Is Pain Control by Cannabis an Option?

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An Annals of Internal Medicine review has shown that clinical trials and cohort studies of cannabinoids use for chronic pain may be associated with short-term improvements in chronic pain but come with an increased risk for dizziness and sedation.

BSR Guideline for Psoriatic Arthritis - 2022 Update

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The British Society of Rheumatology has published their updated 2022 recommendations for the use of biologics and targeted synthetic treatments in patients with psoriatic arthritis. These guidelines follow initial treatment with a single conventional systemic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug, typically methotrexate typically. They noted that up to 50% of people with PsA require biologic or targeted synthetic (b/ts)DMARD therapy. 

EULAR 2022 Featured Industry Abstracts

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Below is a collection of several EULAR 2022 abstracts highlighted in recent press releases from companies sponsoring major clinical trials. You can search the EULAR site for these abstract and others here.

Giant Cell Arteritis Growing More Lethal

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Mortality rates among patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) in Canada's Ontario province rose by 15% from 2000 to 2018, a new study found, even as the general population saw declines in overall mortality.

Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Associated Arthritis

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Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have dramatically improved outcomes in numerous cancers but have been hampered by a growing spectrum of immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Rheumatic complaints may be less frequent than other irAEs associated with ICI in cancer patients. 

Bridge Prednisone Use Fails to Improve Outcomes

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A one year, X-ray outcome trial has shown that the initial use of prednisone (high or low dose) in newly treated active early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) did not improve radiographic outcomes.

RNL 2022: Rheumatoid Arthritis - Best Management

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This week's Tuesday Night Rheumatology, hosted by Dr. Jack Cush, featured highlights from the 2022 RheumNow Live Rheumatoid Arthritis - Best Management Pod, followed by a lively audience Q & A. Lectures featured:

Recommendations – Good & Bad (5.27.2022)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, regulatory updates and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week gout worries, mortality risks, measuring anti-drug antibodies and a better way in lupus?

Increasing Corticosteroid Use in Non-Hospitalized COVID-19

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JAMA reports that despite NIH recommendations (that corticosteroids only be used in hospitalized COVID-19 patients), nonhospitalized COVID infected patients were oftent prescribed systemic corticosteroids.

To TDM or Not in Rheumatology?

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Therapeutic Drug Monitoring (TDM), especially for biologic therapies, has become a standard in gastroenterology, but shunned by most rheumatologists.

Can SGLT2 Inhibitors Be Protective in Lupus and Vasculitis?

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SGLT2 inhibitors are all the buzz in the renal world with reports of a renal protective and mortality lowering effects. Maybe these agents should be considered and studied in lupus nephritis and ANCA- associated vasculitis.

Amitriptyline and FDA Treatments for Fibromyalgia

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Both old and newer pharmacological treatments for fibromyalgia are often promoted; but a recent systematic review and network meta-analysis showed that duloxetine had higher efficacy in pain and depression, while amitriptyline had higher efficacy in treating sleep, fatigue, and quality of life outcomes.

Biologic Persistence in Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis

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Two recent studies examined the durability and persistence of biologic agents in patients with psoriasis (PSO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and while some differences were noted overall persistence was low 3 years later.

Inflammatory Arthritis Spread by ATP and Neural Crosstalk

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A novel study from the Journal of Experimental Medicine suggests that a reflex neural signaling at sites of inflammation may lead to spread to other inflammatory sites via and ATP-mediated neural crosstalk.

RNL 2022: Spondyloarthritis Spectrum

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This RheumNow Live 2022 session features highlights from lectures on Spondyloarthritis.

- Microbiome in Spondyloathritis - Jose Scher, MD

- Axial Psoriatic Arthritis - Philip Mease, MD

- Juvenile Spondyloathritis - Pamela Weiss, MD

Multimorbidity Burden in Rheumatoid Arthritis

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Crowson and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic have shown that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have a higher prevalence of multimorbidity with as many as 44 different morbidities of interest in RA.

Acute Inflammatory Responses Needed to Resolve Chronic Pain

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Science Translational Medicine has published results of a Canadian study of low back pain (LBP) suggests that pain control by anti-inflammatory treatments might have negative effects on pain duration and may be counterproductive for long-term pain outcomes.

Bimekizumab Development Delayed by FDA

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UCB announced they have received a Complete Response Letter (CRL) from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) regarding the Biologics License Application (BLA) for bimekizumab for the treatment of adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis (PSO).

Methotrexate Monitoring (5.13.2022)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Bad news for digitial ulcers in Systemic sclerosis, Readmissions in Lupus and Thrombocytopenia in APL patients.

Wiki Guidelines Approach to Pyogenic Osteomyelitis

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A crowd sourced, WikiGuidelines approach to clinical treatment guideline development for pyogenic osteomyelitis yielded 7 important clinical questions, 2 clear treatment recommendations and 5 topic reviews to inform future treatment or investigations.