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The RWCS - RheumNow Week in Review - 9 February 2018
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights, news and recent research published this week on RheumNow.com. This week's report includes news and education from the RWCS meeting in Maui.
Read ArticleMethotrexate May Help in Chronic Chikungunya Arthritis
Methotrexate may provide benefits in treatment of the chronic arthritis that can persist following acute chikungunya virus infection, but definitive evidence remains lacking, researchers reported.
Read ArticlePoor Prognosis of the MDA-5 Antibody in Dermatomyositis
Researchers from Hong Kong assessed the clinical associations seen with the anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 antibody (anti-MDA5 Ab) assay in consecutive patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM).
Read ArticleACIP Guidelines on H. Zoster Vaccination Updated
The ACIP has discussed and analyzed its VZV vaccination policy to ensure safety and reduce disease burden. This report serves as a supplement to the 2008 Prevention of Herpes Zoster Recommendations.
Read ArticleESRD Death Declines in Vasculitis Patients
In the past 2 decades, mortality from end-stage renal disease (ESRD) among U.S. patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) has declined significantly, a nationwide study found.
Read ArticleObesity Outweighs Psoriasis in Comorbidity Risk with Children
Like their adult counterparts, psoriasis in children is an independent risk factor for comorbidity, but not as much as obesity.
Read ArticleAnti-Drug Antibodies Partly Explain Secondary TNF Inhibitor Failures
An observational study of patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or spondyloarthritis (SpA) experiencing secondary failure to TNF inhibitor (TNFi) therapy showed that (secondary) loss of efficacy to a TNFi was associated with anti-drug antibodies in less than 30% of patients.
Read ArticleProblems with Biologic Drug Storage
Is your patient’s refrigerator the problem with the inefficacy of biologic therapies? Studies show most patients don't store their biologics correctly, which may be a source of limited drug efficacy.
Read ArticleTwo Types of Osteoarthritis Based on Cartilage Studies
A report from Annals of Rheumatic Diseases suggests that osteoarthritis (OA) may be two distinct diseases based on genetic studies of articular cartilage. (Citation source: https://buff.ly/2mNtUsL).
Read ArticleIL-1 and IL-6 Inhibition Preferred in Systemic JIA
Since 2000, the German Biologics register (BiKeR) has prospectively enrolled children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis to assess outcomes with biologic therapies. A new report evaluates the efficacy and safety of etanercept (ETA), tocilizumab (TOC) and the interleukin-1 inhibitors (anakin
Read ArticleSalt Drives Gut-Brain Connection via IL-17
A study from Nature Neuroscience shows that a high salt diet may mediate neurovascular disease by altering microbiome and the expansion of TH17 cells in the small intestine, thereby increasing plasma interleukin-17 (IL-17) and its subsequent effects on endothelium in the brain.
Read ArticleStroke Risk Confirmed in SLE
The most common cerebrovascular events (CVEs) seen among a large cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were stroke and transient ischemia, and the majority of these events were attributable to the disease itself, a multinational study determined.
Read ArticleB Cell Changes Predict Autoimmunity with Checkpoint Inhibitors
The Journal of Clinical Investigation reports results of a study showing that increases in CD21lo B cells and plasmablasts following that combination checkpoint blockade preceded the onset of immune-related adverse events.
While some have postulated that IRAEs are thought to be T cell mediated, B cells have also been implicated. Investigators studied 39 melanoma patients undergoing treatment with either anti-CTLA4 or anti-PD1, or combination CCB therapy. They analyzed changes in circulating B cells before and after the first cycle of therapy of immune checkpoint blockade (23 received combination therapy, 8 received anti-CTLA4, and 8 received anti-PD1).
Read ArticleIbuprofen’s Anti-androgenic Effect May Result in Hypogonadism in Males
PNAS reports use of ibuprofen by males may result in antiandrogen effects that may contribute to adult male reproductive problems.
Read ArticleStem Cell Transplant Succeeds in Scleroderma
Myeloablative autologous stem cell transplantation was significantly more effective than 12 months of cyclophosphamide among patients with severe scleroderma, an open-label multicenter study found.
Read ArticleRegistry Efficacy of Rituximab in Refractory SLE
Despite large randomized trials failing to show the efficacy of RTX in SLE (LUNAR, EXPLORER), uncontrolled observational data suggests possible efficacy and safety of RTX in refractory SLE.
Read ArticleFDA Approves Mepolizumab for Churg-Strauss (EGPA)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of Nucala (mepolizumab) for use in treating adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), previously known as Churg-Strauss vasculitis. This is first FDA-approved therapy specifically to treat EGPA.
Read ArticleWhy TNF Inhibitors May Work in Some Autoinflammatory Patients
The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical component of the innate immune system and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome results in caspase-1–dependent secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18.
Read ArticleThe RheumNow Week in Review - 8 December 2017
Dr. Jack Cush covers the news and journal articles published on RheumNow.comin the past week.
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