Lung Preservation with Tocilizumab in Early Systemic Sclerosis

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Arthritis & Rheumatology has published the results of a subanalysis from tocilizumab (TCZ) clinical trials showing that Il-6 inhibition was associated with preservation of lung function patients with early systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Alveolar Hemorrhage and Mortality in Lupus

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Metanalysis of patients with diffuse alveolar hemorrhage (DAH), show this to be a rare and life-threatening complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), that is more apt to affect older, severe lupus patients with active infection.

RheumNow Podcast – Tofacitinib Safety Concerns (2.5.2021)

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

Hydroxychloroquine Fails to Prevent COVID-19

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There is a preponderance and mounting evidence that hydroxychloroquine is ineffective in COVID-19 infection; and now the NEJM reports a the results of a trial where HCQ given as post-COVID exposure therapy failed to prevent SARS-CoV-2 infection or symptomatic Covid-19 in healthy persons.

Adverse Events with Anti-malarials during the COVID Pandemic

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For a variety of reasons, the use of anti-malarials (chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine) rose dramatically in the pandemic; notable was the lack of proven benefit and the dramatic risk in reported adverse drug reactions (ADRs) associated with these drugs being used to treat SARS-CoV-2.

One-Third Rheumatoid Risk from Lifestyle

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Analysis of the NHANES (National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey) data suggests that one-third of the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the USA is attributable smoking, obesity and alcohol intake.

RheumNow Podcast – Rheumatology Burnout (1.29.2021)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews this past week's journal articles and news features on RheumNow.com. Colchicine, vaccine rollout, risk of RA in endometriosis patients, tREACH trial, lupus nephritis news, rheumatology burnout and more.

JAK Inhibitor Misses Endpoint in Safety Study. Now What?

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Pfizer announced results Wednesday from its FDA-mandated postmarketing safety study of tofacitinib (Xeljanz), and they don't bode well for the drug and possibly others in its class.

Protective Effects of Colchicine in Non-Hospitalized COVID-19

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A press release from Montreal Heart Institute announced that the COLCORONA clinical trial provided evidence of the protective effect of colchicine; demonstrating a 21% reduced risk of death or hospitalizations in patients with COVID-19 compared to placebo. COLCORONA trial was a contact-less, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 4,488 non-hospitalized patients from Canada, the U.S., Europe, South America and South Africa.

RheumNow Podcast – Don’t Hold the Benlysta, Take the Vaccine (1.22.2021)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com, with more than a dozen items to discuss on this week's podcast.

NEJM: Early Combo Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in COVID-19

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NEJM has published the interim analysis of the REGN-COV2 trial, wherein an antibody cocktail reduced viral loads with less clinical consequences. 

Low Risk of TB with Secukinumab

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JAMA Dermatology has reported on a longitudinal cohort study of 12,319 secukinumab (SEC) treated patients (psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis); no new cases of active tuberculosis (TB) and very few cases of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) were f

Mortality Risk in Rheumatoid Lung Patients

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A Medicare claims analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients showed that RA-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) was seen in nearly 5% of patients and was found to increase mortality risks, including respiratory and cancer mortality not explained by other factors.

2020 Rheumatology Year in Review

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2020 was historic, memorable and game-changing. Under the cloud of COVID-19, there were many significant and memorable advances and setbacks for the rheumatology world. In our accounting of most read articles for 2020, (not surprisingly) 17/20 were COVID-related.

Dr. Shenoi Suspect autoinflammatory Dz: patterned fevers MSK and skin involvement Serositis Other - aphthous ulcers, CNS (stroke, basal ganglia calcification,) ILD, LN, lipodystrophy) ethnicity (FMF or Mediterranean) Family Hx -- Testing options! #RWCS2021 @RheumNow @RWCSmtg https://t.co/DZk4hsxbk4