RheumNow Podcast – Women Take Over Rheumatology (10.4.19) Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the News and Journal Reports from this week on RheumNow.com.

1. Might Vioxx make a backdoor comeback?  2017 Vioxx went off patent, now a small pharma has applied to the FDA for orphan drug approval of rofecoxib (& etoricoxib) to treat hemophiliac arthropathy (large unmet need). Say it aint so! http://bit.ly/2p3HSM5 http://bit.ly/2nulYRz 
2. Choi and colleagues have shown that allopurinol-associated severe cutaneous adverse reactions are higher with Heart (RR 1.44) and Renal (11 fold) disease. Initating low-dosage allopurinol may substantially mitigate this risk.  http://bit.ly/30FyzyN   
3. MotherToBaby Pregnancy Study in 528 RA pts has shown oral steroid use yields a dose dependent risk of pre-term birth. PTB was increased high dose (RR: 4.77) and medium dose (aRR: 1.81) OCS in the 1st 139 gestational days; DMARDs/biologics were not https://t.co/cuggovK8eL
4. Kaiser study of 1956 SLE patients shows only 58% of were adherent (≥ 80%) to hydroxychloroquine; not predicted by the Rheum, hospital or socioeconomics. Risk factors for nonadherence included age, being white, # of Rheum visits/yr. https://t.co/qRdJRGvRAr
5. Retrospective claims study shows that higher ACPA and RF titers were independently associated with 60-78% increased mortality in established RA; the association persisted in when Rx with DMARDs, but not with biologics. https://t.co/hHJx4alNIQ
6. Study of 101 RA pts w/ baseline Cardiac CT; after median of 83 mos, 48% had progression of plaque; predicted by older age, inflammation & prednisone (p<0.05). Coronary Art. Calcium progressors were older, obese, HTN w/ more cumulative inflammation https://t.co/hJRhfja0yk
7. TIF1-γ antibodies may be associated with dermatomyositis and are found in between 13 – 31% of adults and 22 – 29% of children. TIF1-γ antibodies have a strong association with malignancy, esp in patients over the age of 39. https://t.co/0o2VfNwbZC
8. Increasingly Women are Choosing Subspecialty Careers 
9. Ixekizumab vs. Adalimumab in Psoriatic Arthritis   
10. Anakinra Use in Hospitalized Gout Patients   
11. Survey for Rheumatologists - You would use an MRI in an RA to assess what?