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Tofacitinib in Polymyalgia Rheumatica (EAST PMR Study)
An open-label, uncontrolled pilot trial has shown that JAK signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of PMR and that tofacitinib is as effective as glucocorticoids (GC) in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).
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EULAR/ACR Guidance on Haemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis/Macrophage Activation Syndrome
A EULAR/American College of Rheumatology task force has established evidence based, up-to-date guidance and expert opinion on the evaluation, management and monitoring of patients with Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS), with the primary intent to halt disease progression and prevent life-threatening complications from HLH/MAS.
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ICYMI: LAVLI - A New Autoinflammatory Disorder
NIH researchers have have described a novel autoinflammatory disorder called "Lyn kinase-associated vasculopathy and liver fibrosis" (LAVLI), based on a mutation in the LYN gene (that encodes the Lyn kinase protein). They discovered that increased Lyn kinase activity promotes systemic inflammation, by altering microvascular permeability and neutrophil recruitment, while at the same time promoting hepatic fibrosis.
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Scleroderma – Thick and Thin (6.30.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and regulatory decisions from the past week from RheumNow.com. This week focuses on parodoxical psoriasis, scleroderma outcomes and subsets, and alopecia areata therapy.
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Scary Outcomes with Systemic Sclerosis Sine Scleroderma
The hallmark of systemic sclerosis is scleroderma, but less than 10% of SSc patients have sine scleroderma (ssSSc). A EUSTAR database review compared the manifestations and outcomes of ssSSC to limited cutaneous SSc and diffuse cutaneous SSc.
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Predictors of Cardiovascular Events in ANCA-Associated Vasculitis
A large, retrospective, multinational study of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) shows they may be at risk for cardiovascular events (CVEs).
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TitAIN Study: Secukinumab Efficacy in Giant Cell Arteritis
A phase 2 trial has demonstrated the efficacy of secukinumab, an anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, in patients with active giant cell arteritis (GCA).
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What is Colchicine Worth? (6.23.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week a new colchicine FDA approval, rising rate of IgG4 related disease and what's the safest biologic?
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How Often Do You Monitor MTX? (6.16.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com, including new drug approval, a new SpA variant and new rules for methotrexate (MTX) monitoring and depression screening.
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Higher Genetic Loads Linked to Worse Systemic Lupus
A Korean study of a large systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cohort shows by genomic analysis, that higher weighted genetic risk scores (wGRS) is associated with earlier SLE onset, higher anti–Sm antibody positivity, lupus nephritis and more diverse lupus manifestations.
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Diagnostic Yield of Cranial and Large Vessel Imaging in GCA
Combined cranial and large vessel ultrasound and PET/CT provided excellent accuracy for the diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA).
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EULAR 2023 – Day 2 Report
Day 2 at the international EULAR Congress meeting is always bigger and busier. There were sessions on JIA therapies, crystal arthritis, novel drugs for SLE and Sjogren's, early RA and preclinical RA interventions, IgG4 disease, osteoporosis and the growth and application of artificial intelligence in medicine and rheumatology.
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AOSD: Young vs. Elderly Onset
Adult onset still's disease (AOSD) is an autoinflammatory condition characterized by fevers, arthritis, and rash. It is considered an orphan disease because of its low prevalence - it is reported anywhere between 16 to 40 per ten million.
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Belimumab in Lupus Nephritis
Belimumab is a B-lymphocyte stimulator (BLyS)-specific inhibitor that is FDA approved for the treatment of active lupus and lupus nephritis, based on a few pivotal trials; and now a metanalysis supports its use in active lupus nephritis.
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How Age of Onset Affects Giant Cell Arteritis
Giant cell arteritis (GCA) has a different phenotype when diagnosed late in life compared with earlier onset, a large Italian cohort study indicated.
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International Consensus on ANCA-Associated Vasculitis with Glomerulonephritis
Nephrology Dialysis Transplantation has published an overview of the management of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody associated vasculitis with glomerulonephritis based on several international guidelines, including those frorm the ACR 2021, EULAR 2022 and KDIGO 2021 (Kidney Disease: Improving
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Allergic Drug-Induced Arthritis (5.19.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com. This week we delve into some odd associations, repeat drug warnings and the consequences of antirheumatic therapies.
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Evidence-Based Guidelines for EGPA
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare form of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, affecting between 10 and 14 cases per million globally. This adult disorder has a mean age at diagnosis of nearly 50 years and affects both sexes equally, presenting with pulmonary symptoms (asthma), eosinophilia and granulomatous or vasculitic involvement of several organs. A multidisciplinary, multinational European group has developed evidence-based, guidelines for the diagnosis and management of EGPA, intended to include recent advances.
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Juvenile and Adult-onset Scleroderma Differ
A retrospecitve cohort comparision of juvenile (jSSc) and adult-onset (aSSc) systemic sclerosis (SSc) are both rare but present differently.
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