English for the Biologically-Challenged (8.4.2023) Save

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.  This week highlights Veterans, Vegetarians and Antenatal Corticosteroids.

1. RABBIT Registry Study 2470 pts (1,245 axSpA; 1,225 PsA) - moderate depressive Sxs in 8% & 21% w/ severe Sxs. Depressive Sxs were assoc w/ fatigue, not engaging in sports, & greater functional limitation - may affect perception of disease activity https://t.co/XTyzLF98BC
2. Spinal CT study of 40 ankylosing spondylitis pts shows the most common site and region of intervertebral fusion were the posterior vertebrae of the middle thoracic region >50% halffused posterior vertebrae Th4–Th5 to Th7–Th8, followed by Cx, last lumbar https://t.co/Zxchr4yUGI
3. Vegetarians have a significantly higher hip fracture risk (HR 1.50) than regular meat-eaters, partly (28%)explained by BMI. UK Biobank compared meat-eaters (n=regular 258,765, occasional 137,954), pescatarians (9557), & vegetarians (7638) https://t.co/EyL1PPpfYE
4. High mortality risk predictors in patients with anti-MDA5 dermatomyositis include: - rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease - anti-Ro52 antibody - age > 57 years (based on study of 126 MDA-5+ DM pts) https://t.co/VCyLhStFgX
5. Hong Kong study shows Very low dose prednisolone (<5 mg/d) doesn't confer excessive CV risk. 2 233 RA pts (105 826 Pt-years FUV; mean duration 8.7 yrs) - 7% developed MACE. MACE risk incr 7% per month in those taking ≥5 mg pred. https://t.co/lcehOgaqCQ
6. Study of Veterans, Medicare, Medicaid RA pts (73070) pts, matched 1:10 w/ non-RA (639268) looked at aortic valve Dz risk; RA pts have incr risk incident AS (adj HR 1.48), aortic valve surgery (aHR 1.34) & AS-related death (aHR 1.26). AS incidence=3.97/1000PYs https://t.co/rvA59hn6FE
7. Synovial T cells from 20 pts Rx w/ immune checkpoint inhibitors who developed ICI-arthritis compared w/ synovial T cells from RA & PsA pts - showing clonal expansion of activated effector CD38hi,CD127−, CD8 T cells, w/ incr type I IFN-assoc transcripts https://t.co/vw2sOGL6jQ
8. New Full Length from A&R: A Double-Blind, Randomized, Placebo-Controlled, Phase 2 Trial of Obexelimab in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus with Exploration of Response Based on Gene Pathway Co-Expression Patterns https://t.co/5pzBfiZaNt Created with https://t.co/L5O6lHuNSY
9. Spanish study of 518 #SLE patients, 7% of whom received at least one dose of rituximab(26) or belimumab (11). RTX given for either hemolytic anemia or ITP (11 pts), nephritis & CNS SLE (5 pts ea). BEL mostly for arthritis (8 pts) https://t.co/IqCVfOL5rb
10. Retrospective study of 1877 pts. W/ granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) on RTX found only 23% received TMP-SMX for a median of 141 days. Prophylaxis was assoc w/ prednisone use (OR 3.96), MTX use (OR 1.48), ICU care (OR 1.95), hospitalization(OR 1.56) https://t.co/JRUC8HUwJU
11. Antenatal Corticosteroids and Serious Infection in Offspring
12. 2023-2024 Best Rheumatology Hospitals
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