Bah Humbug Vitamin D (12.20.2024)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.
News
Best of 2024: Diagnosing Seronegative Sjogren's Disease
Sjögren disease (SjD) is highly prevalent, but diagnosis may be challenged if anti-SSA antibodies or a labial salivary gland biopsy are negative. A recent cohort analysis suggests a novel autoantibody profile has predictive value SSA negative SjD and also in those with a positive labial biopsy.
Best of 2024: Vasculitis Pearls
Once again RheumNow Live 2024 really delivered with high impact learning packed into short sessions. As someone with an interest in vasculitis it was fantastic to see four of my favorite speakers in the Vasculitis Mavens and STEP talks. They gave us what we really want from these talks – personal opinions and approaches that go beyond the guidelines. They really dropped a selection of pearls on us and I wanted to share a few of these with you.
Best of 2024: Determinants of Gout Flares
Approximately 12 million US adults in the US have gout. Two recent literature reports in JAMA and Arthritis Care & Research highlight contributors to gout flares.
Best of 2024: Prescription Painkiller Misuse in Chronic Pain Patients
EurekAlert!
Abuse of the Safety-Net 340B Drug Programs
Dr. Madelaine Feldman has written an important commentary on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, a safety-net program that would allow vulnerable populations to receive expensive new therapies. But she points out that "this well-intentioned program has strayed from its original purpose", allowing certain hospitals and for-profit pharmacies to exploit the program.
ICYMI: JAKi in inflammatory myositis?
Abstract 1731 is a small RCT of baricitinib in inflammatory myositis comparing early start baricitinib to later start.
Tocilizumab Efficacy in Giant Cell Arteritis Phenotypes
A Spanish Collaborative Group study of Tocilizumab (TCZ) in Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) demonstrated high efficacy regardless of the different vascular phenotypes treated.
Biosimilars Do Impact Biologic Drug Costs
MedPage Today
Introduction of biosimilars for the rheumatology drug adalimumab, whose original branded version Humira has long been a blockbuster, appears to have led to a dramatic drop in net spending for these products -- even though biosimilars barely dented Humira prescription rates.
ICYMI: Sex related differences in PsA
Different factors are known to influence disease characteristics and outcomes in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
ICYMI: Beyond the Needle: Redefining the Assessment of Lupus Nephritis
Lupus nephritis is one of the most silent and severe manifestations of SLE. When not captured early, patients are at high risk of progressing to end-stage renal disease, which would require dialysis or transplantation. Renal biopsy remains the gold standard for diagnosis and disease classification. However, the procedure is invasive and very painful. Non-invasive measures are critical for early detection and continuous monitoring.
