Articles By Jack Cush, MD
Febuxostat Works in Early Gout But Fails to Protect from Xray Damage
Dalbeth and colleagues have published a novel report in Arthritis & Rheumatology, novel in that it is a trial of early gout patients that looks at clinical and radiographic outcomes. They showed that febuxostat improves magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) measures of synovitis and reduced gout flares, but failed to alter X-ray progression with 2 years follow-up.
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FDA Approves Mepolizumab for Churg-Strauss (EGPA)
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved use of Nucala (mepolizumab) for use in treating adults with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), previously known as Churg-Strauss vasculitis. This is first FDA-approved therapy specifically to treat EGPA.
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Offspring of RA Women Have Higher Risk of RA and Other Diseases
Despite a growing body of evidence suggesting that maternal health is more important than maternal medications to fetal and infant outcomes, little is known about the long term oucomes of infants born to mothers with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Using Danish population data, researchers have shown in utero exposure to maternal RA is associated with an increased risk of thyroid disease, and an increased risk of future RA.
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AASM Guidelines for Sleep Apnea Testing
A task force from the American Academy of Sleep Medicine (AASM) performed a systematic review of the scientific literature on obstructive sleep apnea and screening tests.
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2017 Update of Treat to Target Recommendations for SpA/PsA
A 2017 international committee of experts met to assess and revise its earlier 2012 recommendations regarding treating to target in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial peripheral spondyloarthritis (SpA).
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Why TNF Inhibitors May Work in Some Autoinflammatory Patients
The NLRP3 inflammasome is a critical component of the innate immune system and activation of NLRP3 inflammasome results in caspase-1–dependent secretion of the proinflammatory cytokines IL-1β and IL-18.
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The RheumNow Week in Review - 8 December 2017
Dr. Jack Cush covers the news and journal articles published on RheumNow.comin the past week.
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Knee Surgery Outcomes Worse with Low Education
Reuters reports that patients who live in low-income communities and lack a college education may have worse pain after knee replacement surgery than their more educated neighbors, citing results from a recent study from the Hospital for Special Surgery in NY.
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Infliximab Does Not Increase Perioperative Infection
Staying on a TNF inhibitor (TNFi) throughout major surgery has generatlly been associated with higher rates of perioperative infection (https://buff.ly/2iBFVjp). On the other hand, discontinuation of the TNFi prior to surgery is associated with lower ra
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Do JAK Inhibitors Increase the Risk of Venous Thromboembolic Events?
Drug Safety has published a systematic review of the FDA’s Adverse Event Reporting System (FAERS) and finds numerous reports of thromboembolic adverse events (AEs) associated with two currently marketed Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, tofacitinib (Xeljanz) and ruxolitinib (Jakafi).
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