Weight Loss Cuts Hospital Stays for Obese TKA Patients
Morbidly obese patients who lost 20 lbs before total knee arthroplasty (TKA) cut their hospital stays by about 1 day, and were 76% less likely to have an extended hospital stay, research showed.
News
Influenza Vaccination Update
FDA's Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee met in Silver Spring, Maryland, on March 6 and 22, 2019, to select the influenza viruses for the composition of the influenza vaccine for the 2019-2020 U.S. influenza season.
Tocilizumab Shows No Increase in Cardiovascular Risk
The ENTRACTE trial examined the risk for major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) in RA patients and found no increased risk of MACE in patients treated with tocilizumab (TCZ) versus etanercept (ETN).
Number of Prior DMARDs Portends Poorer Outcomes
Detailed analysis of two clinical trials in RA has shown that clinical responses decrease as the disease duration and number of prior DMARDs increase. The associations between disease duration and number of prior DMARDs and response to therapy were assessed using data from two randomised controlled trials in patients with established RA (mean duration, 11 years) receiving adalimumab+methotrexate.
RheumNow Podcast - I Wanna New Drug (8-30-19)
Dr. Jack Cush vents on choosing new therapies in rheumatoid arthritis.
High-Dose Vitamin D: No Help for Bone Health
Vitamin D might not be much help for strengthening bones among healthy adults without osteoporosis, Canadian researchers reported, even at doses far higher than recommended daily allowances. In a clinical trial assessing three levels of daily vitamin D supplementation -- 400 IU, 4,000 IU, and 10,000 IU -- radial volumetric bone mineral density was significantly lower among those (ages 55-70) taking higher doses for 3 years, according to Steven Boyd, PhD, of the University of Calgary in Canada, and colleagues.
Checkpoint Inhibitors: Who Gets Myocarditis?
The usual risk factors for myocarditis may not apply to who gets it while on immune checkpoint inhibiting cancer drugs, an FDA adverse event database suggested.
Taltz FDA Approved for Ankylosing Spondylitis (Radiographic Axial SpA)
The FDA has approved the IL-17A inhibitor Taltz (ixekizumab) for the treatment of adults with active ankylosing spondylitis (AS: also known as radiographic axial spondyloarthritis).
ACR/SPARTAN Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis and Nonradiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in partnership with the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA) and the Spondyloarthritis Research and Treatment Network (SPARTAN), released the 2019 Update of the Recommendations for the Treatment of Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and Nonradiographic Axi
RheumNow Podcast – Upadacitinib FDA Approved for RA (8.23.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reports on the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com, including: how your genetics may shape your microbiome; GERD as a risk factor for TMJ?; how can MDA-5+ dermatomyositis be any worse; new drug happenings; StillsNow.com; and more.
A Multidimensional Definition of Remission
A study from Leeds suggests 'multi-dimensional remission' (MDR) can be seen in one-third of RA patients achieving DAS28-remission; such patients have better patient-reported outcome measures, making it an optimal goal, especially from a patient's perspective.
Osteoporosis Tx: Good for Bones, but Not for Cutting Death Risk
Osteoporosis treatments were not linked with reduced overall mortality, according to a meta-analysis of placebo-controlled trial data.
