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

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. 

Research published in PNAS has shown that long after active Lyme infection in the joint, a peptidoglycan (PG) of the the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi can be found in the joints of those with late-stage Lyme disease.

Patients with gout not only have a well-recognized increased risk of dying from cardiovascular (CV) disease, but also have higher all-cause mortality and die prematurely from other diseases, a Swedish study indicated.

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

The risk of serious infectious events (SIE) with rituximab (RTX) is similar to that seen in other biologics (e.g., RA: 2% or 4.3/100PY), but with prolonged use the risk may change. Recent research says that low IgG levels, RTX induced neutropenia, prior SIE and comorbidities can significantly augment this risk.

A retrospective longitudinal single center study of 700 rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) treated monitored serum immunoglobulins (at baseline and 4–6 months after each cycle), clinical outcomes and SIE over time.

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

JAMA Dermatology reports on a comparative cohort study of 107,707 psoriasis patients, finding a decreased risk of serious infections among users of apremilast, etanercept, and ustekinumab when compared with methotrexate.

Two weeks of antibiotic therapy was as effective as 4 weeks for septic arthritis, a prospective single-center study found.

Although both the disease and the treatment for it in rheumatology patients may work at cross-purposes with immunizations, only a very few vaccines are absolutely contraindicated in this population, an infectious disease specialist told rheumatologists here.

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

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

Two recent studies have examined the effect of starting abatacept upon the risk of serious hospitalized infections or cancer, showing divergent results from claims data analyses.

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

A multidisciplinary Canadian task force has developed guidelines for vaccination in patients receiving immunosuppressive therapies, based on the evidence that immunosuppressive use in immune-mediated disease may be  associated with an elevated risk of infections. 

A study from Turkey shows that among 2117 patients treated with a TNF inhibitor (TNFi) the risk of developing TB was 6 fold higher in those treated with a TNFi compared to non-users.

Dr. Jack Cush discusses the news from the past week on RheumNow.com - including the SEAM trial, MRI guided T2T, biologics and infection, contraceptive use, ANA negative lupus, etc.

Research from the NEJM shows that oral antibiotic therapy was noninferior to intravenous antibiotic therapy when used during the first six weeks for complex orthopedic infections.

There is a national shortage of a new shingles vaccine, Shingrix, which is a problem for those who want to start the vaccine and those seeking to receive their second and final injection. 

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