The RheumNow Week in Review - 15 December 2017 Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news from the past week on RheumNow.com. Subscribe to the podcast on iTunes and SoundCloud.com. 

1. NICE and NHS reject the approval of Tocilizumab for use in GCA citing cost concerns https://t.co/TZMmnj91sp https://t.co/aQMFLKVCYo
2. Another TNFi biosimilar FDA approved yesterday! This time its Pfizers Ixifi (infliximab-qbtx) becomes the 3rd remicade biosimilar (Inflectra, Renflexis) and the 6th TNFi biosimilar (in addition to Erelzi, Amjevita, Cyltezo) to be FDA approved in 20 mos. https://buff.ly/2C2fWcl
3. 240 pts with FUO or inflammation unknown origin (IUO) studied w/ FDG-PET = helpful in Dx of >50% of pts. 190 pts (79.2%) were dx by FDG-PET (Still’s, Lg vessel vasculitis, PMR, IgG4 most common) FDG-PET/CT most helpful with age >50, CRP >30 mg/L & no fever https://buff.ly/2nQcPSK
4. Small pilot, controlled, delayed Rx trial of 20 PM/DM pts showed at 3 mos,  50% of Abatacept, but only 11% of control/delayed Rx pts responded to therapy.  At 6 mos, with all on ABA, 8/19 responded.  ABA has potential and merits further study in PM/DM  https://buff.ly/2B4ezgg
5. Data presented at American Society of Hematology mtg shows that Abatacept treatment decreases GVHD 32% to 2%  in patients receiving hematopoietic stem cell transplants Rx for advanced cancer & other blood disorders https://buff.ly/2kTlmDe
6. C4d may be useful in monitoring SLE. C4d PPV 68% for high Dz activty, correlates w/ SLEDAI w/ higer Dz activity & C4d w/ dsDNA 5 fold better ability to predict lupus nephritis. https://t.co/LpUuAaqUWl
7. 611 Finnish DMARD NAIVE, Early RA pts (71% RF+) treated with DMARDs, Triple Rx - 68% and 75% achieve DAS28-3 remission at 3 mos and 6 mos respectively. Hence higher response rates with earlier Dx and Rx! https://t.co/iWBs5vhxc7
8. Similarities were found between Feltys syndrome and LGL leukemia - in both 40% have somatic STAT3 mutations, expansion of CD8+ T cells, same cytokine profile and STAT3 activation  https://buff.ly/2nOLZdB
9. Febuxostat Works in Early Gout But Fails to Protect from Xray Damage
10. FDA Approves Mepolizumab for Churg-Strauss (EGPA)
11. Offspring of RA Women Have Higher Risk of RA and Other Diseases