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Urate Lowering Therapy During Acute Gout

d Jack Cush, MD

Acute gout has its well defined protocols, and most state that urate lowering therapy (ULT) should be continued; but does ULT affect outcomes in an acute gout attack?

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Rheumatologists Rank 2nd in Physician Burnout

d Jack Cush, MD

The 2021 Medscape Survey on Physician burnout ranks rheumatology second, just behind Critical Care medicine.

The survey included over 12,000 physcians from 20 specialties. While 42% of MDs claimed to be burnt-out, Rheumatologists claimed this 50% of the time. The top 3 this year were Critical care (51%), Rheumatology (50%) and infectious disease (49%).

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Protective Effects of Colchicine in Non-Hospitalized COVID-19

d Jack Cush, MD

A press release from Montreal Heart Institute announced that the COLCORONA clinical trial provided evidence of the protective effect of colchicine; demonstrating a 21% reduced risk of death or hospitalizations in patients with COVID-19 compared to placebo. COLCORONA trial was a contact-less, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study of 4,488 non-hospitalized patients from Canada, the U.S., Europe, South America and South Africa.

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Voclosporin FDA Approved for Lupus Nephritis

d Jack Cush, MD

On January 22nd, the FDA approved voclosporin (Lupkynis) for use in adults with active lupus nephritis; voclosporin is a calcineurin-inhibitor immunosuppressant indicated for use in combination with a background immunosuppressive therapy. FDA approval was based on data from the pivotal AURORA Phase 3 study and the AURA-LV Phase 2 study, which demonstrated the ability of voclosporin to significantly improve LN outcomes after 52 weeks of followup in SLE nephritis patients receiving background standard of care therapies like MMF, and low dose steroids. 

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tREACH trial of 120 early arthritis pts shows risk factors for persistence are predictive: Serpositivity, polyarthritis (>4), erosive Dz, high ESR/CRP. Those w/ 0, 1 and ≥2 risk factors had a 61%, 32% and 30% (respective) chance of drug free remission. https://t.co/AsCLGu4Vye

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Cutaneous manifestations of ANCA-assoc vasculitis studied in 1184 GPA, MPA, EGPA pts and found to assoc w/ more severe disease. Common were petechiae/purpura (15%); allergic Sxs such as pruritus, urticaria, were more common in EGPA https://t.co/cdoJPUnDiC

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The EMA has Approved AbbVie’s Upadacitinib (Rinvoq) in the EU for the Treatment of Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis. https://t.co/H5E8dazQx4

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ACR Convergence 2020 Fireside Chats – top presentations in Still’s disease Sponsored by Novartis Medical Affairs Unable to attend all the key sessions at ACR Convergence 2020? Listen to the experts as they present their views on the top abstracts. https://t.co/MD6lU5oIvy https://t.co/kV1wNIUk7L

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Protective Effects of Colchicine in Non-Hospitalized COVID-19 A press release from the Montreal Heart Institute has announced that the COLCORONA clinical trial has provided evidence of the protective effect of colchicine. Read more: https://t.co/quo19EPJUQ https://t.co/B65RGButgm

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Voclosporin FDA Approved for Lupus Nephritis On 1/22 the FDA approved voclosporin (Lupkynis) for use in adults with active lupus nephritis (LN). Read more: https://t.co/BvIMPe8WW4 https://t.co/il5PNjD7A2

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Systematic review (39 studies 152K patients) of comorbidities in Psoriatic arthritis; most common were HTN 34%, metabolic syndr 29%, obesity 27%, hyperlipidaemia 24% &CV Dz 19%. Comorbid pts: more severe dz, worse QOL & more drug discontinuation https://t.co/VxyYlPltDc

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Study of 147 Takayasu arteritis pts in UK (compared to 1,371 controls) shows all‐cause and CV mortality increased TAK (adj HR 1.88). While TAK had increased ischemic heart Dz, CVA, TIA, PVD, CVD; there was NO increase in HTN, CKD, CHF or diabetes. https://t.co/lanantCSXW

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After you receive the 2nd dose of the COVID vaccine, note that it takes 2 weeks after the second dose to achieve high antibody levels against COVID-19, underscoring the importance of continuing masking, physical distancing and hand hygiene https://t.co/ZsWIM9O3Iu
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NEJM: Early Combo Monoclonal Antibody Therapy in COVID-19 NEJM has published the interim analysis of the REGN-COV2 trial, wherein an antibody cocktail reduced viral loads with less clinical consequences. https://t.co/Gdby5qmPNG

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QD Clinic Week Of 1.17.2021 Myalgias & Arthralgias, Smoking and RA, The Dastardly, nastardly facts of smoking and RA, Oivay the Elevated ESR https://t.co/hTQ46YZTzG

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Combo Anti-Spike Protein Antibody for Mild to Moderate COVID-19 https://t.co/DuG7pI4jL9

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Don’t Hold the Benlysta, Take the Vaccine https://t.co/yBWj2U4ZnZ

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2 very large UK population studies (millions of pts) show there is no evidence that NSAID use yields harm in those infected with COVID related deaths. There is either no risk (HR 0.96; 0.80, 1.14) or a reduced risk (HR 0.78; 0.64, 0.94) in these studies. https://t.co/gazA83Ogis

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Osteitis in Systemic Sclerosis is UNCOMMON. French study of 48 pts shows 54% w/ osteitis beneath digital tip ulcers. Pain (75%), erythema (73%), warmth (73%) & 65% had high CRP. X‐ray, CT‐scans or MR. Antibiotics were 1st line therapy. https://t.co/o58gwq2SCC

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Low Risk of TB with Secukinumab https://t.co/ADdtMNxy2N https://t.co/YTY0eci5Y2

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