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Racial Disparities in Mortality Associated with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

A Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report on a registry of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients from two Georgia counties (Fulton and Dekalb) shows SLE mortality was 2-3 times higher compared to the general population, especially amongst blacks; notably deaths occurred sooner after diagnosis

Generic Price Fixing Alleged by State Prosecutors

The NY Times and 60 Minutes have reported that Connecticut, along with 43 other states, filed a mega-lawsuit accusing the generic drug makers of a massive, systematic conspiracy to bilk consumers out of billions of dollars.

Low Serious Infection Risk with Newer Agents in Psoriasis

JAMA Dermatology reports on a comparative cohort study of 107,707 psoriasis patients, finding a decreased risk of serious infections among users of apremilast, etanercept, and ustekinumab when compared with methotrexate.

Employed Physicians Outnumber Self-Employed

For the first time in the United States, employed physicians outnumber self-employed physicians, according to a newly updated study on physician practice arrangements by the American Medical Association (AMA).

RheumNow Podcast – Periodontitis in RA Relatives (5.10.19)

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

Gabapentinoid Drugs Overuse and Misuse

A recent article in JAMA by Drs. Goodman and Brett reviews the increasing off label use of gabapentinoid drugs, originally developed as antiseizure drugs that are now increasingly prescribed for painful conditions.

Calcineurin Inhibitors in Anti-Synthetase Dermatomyositis ILD

A pilot treatment study of patients with anti-aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase antibody–positive polymyositis/dermatomyositis-associated interstitial lung disease (anti-ARS-PM/DM-ILD) shows therapy with glucocorticoids and calcineurin inhibitors (CNI) to be highly effective. 

Biomarkers Predict Thrombosis in Lupus

A composite risk score that included three biomarkers predicted thrombotic events among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), a cross-sectional study found.

Drug Pricing Regulations in US and Canada

Reuters reports on regulatory efforts by Canada and the US to curb the rising cost of drugs, especially expensive new medicines. 

Pilot Study Targets Insulin Resistence in Fibromyalgia

An unusual pilot study has shown that insulin resistence (IR), assessed by Hgb-A1c levels, was more prevalent in fibromyalgia (FM) patients compared to non-diabetic controls and that when FM patients were given metformin, half had complete resolution of their pain.

Monocyte Patrolling Contributes to Lupus Glomerulonephritis

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a propensity to develop glomerulonephritis (47-70%) or end-stage kidney disease despite therapy.

Denosumab Protects Against RA Erosions

Combining denosumab (Prolia) with a conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) such as methotrexate showed promise for slowing radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a manufacturer-sponsored phase III trial called DESIRABLE found.

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