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"Ask Cush Anything" Returns (7.21.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports and this week, takes on 5 cases/questions from "Ask Cush Anything"
Read ArticleTofactitinib in PsA & RA: Nine Year Safety Data
Tofacitinib is FDA approved for psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, but long term safety outcomes beyond a year are limited. A real-world, post-marketing surveillance of tofacitinib in PsA and RA shows a consistent pattern of safety with no new safety concerns identified.
Read ArticleVoclosporin in SLE - Long-Term Safety and Efficacy
The AURORA 2 study evaluated the long-term safety and efficacy of voclosporin lupus nephritis patients and, after three years, demonstrated long term safety and efficacy following the one-year AURORA 1 study.
Read ArticleInfectious 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.
Read ArticleRNase 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.
Read ArticleDanger with Hydroxychloroquine Nonadherence in SLE
A large cohort study shows that severe non-adherence to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) results in serious risks for SLE flares, damage, and mortality.
Read ArticleHold 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.
Read ArticleSLE 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.
Read ArticleEULAR Points to Consider in Progressing Psoriasis to Psoriatic Arthritis
The transition from psoriasis to PsA – and the early diagnosis of PsA – is of considerable scientific and clinical interest. People typically have psoriatic skin disease for a decade or more before they begin to experience the joint involvement of PsA.
Read ArticleAnti-Drug Antibodies with Biologics (7.14.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush Reviews the news and journal reports on CVA, TKA, PJP, ADA, and more!
Read ArticleFilgotinib Effects on Semen and Sex Hormones
The oral Janus kinase 1 inhibitor filgotinib is available worldwide, but not in the USA, where the FDA held up its approval for use in RA due to unfinished studies of filgotinib's effects on sperm cells. The results of 2 phase two studies (MANTA and MANTA-RAy) confirm that filgotinib has no measurable impact on semen parameters or sex hormones in men with active IBD or inflammatory rheumatic diseases.
Read ArticleAntidrug Antibodies Impair Response to Biologic Drugs
Monitoring for antidrug antibodies with biologic has not been routine in rheumatology but a new study suggests that antidrug antibodies correlate with nonresponse to bDMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
Read ArticlePegloticase 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.
Read ArticleBiologics Keep Early RA in Check for at Least One Year
Treatment with at least some biologic drugs significantly reduced 1-year progression of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) relative to classical small-molecule agents, researchers reported.
Read ArticleRA Biologics Lower COVID-19 Deaths, but Not Recovery Time
Do abatacept, cenicriviroc, or infliximab improve time to recovery for patients hospitalized with COVID-19 pneumonia compared with standard care?
Read ArticleBaricitinib Effective in JIA Subsets
A phase 3 trial assessed a selective Janus kinase 1/2-inhibitor, baricitinib, in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), demonstrating it's efficacy and safety compared to placebo.
Read ArticleGCA and the Risk of Cerebrovascular Ischemic Events
Cerebrovascular ischemic events (CIE) can be one of the most severe complications of giant cell arteritis (GCA), but is seen in 4-5% of GCA patients according to a recent French University Hospital.
Read ArticleICYMI: ChatGPT - A Boon or Threat to Scientific Publication?
ChatGPT is a new, artificial intelligence chatbot that has dramatically changed the digital worlds of education, research, graphic design, statistics and more. While this AI driven platform has the untold potential in generating written content, there is considerable concern in assuring that human-generated content of research, education and publishing has veracity.
Read ArticleICYMI: Drug Safety Differences with New Novel Therapies in RA
Safety outcomes for targeted synthetic or biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/ts DMARDs) used to treat RA were studied using data from the Anti-Rheumatic Therapies in Sweden (ARTIS) registry, showing that these newer agents are largely similar, but still have particular differences for specific infection or other adverse event risks.
Read ArticleICYMI: GRAPPA Recommendations for Treating Enthesitis in Psoriatic Arthritis
GRAPPA has provided new, evidence based updates to the management of enthesitis in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), affecting at least 30% of PsA patients and is associated with more severe disease, x-ray damage, and poorer outcomes.
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