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RheumNow Podcast – with Special Guest Dr. Janet Pope (9.8.2023)
This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news with special guest, Dr. Janet Pope. They discuss "Not-non-Inferior", large scale genetic screening, Zoster risk w/ newer lupus drugs, tapering, RA referral problems and the TNR webinar session on "ORAL Surveillance Revisited".
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2023 ACR/EULAR Antiphospholipid Syndrome Classification Criteria
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and EULAR have combined efforts to establish an international multidisciplinary Steering Committee to develop classification criteria for the new antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) to be applied in observational studies and clinical trials.
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Gut Microbiome Differences Antedate JIA Development
Researchers have shown that gut microbiome differences may be associated with later development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and that such differences are present years before the disease is diagnosed.
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COSMOS: Guselkumab's Immunologic Benefits in Psoriatic Arthritis
The IL-23 inhibitor guselkumab was studied in active psoriatic arthritis patients in the phase 3b COSMOS trial, and shown to be clinically effective while reducing multiple effector cytokines, including those associated with the IL-23/IL-17 pathway.
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Pizza and Rheumatoid Arthritis (8.11.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the wonderful wide world of Rheumatology. This week:
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English for the Biologically-Challenged (8.4.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week highlights Veterans, Vegetarians and Antenatal Corticosteroids.
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Bifunctional B-cell Targeted Therapy in IgG4-related Disease
A novel B-cell depletion trial, using obexelimab (a bifunctional, monoclonal antibody that binds CD19 and Fc gamma receptor IIb), has shown efficacy and safety in patients with active IgG4-related disease.
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Altered Gut Biome in Inflammatory Arthritis
Another study has confirmed that the intestinal microbiome's composition in people with inflammatory arthritis differs from that in other people, and in potentially unhealthy ways -- but whether the microbiome alterations actually cause arthritis is less clear. In fact, the investigato
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Predicting Inflammatory Arthritis in At-Risk Persons
The Annals of Internal Medicine has published a predictive score to distinguish low-risk from high-risk inflammatory arthritis (IA) and who may benefit from risk stratification and preventive measures.
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Infectious Risk with B Cell Therapies in Lupus
A UK registry study of moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients showed that treatment with rituximab or belimumab was not associated with a greater risk of serious infection, when compared to standard of care therapy.
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RNase Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders
U1RNP complex, Ro/SSA and La/SSB are major RNA-containing autoantigens associated with autoimmune disorders. Immune complexes (ICs) composed of RNA-containing autoantigens and autoantibodies are suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of some systemic autoimmune diseases.
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Hold the Methotrexate for One Week
In 2018, Park et al showed optimal responses to influenza vaccination in RA patients was best achieved by holding methotrexate for 2 weeks following immunization, with improved humoral responses. Now, a followup trial suggests that equivalent results are had by holding MTX for only 1 week with the "flu" vaccine.
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SLE and Pregnancy Outcomes
Obstetric complications and poor pregnancy outcomes are not uncommon in women with SLE, especially with active disease. A large Spanish cohort trials shows that term pregnancy is more likely before the diagnosis of SLE and that poorer pregnancy outcomes were associated with antibody positivity to anticardiolipin IgG and anti-beta-2- glycoprotein IgG/IgM, but not lupus anticoagulant.
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Anti-Drug Antibodies with Biologics (7.14.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush Reviews the news and journal reports on CVA, TKA, PJP, ADA, and more!
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Pegloticase Plus Methotrexate in Refractory Gout - MIRROR Study 12 mos. Results
The 12-month safety and efficacy of pegloticase + methotrexate (MTX) in the MIRROR trial shows continued efficacy and tophi resolution after 12 months of therapy.
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ICYMI: New Laboratory Insights for the ANA+ Consult
A new study suggests that use of ELISA assays for CXCL-10 and IFN-α can predict which ANA+ individuals may progress to developing a systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD).
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What is Colchicine Worth? (6.23.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week a new colchicine FDA approval, rising rate of IgG4 related disease and what's the safest biologic?
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Cancer Risk From RA, Not the Drugs
While it is known that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may be at risk for certain cancers, the question is which cancers and is this modified by therapy.
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Abatacept Safety Outcomes Across 7 European Registries
A multinational registry analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving abatacept (ABA) has shown that the safety profile of ABA remains unchanged with no new or increased risks of infection or malignancy.
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Biosimilars Match Biologic Originators in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Network Open has shown that biosimilars of adalimumab, infliximab, and etanercept were associated with clinically equivalent treatment effects compared with their reference biologics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
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