Hepatitis C Anti-Viral Drug-Induced Arthritis

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Curative direct-acting antiviral therapy (DAAT) for hepatitis-C virus (HCV) infection has been revolutionary, but a novel report shows that nearly one quarter of DAAT treated patients developed new onset or significant worsening of MSK symptoms, despite being negative for hepa

Treatments Differ Across Centers in Systemic JIA

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Significant variations were seen across hospitals in the treatment of children admitted with new-onset systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), despite increasing evidence of the efficacy of biologics and the hazards of extended glucocorticoid exposure, a retrospective cohort study found.

Do NSAIDs Increase Cardiovascular Risk in Osteoarthritis?

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A longitudinal study of administrative data from British Columbia shows that nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) use increases the risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) among osteoarthritis (OA) patients.

In Lupus, Older Age and Male Sex Raise Cancer Risk

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Among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), cancer risks overall were associated with older age at diagnosis and male sex, and lung cancer specifically was related to smoking, analysis of data from a large multicenter cohort found.

Update on Polymyalgia Rheumatica and Giant Cell Arteritis

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JAMA has published a clinical update of recent studies on GCA. While PET/CT scanning are novel means of demonstrating activity, they have not changed the diagnostic approach to GCA or PMR and although there are no new proven treatment strategies for PMR beyond glucocorticoids, the FDA has approved tocilizumab as a first-line glucocorticoid-sparing agent. 

Diagnostic Accuracy of Symptoms, Signs and Labs in GCA

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A systematic review and meta-analysis of 68 diagnostic cohort studies (14 037 patients) suggests that no one feature is more impactful that the combination of symptoms, signs, and laboratory tests to diagnose the presence giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Selective Biologic Responses in Seropositive RA

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The Journal of Rheuatology reports a pooled analysis of patients from 16 observational RA registries that examined the association between seropositivity (RF or ACPA) with biologic DMARDs responses; they showed better clinical responses when seropositive RA patients receive abatacept (ABA) o

RheumNow Podcast – The Bad News That’s Fit to Print (8.21.20)

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Dr Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow: filgotinib rejection, delays in diagnosis, metformin benefits COVID, Abx and IBD, and UPA beats MTX.

Canakinumab Tapering in Still's Disease

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You can reduce - but not stop - canakinumab therapy in patients who are in complete clinical remission in children with systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Are Women in Rheumatology Closing the Gap?

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"Fierce, Formidable and Phenomenal" was the tag line used to introduce Vice-Presidential candidate, Kamala Harris. Her introduction followed a review of the increasing role of women in voting, society and politics in America. Has the same been realized by women in academic medicine and rheumatology? 

New Criteria for Discoid Lupus

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JAMA Dermatology has proposed an initial validation of classification criteria for discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE), primarily for research purposes, but with clinical applicatility.

Filgotinib Decision Delayed by FDA

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On August 18th, Gilead and Galapagos received a complete response letter from the FDA, which will delay consideration of filgotinib for the treatment of moderate-to-severe RA.