Diagnosing Neuropsychiatric SLE (5.23.2025)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com - including views on the vagus nerve, NPSLE and CAR-T mania.

  1. MTX works in pulmonary Sarcoid! NEJM reports Open label RCT of 138 un-Rx pulm. Sarcoid pts w/ either MTX or placebo. After 24 wks MTX was noninferior to PBO w/ mean change in FVC (-6.7 vs -6.1). AE: more Wt gain, insomnia w/ pred & more Nausea fatigue LFTs w/ MTX https://t.co/8XMCM2DitR
  2. Systematic review and meta-analysis confirms modest efficacy of infliximab for pulmonary sarcoidosis and promising but limited evidence for adalimumab, tofacitinib and efzofitimob in specific sarcoid manifestations. https://t.co/XaqSiAVQTa
  3. Assessing neuropsychiatric SLE by 3-T, 3D contrast-enhanced vessel wall imaging. 47 w/ NPSLE vs 42 without (just SLE) showed the NPSLE had 2 fold more 1ntracranial contrast-enhanced vessel wall imaging (CE-VWI) w/ AUC 0.78 for CE-VWLs, & sensitivity 60% , specificity 87%. https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/full/10.1002/jmri.29810
  4. Infusion/injxn-reactions (IRRs) w/ biologics studied in 1,832 RA pts - IRRs seen in 9.7% & were signif more common w/ being younger (OR1.79), secondary Sjögren's (OR 2.17), prior leflunomide (OR 1.5); but less common w/ Abatacept (OR 0.26) & tocilizumab (OR 0.42), golimumab (OR https://t.co/IaHajITWri
  5. If vagus nerve stimulation improves RA; then what if vagotomy? Danish study of vagotomy (1977-1995). 6070 vagotomy matched w/ 60,699 comparators. Truncal vagotomy was assoc w/ signif incr RA incidence (OR 2.62), but not superselective vagotomy (OR 1.05). NO diff in incident OA https://t.co/Rs1EyrQd57
  6. Neutrophil alkaline phosphatase (NAP) elevated in active AOSD. 141 AOSD compared to Bcell lymphoma, SLE, aPL & controls. NAP pos. correl w/ Systemic Dz activity score (R=0.71), & 0.59 for CRP/ANC/ferritin. NAP scores higher in pre-MAS, but lower w/ MAS (w/lower WBC). NAP responds https://t.co/YbYPaJUEbz
  7. Emerging therapies targeting the NLRP3-inflammasome (active in Autoinflammatory Dz, Gout, neurodegenerative Dz/Alzheimers). Currently no FDA approved drugs, but many in trials. eg, Oxidized DNA (DAMP) activates NLRP3 & may be blocked by repurposed glycosylase inhibitors to reduce https://t.co/CJv50LVKhy
  8. CAR-T and cellular depletion therapies gone wild! Currently there are over 85 different therapeutic candidates aiming to reset the immune system in >380 clinical trials. Review article looks at indications, targets, modalities & outlook. https://t.co/yleR4B48IY
  9. Vitiligo affects up to 2% of people globally; more in blacks & hispanics than whites & more common in women > men. The prevalence has increased over time. Oral corticosteroids are most frequently prescribed, followed by other immunosuppressive drugs https://t.co/wNh6z3lKg1
  10. Periprosthetic femoral Fx (PPFF): metanalysis of 36 studies found PPFF risk factors: Uncemented stems (OR 3.36), major teaching hosp (2.0), female (1.6), obesity (1.4), Hi comorbidity(1.4), RA (1.89), (1.67), revised THR (2.6). OA = protective (0.51) https://t.co/y2BpH8LUb6
  11. Tocilizumab vs. Methotrexate in Rheumatoid Arthritis 
  12. Biologics in Pregnancy Patients With Autoimmune Disease  
  13. NEXT Tuesday Nite Rheumatology -- Pregnancy planning, contraception and safe drugs in Pregancy. Featuring Dr. Megan Clowse, Dr. Lisa Sammaritano & Dr. Jill Buyon – be sure to register!

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Disclosures
The author has no conflicts of interest to disclose related to this subject
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