RheumNow Podcast - The Elusive Hand OA Problem (12.13.19) Save

Dr. Jack Cush recaps the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.

1. Caltech researchers developed a wearable sensor that detects & monitors uric acid levels. Shown to be elevated in both gout patients and normals after purine rich meals. Cool technology thats still a long way from commercial use. https://t.co/jeLfb1Vbz0 https://t.co/TMVkIGPWE1 
2. J Rheum metanalysis of 12 studies & 3,234 SLE pt vs 288,336 control subjects shows a significant association between SLE occurrence and current-smoker (not former) (OR 1.54) https://t.co/shL8LT6Kbj
3. S American study of #SLE compared Latin American (LAM) vs European caucasian SLE pts - LAM had more myositis, hemolytic anemia, nephritis, Sm, Ro, RNP & more disease activity, hospital admissions, but damage index, mortality or co-morbidities https://t.co/o8hFQrCZp6
4. FDA has approved Amgen’s infliximab biosimilar, Avsola (infliximab-axxq),for use in Crohns, UC, RA, AS, PsA and psoriasis, based on a 566 pt trial in RA. This is the 4th infliximab biosimilar in the US, joining Inflectra, Renflexis, and Ixifi. https://t.co/nFhyMM1OnK
5. Biosimilar Tote-Board in Rheumatology: 4 Infliximab biosimilars - Inflectra, Renflexis, Ifixi, Avsola 5 Adalimumab biosimilars - Amjevita, Cyltezo, Hyrimoz, Hadlima, Abrilada 2 Etanercept biosimilars - Erelzi, Enticovo 2 Rituximab biosimilars - Truxima, Ruxience 
6. 46 #RA pts on DMARDs +/- biologics received 3 part Hepatitis B Vaccination - those on biologics and DMARDs had less seroprotection vs controls (50% vs. 100% [p = 0.02] and 69.7% vs. 100% [p = 0.09], respectively). HBV vaccine well tolerated & without flare https://t.co/3XuQhYquMy 
7. Those with prior partial knee arthroplasty (AKA medial unicompartmental knee arthroplasty) who undergo total knee replacement have a 3-fold higher risk of revision vs primary TKA. https://t.co/PIJICbfkoG 
8. Serum Calprotectin levels were higher in the 157 RA pts who relapsed with DMARD withdrawal in the IMPROVED and RETRO Studies https://t.co/LBHDwuFuvM   
9. TB is highly endemic in S. Africa - S. African registry reports 97 TB cases in biologic users w/ TB rate 1240/100000 PYs vs zero in biologic naive pts. 1/3 were extra-pulmonary. TB risk highest w/ TNFi Mabs (1683) vs 861 ETN or 681 other MOAs. https://t.co/VUNHVjzkex
10. Nurses Health Study - 284 incident #RA cases compared to 849 controls showing Asthma t was strongly assoc w/ ACPA in blood prior to RA Dx (OR 3.6), independent of smoking. (But not assoc w/ RA) Chronic mucosal inflammation may lead to ACPA & RA  http://bit.ly/2roFp0f 
11. YET another drug fails in erosive hand OA (EHOA). A phase II trial of an IL-1 inhibitor (lutikizumab) vs PBO given to 110 EHOA pts shows not differences in pain outcomes, despite biologic changes in CRP, IL1, neutrophils in those on the IL-1 inhibitor. http://bit.ly/2PaAp8p 
12. Short-term Benefit with Prednisolone in Hand Osteoarthritis 
13. FDA Warns 15 CBD Manufacturers