SPAR Predicts ILD Progression in Systemic Sclerosis

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The development and progression of interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis can be an ominous finding.

Low Disease Activity in Lupus Limits Damage

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Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who were assessed as being in a low disease activity state during more than half of clinical visits had a decrease in organ damage events of approximately 50%, a retrospective study found.

Sons of Gout Study

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The genetics and heritability of gout has suggested a higher risk in certain families.  A UK cohort study examined the prevalence of gout and monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition among those at risk (sons of gout patients) for gout and found a high incidence of hyperuricemia and MSU crystal deposition.

Long Term Remission in SLE is Possible?

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Researchers from the Toronto Lupus Clinic have described an atypical “monophasic” course in a small number (7.5%) of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients who achieved and sustained clinical remission, with most off of all medications for an average of 18 years.

MPO Antibodies Predict Relapses in MPO-ANCA-Associated Vasculitis

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A study of MPO-ANCA positive patients followed serially over 2 years shows that reappearance of MPO‐ANCA may predict  relapse in patients with MPO‐ANCA positive AAV and that routine MPO‐ANCA monitoring is warranted. 

The Hazardous Highs and Lows of Uric Acid

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Both high and low levels of uric acid were linked with increased risks of death, showing a U-shaped association between serum uric acid levels and all-cause, cardiovascular, and cancer mortality, Korean researchers reported.

The RheumNow Week in Review - Nonadherence and Astronomic Costs (5.11.18)

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

The RheumNow Week in Review – FDA Showdown for Baricitinib (4.27.18)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and FDA proceedings from the past week on RheumNow.com.

The RheumNow Week in Review – Vitamin D Snark Report (4.20.18)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.  A second life for Syk kinase, Vitamin D talk, VTE, regulatory hearings and the Lupus clinic edge.

SynBioSe: Combo Rituximab and Belimumab Succeeds in Severe Refractory Lupus

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One of the driving pathogenic mechanisms in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the generation of immune complexes capable of inducing netosis (NET formation) and NET-derived DNA that may be an amplifying autoantigen and give rise to anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANAs). 

The Consequences and Cure of Hepatitis C

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I spent this past week seeing hepatitis C patients with our hepatologists, and being a rheumatologist, I was looking forward to seeing extra-hepatic manifestations of HCV that we read about in text-books - cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, sicca syndrome, porphyria cutanea tarda and many others. I suppose I should not be surprised that the week passed without seeing a single one of these. 

Using Synovial Tissue Biopsies to Develop Precision Medicine for Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Researchers at Northwestern University have used ultrasound-guided tissue biopsy from the joints to analyze the genes of tissue macrophages with the hope that transcriptional profiling of synovial macrophages may be correlated with clinical parameters or drug responsiveness in rheumatoi

Plaquenil During Lupus Pregnancy Lessens Flares

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A large cohort study of pregnant and non-pregnant women with systemic lupus erythematosus has shown that lupus flares are increased during pregnancy and in the 3  months follwing delivery.

Gout Crystal Deposition is Deeper than its Measures

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Dalbeth and colleagues have published that among gout patients without palpable tophic and despite long term allopurinol, nearly half have monosodium urate (MSU) as detected by Dual-energy CT (DECT).  The total body urate deposition is even greater in those with higher sUA and evidence

Are ANA Tests Unreliable?

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Pisetsky and colleagues have reported in the Annals of Rheumatic Disease that ANA tests done on established SLE patients may yield surprisingly disparate results.

While ANA negative lupus was a problem of old assays and the loss of ANA positivity may be seen with chronicity or age, most rheumatologists believe that ANA positivity is an absolute requirement for the diagnosis of systemic lupus erythematosus.

T2T Improves Primary Care Gout Management

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Researchers from Geisinger Medical center tested a pilot primary care gout management improvement intervention, and demonstrated significantly improved primary care gout management metrics when a treat to target approach was implemented. 

Poor Prognosis of the MDA-5 Antibody in Dermatomyositis

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Researchers from Hong Kong assessed the clinical associations seen with the anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody (anti-MDA5 Ab) assay in consecutive patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM).

The RheumNow Week in Review - 5 January 2018

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

Community Screening for Fracture Risk in Older Women is Effective and Feasible

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A UK Study published in Lancet shows that community-based screening programme for fracture risk in older women is feasible, and may reduce hip fractures.