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Rheumatology Leaders and Patient Advocates Convene on Capitol Hill
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ACR
ACR members along with rheumatology patients gathered on Capitol Hill and urged federal lawmakers to support the HELP Copays Act, Safe Step Act, and Improving Seniors’ Timely Access to Care Act.
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Heavy Metal Rheumatology (9.23.2022)
Below are this week’s highlights from RheumNow, as discussed by Dr. Jack Cush. Thanks to all of you for your kind comments and great reviews of our weekly podcast. Please let us know how we can improve by emailing me or recording your suggestion using the "Ask Cush Anything" link on our website.
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IL-18 is a proinflammatory cytokine involved in innate &adaptive immune responses. IL-18 is a key mediator in autoinflammatory diseases, MAS, Still’s disease. Serum IL-18 levels may be useful in diagnosis and monitoring of disease activity https://t.co/IB9CwbILD9 https://t.co/TWNnjJyR2Z
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Medicare (1,654,862 pts) cohort matched study included 3.6% w/ rheumatic IMIDs w/ MI. Rheum IMIDs were younger, women, w/ non–STEMI, less angiography/Stent/CABG & have higher mortality (aHR 1.15), CHF (1.12) & recurrent MI (1.08) https://t.co/SxemjO7GA2 https://t.co/VKg1f4yd2M
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Cancer Risk with Scleroderma
Spanish Scleroderma Registry examined a large cohort of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients showing an increased cancer risk, especially breast, lung, hematologic and colorectal cancer.
https://t.co/9w53NO3AsU https://t.co/bSkFhTN3v2
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Is PMR the Next Indication for Tocilizumab?
About half of patients with steroid-dependent PMR were able to get off steroids altogether when they were started on tocilizumab (Actemra) infusions, a randomized phase III trial showed.
https://t.co/Ea7XIqViRj https://t.co/h65OSjoytg
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Clinical Profiles Seen with NXP-2 Antibodies
A recent review of the myositis associated autoantibody NXP-2 profiles its clinical associations with dermatomyositis (DM), calcinosis, severe myositis and, in some reports, with cancer.
https://t.co/oCgb1f2Avw https://t.co/rnMa4jHhNy
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Yoga Fails to Benefit Knee Osteoarthritis
The Annals of Internal Medicine has published a study showing online yoga education and an unsupervised yoga program may improve physical function did not improve knee pain after 12 weeks and 24 weeks.
https://t.co/9n31mTpudX https://t.co/WettcMpBLi
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
IL-6i in Behcets? Lit Review finds 25 articles papers, 74 pts (31 TNFi naive, 45 TNFi prior Rx). Pts Rx w/ tocilizumab IV. TCZ given for vascular, CNS , ocular & mucocutaneous. TCZ was effective in 87% TNF naive & 80% in TNFi Experienced pts. https://t.co/u1jnR9gb1L https://t.co/Rkqch4MVWi
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Is there link between PsA & autoinflammatory Dz? Study of 120 #PsA pts found 31% w/ AID gene variants (AP1S3, PLCG2, NOD2, NLRP12, all monoallelic variants adn 1/2 genes assoc w/ autosomal dominant disorders. https://t.co/1cVFErPV6o https://t.co/QtRHrZJLJI
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Hydroxychloroquine Dosing and SLE Flares
JAMA cohort study examining HCQ dosing in patients with SLE suggests that HCQ doses of 5 mg/kg per day or less, was associated with a higher risk of lupus flares, including moderate or severe lupus flares.
https://t.co/1krevZo64c https://t.co/XEybtcFvNR
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
STAR-RA study - real world claims data shows tofacitinib doesnt increase malignancy risk. Study of 83,295 pts (10,504 TOFA). Risk of malignancy w/ TOFA not increased (HR 1.01) w/ RWE or RCT-duplicate cohort (HR 1.1; 95% CI 0.85, 1.62) https://t.co/9YWmXBTkWf
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RINOMAX Trial studied single dose of 500 mg rituximab IV in myasthenia gravis - 47 MG pts randomized to RTX or PBO, after 4 mos RTX response (71% vs 29%) superior to PBO. Further studies are needed https://t.co/ffko7uMpk7
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Colchicine vs cimetidine in PFAPA (Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, adenitis) syndrome. 72 pts given COL vs CIM x 3 mos: # of febrile attacks was significantly decreased by both Rx (noninferior to each other) https://t.co/HkmzwGNwFC
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Heavy Metal Rheumatology 🤘
https://t.co/4fkwOsH2yf https://t.co/otQP9a6h6S
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
USPSTF Recommends Screening for Anxiety and Depression
The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended that general practitioners actively screen and identify anxiety and depression in all adult patients under 65 yrs.
https://t.co/8qOHzV52d8 https://t.co/tOzZQDHR1M
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Worldwide, IL-6 inhibitors are approved for RA, poly JIA, systemic JIA, AOSD, GCA, Takayasu arteritis, Castleman’s dz, CAR-T-cell-induced cytokine release syndrome, neuromyelitis optica spectrum disorder and severe COVID-19 https://t.co/SRPjerXnGS
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Patients with incident gout have a 44% increased risk of 1st-time ACS, higher in women than in men. This risk is largely explained by the underlying comorbidities, Swedish study of 20,146 pts w/ incident gout. Risk decr in multivariate analysis (15-20%) https://t.co/KbjszXNFSQ
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Italian study of Apremilast in 356 #PsA (age 60yrs) pts Followed ~17 mos, shows retention rate @ 12, 24 & 36 mos to be 85.6%, 73.6%, & 61.8%. D/C primarily for inefficacy (18-34%), GI Sx (24%). Best persistence w/ oligoarthritis https://t.co/iIy86cUHB5
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Open label, multicenter study of 70 Psoriasis pts treated w/ apremilast shows no change in aortic vascular inflammation (FDG-PET) at wks 16 & 52, but did decr. several cardiometabolic biomarkers (IL1b, ferritin) & 5-6% loss of SC fat https://t.co/iJOgZ5kHLb
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
