EMR Messaging Woes (4.11.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory approvals from this past week on RheumNow.com
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Metanalysis showed no increased risk of serious infx (SIE) w/ JAK inhibitors use in pts w/ immune-mediated inflammatory skin diseases -- 32 RCTs, 11,917 pts found SIE in 0.62% on JAKi vs 0.51% controls. Meta-analysis found no significant increase in risk of serious infection https://t.co/ugH72nk8bZ
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JAK-pot Collaboration of 15 registries looked at MACE risk in RA pts and found NO incr CV risk during 1st 2 yrs of JAKi (vs TNFi) use. 51233 pts; 828 incident MACE; in 73008 Rx courses (16K JAKi, 35K TNFi, & 21K OMA bDMARDs). JAK adj IRR: 0.89;0.63 to 1.25 (vs TNFi); bDMARD-OMA https://t.co/MAZrGfCNrU
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An Epidural Letdown (4.4.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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Upadacitinib for Giant-Cell Arteritis - A Phase 3 Trial
The NEJM has published a randomized controlled trial in giant-cell arteritis (GCA) patients, demonstrating significant efficacy and safety of upadacitinib (UPA), given as 15 mg daily, as compared to placebo.
1st Line Biologics vs csDMARDs in Adult Still's Disease
A German multicentre, retrospective study assessed the first-line efficacy of biologics and conventional synthetic DMARD therapy in patients with adult-onset Still's disease and found biologic agents were significantly better with sustained, event-free remissions and fewer complications.
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Cancer Survival with TNF Inhibitors (3.28.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com
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A study in mice shows that JAK inhibition In mice model of status epilepticus (SE) didnt prevent initial SE but when did effect chronic phase of Sz weeks after SE induction of SE, suppressing seizures, and epilepsy-associated histopathological alterations. Sz suppression lasted https://t.co/GMIPCtoc7x
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Treating chronic inflammatory diseases with JAK inhibitors
Science Daily
Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are an important treatment option for people with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Since their approval, the indications for these medical
Ontario study of 11 641 older psoriasis pts & hospitalized serious infx in those on b/tsDMARDs. IL-12, IL-23, and IL-17 inhibitors were assoc w/ 35% lower rates of SIE, while MTX, other older systemic meds, TNFi were not incr/decr. But JAK inhibitors had signif 3 fold incr in… https://t.co/ffFdHjme65 https://t.co/DkTsadUNx2
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Channeling Bias and Cancer Risk with Biologic or Targeted Synthetic DMARDs
A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a… https://t.co/8jqJwkEbZF https://t.co/cQ9aheU5mc
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PAFLAR Guidelines for Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
The Pediatric African League against Rheumatism (PAFLAR) initiative has published its guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA
Axial Involvement in Psoriatic Arthritis
Analysis of a Greek Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) cohort shows that nearly one quarter of patients have axial involvement, and among them, ∼30% have isolated spinal axPsA and nr-axSpA, respectively.
World Changers (3.14.2025)
Dr Jack Cush and his podcast friends are out to change the world. Here is his weekly review of the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.
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Channeling Bias and Cancer Risk with Biologic or Targeted Synthetic DMARDs
A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of RA patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a statistically significantly higher risk of incident cancer in patients receiving rituximab, abatacept, or JAKis (
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2024 Rheumatology Year in Review
2024 was a year of surprising new growth in technology, with the expansion of new therapeutic options for many patients and clinicians. While these many advances offer new hope, they are countered by disappointments and gapping unmet needs in rheumatology. Below is my top 10 list
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Late Breaking abstract from 2025 Amer. Acad. Dermatology (AAD) on the Phase 3 ICONIC-LEAD study showed J&J's oral IL-23 inhibitor (icotrokinra) was superior to deucravacitinib in skin clearance (65% vs 8%) & PASI90 (50% v 4%) at Wk 15 in 684 moderate-to-severe plaque PsO pts… https://t.co/GYK604kJ9u https://t.co/Ao1BpL1Qxt
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Are Combination Biologics Safe?
Although package inserts commonly warn against combining the use of biologic or targeted therapies, there is growing interest in such combination therapy for patients with problematic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID).
Available the first time: https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR 2025 On Demand!
On Demand gives you access to all lectures, Q & A panels, and STEP talks, and all speaker slides and handouts — all packed with insights you won’t find anywhere else.
Non-CME, practical, and finally here.… https://t.co/MHFUWb3az1 https://t.co/cqzZG40Xp5
Links:
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Hydroxychloro-King (3.7.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory actions from the past week on RheumNow.com
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Risk of Cancer on JAKi in RA (12 463 vs 38 345 controls). No incr risk of CA w/ exposure to JAKi (adj OR 1.04), TNFi (0.98), other bDMARDs (0.98). But JAKi was assoc w/ signif more lung CA (1.40; esp in males 2.12) & less breast CA (0.62) in women https://t.co/fr3VjPhJve https://t.co/zNehdWBbeI
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AbbVie Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for Upadacitinib (RINVOQ®) for the Treatment of Adults with Giant Cell Arteritis https://t.co/WP8JGpHc6p https://t.co/x9m870mCJ4
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Livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is a rare chronic microvascular thrombosis dz w/ hypercoagulability and inflammation. Lit Search found 15 articles, 41 LV pts Rx w/ biologics & JAK inhib. 88% w/ positive responses & pain relief. TNFi were most used, then JAK inhibitors… https://t.co/3ugGdUlYcI https://t.co/0aXRKRi5RA
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Deucravacitinib in Psoriasis - 5 Year Outcomes
BMS released new five-year results from the POETYK PSO long-term extension (LTE) trial of deucravacitinib in treating patients with moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis. The data was presented by Dr. Marc Lebwohl at the Winter Clinical Dermatology Conference in Hawaii
The Cartel is Coming for Rheumatology
"What Do Blockbuster Drugs & The Black Market All Have in Common?" asked Dr. Madelaine Feldman at RheumNow Live 2025. They thrive, she explained, on market exclusivity "... until they don't." At first glance, the pharmaceutical marketplace may not appear like a crime drug ring, but Dr.
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