At the onset of the pandemic, data from the Global Rheumatology Alliance reported increased risk of poor severe COVID outcomes including deaths in patients who were treated with rituximab and baricitinib. With the vaccination program undertaken globally, has this risk been attenuated?

An Annals of Internal Medicine review has shown that clinical trials and cohort studies of cannabinoids use for chronic pain may be associated with short-term improvements in chronic pain but come with an increased risk for dizziness and sedation. Studies of long-term outcomes and product formulation effects are lacking.

Differences across genders in many aspects related to rheumatic diseases diagnosis, phenotyping, trajectories definition and prediction of response to treatment have been overlooked. Two abstracts have shed light on relevant gender-based differences in AxSpA assessment or treatment.