The RheumNow Week in Review -30 March 2018 Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. News on drug regulatory decisions, fenofibrate and gout, Still's disease, TB and infection rates, SpA and hidradenitis suppurativa, and predicting methotrexate non-responders.

1.  FDA Arthritis Advisory Committee is scheduled to meet on April 23rd to discuss the NDA for Eli Lilly's JAK inhibitor - baricitinib in moderate to severe RA. Discussion will be around risk:benefit assessment, dose selection & the risk of venous thromboembolic events. https://t.co/dQ4AdYZyQx
2. FDA grants Fast Track designation to nintedanib for Rx of systemic sclerosis with interstitial lung disease, for which there is no approved therapy. Pending are results from SENSCIS study -nintedanib over 52 weeks in SSc-ILD. https://t.co/CdnhvETtCZ 
3. Although approved by FDA in May 2017, the EMA (CHMP) has rejected abaloparitide for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis, citing cardiac concerns, study conduct & its data on non-vertebral fracture prevention. https://t.co/vYE96VkiRY
4. Large BSRBR study of Serious infections w/ biologics shows SI=5.51 per 100PY for all; tocilizumab was higher vs ETN (HR 1.22; 1.02 to 1.47) & certolizumab lower or equal to ETN. 30-day mortality following SI was 10.4% (95% CI 9.2% to 11.6%). https://t.co/h5BieShHpH
5. TB in USA continues to decline, in 2017, there were 9,093 new cases TB = an incidence rate of 2.8 cases per 100,000. TB is 15 times higher among non–U.S.-born persons (compared to U.S.-born persons) https://t.co/Jj30Pv3CFW
6. Survey of 442 Dutch axial SpA patients finds Hidradenitis suppurativa twice as common (9.1% vs 4.1%) in AxSpA - HS/AxSpA more likely female with higher ASAS & BASDAI scores w/ more dactylitis & enthesitis. https://t.co/yJeyIr5uiM
7. Analysis of US hospitalizations from 7 states compared 28269 lupus w/ 13269 controls; SLE associated with 33% more postoperative renal complications &  27% greater in-hospital mortality, BUT no higher rate of cardiac complications https://t.co/e40HUEWzmY
8. UK gen population database shows that statin use in gout patients was associated with a 16% lower risk of all-cause mortality (HR=0.84) & 7.7 fewer deaths per 1,000 PY; moreso in those without prior CV disease https://t.co/ZFpvSelo4d
9. IL-37 is elevated in active adult-onset Still's disease and may be a biomarker of AOSD activity. IL-37 correlates with systemic score, IL-1β, IL-18, and IL-10. IL-37 is an antiiinflammatory cytokine that inhibits IL-18 activity. https://t.co/IFQrOpBKdi
10. Anakinra May Attenuate Stroke Outcomes 
11. Precision Genetics Can Predict Methotrexate Non-Responders    
12. 2 Weeks Off Methotrexate OK for Flu Vaccine   
13. FIELD Study: Fenofibrate Reduces Uric Acid and Gout Risk