Best of 2024: ASLeap: Higher Dose Secukinumab in Ankylosing Spondylitis

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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.

Best of 2024: Consensus Statements on Vitamin D

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The “Controversies in Vitamin D” International Conference has published their proceedings on vitamin D metabolism, assessment, actions, and supplementation. Interestingly, optimal levels of 25-hydroxy vitamin D (25(OH)D) are still being debated.

Best of 2024: Inadequate Zoster Vaccination in Immunocompromised Patients

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A VA study of shows that recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) vaccination in immunocompromised patients or those receiving immunosuppressive medications is insufficient, given these are high risk individuals.

Best of 2024: Pain Reduction with Methotrexate in Knee Osteoarthritis

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The Annals of Internal Medicine reports that oral, low dose, weekly methotrexate significantly reduced knee osteoarthritis pain, stiffness, and function in a randomized controlled trial.

Best of 2024: Lung Cancer in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Interstitial Lung Disease

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A matched cohort study from the Veterans Health Administration shows that rheumatoid arthritis patients have a >50% increased risk of lung cancer, and a 3-fold higher risk of lung cancer in RA-interstitial lung disease (ILD).

Best of 2024: Analgesic Prescribing in Patients with Inflammatory Arthritis

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A UK cross-sectional EHR clinical practice analysis between 2004 and 2020 shows that analgesic prescribing in inflammatory arthritis patients has declined, but still remains substantial, including opioid prescribing. Data was drawn from the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum to evaluate analgesic prescription annual prevalence in patients with RA, PsA and axSpA and found that analgesic prescribing declined over time but remained common.

Bah Humbug Vitamin D (12.20.2024)

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

Best of 2024: Diagnosing Seronegative Sjogren's Disease

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Sjögren disease (SjD) is highly prevalent, but diagnosis may be challenged if anti-SSA antibodies or a labial salivary gland biopsy are negative. A recent cohort analysis suggests a novel autoantibody profile has predictive value SSA negative SjD and also in those with a positive labial biopsy.

Best of 2024: Determinants of Gout Flares

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Approximately 12 million US adults in the US have gout. Two recent literature reports in JAMA and Arthritis Care & Research highlight contributors to gout flares.

Best of 2024: Prescription Painkiller Misuse in Chronic Pain Patients

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A new scientific review of 148 studies enrolling over 4.3 million adult chronic pain patients treated with prescription opioid painkillers has found that nearly one in ten patients experiences opioid dependence or opioid use disorder and nearly one in three shows symptoms of dependence and opioid use disorder.

Abuse of the Safety-Net 340B Drug Programs

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Dr. Madelaine Feldman has written an important commentary on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, a safety-net program that would allow vulnerable populations to receive expensive new therapies. But she points out that "this well-intentioned program has strayed from its original purpose", allowing certain hospitals and for-profit pharmacies to exploit the program.

Tocilizumab Efficacy in Giant Cell Arteritis Phenotypes

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Biosimilars Do Impact Biologic Drug Costs

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Introduction of biosimilars for the rheumatology drug adalimumab, whose original branded version Humira has long been a blockbuster, appears to have led to a dramatic drop in net spending for these products -- even though biosimilars barely dented Humira prescription rates.

54K Peptic Ulcers Annually (12.13.2024)

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

Safety of Acetaminophen in the Elderly

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New research, led by experts at the University of Nottingham, has found that repeated doses of paracetamol in people aged 65 and over, can lead to an increased risk of gastrointestinal, cardiovascular and renal complications.

Outcome of Pain in Hand Osteoarthritis

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Treat-to-Target LLDAS in Lupus

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Patients with highly active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) appeared to sustain much less organ damage and fewer disease flares when drug therapy yielded substantial relief, researchers found.