RheumNow Podcast – Novel COVID Rheum Trials (5.1.20) Save
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week. Many interesting early reports on the use of rheumatic drugs, including hydroxychlorquine, IL-6 inhibitors, canakinumab, baricitinib and colchicine. Below are some of the links or citations of interest.
- Pilot study of COVID+ pts treated with antiviral therapy PLUS either Baricitinib or HCQ x2wks shows no changes in clinical/lab outcomes with HCQ/v but better outcomes with Bari for death (0 v 4), CRP *8-->1mg/dl) & discharges (55% v8%) compared to HCQ https://bit.ly/2xqjyIB
- NYC, NYU COVID infected Rheum pts (n 86 RA, PsA, AS, PsO, IBD); 16% Hospitalized. Hosp pts were more likely to be older, w/ HTN, DM, COPD, on Pred, HCQ, MTX, but less likely to be on JAKi, biologic, TNFi (vs ambulatory) https://t.co/UCVndBDc7r https://t.co/ZEk1PFEkXA
- 17 SLE patients treated with HCQ infected with COVID-19
- MMWR - one in four COVID patients have no risk factors (very few have rheumatic disease)
- You can stop biologics without increasing infection risk
- ACR has published COVID-19 Recs -American College of Rheumatology Guidance for the Management of Adult Patients with Rheumatic Disease During the COVID‐19 Pandemic by Mikuls Johnson Fraenkel Arasaratnam Baden Bermas Chatham https://t.co/wwpslcLXx2
- VA HCQ COVID study
- Health Canada issued a safety alert noting Chloroquine & hydroxychloroquine can have serious toxicities & should only be used under a physicians supervision. Due o concern that some may be directly buying/using CQ/HCQ to treat/prevent COVID-19 https://t.co/ksxveHADZXCanakinumab COVID case report
- Sanofi announced early results of phase 2 trial of IL6 inhibitor, sarilumab, showing benefit only in Critical COVID-19 pts. 457 pts given IV Kevzara 400 mg vs 200 mg vs PBO , high dose had fewer deaths (32 v 46 v 55%) & more D/C (53 v 39 v 41%). https://t.co/6q21qJNj2C
- On April 24, FDA issued a Drug Safety Communication stating HCQ and CQ have not been shown to be safe and effective in COVID-19 and that HCQ/CQ should not be used outside of hospitalized or pts in clinical trials. https://t.co/l2DNBhhvTR
- B cell Role in COVID
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