Nagaraja, Khanna and colleagues have published an overview of current and future therapies in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and have reviewed the potential outcome measures for this difficult autoimmune disorder.

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

The latest hazardous spinoff to the coronavirus infection is an inflammatory, Kawasaki-like syndrome unique to children or adolescents with COVID-19. Sporadic reports from around the globe of this severe pediatric COVID syndrome have littered the news with brief mentions and little detail.

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

Severe and fatal outcomes with coronavirus infection are often the result of the downstream damage that follows the viral infection.

Modifiable lifestyle choices can impact long term health.  A recent study shows that usual and increased physical activity can results in less hospitalization amongst the the general population.

Hydroxychloroquine has been a dominant news item since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, with a great deal of misconceptions by those who don't know or use or take the drug. HCQ leaped to the headlines on March 19th when President Trump endorsed the drug as being “approved” by FDA. Of course at that time, it was still only approved for SLE, RA and malaria and it wasn't until 2 weeks later (March 31st) that the FDA issued an "emergency use authorization" allowing the use of either chloroquine or HCQ for treatment of severe, hospitalized patients with COVID-19.

To provide clarity and evidence - here are some of the facts you need to know.

JAMA Cardiology reports the risk of QT (QTc) prolongation when hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) was given to hospitalized patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), especially when given with azithromycin. 

Pediatricians are asking the question - could this be a rare manifestation of COVID-19 in children?

Arthritis & Rheumatology reports that biologic (bDMARD) use in rheumatoid arthritis may decrease cardiovascular disease risk by retarding coronary plaque formation and progression (especially non‐calcified and low‐attenuation plaque).

JAMA Open Network reports an interim analysis of the Brazilian CloroCovid-19 trial showing thta higher doses of chloroquine (CQ) in the treatment of severe COVID-19 was associated with QTc interval prolongation and increased mortality.

Dr Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports, twitter feed and COVID developments from the past week on RheumNow.com

A pre-proof letter to the editor in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology presents a series of patients with immunoglobulin deficiency disorders and how they differentially responded when infected with the coronavirus.

They identified seven Primary Antibody Deficiencies patients with COVID-19 infection; five affected with Common Variable Immune Deficiencies and two affected with Agammaglobulinemia, one with X-linked Agammaglobulinemia and one with Autosomal Recessive Agammaglobulinemia.

A National Institutes of Health (NIH) expert panel has developed consensus treatment guidelines for the management of coronavirus (COVID-19). To date no drug has been proven to be safe and effective for treating COVID-19. Moreover, they found no evidence to recommended the use of hydroxychloroquine for prophylaxis or treatment of COVID-19 outside of a current clinical trial.

The presentations of the COVID-19 infection have been clearly chronicled with the worrisome onset of sore throat, dry cough, loss of smell and taste with fevers, myalgias, fatigue and the worrisome progression of pulmonary involvement in a minority.  Lab findings may include a leukocytosis,

The 9/11/01 terrorist attach on the World Trade Center (WTC)  resulted in at least 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage.  Arthritis & Rheumatology reports that dust cloud exposure among responders and

On April 3rd, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK, published a rapid guideline for managing children and adults with rheumatological autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic bone disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, while protecting staff from infection.