News
HHS, FDA & CDC Joint Recommendation on COVID Booster
FDA
Today, public health and medical experts from the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) released the following statement on the Administration’s plan for COVID-19 booster shots for the American people.
Tocilizumab in Refractory Skin and Joint Scleroderma
The interleukin-6 inhibitor, tocilizumab (TCZ), was studied in a cohort of difficult systemic sclerosis (SSc) and was shown to be effective in refractory joint and skin disease with good long-term retention rates and disease stabilization.
Inflammatory Arthritis Impairs Male Fertility
A new study in Annals of Rheumatic Disease shows that inflammatory arthritis (IA) may impair male fertility, especially during the peak reproductive age when lower fertility rates, higher childlessness rates and more fertility problems were seen.
ACR Update on Tocilizumab Shortages
ACR
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is actively engaged with the FDA Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) drug shortage team as they work with the manufacturer to resolve current shortages of tocilizumab (Actemra).
Non-Serious Infection Risk with Biologics in RA
Nonserious infections (NSI) comprise the bulk of all infections seen with biologic therapies; new data from British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for Rheumatoid Arthritis shows that while NSI are more common than serious infections, the predictors of NSI are the same as serious infections.
What Factors Predict RA in First-Degree Relatives?
MedPage Today
Among a cohort of first-degree relatives of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), certain patient characteristics, as well as symptoms, helped predict a possible increased risk for developing the disease, U.K. researchers reported.
Booster Shots for Rheumatology Patients on Immunosuppressive Medications
ACR Press Release
RheumNow Podcast – Booster Shots for COVID (8.13.2021)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Anakinra's Effects on COVID-19 Outcomes
Sporadic reports of anakinra use in COVID-19 infection has hinted is potential; now a metanalysis shows that the use of anakinra may reduce the mortality risk in patients admitted to hospital with moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia, especially highly elevated ferritin and C-reactive prote
USA Ranks 11th (Last) in Healthcare Delivery
Despite spending more (18%) of its gross national product on health care than its peers, the U.S.
COVID Vaccine Booster Effective for Transplant Recipients in Small Trial
MedPage Today
For organ transplant recipients, a third dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine more than tripled the proportion with a sufficient antibody response, a randomized trial showed.
