study in JAMA Network Open shows that artificial intelligence models can use electronic health record data to prognosticate future patient outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).