All News
GLP-1 Agonists Alleviate Knee Osteoarthritis
In October, the NEJM published a randomized clinical trial demonstrating the efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1ra) in patients with obesity and knee osteoarthritis.
Read Article
Does Colchicine Lower Gout Mortality Risk?
Data from a large UK database finds that gout patients starting urate-lowering therapy (ULT) will benefit from added colchicine prophylaxis by having fewer cardiovascular events.
Read Article
EULAR: Considerations when Transitioning from Pediatric to Adult Rheumatologic Care
EULAR has established guidance on best practices for delivering patient education in physical activity and self-management of pain during transitional care in rheumatology.
Prevalence of Autoimmune Diseases in the United States
An epidemiologic assessment of the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the United States (US) finds that nearly 5% of the population has an autoimmune disorder, twice as many in women compared to men.
Read Article
Anti-Zoster Drug Prevents Shingles in Lupus Patients on Anifrolumab
The antiviral drug valaciclovir (Valtrex), given prophylactically, kept patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) under treatment with anifrolumab (Saphnelo) from having herpes zoster attacks, researchers said, offering a potential alternative to zoster vaccination.
Read Article
Benefit of Achieving Target Serum Urate Levels in Gout with Chronic Kidney Disease
A cohort study of gout patients with CKD stage 3 found that lowering serum urate (SUA) level to less than 6 mg/dL, lowered the risk for severe or end-stage kidney disease progression.
Read Article
ICYMI: VITAL Info on Autoimmune Disease (2.9.2024)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Highlights are summarized by three songs: "Stairway to Heaven", "You're No Good", and "How Long (has this been going on)".
Read Article
Sedentary Behavior Increases the Risk of Gout
NHANES national survey study shows that sedentary behavior is an independent risk factor for gout, especially in those without hyperuricemia.
A Modifiable Vascular Risk in SLE
Atherosclerosis progression was more than twice as common in younger people with SLE than in healthy controls in a prospective study from Greece, but the rate difference narrowed substantially with sustained SLE remission and conventional cardiovascular risk factor management.
Read Article
Best of 2024: BSR Guidelines for Systemic Sclerosis Management
The British Society for Rheumatology has updated its 2015 guidelines for the management of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) based on published evidence, systematic literature review and expert opinion.
Read Article
Best of 2024: Upside/Downside of Steroids in Lupus Nephritis
A systematic review of randomized clinical trials of patients with biopsy-proven lupus nephritis demonstrates both the benefits and harms to early glucocorticoid regimens on lupus outcomes.
Read Article
Best of 2024: Mixed Long-term Effects of Calcium and Vitamin D in Postmenopausal Women
A follow-up analysis of a randomized clinical trial found that the use of calcium and vitamin D supplements among postmenopausal women was associated with decreased risk for cancer mortality, but increased risk for cardiovascular disease mortality. The analysis is published in Annals of Internal Medicine.
Read Article
Best of 2024: SGLT2 Inhibitor Protective Effects in Lupus
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) outcomes were assessed based on whether they received sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), in the setting of comorbid type 2 diabetes (T2D).
Read Article
Best of 2024: Good Clinical Practice Recommendations on Glucocorticoid Withdrawal and Adrenal Insufficiency
Glucocorticoids are widely prescribed as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents. This results in at least 1% of the population using chronic glucocorticoid therapy being at risk for glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency. This risk is dependent on the dose, duration and potency of the glucocorticoid, route of administration, and individual susceptibility.
Read Article
Best of 2024: Efficacy of Biologics in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
A retrospective cohort study of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) persistence in rheumatoid arthritis patients with chronic kidney disease, shows the 3 year survival to be under 50% but that all studied biologics were nearly equivalents with regard to safety and efficacy.
Read Article
Best of 2024: 13 Risk Factors for RA-associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most widespread and fatal pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A recent metanalysis shows the pooled prevalence of RA-ILD was approximately 18.7%.
Read Article
Best of 2024: ASLeap: Higher Dose Secukinumab in Ankylosing Spondylitis
Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients not responding to usual dosing with secukinumab (150 mg) after 16 weeks were dose escalated to secukinumab (SEC) 300 mg, but failed to show improvement by week 52.
Read Article
