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In comments submitted today to the US Department of Labor in response to its Association Health Plans (AHP) proposed rule, the American College of Rheumatology urged Administration officials to protect essential health benefits and other consumer protections that make it possible for individuals living with rheumatic diseases to access comprehensive and affordable healthcare.
Subcutaneous abatacept (Orencia) showed efficacy among children with polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in an open-label phase III trial.
The Journal of Clinical Investigation reports the results of a trial wherein etanercept (ETN) was shown to be effective in treating cytotoxic T lymphocyte–mediated (CTL-mediated) severe cutaneous adverse reactions (SCARs), including Stevens-Johnson syndrome (SJS) and toxic epidermal necrolysis (TEN).
An animal model study in the Journal of Endocrinololgy reports the potential use of leflunomide in the control of hyperglycemia in male mice. 
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Pregnant women (n=254) with rheumatoid arthritis who enrolled in the MotherToBaby Autoimmune Diseases in Pregnancy Study  and who were taking oral glucocorticoids were studied. 
A systematic review of the literature on the relationship between diet during pregnancy, lactation, or the first year of life suggests that maternal ingestion of probiotic and fish oil supplementation may reduce risk of eczema and allergic sensitization to food, respectively.
Data from Swedish hip replacement registry finds that total hip arthroplasty not only improves quality of life, it is also associated with increased life expectancy that lasts for 10 years after surgery, especially in primary osteoarthritis patients.
Capelli and colleagues have studied patients treated with ICIs and found two variants of inflammatory arthritis (IA) - a reactive arthritis like large joint arthritis with combination ICI therapy or a small joint IA with ICI monotherapy.
This retrospective review is drawn from the authors collection of the most impactful publications, research and news that occurred in 2017.  In no particular order, here are my top rheumatology advances, news and research reports for calendar year 2017.
Dalbeth and colleagues have published that among gout patients without palpable tophic and despite long term allopurinol, nearly half have monosodium urate (MSU) as detected by Dual-energy CT (DECT).  The total body urate deposition is even greater in those with higher sUA and evidence of severe disease. 
Gabay and colleagues have reported the results of a novel new recombinant human IL-18 binding protein, tadekinig alfa, demonstrating its effectiveness in an open-label dose escalating study in patients with adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).
In animal studies, probenecid was shown to have positive inotropic effects on the cardiomyocyte mediated by transient receptor potential vanilloid 2 activation. This concept was further studied in 20 patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction where probenecid was shown to improve cardiac function after just one week of probenecid treatment.
Dr Jack Cush reviews highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week’s video is in two parts; for part Ii, go to https://buff.ly/2BM9MjL
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