Plaquenil Benefits Pregnant Women with Anti-Phospholipid Syndrome
Healio.com reports that pregnant women with APL antibodies and who took Plaquenil (HCQ or hydroxychloroquine) had better pregnancy outcomes than those who did not.
News
Antibody Predicts Lung Disease in Myositis
Patients in the U.S. with myositis who are positive for the anti-MDA5 autoantibody are at high risk for developing interstitial lung disease (ILD), a retrospective study found.
FDA Holds Off on Xeljanz Approval for Psoriasis
The FDA has denied Pfizer's application seeking an indication for Xeljanz in patients with moderate to severe chronic plaque psoriasis.
Dietary Supplements Send 23,000 to the ER Annually
The CDC has reported in the NEJM that dietary supplements may be associated with higher than expected rates of adverse events requiring medical evaluation in the emergency department (ED).
Decline in Physician Scientists Ahead
The Journal of Clinical Investigation reports a potential decline in the number of medical researchers in the future.
Hydroxychloroquine Retinal Toxicity Reviewed
Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ or Plaquenil) retinopathy is rare, but still a major concern among patients and prescribers.
DSB Reports and Updates - October 2015
This month's DSB addresses labeling changes as well as safety reports from literature, including steps to prevent major birth defects, timing and intervals between PCV13 and PPSV23 vaccines, PPIs and subacute cutaneous lupus, and FDA warnings on tramadol in children.
ICD-10 Headlines
Nearly 2 weeks have passed since the painful launch of ICD-10 in US medical practices.
Physical Therapy Has Modest Effects on Acute Low Back Pain
A new JAMA study shows new onset back pain treated with physical therapy yields modest short-term (3 months) improvement.
Prescription Opioid Use Falls While Abuse Rises
From 2003 to 2013, the percentage of nonmedical use of prescription opioids decreased among adults in the U.S., while the prevalence of prescription opioid use disorders, frequency of use, and related deaths increased, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA.
Diet, Exercise and Glucosamine Fail to Prevent Knee Osteoarthritis
Primary prevention of osteoarthritis is an ideal goal for which there has been little success in clinical trials.
Infertility in Rheumatoid Arthritis Linked to Disease Activity
Women with rheumatoid arthritis are said to have a normal number of pregnancies. However, most of these are conceived prior to the onset of RA. Once diagnosed, the RA patient who wishes to become pregnant may be faced with difficult medication choices if she is planning to become pregnant.
