JAMA Dermatology has reported on a longitudinal cohort study of 12,319 secukinumab (SEC) treated patients (psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis); no new cases of active tuberculosis (TB) and very few cases of latent tuberculosis infection (LTBI) were found.
A Medicare claims analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients showed that RA-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) was seen in nearly 5% of patients and was found to increase mortality risks, including respiratory and cancer mortality not explained by other factors.
The benefits of hydroxychloroquine in lupus are many, but if you were to withdraw HCQ? A recent study of five Canadian cohorts, suggests that certain baseline variables, including age, race, and steroid use, were predictive of flare in patients with SLE who tapered or discontinued treatment with hydroxychloroquine.
Health equity in the telehealth age has assumed added importance since the COVID-19 pandemic began. The Federal Communications Commission estimates that about 21 million Americans don't have access to the Internet in their homes. Other sources estimate it is closer to 162 million. However, the problem extends beyond reliable Internet or access to a smartphone, tablet, or computer.
The CDC has addressed the effects and the issues of domestic and international travel on its website. Below is a sampling of key advice.
"If you're having trouble paying for your medications, Drug Company X may be able to help."
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. How to handle COVID19 Vaccine issues, IL-6 inhibition in COVID, Comorbidites in RA, IVIG in dermatomyositis, & more...
2020 was historic, memorable and game-changing. Under the cloud of COVID-19, there were many significant and memorable advances and setbacks for the rheumatology world. In our accounting of most read articles for 2020, (not surprisingly) 17/20 were COVID-related. Below, are our top news items that rheumatologists should recollect and integrate into clinical standards for 2021 and beyond.
The ProDERM study design and outcomes are previewed in Medicine; and as promised the results were revealed at ACR Convergence in November 2020 showing that IVIg is safe, effective and superior to placebo i(PBO) in patients with dermatomyositis (DM).
Takeuchi et al has published their large experience with long-term tacrolimus use in lupus nephritis patients showing its real-world safety and efficacy.
This oopen-label, observational, cohort study from 275 sites in Japan, included 1355 systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with lupus nephritis (LN) who were followed for 10 years and had at least 5 years of tacrolimus therapy.
The diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis (and anklylosing spondylitis) (axSpA) is often delayed and usually not diagnosed by rheumatologists; a recent metanalysis shows that longer delays were attributable to lower education levels, younger age at onset and absence of extra-articular manifestations (EAMs).
According to a recent report in Annals of Rheumatic Disease, public enthusiasm for hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) created significant access issues for rheumatic patients in the early phases of the COVID-19 pandemic.
A novel report from PNAS suggests that in osteoarthritis (OA), the damage is not entirely from body weight and mechanics, instead it may be from adipose tissue itself.
UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink population study shows that patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, such as RA, PMR, GCA and IBD, have an augmented risk of CV outcomes with glucocorticoid use; even lower doses had a near doubling of their underlying CVD risk.
The fate of the Trump administration's "most favored nation" (MFN) rule for bringing down prescription drug prices remains uncertain as President-elect Joe Biden prepares to assume office later this month.
