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

The CDC has analyzed temporal trends in percent positivity by age group in COVID-19 hotspot counties before and after their identification as hotspots.

The NEJM reports on a controlled clinical trial showing patients hospitalized with Covid-19 given hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) do not have a lower incidence of death compared to those receiving routine care.

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

A study of oral microbiome in anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) positive at-risk individuals without synovitis (CCP+at risk) shows dysbiotic subgingival microbiomes and increased abundance of P. gingivalis compared with controls.

JAMA Internal Medicine reports an analysis of COVID-19 clinical trials showing that critically ill patients with COVID-19 treated with systemic corticosteroids have an overall lower mortality rate.

The Nobel Assembly at Karolinska Institutet has awarded the 2020 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine jointly to Harvey J. Alter, Michael Houghton and Charles M. Rice for the discovery of Hepatitis C virus. These three scientists made a decisive contribution to the fight against blood-borne hepatitis C, a major global health problem that causes cirrhosis and liver cancer in people around the world.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com. Regulatory approvals, update on global rheumatology alliance, smoking and psoriasis, gabapentin let down and defining difficult RA.

TB reactivation and latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) are warned against with biologic agents, especially TNF inhibitors; yet clinical trial data now shows that the risk of LTBI with IL-17 inhibition via secukinumab is uncommon.

Numerous previous studies have questioned the efficacy or protection afforded by hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for COVID-19 and studies have show that HCQ has failed when given as post-exposure prophylaxis to health care workers (HCWs).  A new randomized controlled trial has shown that HCQ failed when given as 8 weeks of pre-exposure prophylaxis in hospital-based HCWs exposed to patients with COVID-19 patients. 

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

CDC reports that since June 2020 individuals infected with COVID-19 have largely been young adults in the 20-29 year age bracket. Moreover, younger adults appeared to be driving community transmission of COVID-19. 

JAMA Dermatology expands the spectrum of complications seen with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection describing cutaneous purpura and livedo lesions in patients with severe COVID-19.

Asymptomatic people who have been exposed to COVID-19 should be tested, the CDC said on Friday, in a reversal of controversial guidance the agency introduced in late August.

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

There has been little science or evidence regarding the effects of COVID-19 infection on pregnancy and vice versa; and now the recent MMWR addresses the subject with two new reports

Dr Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and takes a few Back Talk questions this week:

Lancet Infectious Disease has reviewed the epidemiology, causes, clinical features, and current treatment for the multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) and adolescents associated with COVID-19, noting severe organ damage can occur pediatric COVID-19 patients who are severely ill.&

CDC reports that gmong 3,248 healthcare personnel (HCP) observed, 6% had antibody evidence of previous SARS-CoV-2 infection; 29% of personnel with SARS-CoV-2 antibodies were asymptomatic in the preceding months, and 69% had not previously received a diagnosis of SARS-CoV-2 infection.