HEALTH DISPARITIES: Lancet study shows from 2000-2019, all-cause mortality was signif. higher in the American Indian/Alaska Native (1028/100K) & Blacks (953·/100K) compared to Whites (802); but lower in Asians (442) & Latinos (595) https://t.co/g8Z3h6BYw8 https://t.co/Ckz1L3O0W7

Bifunctional B-cell Targeted Therapy in IgG4-related Disease A novel B-cell depletion trial, using obexelimab has shown efficacy and safety in patients with active IgG4-related disease. https://t.co/JTfOrOLrrY https://t.co/ANY2YL25jT

Johns Hopkins & Univ Pittsburgh Scleroderma compared autoantibodies in 676 SSc pts w/ hx of cancer to 687 SSc controls without CA. Anti-POLR3 & anti-Ro52 assoc w. significantly increased cancer risk; Centromere & U1RNP had a decreased cancer risk https://t.co/z6HfRR7PWs https://t.co/zISZlgHGjd

Tofacitinib in Polymyalgia Rheumatica (EAST PMR Study) An open-label, uncontrolled pilot trial has shown that JAK signaling is involved in the pathogenesis of PMR and that tofacitinib is as effective as glucocorticoids (GC) in patients with PMR. https://t.co/sJcq9lMP1l https://t.co/zvmPs3SdCw

Altered Gut Biome in Inflammatory Arthritis Another study has confirmed that the intestinal microbiome's composition in people with inflammatory arthritis differs from that in other people, and in potentially unhealthy ways. https://t.co/NIqCkxf1Mp https://t.co/6LChrYmKuX

RABBIT Registry Study 2470 pts (1,245 axSpA; 1,225 PsA) - moderate depressive Sxs in 8% & 21% w/ severe Sxs. Depressive Sxs were assoc w/ fatigue, not engaging in sports, & greater functional limitation - may affect perception of disease activity https://t.co/XTyzLF98BC https://t.co/8TLfRBK4lX

Spinal CT study of 40 ankylosing spondylitis pts shows the most common site and region of intervertebral fusion were the posterior vertebrae of the middle thoracic region >50% halffused posterior vertebrae Th4–Th5 to Th7–Th8, followed by Cx, last lumbar https://t.co/Zxchr4yUGI https://t.co/QD554Yo7cV

Vegetarians have a significantly higher hip fracture risk (HR 1.50) than regular meat-eaters, partly (28%)explained by BMI. UK Biobank compared meat-eaters (n=regular 258,765, occasional 137,954), pescatarians (9557), & vegetarians (7638) https://t.co/EyL1PPpfYE https://t.co/n0wNDVWMuP

Predicting Inflammatory Arthritis in At-Risk Persons The Annals of Internal Medicine has published a predictive score to distinguish low-risk from high-risk IA and who may benefit from risk stratification and preventive measures. https://t.co/I5sLbkvNdT https://t.co/YpOiDYiajW

Hong Kong study shows Very low dose prednisolone (<5 mg/d) doesn't confer excessive CV risk. 2 233 RA pts (105 826 Pt-years FUV; mean duration 8.7 yrs) - 7% developed MACE. MACE risk incr 7% per month in those taking ≥5 mg pred. https://t.co/lcehOgaqCQ https://t.co/AhWGnUuYcc

High mortality risk predictors in patients with anti-MDA5 dermatomyositis include: - rapidly progressive interstitial lung disease - anti-Ro52 antibody - age > 57 years (based on study of 126 MDA-5+ DM pts) https://t.co/VCyLhStFgX https://t.co/y3CyzOlwDt