The RheumNow Week in Review – 31 March 2017 Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from the news and Advances in Targeted Therapies meeting in Mandelieu, France:

Tweeting this week from Advances in Targeted Therapies #ATT2017 in Mandelieu, France.

1. Adaptive immunity evolved 450 mill yrs ago, in jawless hagfish & lampreys expressing VLR receptors & Ag specific resp. Dr Max Cooper @ #ATT2017
2. Dr S Raychaudhuri shows position 13 of HLA-DRB1 accounts for ~90% risk for rheumatoid arthritis #ATT2017
3. Rheumatic Paraneoplastic syndromes seen w/ Clubbing (HOA), polyarthritis, PM/DM, palmar fasciitis, panniculitis, vasculitis, oncogenic osteomalacia #TargetedTherapies
4. CAPRA-2 Study showed Pred 5 mg qd had no increase in infections in RA pts on DMARDs. Dr. WInthrop at #ATT2017 https://t.co/NZdgpHTLIL
5. Dr WInthrop #ATT2017 greatest infection risk w/ steroids >15mg/d; BUT Pred>5 incr risk in dose dependent manner, moreso in sicker/active pts
6. HBV testing is very low in RA; 15k US & 46k Taiwan pts studied; US HBV testing=20.3% & Taiwan=24.5%; incr over time http://buff.ly/2oeeSiC
7. FDA approves anti-CD20 Ocrelizumab for relapsing, primary progr Multiple sclerosis based on OPERA 1,2, Octavius RCTs https://t.co/7H31rBogdU
8. EMA approves Xeljanz (tofacitinib) use in the EU; for mod-severe RA; dose 5 mg bid in combo or as monoRx. . https://t.co/EdPqzmg8iv
9. TNF Inhibitor Induced Psoriasis 
10. Biologics Do Not Increase Melanoma Risk  
11. Steroids, DMARDs and Biologics have Same Low Risk of Infection During Pregnancy
12. Alcohol Use During Methotrexate Studied