The RheumNow Week in Review - 5 January 2018 Save

Dr Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.  

1. Hospital pts have higher risk of Clostridium difficile infection taking PPI's, H2 antagonists, sucralfate, several antibiotics, including carbapenems, 3rd/4th gen cephalosporins, metronidazole, piperacillin/tazobactam https://t.co/qPcN28FJOx
2. Claims data show HBV Testing in RA starting DMARD is low in USA (20.3%) & Taiwan (24.5%), US does >1HBV test (43.4% vs 16.3%) compared with Taiwan. MUST do HBsAg, HBcAb, HBsAb, HCV Ab before DMARDs/Biologics https://t.co/hsh9LhSyTi
3. CORRONA RA Registry Study of 566 ABA initiators and 1715 TNFi initiators shows that CCP POSITIVITY predicted a good response to Abatacept but not TNFi. https://t.co/nljAnFK1ao
4. From a Colombian Chikungunya Virus cohort; 33/103 pts were seropositive CHIKV and had chronic arthritis for 22 mos, mean TJC 5, SJC3. https://t.co/kIAw6B6Wew
5. Medication Safety Tips: 1) Keep updated med list 2) Bring med list to all doctor visits 3) Fill same med w/ same pharmacy, same doctor 4) take as ordered; taking less is NOT safer 5) when Dr Prescribes one med, ask him/her to remove one med!
6. Great animated TED video on knuckle-cracking and why it feels good. Thanks to Ai Lyn Tan! https://t.co/kdbisKNN6m
7. Inequity in biological DMARDs uptake for #spondyloarthritis across the globe: results from the ASAS-COMOSPA study https://t.co/s6GgCGliiI @ElenaNikiUK https://t.co/uMzNeQZcbJ 
8. Autologous stem cell (ASC) Rx looks favorable for systemic sclerosis (https://t.co/JK9oeg8bHC). recent safety review of 18 ASC pts showed 4 death shows a strong need to optimize Pt selection to reduce toxicity. https://t.co/1a7uvHOKur
9. Stem Cell Transplant Succeeds in Scleroderma  
10. Sorting Out the Complexities of Autoimmunity with Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy 
11. Despite Increasing Metric Use, They Are Not Widespread in Rheumatoid Care 
12. Bone Marrow Edema May be Found in Normals, Athletes and Military Recruits