Prescription of long-acting opioids for chronic noncancer pain was associated with an increased risk of all-cause mortality, including deaths from causes other than overdose, compared with anticonvulsants or cyclic antidepressants, according to a study appearing in the June 14 issue of JAMA.

No increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease has been seen among patients with psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, or ankylosing spondylitis treated with secukinumab (Cosentyx) in the clinical trial programs for this interleukin (IL)-17A inhibitor, a researcher reported here.

A retrospective observational study of over 6000 patients with primary hyperparathyroidism (PHPT), followed in the Kaiser-Permanente system, has shown a greater need for parathyroidectomy than was previously thought.

Lancet has published the results of the U-ACT-early study assessing the efficacy of monotherapy versus combination therapy using an interleukin-6 receptor-blocking monoclonal antibody, tocilizumab, in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The NEJM today published the results of two phase-3 trials (UNCOVER-2 and UNCOVER-3) demonstrating the efficacy of ixekizumab (a monoclonal antibody against interleukin-17A) in the treatment of moderate-to-severe psoriasis. In these 60-week trials, ixekizumab was found to be superior to both placebo and etanercept. 

The results of the PRAIRI study were presented today at EULAR 2016 in London. These early findings suggest that individuals "at-risk" to develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may benefit from a short course of intravenously rituximab therapy.

JAMA has reported the results of an 18-year National Inpatient Sample, a database of US non-federal hospitalizations. They examined the rate of hospitalizations for gout and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and demonstrated a steady decline in RA, but a growing number of gout hospitalizations. There were 254,982 hospitalizations for gout and 323,649 hospitalizations for RA between 1993 and 2011.

Desiree van der Heidje, MD, PhD presented the results of a 16-week, phase II, dose-ranging study of tofacitinib (TOFA) in patients with active ankylosing spondylitis. 

The GiACTA study has published its top line results demonstrating the efficacy of adding tocilizumab (TCZ) to steroid-tapered therapy in patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA).  GiACTA is a 52-week, Phase III, global, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial investigating the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in patients with GCA. The trial include 251 patients from 14 countries. 

Methotrexate , a cornerstone drug used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, has led to 90 hospitalizations and 7 deaths according to a recent report from the Medical Journal of Australia. 

The damaging potential of many inflammatory disorders is magnified by well-known associated comorbid conditions. This is particularly true in lupus, rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic disease.

In April and May 2016, RheumNow sent 82 tweets regarding news, research and teaching points that strongly impacted the rheumatology community and resulted in a reach of 203,500 impressions, with 136 mentions, and over 6378 visits to RheumNow.com. Here are the top tweets from April and May.

This week's highlights from RheumNow.com include: