Smolen and colleagues have published a subanalysis of the EXXELERATE study that showed while certolizumab pegol [CZP] concentrations and efficacy was unaffected by high titers of rheumatoid factor (RF), patients treated with adalimumab had a blunted response in the face of high RF titers.

Glucocorticoids are widely prescribed as anti-inflammatory and immunosuppressive agents. This results in at least 1% of the population using chronic glucocorticoid therapy being at risk for glucocorticoid-induced adrenal insufficiency. This risk is dependent on the dose, duration and potency of the glucocorticoid, route of administration, and individual susceptibility.

A national cohort study shows that continuous use of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) protects agains cardiovascular (CV) events in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com - including tips on steroids, MAS, and myositis testing.

Alcohol is a risk factor for gout and flares. While the inciting potential differs among alcohol types, are these differences sex specific?

A retrospective study in giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients suggests there is no added value using higher dose, intravenous methylprednisolone (IVMP) in early GCA.

Published guidelines on lupus management urge that female patients plan and prepare carefully for pregnancy, and use contraceptives when it's not intended -- but these recommendations are only rarely followed, a registry study suggested.

The American College of Rheumatology submitted comments to the U.S. Food & Drug Administration supporting their recent proposal to update the approval process for biosimilars’ interchangeability status by repealing the requirement for switching studies while also encouraging the FDA to continue monitoring the downstream effects of this policy to ensure transparency for patients and prescribing providers.

Patients with highly active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) experienced faster declines in kidney function than those whose disease was under better control, analysis of a large registry indicated.

Dr. Jack Cush picks highlight reports from the past week on RheumNow.com, with reports on the challenge of lupus nephritis, perplexing skin issues, you don't know JAK (about Tyk) and the value of a good family history.

Using data from the population based All of Us (AoU) Research Program, a self reported history of arthritis and related conditions was associated with an increased risk for arthritis, osteoporosis, and carpal tunnel syndrome.

Could disease control in active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients be improved by the sequential use of subcutaneous belimumab (BEL) and intravenous rituximab (RTX)? A double blind trial has shown that sequential BEL and RTX was not superior to BEL alone in SLE.