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2024 Rheumatology Year in Review
2024 was a year of surprising new growth in technology, with the expansion of new therapeutic options for many patients and clinicians. While these many advances offer new hope, they are countered by disappointments and gapping unmet needs in rheumatology. Below is my top 10 list (in no particular order) of 2024 developments and desires that may change rheumatologic practices.
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Cardiovascular and Fracture Risk with Denosumab Versus Bisphosphonates in Dialysis Patients
Annals of Internal Medicine has published a Japanese administrative claims database study showing that, compared with oral bisphosphonates (BIS), denosumab (DEN) lowered fracture risk by 45%, but increased the risk for major adverse cardia
Are Combination Biologics Safe?
Although package inserts commonly warn against combining the use of biologic or targeted therapies, there is growing interest in such combination therapy for patients with problematic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID).
Long-Term Use of NSAIDs Linked to Lower Dementia Risk
MedPage Today
Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was tied to a decreased risk of dementia, data from the prospective Rotterdam Study showed.
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Hydroxychloro-King (3.7.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory actions from the past week on RheumNow.com
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Are Combination Biologics Safe?
Real-life data from a French observational study suggests the overall risk of severe adverse events (SAE) with combotherapy does not seem to be increased (vs monotherapy), but certain combinations warrant caution.
https://t.co/IEIi6kQI4b https://t.co/KVSbqeMbyA
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Hydroxychloro-King (3.7.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory actions from the past week on RheumNow.
https://t.co/83ZAyrrgg3 https://t.co/63cIdP559y
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The European Commission (EC) has approved Celltrion’s Avtozma (CT-P47), a biosimilar referencing Roche’s RoActemra (tocilizumab). https://t.co/ukMDwtgUhw https://t.co/htDVWKbu3n
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Metanalysis of cancer risk w/ abatacept vs placebo or TNFi in #RA. (18 RCTs, 10 LTE, 15 535 PYs ABA exposure) show no signif increase in malignancy for ABA vs PBO (IRR 0.58) or TNFi (IRR 0.72). Observational data ABA > other b/tsDMARDs (IRR 1.21; 1.15–1.28), but not csDMARDs… https://t.co/2aBfwyKv0e https://t.co/zUmaHZN3mR
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DANBIO registry study - 21 982 Rx Starts, 96 475 PYs & 1423 cancers identified. Overall cancer risk w/in tocilizumab/sarilumab, abatacept or rituximab were not signif increased (HRs ranged from 0.7 to 1.1) compared with TNFi & with bDMARD-naïve real world RA pts… https://t.co/fPLFlWoQsw https://t.co/4KlGnjfNKm
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BMS announced new data from Phase 3 POETYK PsA-2 trial - Sotyktu (deucravacitinib)vs apremilast vs PBO in PsA w/ higher ACR20 vs PBO at Week 16 (54% vs 39%). AEs led to discontinuation in 1.3% (PBO), 2.2% (Deuc) and 10.5% (apremilast). https://t.co/NAa2JigkZN https://t.co/mvaQXfjShd
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Intraarticular Steroids in OA Lowers Need for Pain Meds
Is it possible that intra-articular corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis might affect the use of opioids?
https://t.co/qkTN7CpuMZ https://t.co/npuT88Sj2m
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Early Hydroxychloroquine Slows Cutaneous Lupus Progression
A prospective study of patients with limited cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) shows that early introduction of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) may prevent progression to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).… https://t.co/evsvf2GQiL https://t.co/J0Zl35FEHz
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Bimekizumab efficacy and safety in patients with psoriatic arthritis who had skin and nail psoriasis at baseline: Up to 2-year results from two phase 3 studies
https://t.co/QGdQtp3Mbe
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Full read review of Hydryoxychloroquine -its pharmacology, MOA (eg, blocking TLR 7 & 9), Dz specific efficacy and adverse effects https://t.co/N7XVbfnsfi https://t.co/yjKwcfugOJ
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Available the first time: https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR 2025 On Demand!
On Demand gives you access to all lectures, Q & A panels, and STEP talks, and all speaker slides and handouts — all packed with insights you won’t find anywhere else.
Non-CME, practical, and finally here.… https://t.co/MHFUWb3az1 https://t.co/cqzZG40Xp5
Links:
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Normalizing Serologies Enhances Remission in SLE
Analysis of five phase III belimumab (BEL) trials reveals that normalizing serologies affords protection against severe and renal SLE flares, supporting the concept of treat-to-target to minimize risk in SLE.… https://t.co/eW9EUyvts7 https://t.co/OdM0WkLtjd
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Intraarticular Steroids in OA Lowers Need for Pain Meds
Is it possible that intra-articular corticosteroid injections for osteoarthritis might affect the use of opioids?
https://t.co/pw6vWbFRQx https://t.co/5KrB9uJv7M
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Genentech announced that FDA has accepted a Supplemental Biologics License Application for obinutuzumab (anti-CD20 mAb; Gazyva) for the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis based on positive results from Phase III REGENCY study. FDA decision by October 2025 https://t.co/Mx3YDUfkMg https://t.co/MTBZo1TCrK
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FDA grants priority reviews to:
- Nicalizumab (J&J; FcRn antibody) for use in Myasthenia gravis.
- Upadacitinib (AbbVie; JAK inhib) for use in GCA
- Namistat (BI: PDE4B inhib) for use in Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- Inalizumab (Hansen; anti-CD19) for use in IG4 rel Dz
-… https://t.co/dsg9vZASrk https://t.co/8t2USASmm8
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