Reuters and the Wall Street Journal have reported that the largest U.S. pharmacy benefit managers (PBM) of private prescription drug benefits have cut off at least eight pharmacies that work closely with drugmakers, intensifying scrutiny of a system that helps inflate drug prices. (WSJ source: http://buff.ly/1X1aVUO)
Psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patient have significantly higher rates of comorbidity, including hypertension (HTN). This population-based, nested case–control study analyzed an inception psoriasis cohort from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database between 2000–2010.
Paine and Ritchlin have reviewed the evidence that new bone formation is centered around enthesial sites and that such findings are evident in psoriatic arthritis as well as psoriasis patients without arthritis. Uniquely involved is the IL-23/IL-17 pathway that drives Th17 and Th22 cells, CD8IL-17 T cells, γδT cells, and type 3 innate lymphoid cells and the augmented production of IL-17 and IL-22.
Dr. Peter Taylor and colleagues presented their results of the 52-week BEAM trial wherein baricitinib (a JAK 1, 2 inhibitor) was compared to adalimumab in both clinical and radiographic outcomes. This was the most viewed abstract online at the ACR website. (Citation source http://buff.ly/20REUTS)
Jack Cush, MD: Safety Perspective on new ACR RA Guidelines
Dr. Jack Cush shares his safety perspective on the new ACR RA Guidelines, and what he thinks is the most contentious recommendation.
Orrin Troum, MD: Opinion on ACR RA Guidelines
Dr. Orrin Troum shares his opinion on the new ACR RA Guidelines.
Kathryn Dao, MD: On ACR RA Guidelines
Dr. Kathryn Dao, MD, Associate Director of Clinical Rheumatology at Baylor Research Institute and in clinical practice at the Arthritis Care and Research Center in Dallas, TX, talks about the new ACR RA Guidelines.
Christopher Ritchlin, MD: exciting data about treating psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthropathy
Christopher Ritchlin, MD from the University of Rochester Medical Center in New York, discusses several presentations about the treatment of psoriatic arthritis and spondyloarthropathies.
Arthur F. Kavanaugh, MD: sessions on JAK inhibitors
Dr. Arthur Kavanaugh, MD, Professor of Medicine at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine, and Director of the Center for Innovative Therapy in the UCSD Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, highlights what he looks forward to learning more about at ACR.
Cacoub et al review the common entity cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CryoVas) in the current issue of the American Journal of Medicine.
This small-vessel vasculitis involves the skin, joints, and potentially other organs, including the peripheral nervous system or the kidneys.
Kevin Winthrop, MD: H. zoster and tofacitinib: the risk of concomitant nonbiologic therapy
Dr. Kevin Winthrop, associate professor of infectious diseases at Oregon Health & Sciences University in Portland, Oregon, discusses abstract 559.
Methotrexate is a mainstay drug in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Yet, we may not be using it long enough or optimizing its use.
Dr. Jim O'Dell presented his findings this week during a plenary session at the ACR meeting in San Francisco. Using a claims database of over 274 million US patients, the treatment of 35,640 RA patients was examined between 2009 and 2014.
The American College of Physicians released a position paper exploring factors driving the growth of “concierge” and other “direct patient contracting practices” (DPCPs) and the “limited” evidence on their impact on patient care.
Paul Emery, MD: biosimilar etanercept SB4
Dr. Paul Emery, MD, University of Leeds, Great Britain, discusses a presentation he is about to give on SB4, an etanercept biosimilar.
Dr. Deodhar: tofacitinib, secukinumab and the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis
Dr. Atul Deodhar, a rheumatologist at Oregon Health & Science University in Portland, Oregon, discusses two late-breaking abstracts (5L and 6L) regarding the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis.
