Early, Aggressive and Seropositive (7.22.2022)
Dr. Jack Cush covers the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week we have Insights NAFLD, overdose deaths, septic arthritis, refractory stills, & when MTX doesn’t work.
News
Treating Enthesitis in Psoriatic Arthritis Patients
A large prospective psoriatic arthritis (PsA) study examined the enthesitis outcomes when PsA patients received conventional (cDMARDs) or targeted disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (tDMARDs) and showed an overall 86% response rates, regardless of the medication used.
Continue the Methotrexate, Leave the Cannoli
Placebo responses are to be expected in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trials, but are such placebo responses affected by continuing background DMARDs like methotrexate (MTX) even though there was an inadequate response (IR) to MTX?
Spinal Findings on MRI May Not Signify Spondyloarthritis
For about one in six people considered healthy with no reports of back pain, lesions were visible on MRI in the lower spinal column and sacroiliac joint, researchers said -- a sign that rheumatologists should be cautious about diagnosing spondyloarthritis (SpA) on the basis of imaging.
Abatacept Most Effective Early and in Seropositive RA
An open-label, 2 year study evaluated the efficacy and safey (drug retention) of subcutaneous (SC) abatacept (ABA) in active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and showed superior responses when ABA was given to biologic-naive and seropositive RA patients.
Fever Pitch (7.15.2022)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the new studies and drug approvals and new insights into febrile disorders from the past week on RheumNow.com
Can Antimalarials be Withdrawn in Quiescent Lupus?
Antimalaria (AM) therapy is a cornerstone to the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), yet a recent study suggests that slowly tapering AM yields a lower rate of SLE flares.
Still’s Disease FAQs
What is the classic 'triad' of Still's disease? Does it affect males and females equally? What are typical lab findings? Which drugs are effective at treating Still's, and as importantly, which ones are not? What about complications? Read on for these and other FAQs regarding Still's disease.
MRP8/14 as a Biomarker in Systemic Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
A large cohort study of children with febrile disorders has demonstrated the diagnostic utility of Myeloid-related protein 8/14 (MRP8/14) in diagnosing systemic JIA patients (SJIA) in clinical practice.
Rituximab Induction and Maintenance in Older ANCA–Associated Vasculitis Patients
A cohort study suggests that rituximab (RTX) use among patients 75 years and older with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)–associated vasculitis (AAV) is efficacious but also has a high risk of serious adverse events, likely related to associated steroid use and the advanced age of the po
Viscosupplementation Ineffective in Knee Osteoarthritis
The BMJ has published the results of a metanalysis showing strong conclusive evidence that viscosupplementation in knee osteoarthritis (kOA) has minimal effects on kOA pain, and also reveals strong evidence of an increased risk of serious adverse events.
Steroid Injection for Chronic Achilles Tendinopathy
MedPage Today
Adding a corticosteroid shot to exercise therapy significantly improved symptoms of chronic Achilles tendinopathy, a 100-person randomized trial found.
