Mixed Drinks, Mixed Results (10.30.2026) Save

Dr. Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.  This week on the podcast – hopeful guidelines for PMR, certainty about good & bad beverages in gout; Mixed results in Sjogrens, non Lupus drugs saves Lupus lives and big hips sinks ships in Psoriatic arthritis.

1. Novartis announced the European Commission has approved secukinumab (Cosentyx) for use in adults w/ polymyalgia rheumatica, not responding to GCs. SEC is 1st IL-17A inhibitor approved in Europe for PMR https://t.co/ASTwbSrGr2
2. Italian retrospective study of 562 plaque psoriasis Rx w/ biologics - 34% were obese. Primary Rx failure signif. more w/ obesity (17% vs 6%; HR 2.75). A 5 kg/m2 BMI incr assoc w/ 37% higher risk. Lower risk of failure w/ IL-17i (HR 0.49) & IL-23i (HR 0.47). Obesity not assoc w/ secondary failures or safety D/Cs https://t.co/fUik6pBcnq
3. Tx persistence & response in PsA is a problem - influenced by demographics & Dz severity. 815 PsA pts in e Brit Society Rheumatology PsA Registe. @12 mos - 24% MDA, 24% ACR50. Median F/U 31 mos, only 65% still on index Rx.  D/C higher w/ apremilast &  w poorer baseline activity & PROs https://buff.ly/ZTZueX8
4. JAMA Uveitis review: Uveitis peaks at 20–50 yrs; 41–60% is anterior. ~40 linked to systemic disease (HLA-B27=axSpA). 1st exclude infection (TB, toxo, herpes). Anterior UV: topical steroids. Posterior/pan UV: DMARDs first (MTX remission 52%, MMF 71%); adalimumab if refractory https://t.co/jQQGzhAm7c
5. CLARITY-1 & CLARITY-2 Phase 3 Trials show Brepocitinib effective in Non-Infectious Uveitis. 371 pts Rx w. brepocitinib 45 mg or placebo x48wks w/ 2 wks of Pred taper. Time to Rx failure greater w/ BREP (48 vs 12 wks PBO; p<0.0001)https://t.co/EBaWe7TJbt
6. Systematic review of CV outcomes w/ SGLT2 inhibitors- 5 studies, 11,190 IMID pts (SSc 25%, SLE 71%) SGLT2i use assoc w/ signif lower all-cause mortality and heart failure risk (no clear MI benefit). SGLT2i have establ use in NIDDM, CHF & CKD Pts. https://t.co/U28aBsQpJ8
7. Comorbidity management is subpar in Rheum. Surveys of 2213 inflamm rheum Dz pts & 140 rheumatologists. Rheums think theyre OK (71-92%) screening (HTN, OP, vaccines, CA), but pts say NOT (12=33%).Rheums agree they have no structured comorbidity screening in place (time 91%, responsibility 49%, staff 40%, reimbursement 35%). Rheums need to step up! USE a clinic screening tool https://t.co/mqcptziRdw
8. Boston study of 25 systemic sclerosis pts has shown spatial frequency domain imaging (SFDI) is a noninvasive evaluation of skin, but only has weak-to-moderate correlation w/ mRSS (r −0.38 to −0.48); somewhat better w/ histology/fibrosis (r −0.35 to −0.52) https://t.co/N1uSWjNEcl
9. 2024 web survey of German rheumatologists on CAR-T & T-cell redirecting therapies. 95% willing to refer pts to specialized centers; but 5% (most severe) are suitable for TCRT. Barriers cited: high costs (82%), limited experience (65%) & limited # appropriate Pts (35%). 4.86/10 score on TCRT https://t.co/o62uRVsIC7
10. Artiva has stopped development of its AlloNK (allogeneic NK cell therapy) after 2 reported deaths in their phase II RCT in #RA and other autoimmune conditions. Artiva has suspended its phase III trial with AlloNK. https://t.co/mLR6xciRfB
11. TENS does NOT work in knee OA (KOA). Sham controlled RCT of 96 KOA pts (all Rx w/ exercise) randomized to TENS or sham show no betw group difference in KOOS score at 1 mo, nor did they achieve the minimal clinically important difference. https://t.co/1xPtNn7MM0
12. Beverages & relative risk of hyperuricemia (HUA) & gout. Metanalysis of 52 studies shows alcohol has signif high risk of gout (OR  1.8) & HUA (OR 1.5); & sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) incr gout (1.37) & HUA (1.48); as well as tea for HUA among female (OR = 1.29). Coffee educed risk of gout (OR  0.54)  https://t.co/nq1fKvOlgv
13. High TB & LTBI burden in Latin America. Review of PANLAR registry 590 IMID pts (54% GC, 44% bDMARDs (TNFi), 29% JAKi, 27% csDMARD). Only 430 (73%) had TB screening- 59 (14%) Dx w/ LTBI. @12 mos, 99 repeat TB screening - 5 new LTBI cases Dx. Only 2 (0.34%) had active TB. (CDC https://t.co/wnPdEueb4N
14. The Efficacy of Ianalumab in Sjögren’s Disease
15. 2026 BSR Guideline for the Treatment of Polymyalgia Rheumatica