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

This is the #1 question I get from new consults: “How did I get arthritis?”

But as the aching are asking, they are really thinking these joint complaints must be due to something.

AstraZeneca announced today that anifrolumab (Saphnelo or anifrolumab-fnia) was approved by the the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for that treatment of adult patients with moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who are receiving standard therapy.  

HCQ is one of the safest meds used in rheumatology, but new claims data suggests a small increase in the risk of malformations associated with first-trimester HCQ use. The March 2021 issue of the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology studied the risk of major congenital malformations during the first trimester of pregnancy in women with rheumatic disease taking HCQ.

Genentech announced March 4th that the US Food and Drug Administration approved tocilizumab (Actemra) for the treatment of Systemic Sclerosis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease (SSc-ILD), specifically indicated for slowing the rate of decline in pulmonary function in adults S

Since the COVID vaccine rollout, more people have been eligible to receive the vaccine. However, not everyone chooses to get one. I have heard many reasons (aka excuses) from my patients who are vaccine hesitant. 

There's good news and bad news in rheumatology fellowship matching for 2022.  There's also new FDA approvals and indications, but a new serious safety warning has arisen from the CDC about the J&J COVID-19 vaccine. 

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the latest news, journal reports, regulatory approvals, plus 3 new cases from rheumatologists.

The U.S.

Rheumatologists are well aware that inflammation and immune dysregulation are prime contributors to cancer risk, but do oncologists carry the same impressions? A large study from JAMA Oncology shows that patients with immune-mediated diseases (IMD) have an overall increased risk of cancer, especially in organ-specific immune-mediated diseases. 

A recent study of drugs used in type 2 diabetes (T2DM) shows that SGLT2 inhibitors have a lower risk for gout compared with those receiving DPP4 inhibitors.

Safety analysis of over 1000 adverse events associated with the use of tocilizumab in the treatment of COVID‐19 infection shows both rare expected and some unexpected AE.

The numbers on treatment adherence is disappointingly low in RA, with a number of psychological, communication and logistical factors that outweigh the potentially negative influence of sociodemographic or clinical factors.

Systemic onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) is a dramatic onset inflammatory condition marked by spiking fevers, intermittent rash, polyarthritis and a host of other hyperinflammatory manifestations.

Drs. Jack Cush and Martin Bergman review the topic of treat-to-target (T2T) management in rheumatology.

Both will debate the pro's and con's of the T2T strategy at the upcoming RWCS meeting on Feb. 17, 2022.

Excess adiposity and genetic predisposition both contributed to risk of gout among U.S. women, with the risks being highest when both factors are present, a large prospective study found.

The 2021 Nobel Prize in Medicine and Physiology was jointly awarded to Drs.

Annals of Internal Medicine has reported the results of a randomized clinical trial showing that telehealth-delivered exercise and diet programs improved pain and function in knee osteoarthritis patients who were overweight.  While both were beneficial, exercise had a greater effect than die

Based on the safety review of tofacitinib in Pfizer's Oral Surveillance (1133) study, the FDA has added serious boxed warnings to all three marketed JAK inhibitors (for inflammatory diseases) and formalized the recommendation that patients should be started on a TNF inhibitor (TNFi) before trying a JAK inhibitor. These recommendations apply to tofacitinib, baricitinib and upadacitinib.

In spite of the transformative growth of telemedicine during the COVID-19 pandemic, rheumatologists use of telemedicine is waning, much like the use of masks. Dr. Jack Cush interviews telemedicine guru, Dr. Alvin Wells, on the current state of telemedicine and what the future holds for telehealth in rheumatology.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been linked to a higher risk of dementia and cognitive dysfunction, but interestingly this association has diminished in the last few decades with aggressive DMARD and targeted therapies..