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CDC Report on Smoking and Smokeless Tobacco
Combustible and smokeless tobacco use causes adverse health outcomes, including cardiovascular disease and multiple types of cancer. Cigarette consumption in the United States has declined overall since the 1960s, but consumption of other tobacco products has not.
Read ArticleRituximab May Reduce Mortality Risk in Rheumatoid Lung Disease
While it is known that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with interstitial lung involvement is associated with severe seropositive disease and is associated with an increased mortality.
Read ArticleNonsignificant CV Risk with Actemra vs Enbrel
WASHINGTON -- Rheumatoid arthritis is a recognized risk factor for heart attacks and stroke, but a study comparing two leading biologics found only a non-significant increase in relative risk for patients treated with toclizimab (Actemra) vs etanercept (Enbrel), researchers reported here.
Read ArticleThe Long Awaited PRECISION Study
The PRECISION study will be presented on Tuesday, November 15, 2016 by Dr. Elaine Husni from the Cleveland Clinic. This report brings to a climax the controversy ignited by the February 2005 3 day FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee review of the safety of the blockbuster COX-2 inhibitors, celecoxib, rofecoxib, and valdecoxib.
Read ArticleDo Statins Reduce Cardiovascular Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis?
RA increases CV risk considerably. But whose responsibility is it to manage CV risk in RA patients?
Read ArticleSeropositivity Increases Mortality Rates in Rheumatoid Arthritis
It has been long known that rheumatoid arthritis is associated with an increased mortality rate, especially in seropositive patients and those with extraarticular manifestations.
Read ArticleEarly Intervention with Corticosteroids and IVIG is Crucial in Kawasaki Disease
The current JAMA Pediatrics issue has published a report showing that adjunctive corticosteroid therapy yielded significantly fewer coronary artery complications compared with intravenous immunoglobulin therapy alone, particularly among high-risk patients with Kawasaki disease.
Read ArticleNSAIDs Pose a Dose-Related Risk for Heart Failure Hospitalizations
BMJ has reported the results of a case-control study that analyzed the risk of hospitalization from heart failure associated with the use of NSAIDs amongst healthcare databases from four European countries (the Netherlands, Italy, Germany, and the United Kingdom).
Read ArticleCPAP Use Fails to Prevent CV Events in Sleep Apnea Patients
There are numerous health hazards associated with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), including an increased risk of cardiovascular events.
Read ArticleLupus Patients at Higher Risk for Heart Failure
Although cardiovascular disease and complications have been well-described in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the association between SLE and heart failure (HF) remains undefined.
Read ArticleHMGB1 as a Biomarker for Polymyositis and Dermatomyositis
High mobility group box chromosomal protein 1 (HMGB1) is a DNA-binding protein that functions as a structural co-factor. HMGB1 is actively secreted by macrophage/monocytes via inflammatory stimuli and is elaborated during apoptosis.
Read ArticleRheumNow Week in Review – 26 August 2016
Dr. Jack Cush reviews news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read ArticleSmoking Worsens Rheumatoid Inflammation
Tobacco and chronic smoking is a major risk factor for the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and chronic smoking has been linked to severity of disease and lower DMARD response rates.
Read ArticleRheumNow Week in Review - 29 July 2016
Dr Jack Cush reviews this week's highlights from RheumNow.com.
Read ArticlefaSScinate Study Shows Tocilizumab to be Effective in Systemic Sclerosis
The results of the faSScinate trial were published in Lancet showing that treatment with Actemra (tocilizumab) resulted in a reduction in skin thickness and an improvement in lung function in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).
Read ArticleEarly DMARD Therapy Averts Cardiovascular Risk in RA
A Finnish early RA register studied 14,878 incident RA patients from 2000-2008 and identified 1157 deaths. Patients receiving DMARDs and MTX had lower mortality rates. The standardized mortality ratio for the entire cohort was reduced (0.57, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.62).
Read Article10 Ways Rheumatoid Arthritis Could’ve Killed Glenn Frey
I was truly stunned when it was announced that Glenn Frey, from the Eagles, had died as a result of complications from his rheumatoid arthritis, ulcerative colitis and pneumonia.
Read ArticleHyperuricemia Increases Risk of Diabetes, Death and CV Disorders in Hypertensive Patients
While hyperuricemia is linked to gout and many of the elements that make up the metabolic syndrome, it's not so clear that hyperuricemia is an independant risk factor for hypertension, diabetes, cardiovascular outcomes, etc.
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AS Diagnosis Linked to CVD Risk
Prevalent patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) face a 30–50% increased risk of acute coronary, cerebrovascular, and thromboembolic events compared with the general population.
Read ArticleRheumNow Week in Review – 27 May 2016
Dr. Cush reviews highlights from this week on RheumNow.com.
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