Prevalence of gout
Lancet article on the increasing prevalence of gout shows a rate of 2.5% in the UK that has increased 67% in the last 15 years.
News
Tanezumab in Osteoarthritis: Data Presented at OARSI
Pooled analyses of the tanezumab (a nerve growth factor inhibitor) phase 3 studies was presented at the 2015 Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OARSI) World Congress.
Early DMARD Therapy Averts Cardiovascular Risk in RA
A Finnish early RA register studied 14,878 incident RA patients from 2000-2008 and identified 1157 deaths. Patients receiving DMARDs and MTX had lower mortality rates. The standardized moratility ratio for the entire cohort was reduced (0.57, 95% CI 0.52 to 0.62).
The National Prevalence of HLA-B27 in the U.S.
HLA-B27 is found 6.1% of the US population, but with is seen in >90% patients with ankylosing spondylitis. HLA-B27 increases risk of spondylitis, uveitis and heart block. [Image credit: "HLA-B*2705" by Pdeitiker - Own work. Licensed under Public Domain via Wikimedia Commons]
Economic Impact of Biosimilars
According to the Federal Trade Commission biosimilars have the potential to save the U.S. healthcare system $250 billion through 2022.
Hepatotoxicity and TNF Inhibitors
Hepatic enzyme elevations with TNF inhibitor use is not uncommon.
Blau Syndrome - the Prototypic Autoinflammatory Granulomatous Disorder
The defining triad of Blau's syndrome includes granulomatous polyarthritis, dermatitis and uveitis. This rare, monogenic, autosomal dominant disorder stems from a "gain in function" mutation of the pattern recognition receptor NOD2.
Rheum by the Numbers: Inflammatory Back Pain
Nearly 20% Americans have chronic back pain, but 5-6% have inflammatory back pain. These numbers were derived from the 2010 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey that showed the USA prevalence of axial spondyloarthritis to be 1-1.4% and ankylosing spondylitis to be 0.5%.
RA Compliance Undermines Treatment Success
Researchers at MD Anderson Cancer Center in Houston prospectively studied 107 RA patients with regard to oral medication (DMARDs, steroids) adherence. They report that adherence was low, ranging from 58-71% overall.
Zoster Risk is Similar Among Different MOA Biologics
The risk of new H zoster infection was studied among nearly 30,000 new biologic starts and compared rates seen with abatacept, adalimumab, rituximab, infliximab, etanercept, tocilizumab, certolizumab or golimumab initiation.
