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Economics

ACR: Congress Fails to Reform PBMs, Mitigate Medicare Cuts

ACR

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) commended the limited extension of key Medicare telehealth coverage provisions but also expressed disappointment that Members of Congress have failed to pass measures to bring transparency to pharmacy benefit manager (PBM) practices, address flawed

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Screening for Osteoporosis to Prevent Fractures - USPSTF Recommendations

The US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) has done a systematic review on osteoporosis screening to prevent fractures and put forth its recent recommendations. These recommendations pertain to adults 40 years or older with no known diagnosis of osteoporosis or history of fragility

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Alive in 2025 (1.10.2025)

Dr. Jack Cush brings in the new year with a review of the latest from RheumNow.com

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GLP-1 Agonists Alleviate Knee Osteoarthritis

In October, the NEJM published a randomized clinical trial demonstrating the efficacy of glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1ra) in patients with obesity and knee osteoarthritis.

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Does Colchicine Lower Gout Mortality Risk?

Data from a large UK database finds that gout patients starting urate-lowering therapy (ULT) will benefit from added colchicine prophylaxis by having fewer cardiovascular events.

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Prevalence of Autoimmune Diseases in the United States

An epidemiologic assessment of the prevalence of autoimmune diseases in the United States (US) finds that nearly 5% of the population has an autoimmune disorder, twice as many in women compared to men.

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ICYMI: VITAL Info on Autoimmune Disease (2.9.2024)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Highlights are summarized by three songs: "Stairway to Heaven", "You're No Good", and "How Long (has this been going on)".

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Best of 2024: BSR Guidelines for Systemic Sclerosis Management

The British Society for Rheumatology has updated its 2015 guidelines for the management of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) based on published evidence, systematic literature review and expert opinion.

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Best of 2024: SGLT2 Inhibitor Protective Effects in Lupus

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) outcomes were assessed based on whether they received sodium-glucose co-transporter 2 inhibitors (SGLT2i), in the setting of comorbid type 2 diabetes (T2D).

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Best of 2024: 13 Risk Factors for RA-associated Interstitial Lung Disease

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is the most widespread and fatal pulmonary complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A recent metanalysis shows the pooled prevalence of RA-ILD was approximately 18.7%.

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Best of 2024: ASLeap: Higher Dose Secukinumab in Ankylosing Spondylitis

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients not responding to usual dosing with secukinumab (150 mg) after 16 weeks were dose escalated to secukinumab (SEC) 300 mg, but failed to show improvement by week 52.

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Abuse of the Safety-Net 340B Drug Programs Dr. Madelaine Feldman comments on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, a safety-net initiative designed to provide costly therapies to vulnerable populations. She argues that the program has deviated from its original intent, with certain… https://t.co/5rIQHsIeAS https://t.co/rXwQPctHDf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Best of 2024: Prescription Painkiller Misuse in Chronic Pain Patients

EurekAlert!

A new scientific review of 148 studies enrolling over 4.3 million adult chronic pain patients treated with prescription opioid painkillers has found that nearly one in ten patients experiences opioid dependence or opioid use disorder and nearly one in three shows symptoms of dependence and

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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

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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. 

Multicentre study of 471 GCA patients treated with TCZ, assessed outcomes according to vascular

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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.

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54K Peptic Ulcers Annually (12.13.2024)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com

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Chikungunya marches on, at a cost A recent article from BMC Global Health suggests that between 2011 and 2020, the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya, has disabled millions and likely amassed close to $50 billion in healthcare and disability-related costs in 110 countries.… https://t.co/TnDObv1obT https://t.co/yjMeBODuFv
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Treat-to-Target LLDAS in Lupus

MedPage Today

Patients with highly active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) appeared to sustain much less organ damage and fewer disease flares when drug therapy yielded substantial relief, researchers found.

Unfortunately, only a minority of such patients achieved low disease activity or remission

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Don’t Buy Guitars (12.6.2024)

This year at ACR24, the RheumNow faculty and reporters were prolific, generating >800 Tweets, 56 written articles, 117 Videos and 28 podcasts – all in 4 days! You can best review and learn ACR24 by A) Rheumatology Roundup; b) Topic Panel videos; and c) Topic podcasts.

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Osteoarthritis (OA) affects 53.2 million in the USA & is projected to rise significantly by 2040. Societal costs are $132 billion ($11,00 per/pt). OA is the 3rd most rapidly rising disability, behind diabetes and dementia. https://t.co/n3Rwjjsio3 https://t.co/FPDWd6gEpi
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
What factors are assoc with uptake of newer meds in RA? ➡️Incr use of b/tsDMARDs over 10yrs ➡️Use of newer drugs lower in older ppl, socioeconomic deprived & Asian/Black ppl Could this indicate disparities in access to meds? How can we best address this? Ab2608 #ACR24 @RheumNow

Mrinalini Dey @DrMiniDey( View Tweet )

US biosimilar exp Interchangeable biosimilar - can substitute for reference product wo consulting MD Primary endpt: pharmacokinetic data 61 approved biosimilars @RheumKay: “pts should share in financial benefits” Currently 5-87% discount #PBMReform @ACRheumDC @RheumNow #ACR24 https://t.co/RqwbZalZko
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd( View Tweet )
Biosimilar switching in practice Hyrich: UK experience Switching to biosimilar has no immediate benefit to patients but saves NHS money Allows for gain share that can be re-invested in pt care Transparency in switching in explaining to pts and offering resource @RheumNow #ACR24

Eric Dein @ericdeinmd( View Tweet )

A call for ANA stewardship? Abstract 1931: Educating clinicians on wise ANA ordering via EMR Alert plus removing the comprehensive ANA panel --> - ↓ ANA testing (outpatient 15.9%→7.4%, inpatient 25.5%→6.4%) ↓ costs ($440k→$130k) #ACR24 @RheumNow

Akhil Sood MD @AkhilSoodMD( View Tweet )

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