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Serious Infections in Takayasu arteritis
The large vessel vasculitis, Takayasu arteritis (TAK), carries a significant morbid risk and a cohort analysis shows these patients are also at high risk of serious infection with resultant higher risk of death.
Mortality in Psoriatic Arthritis
The Annals of Rheumatic Disease reports that mortality risk in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is about 10% higher than in the general population, primarily from excess comorbidity and with increased risks in women, with longer disease durations.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons Increase Lupus Risk
A case-controlled study shows environmental exposure to polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) may increase the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
CBD Products Disappointing for Pain
There is no evidence that CBD products reduce chronic pain, and taking them is a waste of money and potentially harmful to health, according to new research led by the University of Bath in the UK.
Read Article13 Risk Factors for RA-associated Interstitial Lung Disease
Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most widespread and fatal pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A recent metanalysis shows the pooled prevalence of RA-ILD was approximately 18.7%.
Read ArticleEpigenetics and Autoimmune Skin Disease
The central dogma proposed that genetic information predominantly transfers from DNA to RNA during gene expression to make a functional product protein. This absolute theory has been debunked because of the influence of the environment on how genes are transcribed.
Read ArticleActivity & Pain Tolerance (3.29.2024)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com, including where you should sit in clinic and why you should worry about secondary Sjogren's in RA.
Read Article7 Updates on Prosthetic Joint Infections
These are excerpts and takeaway summaries from several literature reports addressing the diagnosis and outcomes of prosthetic joint infections (PJI).
Read ArticlePredicting Vasculitis Relapse
Scores on a patient-reported sino-nasal symptom questionnaire were associated with subsequent flares of one type of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV), researchers said.
Read ArticleWindow of Opportunity in Psoriatic Arthritis
A Dutch Early Psoriatic Arthritis cohort study shows that psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients treated early (referred and diagnosed within in less than 12 weeks) had the best clinical outcomes.
Secondary Sjogren’s Ups Rheumatoid Arthritis Severity
A Swiss observational study has shown that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with concomitant Sjögren’s disease (SjD) are more likely to have a severe RA phenotype, and be less responsive to treatment.
Read ArticleNaysayers & Disrupters (3.22.2024)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week - including a few contrary reports on infection, seropositivity and plasmapheresis.
Read ArticleCV Risk Early with Rheumatic Disease Diagnosis
A Finnish populaton study shows that the temporal relationship between cardiovascular (CV) comorbidities in rheumatic diseases (RMD) is seen early after the RMD diagnosis.
2023 EULAR Psoriatic Arthritis Recommendations
EULAR has updated its treatment recommendations from the prior 2019 guidelines, since which there have been several newly developed agents. The updated guidance includes 7 overarching principles and 11 recommendations regarding treatment strategy and pharmacological therapies.
Read ArticleExpert Panel Guidance on Managing Psoriatic Arthritis and Comorbidities
An expert panel has published their consensus guidelines for the management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and it's comorbidities in the journal Rheumatology.
Read ArticleChronic MSK Pain and Earlier Retirement
Frequent musculoskeletal pain is linked with an increased risk of exiting work and retiring earlier, according to a new study published in the journal PLOS ONE.
Read ArticleInfection and Rituximab-linked Immunoglobulin Deficiency
A minority of immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID) patients treated with rituximab (RTX) are expected to develop and depressed immunoglobulin (Ig) levels. A recent cohort analysis suggests that RTX-induced Ig deficiency was not associated with an increased risk of severe infecti
Read ArticleWashington Post: Case of Delayed Rheum Diagnosis
The Washington Post recently published a "medical mystery" case titled, "Medical Mysteries: A rolled ankle set this runner down a painful path", which tells the tale of how and why rheumatologists are often not consulted or are consulted too late.
Read ArticleMMWR: Vaccination and Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children
Multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) is a rare but serious condition typically occurring 2–6 weeks after SARS-CoV-2 infection and characterized by fever and multiorgan involvement. The current MMWR report shows that MIS-C case numbers have decreased by 98% since 2021.
Read ArticleUS Trends in RA DMARD Use 2017-2021
A trend analysis of DMARDs shows that only half of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are taking DMARDs, and that the COVID-19 pandemic substantially affected DMARD use. Despite numerous DMARD advances and evolving treatment guidelines since 1990, older therapies are still commonly used and the latest agents make up a small percentage of overall DMARD use.
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