RheumNow Podcast – What You Do For & What You Do To the Patient (4.8.2022) Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week and discusses the use of fibroscan in RA, steroid hip injections in OA and famous quotes from a famous cardiologist.

1. CorEvitas Registry study of173 Axial #PsA pts showed 6 mos of bDMARD/tsDMARD resulted in modest, nonsignificant improvement axial outcomes ,(irrespective HLA-B27 status), including ASDAS40, BASDAI50, & spinal pain. 31% of pts were B27+  https://t.co/dYk5GfIdez

2. Deucravacitinib, TYK2 inhib, studied in phase II trial 203 active PsA pts randomised to PBO, or DEUC 6 mg or 12 mg qd. At wk 16 ACR-20 responses were significantly higher with DEUC 6mg (53%, p=0.0134) and 12 mg (63%, p=0.0004) vs PBO 32%.   https://t.co/jh43zCbdZx

3. Differences between Palpated & Ultrasound Joint exams in 155 #PSA patients. 5616 joints - found 18.5% tender, 9.8% swollen, 20.4% w/ US GS ≥ 2 and 5.2% had US PD ≥ 1. Joints that were both tender and swollen more likely to have GS ≥ (44%)  https://t.co/iRNsqWYScM

4. Among 1033 #PSA pts - 37% were obese. Obese PsA pts had higher PsAQoL, HADS-Anxiety, HADS-Depression, DAPSA, DAS28-CRP, BASDAI, BASFI, HAQ &FACIT scores (p<0.05). BMI affects QOL, depression, disease activity, fatigue  https://t.co/Wlgp0gJGbK

5. 520 RA pts were screened with FibroScan (liver fibrosis)- F3 or F4 liver fibrosis seen 13.3% of controls vs 12.7% arthritis pts. MTX was not significantly correlated w/ higher FS scores. Liver stiffness was correlated w/ BMI, waist, male , age.  https://t.co/Dqos1MT431

6. ALEVIATE - small study of Alemtuzumab (anti-CD52) in 23 refractory ANCA-Assoc vasculitis or Behcets— 16/23 (70%) had either complete (6/23, 26%) or partial (10/23, 44%) response at 6 months. 10 SAE in 7 (30%) pts  https://t.co/7UmDA4NxqV

7. Metanalysis of psychological interventions for chronic low back pain (97 RCTs, 13,136 pts) finds that Only behavioural therapy delivered w/ physiotherapy care (mainly structured exercise) reduced pain intensity up (high quality evidence)  https://t.co/PBwyitTZxK

8. 211 pts presenting w/ hot swollen joint to the ER; 28 w/ septic arthritis; pseudogout 32; gout 50; & others: 101. Predictors of Septic Arthritis: RA (OR 3.4); skin infx (OR 3.3); liver Dz (OR 9.9); knee involv (OR 3.5); immunosuppressive use (OR 3.5)  https://t.co/Fq3obVDavm

9. FDA has granted a Priority Review for tocilizumab (Actemra) intravenous for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 adults receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental O2, mechanical ventilation, or ECMO.  https://t.co/oEGskAJVyd

10. “Do as much as possible for the patient, & as little as possible to the patient.” (B Lown). JAMA review of Antithrombotics in COVID-19 says all hospitalized COVID pts with COVID-19 should recv anticoagulation with heparin; no proven value to anti-Platelet Rx  https://t.co/DW8BGKjfnX

11. The BA.2 variant is now dominant in every region of the United States and accounts for 72% overall for new Covid cases https://t.co/jjl2AnwOWX @CDCgov https://t.co/ot1GNez51W

12. 15 AAV patients Rx w/ RTX who had no response to 2 doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine; then  received a booster. Despite persistent B-cell depletion 7/15 had a response to booster vaccine #Vasculitis22 https://t.co/y8y8Bjnqtp

13. Short-Term (not Long-Term) Benefits to Intraarticular Hip Steroid Injection 

14. Dactylitis Indicates a Severe PsA Phenotype  

15. Some of life's biggest and most positive changes are propelled by mini conspiracies of a few well-meaning folks. - Dr. Bernard Lown