Weak Data (1.24.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com, and features Dr. Charity Dean, the Keynote speaker at RheumNow Live 2025, and why she is an inspiration.
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Getting to Remission - Without Biologics
Analysis of data from two early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) cohorts shows remission in RA is primarily seen in those who do not require biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs), while those needing bDMARDs are less apt to achieve remission.
Korean population-based study shows that from 2010 to 2023 prevalence of ank Spondylitis (AS) increased 27 per 100,000 (2010) to 82 per 100,000 (2023). Also increasing were # of pts >50 yrs (20-33%), #females (18-24%), Comorbidities, TNFi use (30-43%), while csDMARDs declined.… https://t.co/9NjU1IugaF https://t.co/kTCtIj2BjD
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Fallen Angels (1.17.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com; and pays homage to colleagues who passed away in 2024.
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SetPoint Medical has applied to FDA for pre-market approval of Vagal nerve neuroimmune modulation device to Rx mod-severe #RA, not responding to 2 biologics. Based on RESET-RA 242 pt, 12 wk RCT showing ACR20=35% vs 24% PBO resp. SAE only 1.7%. https://t.co/d8RfXBFUSS https://t.co/Fq1qkfo1NM
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Post hoc study of Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) phase 3 study w/ 588 pts rx w/ either PBO or adalimumab. 79% had elevated CRP. High CRP assoc w/ more severe HS, higher BMI (34 vs 28; P < .001), & lower odds of ADA response (OR 0.53). Activity or Obesity? https://t.co/ZQzumtW2LV https://t.co/FWaQMyP2TT
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UKs University of Birmingham researchers have just been awarded £3.5 million funding from Johnson & Johnson to investigate mechanisms of response and non-response to biologic and targeted synthetic therapies in rheumatoid arthritis. https://t.co/or9amYqljz https://t.co/EvDhVfqOig
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Antiviral prophylaxis is essential for HBsAg+ patients receiving cytokine inhibitors, given the high risk of reactivation. Metanalysis of 10 studies shows reactivation in 21% of HBsAg+ patients without prophylaxis vs 4.4% in HBsAg−/HBcAb+ patients. https://t.co/eHzIeA8uJK https://t.co/CmZw8C8ibn
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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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Overview of Uveitis management of adult & pediatric rheumatology.
- Uveitis accounts for 10% of visual impairment globally
- TNF inhib are effective; w/ IL-6 inhib as 2nd line options https://t.co/fwhTxEpVG0 https://t.co/cKGdcDbz3d
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Cycling vs Switching after TNFi Failure in axSpA
https://t.co/XG16tgcLbr https://t.co/ifgMtAB7LF
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Should you worry about giving TNFi to RA pts after a cancer diagnosis?
Medicare data with colorectal, lung, prostate Ca:
TNFi pts survival no worse (numerically better) than csDMARDs
Cancer pts deserve good RA treatment!
#ACR24 ABST0202 Suarez-Almazor @MDAndersonNews @RheumNow… https://t.co/aR75hJQ6YK https://t.co/ptDYCsOpXN
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Best of 2024: Efficacy of Biologics in Patients with Chronic Kidney Disease
A retrospective cohort study of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) persistence in rheumatoid arthritis patients with chronic kidney disease, shows the 3 year survival to be under 50% but that all studied biologics were nearly equivalents with regard to safety and efficacy
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Biosimilars Do Impact Biologic Drug Costs
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… https://t.co/UoVMc3lSxR https://t.co/A8Sl9bzvla
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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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ICYMI: Are Emulation Trials a Fantasy?
Are emulation ‘trials’ helpful, despite the biases that occur with observational data, or do they truly mimic the results of randomized controlled trials (RCTs)?
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ICYMI: ORAL Surveillance - Is Statin Use the Problem/Solution?
The findings from ORAL Surveillance Study have been a dominant conversation at recent ACR Convergence, with the seminal findings and subsequent analyses a target of debate. Subsequent post-hoc analyses, follow-up studies, and claims data analyses have been used to further interpret the data,
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Metabolic syndrome assoc w/ with response rates in #RA (CDAI MCID OR 0.6), on or off TNFi. Adipokines were associated with metabolic syndrome but were not associated with clinical responses. Data from CERTAIN cohort & CorEvitas registry https://t.co/YH44iTwYTr https://t.co/ec3vb266ym
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ICYMI: Evaluation of Bimekizumab in PsA
Bimekizumab (BKZ) is a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively inhibits interleukin (IL)‑17A and F. There have been more updates on the 2 year data on BKZ at #ACR24, and this is a summary of four studies being presented this year at ACR24.
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Biologic Monotherapy vs Combination with cDMARDs in PsA
https://t.co/MfqyD6hyOK https://t.co/fRJjOaJ9aT https://t.co/z8gutP79Ub
Links:
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ACR24 RA Topic Panel: Innovations in Rheumatoid Arthritis https://t.co/dHiRacDmWc
Links:
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ACR24: Rheumatology Roundup
Join Drs. Jack Cush and Artie Kavanaugh as they review 15+ presentations and abstracts from the 2024 ACR Convergence meeting in Washington, DC.
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Maximizing DMARDs to Strive for Steroid-Free Remission in RA
In 1950, three scientists were awarded the Nobel Prize for their groundbreaking discovery of steroids, heralded at the time as a "miracle cure" for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, just a year after their introduction, evidence began to surface regarding the harmful side effects
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Playing it Safe with RA? JAK vs. TNF Debate
The ORAL surveillance trial raised safety concerns that the janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) tofacitinib was associated with an increased incidence of cancer and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), compared to tumor necrosis… https://t.co/sUSdRKRxEF https://t.co/XcjOqGlLVX
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Cycling vs Switching after TNFi Failure in axSpA
Dr. Lihi Eder discusses abstract 0603, presented at #ACR24
https://t.co/qkDuutgqvv https://t.co/Agqopk6bh2
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