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Walking the Tightrope of Treat to Target in Psoriatic Arthritis
In the last few years, new studies have been published examining if early intervention and tight control (TC) of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) disease activity will have the same beneficial outcomes as it does for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Read ArticleNurse Led Gout Management Highly Effective
UK researchers have shown that nurse-led gout management, using a treat-to-target urate-lowering strategy, is efficacious and cost-effective compared with usual physicain care. The results are published in the recent Lancet edition.
Read ArticleRheumNow Week in Review – ACR Preview Edition (10.19.18)
Dr. Jack Cush summarizes the news and reports from RheumNow.Com this past week and previews RheumNow activities at the upcoming ACR 2018 meeting in Chicago.
Read ArticleRheumNow Week in Review – Vitamin D Falls Again (10.4.18)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read ArticleTreat-to-Target in RA: No Increase in AEs
Implementing a treat-to-target approach for the care of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) did not result in an increase in adverse events or resource use, a post-hoc analysis of a randomized trial showed.
Read ArticleBiologic Therapies Improve Work Outcomes in Spondyloarthritis
A study from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register in Axial Spondyloarthritis (BSRBR-AS) shows that biologic use significantly improves work productivity and overall activity impairment.
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Out of Pocket Costs for Biosimilars - No Savings So Far
JAMA has published an analysis showing that under Medicare Part D, RA biosimilar infliximab-dyyb was only moderately less expensive (18% less) than the biologic infliximab and, owing to differences in gap discounts, the out of pocket costs for the biosimilar was nearly $1700 more than infliximab
Read ArticleCutting Oral JAK 1/2 Inhibitor Dose an Option in RA
Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who achieved sustained disease control with baricitinib (Olumiant) treatment were able to reduce their daily dose from 4 mg to 2 mg and maintain their response, a double-blind substudy of a long-term extension trial found.
Read ArticleACR Releases State-by-State Rheumatic Disease Report Card
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) today released the Rheumatic Disease Report Card: Raising the Grade on Rheumatology Care in America, a first-of-its-kind report that evaluates just how difficult it can be to live well with a rheumatic disease in the United States.
Read ArticleAdherence to Gout Therapies Painfully Low
A retrospective study of the large UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink assessed patient compliance in gout and found that adherence to allopurinol is poor, especially among females and younger patients and those with fewer comorbidities.
Read ArticleTreatments Do Not Increase Infection Risk in Ankylosing Spondylitis
A large Canadian study of the drug use in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) demonstrated no evidence that the risk of serious, hospitalized infection was influenced by the use of DMARD and/or of tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) therapy.
Read ArticlePhysician Conflicts Overlooked by Physicians
An analysis of Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Open Payments Database (OPD) shows a high level of inconsistency for physician self-declared conflicts of interest amongst physicians receiving the highest industry payments.
Read ArticleHealth Secretary Azar Eyes Rebate Reform
Reuters reports that the U.S. Health and Human Services Secretary Alex Azar had declared his agency has the authority to eliminate rebates on prescription drug purchases, a key element in the administration’s plan to lower prescription medicine costs.
Read ArticleThe RheumNow Week in Review – We’re Number One! (8.17.18)
Dr. Cush reviews the articles and news from the last week on RheumNow.com. Information on comorbidities, the downside of steroids, unmet need in psoriatic arthritis, and the top 10 rheumatology programs.
Read ArticleManaging Comorbidity and Poor Drug Responses
Comorbidity is pervasive and complicates medical care in general. It can be a by-product of aging. It may result from drug therapy or an inciting disease process and may be part of the constellation that defines the primary disorder. A growing body of evidence that suggests that comorbidity has a significant dampening effect on drug responsiveness and, adds to poorer outcomes in patients with inflammatory arthritis.
Read ArticlePersistent Osteoporosis Drug Use Pays Off
Among elderly female Medicare patients, persistent use of osteoporosis medications was associated with reduced risk of fracture and significantly lower total health care costs.
Read ArticleBig Advances for Two Osteoporosis Drugs
New developments with the FDA and new scientific findings are adding momentum to two drugs experts believe are game-changers in osteoporosis treatment.
Read ArticleHigher Infection Rates for Infliximab in Psoriasis
A prospective study of psoriasis patients from the British Association of Dermatologists Biologic Interventions Register demonstrated that infliximab therapy yielded 2-3 times more serious infection than seen in those treated with non-biologic DMARDs or methotrexate (MTX).
Read ArticleOpioid Aversion is Augmenting Spinal Steroid Injections
As physicians turn away from opioids, are they resorting to options that may also be unsafe?
The New York Times reports that some physicians are using the anti-inflammatory drug, Depo-Medrol, for intraspinal injections to manage painful spinal and perispinal disorders.
Read ArticleCompany Payments to Rheumatologists, Specialists Linked to Increased ACTH Prescriptions
Despite its exorbitant price tag and paucity of supportive clinical evidence, ACTH (corticotropin) sales have increased in the United States. A recent JAMA article examined its use by specialists and found that those who prescribe ACTH (including rheumatologists, nephrologists, neurologists) received corticotropin-related payments from the products sole manufacturer, Mallinckrod.
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