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Diabetes Prevention with Hydroxychloroquine in Sjogren’s
A Taiwanese insurance claims analysis looked at hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) use in primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) and showed that HCQ exposure significantly reduces the risk of new onset dia
Osteoarthritis Risky Business (4.18.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and Journal reports from this week on RheumNow.com. Osteoarthritis patients have unique risks and synovial fluid WBC numbers can tell you when to worry about septic arthritis in gout and pseudogout patients.
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Genetic Sequencing in Rheumatology
Genetic sequencing as a research and diagnostic tool has expanded in medicine and rheumatology. An interesting review in Arthritis and Rheumatology suggests that despite currently modest use, there will be an expanded role for genetic sequencing in the field of rheumatology.
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The Increasing Cost of First-Line Biologics for Plaque Psoriasis
A national commercial claims analysis of first-line use of biologics in biologic−naive plaque psoriasis patients found a near doubling of net treatment costs from 2007 to 2021 ($21 236 to $47 125).
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The Increasing Cost of First-Line Biologics for Plaque Psoriasis
A national commercial claims analysis of first-line use of biologics in biologic−naive plaque psoriasis patients found a near doubling of net treatment costs from 2007 to 2021 ($21 236 to $47 125). Despite the https://t.co/mWXz2o0mwz
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Obesity is a risk factor for not achieving remission in early #RA (ERA), independent of comorbidity. 1285 ERA RA pts; remission failure @6 mos = 64% w/ obese, 52% if overWt & 48% if NL wt. RR 1.33 w/ no change after adjusting for RF/CCP, education, EtOH, smoking, phys activity, https://t.co/341ba1rCSk
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Everyone is entitled to his own opinion, but not his own facts.
- Daniel Patrick Moynihan https://t.co/VQTvdtm9cw
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Distinguishing Septic and Gouty Arthritis
A single center, retrospective review of patients undergoing knee joint fluid aspirations for presumed crystalline arthritis (CA) showed that synovial WBC may provide a useful diagnostic marker for SA with an optimal threshold of 50,000 https://t.co/ye69mRooSh
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Predictors of Developing RA
A prospective cohort study of seropositive arthralgia patients demonstrated that baseline characteristics and labs can be used to predict which arthralgia patients are at highest risk of developing RA. These studies underscore the influence of https://t.co/wpSHDfwCL7
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Is High Dose Aspirin Needed in Kawasaki Disease (KD)?
Does aspirin add any advantage to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) alone in children with KD? A randomized clinical trial IVIG alone was not inferior to IVIG plus aspirin, suggesting that high-dose aspirin during initial https://t.co/uuCgDmgNif
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Should Lupus Nephritis Receive PJP Prophylaxis?
A current review article suggests that the need for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) prophylaxis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis will need to be individualized based on therapies and https://t.co/QGHxk3O8q4
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CDC's Committee on Immunization (ACIP) met and recommended:
1. Expand strains for meningococcal vax
2. Lower age for RSV vax > 50y
3. Rec. chikungunya vax for certain travelers
- Flu & Covid Vax to be up next mtg 6/25 https://t.co/jInnR5JSxS https://t.co/PXg0HDLgnL https://t.co/4pfZSRrEzi
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Genetic Analysis of Asymptomatic Antinuclear Antibody Positive Patients
A large scale genomic population study found antinuclear antibodies (ANA) in up to 14% of the population; most with ANA are asymptomatic, and ANA production is not associated with significant genetic risk. https://t.co/Ltqf1yaaoy
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Genomics and Future Drug Targets for Osteoarthritis
A Nature article details the results of an osteoarthritis, genome-wide association study meta-analyses across up to 489,975 cases and 1,472,094 controls, establishing 962 independent associations, 513 of which have not been https://t.co/OYyePkAeAM
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2001–2015 Danish national health registry study of 1.8 million adults, including 290,781 w/ knee or hip #OA & 1.5 million age-, sex-, education-matched controls. Women w/ knee or hip OA had 44% higher risk of CV Dz (HR 1.44), while men w/ HOA/KOA lesser incr (HR 1.24) CV risk https://t.co/P9V7m9rqAa
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In a murine model of Kawasaki Dz vasculitis- depleting gut microbiota reduces KD like vasculitis. CV lesions were assoc w/ decrease in Akkermansia muciniphila and Faecalibacterium prausnitzii. Replacement attenuated these findings. https://t.co/uAfInA5MAq https://t.co/3AjMRQnmts
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Systematic review of >90 studies on Pregnancy and RA risk indicates that parity, gravidity, infertility, pregnancy loss do not adversely affect RA development. But low birthweight was assoc w/ RA Dx/severity, and pre-eclampsia incr risk of subsequent RA Dx. https://t.co/nw8FfWyM8A
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Recent Medscape Physician Compensation Report 2025, MD Salaries dropped by:
Dermatology: -11%
Neurology: -6%
Urology: -6%
Plastic surgery: -4%
Cardiology: -4%
Ophthalmology: -4%
Gastroenterology: -3%
Rheumatology: -3% https://t.co/kNKuBwbL8J https://t.co/fA7d5A3wJp
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Enzyme Porcupine inhibition of Wnt signaling is a promising treatment forsclerosteosis - rare Dz caused by SOST mutations & loss of functional sclerostin. Results in high bone mass & skeletal overgrowth (Sxs of facial paralysis, hearing loss, incr intracranial pressure https://t.co/9DYO82quiC
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JAMA Pt Education handout - Scleroderma https://t.co/UpK24WfyNF
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