RheumNow Podcast – Mistakes with Steroids Save

Dr Jack Cush gives his spin on this week's RheumNews and Rheum Research from RheumNow.com.

1. Survey study of 1221 RA patients and 414 rheumatologists shows both believe that low-dose steroids (GCs) are very rapid and effective in RA control. Half patients reported having serious adverse events & 83% had safety concerns. https://t.co/h2GIYChYUL

2. Beijing study of 207 RA patients starting DMARD and steroids (GC) shows after 3 years only 59% D/C GC (mean was 24 mos). Odds of stopping GC were 10% @ 6mos, 27% @Yr1, 48% @Yr 2 and 59% at 3 years. https://t.co/E2RchB9IAs

3. Cox-2 inhibition (Celebrex 200 mg bid) added to standard chemoRx (FolFox) in pts w/ stage III colon cancer failed to improve survival at 3 yrs - DB, RCT vs placebo; 3 yrs Dz free survival was Celecoxib 76% vs PBO 73% (HR 0.89; 95% CI, 0.76-1.03; P = .12) https://t.co/81L33QLa9d

4. Interesting case with unilateral sacroilitis - potential mimics include: Paget disease, diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis, sarcoidosis, infections [3], and also bone and hematologic tumors. What did this man have?  https://t.co/Uu0kJxeJtn

5. Algorithm for the diagnostic approach of patients with joint pain - developed by PANLAR rheumatologists from 18 countries using a delphi method. Open readhttps://t.co/GyyfStD8Xi

6. CDC updates its COVID Comorbid Dz list to include type 1 diabetes (& NIDDM), mod-severe asthma, liver Dz, dementia , stroke/cerebrovascular disease, HIV infxn, cystic fibrosis, obesity, substance use disorders (NOT ARTHRITIS, PSORIASIS) https://t.co/LbVMVGf4IR

7. HLA-B27 status does not change the risk of COVID-19 in spondyloarthritis patients. Survey of 3435 SpA pts; shows 76% as HLA-B27 positive. COVID infx was the same between B27 Pos & Neg pts (1.5% vs 1.4%) and severity was also the same https://bit.ly/3uxeRVk

8. Another study suggests poorer outcomes in Rheum pts on Rituximab. French Cohort study of 1090 inflammatory rheumatic MSK pts -13% w/ severe COVID-19 & 8% who died –THE  63 RTX pts had more severe disease, longer hosp stays & more death (21% vs 7%) https://t.co/5UCvFeVWRS

9. Rituximab in Systemic Sclerosis?

10. Rheumatology Care Derailed by COVID-19