Dr. Jack Cush reviews this week's news and research highlights from RheumNow.com.

The New York Times reports that the FDA has delayed its much anticipated ruling on generics until sometime in 2017. 

Morais and colleagues have published an informative review of rheumatologic and musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders that may potentially befall those with benign or malignant blood disorders. It is important to be aware of these associations. In some instances, the MSK manifestation may be the first sign of a hematological disorder. 

While the phenotypes of RA and SLE are quite different, genome-wide association studies (GWAS) performed in the past have shown a genetic overlap between both. Gene expression studies have revealed common molecular mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of these two conditions, which may explain a phenomenon of RA/SLE overlap, commonly known as rhupus.

Rare reports of bisphosphonate associated atypical femoral fractures (AFF) and osteonecrosis of the jaw (ONJ) have raised concerns about the chronic use of bisphosphonates. The risk of AFF and ONJ was assessed in an analysis of the Swedish national database.  

Two recent surveys show that gout patients are often uninformed, undertreated, improperly monitored and frequently stigmatized by their gout. The Gout & Uric Acid Education Society (GUAES) has done an online survey of 1000 Americans and 103 gout patients and shown that nearly 90% of patients view gout as a "major inconvenience" and worrisome.

pWhat do you call it when you say one thing and the listener hears something else? Potential answers would include hard of hearing, parenting or the physician-patient relationship. In each of these, it’s not about what you said – it’s about what was heard./p pAll relationships flourish with good communication and suffer when it is lacking. While some of us are better than others, all will have to communicate risks to patients.

What are the questions patients should ask their doctors about biologics? Are there rules for starting and stopping biologics?

Singh and coworkers have assessed the value of adding a biologic to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients not responding to either methotrexate (MTX) or DMARDs. The results of their netowork metanalsysis is published as a Cochrane review wherein they examined a total of 90 RCTs (73 new) with 32,874 participants.

Mechanisms underlying the pulmonary fibrosis of systemic sclerosis are poorly understood, yet are the focus of both research and new drug development. 

Dr. Cush reviews highlights from this week on RheumNow.com.

Secukinumab (Cosentyx) has recently been approved for use in ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis; the latter largely based on the FUTURE 2 and the just reported FUTURE 1 clinical trial. FUTURE 1 demonstrates the efficacy and safety of secukinumab, with inital weekly intravenous loading, given monthly as a subcutaneous injection.