Mixed Drinks, Mixed Results (10.30.2026) Save

Dr. Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow. This week on the podcast: hopeful guidelines for PMR; certainty about good & bad beverages in gout; mixed results in Sjogren's; non-lupus drugs saves lupus lives; and big hips sink ships in psoriatic arthritis.

1. Novartis announced the European Commission has approved secukinumab (Cosentyx) for use in adults w/ polymyalgia rheumatica, not responding to GCs. SEC is 1st IL-17A inhibitor approved in Europe for PMR https://t.co/ASTwbSrGr2
2. Italian retrospective study of 562 plaque psoriasis Rx w/ biologics - 34% were obese. Primary Rx failure signif. more w/ obesity (17% vs 6%; HR 2.75). A 5 kg/m2 BMI incr assoc w/ 37% higher risk. Lower risk of failure w/ IL-17i (HR 0.49) & IL-23i (HR 0.47). Obesity not assoc w/ secondary failures or safety D/Cs https://t.co/fUik6pBcnq
3. Tx persistence & response in PsA is a problem - influenced by demographics & Dz severity. 815 PsA pts in e Brit Society Rheumatology PsA Registe. @12 mos - 24% MDA, 24% ACR50. Median F/U 31 mos, only 65% still on index Rx.  D/C higher w/ apremilast &  w poorer baseline activity & PROs https://buff.ly/ZTZueX8
4. JAMA Uveitis review: Uveitis peaks at 20–50 yrs; 41–60% is anterior. ~40 linked to systemic disease (HLA-B27=axSpA). 1st exclude infection (TB, toxo, herpes). Anterior UV: topical steroids. Posterior/pan UV: DMARDs first (MTX remission 52%, MMF 71%); adalimumab if refractory https://t.co/jQQGzhAm7c
5. CLARITY-1 & CLARITY-2 Phase 3 Trials show Brepocitinib effective in Non-Infectious Uveitis. 371 pts Rx w. brepocitinib 45 mg or placebo x48wks w/ 2 wks of Pred taper. Time to Rx failure greater w/ BREP (48 vs 12 wks PBO; p<0.0001)https://t.co/EBaWe7TJbt
6. Systematic review of CV outcomes w/ SGLT2 inhibitors- 5 studies, 11,190 IMID pts (SSc 25%, SLE 71%) SGLT2i use assoc w/ signif lower all-cause mortality and heart failure risk (no clear MI benefit). SGLT2i have establ use in NIDDM, CHF & CKD Pts. https://t.co/U28aBsQpJ8
7. Comorbidity management is subpar in Rheum. Surveys of 2213 inflamm rheum Dz pts & 140 rheumatologists. Rheums think theyre OK (71-92%) screening (HTN, OP, vaccines, CA), but pts say NOT (12=33%).Rheums agree they have no structured comorbidity screening in place (time 91%, responsibility 49%, staff 40%, reimbursement 35%). Rheums need to step up! USE a clinic screening tool https://t.co/mqcptziRdw
8. Boston study of 25 systemic sclerosis pts has shown spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) is a noninvasive evaluation of skin, but only has weak-to-moderate correlation w/ mRSS (r −0.38 to −0.48); somewhat better w/ histology/fibrosis (r −0.35 to −0.52) https://t.co/N1uSWjNEcl
9. 2024 web survey of German rheumatologists on CAR-T & T-cell redirecting therapies. 95% willing to refer pts to specialized centers; but 5% (most severe) are suitable for TCRT. Barriers cited: high costs (82%), limited experience (65%) & limited # appropriate Pts (35%). 4.86/10 score on TCRT https://t.co/o62uRVsIC7
10. Artiva has stopped development of its AlloNK (allogeneic NK cell therapy) after 2 reported deaths in their phase II RCT in #RA and other autoimmune conditions. Artiva has suspended its phase III trial with AlloNK. https://t.co/mLR6xciRfB
11. TENS does NOT work in knee OA (KOA). Sham controlled RCT of 96 KOA pts (all Rx w/ exercise) randomized to TENS or sham show no betw group difference in KOOS score at 1 mo, nor did they achieve the minimal clinically important difference. https://t.co/1xPtNn7MM0
12. Beverages & relative risk of hyperuricemia (HUA) & gout. Metanalysis of 52 studies shows alcohol has signif high risk of gout (OR  1.8) & HUA (OR 1.5); & sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) incr gout (1.37) & HUA (1.48); as well as tea for HUA among female (OR = 1.29). Coffee educed risk of gout (OR  0.54)  https://t.co/nq1fKvOlgv
13. High TB & LTBI burden in Latin America. Review of PANLAR registry 590 IMID pts (54% GC, 44% bDMARDs (TNFi), 29% JAKi, 27% csDMARD). Only 430 (73%) had TB screening- 59 (14%) Dx w/ LTBI. @12 mos, 99 repeat TB screening - 5 new LTBI cases Dx. Only 2 (0.34%) had active TB. (CDC https://t.co/wnPdEueb4N
14. The Efficacy of Ianalumab in Sjögren’s Disease
15. 2026 BSR Guideline for the Treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica
16. Take this week's RheumIQ quiz!