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RheumNow Podcast – Lights, Camera, Zoom (1.8.2021)

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

  1. BASE: a controlled, ph 4 safety RCT of IV Belimumab (10 mg/kg) or PBO (+standard Rx) given to 4018 SLE pts over 48 wks. Found no increase in all-cause mortality and special AE: w/ very low event rates (SIE 3·75%, opportunistic infx 1·8%, cancers 0·25%) https://t.co/Zc5BqXQ038
  2. Broadalumab the other IL-17 inhibitor, is FDA approved for psoriasis. The AMVISION-1 & AMVISION-2 ph III trials in psoriatic arthritis showed in 962 PsA pts it was effective w/ week 16 ACR20 of ~46% (vs 21% PBO). AEs unremarkable w/ 1 case of depression https://t.co/zrsVD7N3Z9
  3. Risk of venous thromboembolism is increased in ankylosing spondylitis patients. Study of 7190 pt shows a 2 fold risk, higher in the first year - risks for PE (HR 2.88), DVT (HR 2.20) and VTE overall (HR 2.10 ) were increased. https://t.co/TIhlKuRw8S
  4. Petri et al shows higher HCQ levels associated with reduced thrombosis risk, study of 739 SLE pts - 38 patients (5.1%) had thrombosis. HCQ level lower in thrombosis pts (720 vs 935, p=0.025). 69% decr in VTE when levels >1068 ng/mL vs <648 ng/mL https://t.co/kis5zry7uH
  5. Adherence to Hydroxychloroquine Lowers Lupus Mortality 
  6. EULAR Guidance on Patient Adherence to Meds 
  7. Telemedicine Less Utilized in the South and Urban Areas
  8. Surveys/interviews w/ 1010 patients suggest Telehealth worked best for routine & familiar health issues w/ pre-existing clinical relationship. Telehealth less suitable when examination was needed, when Dx was unknown, when patients prefered F2F visits https://t.co/QZYBzxyGz6
  9. NEJM: Actemra Studied in COVID pneumonia and shown to improve outcomes (mech ventilation or death ;12 vs 19.3%) but did not improve survival (10.4 vs 8.6%). 389 hospitalized pts randomized 2:1 to get 2 IV doses Actemra +SOC vs SOC alone https://t.co/BdslXFXOYD
  10. Study of 2050 Northern Italian arthritis clinic pts; where 1.1-1.4% of population developed COVID-19. Steroid use was independently associated with increased COVID risk (adj OR 1.23 to 3.20). But Rx w/ ts/bDMARDs had reduced risk (adj OR 0.46). https://t.co/cLXdpzda9t
  11. 20,21 Whatever it Takes 
  12. Zoomatology – Present in Absentia 

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Disclosures
The author has received compensation as an advisor or consultant on this subject