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Immunology

RheumNow Podcast – with Special Guest Dr. Janet Pope (9.8.2023)

Sep 08, 2023

This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news with special guest, Dr. Janet Pope. They discuss "Not-non-Inferior", large scale genetic screening, Zoster risk w/ newer lupus drugs, tapering, RA referral problems and the TNR webinar session on "ORAL Surveillance Revisited".

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#RA QD Clinic - RA & Vaccination An RA patient needs vaccination - how do you handle the meds? RA QD Clinics are video vignettes with lessons from the clinic. RA QD Clinics and the "Hard Decisions in RA" September Campaign is sponsored by BMS. https://t.co/ktNZIpInMS https://t.co/fsobHjTq1v

2023 ACR/EULAR Antiphospholipid Syndrome Classification Criteria

Aug 29, 2023

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and EULAR have combined efforts to establish an international multidisciplinary Steering Committee to develop classification criteria for the new antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) to be applied in observational studies and clinical trials.

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Gut Microbiome Differences Antedate JIA Development

Aug 28, 2023

Researchers have shown that gut microbiome differences may be associated with later development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and that such differences are present years before the disease is diagnosed.

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GSK reports Shingrix (Recombinant Zoster Vaccine) phase IV study of 6000 persons >50 yrs in China(ZOSTER-076). NO SHINGLES cases reported in those who received RZV, vs 31 HZ cases on placebo. Confirms (or is better) results of ZOE50 & ZOE70 RCTs https://t.co/kOZfgpQ0PX https://t.co/5t9cHM5ioS

COSMOS: Guselkumab's Immunologic Benefits in Psoriatic Arthritis

Aug 17, 2023

The IL-23 inhibitor guselkumab was studied in active psoriatic arthritis patients in the phase 3b COSMOS trial, and shown to be clinically effective while reducing multiple effector cytokines, including those associated with the IL-23/IL-17 pathway.

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Pizza and Rheumatoid Arthritis (8.11.2023)

Aug 11, 2023

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the wonderful wide world of Rheumatology. This week:




  1. Swedish study of 325 #AAV pts saw CVA in 35 pts (8%); CVA incidence=11.3/1000 PYs - this was higher than gen population [SIR 1.85). AAV CVA risk factors included age

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English for the Biologically-Challenged (8.4.2023)

Aug 04, 2023

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.  This week highlights Veterans, Vegetarians and Antenatal Corticosteroids.

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Bifunctional B-cell Targeted Therapy in IgG4-related Disease

Aug 02, 2023

A novel B-cell depletion trial, using obexelimab (a bifunctional, monoclonal antibody that binds CD19 and Fc gamma receptor IIb), has shown efficacy and safety in patients with active IgG4-related disease.



Lancet Rheumatology has published the results of an open-label, single

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Altered Gut Biome in Inflammatory Arthritis

MedPage Today
Aug 01, 2023

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 -- but whether the microbiome alterations actually cause arthritis is less clear.  In fact, the investigators

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Predicting Inflammatory Arthritis in At-Risk Persons

Jul 31, 2023

The Annals of Internal Medicine has published a predictive score to distinguish low-risk from high-risk inflammatory arthritis (IA) and who may benefit from risk stratification and preventive measures.



A prospective observational cohort study done in the UK used a cohort of "at-risk"

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Infectious Risk with B Cell Therapies in Lupus

Jul 19, 2023

A UK registry study of moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients showed that treatment with rituximab or belimumab was not associated with a greater risk of serious infection, when compared to standard of care therapy.

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RNase Treatment of Autoimmune Disorders

Jul 19, 2023

U1RNP complex, Ro/SSA and La/SSB are major RNA-containing autoantigens associated with autoimmune disorders. Immune complexes (ICs) composed of RNA-containing autoantigens and autoantibodies are suspected to be involved in the pathogenesis of some systemic autoimmune diseases. Treatment with

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Hold the Methotrexate for One Week

Jul 18, 2023

In 2018, Park et al showed optimal responses to influenza vaccination in RA patients was best achieved by holding methotrexate for 2 weeks following immunization, with improved humoral responses. Now, a followup trial suggests that equivalent results are had by holding MTX for only 1 week with

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SLE and Pregnancy Outcomes

Jul 17, 2023

Obstetric complications and poor pregnancy outcomes are not uncommon in women with SLE, especially with active disease.  A large Spanish cohort trials shows that term pregnancy is more likely before the diagnosis of SLE and that poorer pregnancy outcomes were associated with antibody positivity

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Anti-Drug Antibodies with Biologics (7.14.2023)

Jul 14, 2023

Dr. Jack Cush Reviews the news and journal reports on CVA, TKA, PJP, ADA, and more!

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Pegloticase Plus Methotrexate in Refractory Gout - MIRROR Study 12 mos. Results

Jul 12, 2023

The 12-month safety and efficacy of pegloticase + methotrexate (MTX) in the MIRROR trial shows continued efficacy and tophi resolution after 12 months of therapy.



MIRROR was a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, multicenter, efficacy and safety study of methotrexate (MTX) or

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ICYMI: New Laboratory Insights for the ANA+ Consult

Jul 03, 2023

A new study suggests that use of ELISA assays for CXCL-10 and IFN-α can predict which ANA+ individuals may progress to developing a systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD).

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What is Colchicine Worth? (6.23.2023)

Jun 22, 2023

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. This week a new colchicine FDA approval, rising rate of IgG4 related disease and what's the safest biologic?




  1. An RCT of 1136 newly COVID test positive pts compared long term outcomes if immediately

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Cancer Risk From RA, Not the Drugs

Jun 20, 2023

While it is known that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may be at risk for certain cancers, the question is which cancers and is this modified by therapy. This large, US claims analysis shows RA patients were nearly 2 times more likely (than those without RA) to develop lymphoma or lung

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Abatacept Safety Outcomes Across 7 European Registries

Jun 19, 2023

A multinational registry analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving abatacept (ABA) has shown that the safety profile of ABA remains unchanged with no new or increased risks of infection or malignancy.

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Biosimilars Match Biologic Originators in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jun 12, 2023

A systematic review and meta-analysis in JAMA Network Open has shown that biosimilars of adalimumab, infliximab, and etanercept were associated with clinically equivalent treatment effects compared with their reference biologics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

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EULAR 2023 Notes from Milan (6.09.2023)

Jun 09, 2023

Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlight abstracts and sessions - covering lupus, RA, gout, Still's disease, safety data, AI in medicine and more - from last week's EULAR 2023 Congress held in Milan, Italy.

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EULAR 2023 – Day 4 Report

Jun 05, 2023

Day 4 was a half day closeout to the EULAR 2023 Congress. For me the big presentations were the late breaking abstracts, although there were other review and abstract sessions for those remaining.  Many people missed the last day (June 3rd) of the meeting as a pending Milan airport strike on

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Lupus Landmark Study to Accelerate Personalized Lupus Treatments

EurekAlert!
May 25, 2023

The Lupus Research Alliance and its clinical research affiliate Lupus Therapeutics today announced the launch of the Lupus Landmark Study, a groundbreaking observational research study to accelerate the development of personalized treatments for people living with lupus. The Lupus Landmark

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