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RheumNow Podcast - I Wanna New Drug (8-30-19)
Dr. Jack Cush vents on choosing new therapies in rheumatoid arthritis.
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High-Dose Vitamin D: No Help for Bone Health
Vitamin D might not be much help for strengthening bones among healthy adults without osteoporosis, Canadian researchers reported, even at doses far higher than recommended daily allowances.
In a clinical trial assessing three levels of daily vitamin D supplementation -- 400 IU, 4,000 IU, and 10,000 IU -- radial volumetric bone mineral density was significantly lower among those (ages 55-70) taking higher doses for 3 years, according to Steven Boyd, PhD, of the University of Calgary in Canada, and colleagues.
Taltz FDA Approved for Ankylosing Spondylitis (Radiographic Axial SpA)
The FDA has approved the IL-17A inhibitor Taltz (ixekizumab) for the treatment of adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS: also known as radiographic axial spondyloarthritis).
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ACR/SPARTAN Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in partnership with the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) and the Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network (SPARTAN), released the 2019 Update of the Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and Nonradiographic Axi
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RheumNow Podcast – Upadacitinib FDA Approved for RA (8.23.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reports on the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com, including: how your genetics may shape your microbiome; GERD as a risk factor for TMJ?; how can MDA-5+ dermatomyositis be any worse; new drug happenings; StillsNow.com; and more.
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A Multidimensional Definition of Remission
A study from Leeds suggests 'multi-dimensional remission' (MDR) can be seen in one-third of RA patients achieving DAS28-remission; such patients have better patient-reported outcome measures, making it an optimal goal, especially from a patient's perspective.
Read ArticleOsteoporosis Tx: Good for Bones, but Not for Cutting Death Risk
Osteoporosis treatments were not linked with reduced overall mortality, according to a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trial data.
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Autoantibodies Don't Disappear With Remission in RA
Immunologic remission in rheumatoid arthritis, defined as the disappearance of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies and rheumatoid factor, was seen infrequently among patients achieving sustained clinical remission and did not correlate with the disappearance of symptoms, a long-term Dutch study found.
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Skyrizi Outduels Humira in Psoriasis
A head-to-head trial has shown that risankizumab was significantly superior to adalimumab in providing skin clearance (PASI90) in patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis, with no difference in safety signals between the two agents.
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Upadacitinib (RINVOQ) FDA Approved for Rheumatoid Arthritis
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) on Friday, August 16, approved AbbVie JAK1 inhibitor, Rinvoq (upadacitinib) for adults with rheumatoid arthritis with moderately to severely active disease either not responding to, or intolerant of, methotrexate (MTX).
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RheumNow Podcast – Antibiotics Increase RA Risk (8.16.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reports the news and important journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Trends in Inflammatory Arthritis Care in Germany
The German National Database (NDB) has reviewed their experience in the care and quality of life of inflammatory rheumatic disease patients snce 1993, showing improved use of metrics, improved outcomes and a changing profile of biologic and anti-rheumatic drug use.
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Bisphosphonate Use Associated with Reduced Mortality
The Journal of Bone and Mineral Research (JBMR) has published a report showing that a reduction in the rate of bone loss by nitrogen bisphosphonates was associated with a 40% lower mortality risk.
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War on RA – Part 4: Desperado – Time to Open the Gate
Do you know what the best-selling album of all time is? Could it be Bing Crosby? U2? Fleetwood Mac? AC/DC? I know, it’s Michael Jackson’s “Thriller” right?
Actually it’s the Eagles Greatest Hits – it surpassed Jackson’s Thriller in August 2019 as the best-selling with a total of 36 million copies sold since it was released in 1976. Wait! Are we not Rheumatologists? Aren’t we supposed to be discussing rheumatoid arthritis?
NSAIDs Mediate Cardiovascular Risk in OA
NSAIDs have been linked to an increased risk of cardiovascular disease, but does this also hold for osteoarthritis (OA) patients.
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Vitamin D Supplements Fail to Prevent Type 2 Diabetes - DUH!
A NEJM report shows that the use of vitamin D3 supplementation (4000 IU per day) in those without diabetes or vitamin D deficiency failed to significantly lower risk of type 2 diabetes (compared to placebo).
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New EULAR/ACR Classification Criteria for SLE
The European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) and the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) have jointly developed new classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); prompted by the need for criteria that were both highly sensitive and specific. The net result is improved sensitivity and specificity, but the use of positive ANA requirement along with a longer list of weighted criteria ensures its utility in SLE research (including early or latent SLE), but not clinical practice.
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War on RA - Part 3: Useless Drugs
We have options that are endless – we have 28 biologics in rheumatology; 19 approved for RA in the last 20 years, but 15 of these are me-too copies or biosimilars. We currently have 2 JAK inhibitors and may have 3 or 4 by year end. But what we really need is the right drug, at the right time, in the right patient – but how will we know.
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Are Non-TNF Biologics Superior to TNF inhibitors?
Current ACR and EULAR guidelines list TNF-inhibitors (TNFi) abatacept, rituximab, and tocilizumab as being equally effective after methotrexate or as second line therapies when treating rheumatoid arthritis.
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RheumNow Podcast – More Than a Spot of Tea (8.2.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal articles and news reports from the past week on RheumNow.com:
MMP-7 and Myositis-ILD; Post-surgical gout attacks; CV events and testosterone; and a Boxed warning for tofacitinib.