Drug Pricing Regulations in US and Canada
Reuters reports on regulatory efforts by Canada and the US to curb the rising cost of drugs, especially expensive new medicines.
News
Pilot Study Targets Insulin Resistence in Fibromyalgia
An unusual pilot study has shown that insulin resistence (IR), assessed by Hgb-A1c levels, was more prevalent in fibromyalgia (FM) patients compared to non-diabetic controls and that when FM patients were given metformin, half had complete resolution of their pain.
Monocyte Patrolling Contributes to Lupus Glomerulonephritis
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a propensity to develop glomerulonephritis (47-70%) or end-stage kidney disease despite therapy.
Denosumab Protects Against RA Erosions
Combining denosumab (Prolia) with a conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) such as methotrexate showed promise for slowing radiographic damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a manufacturer-sponsored phase III trial called DESIRABLE found.
CDC: One in Four US Adults have Arthritis
MMWR reports that in 2017, one in four US adults have arthritis (range from 22.8% to 34.6%), with higher rates in Appalachia and Lower Mississippi Valley regions. Of those with arthritis, 31% reported to have "severe arthritis".
RheumNow Podcast – DESIREABLE Results (5.3.19)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the latest journal articles and rheumatology news from the past week on RheumNow.com:
Nonadherence is Costly for Patients in Pain
A comparative cohort study of patients with osteoarthritis (OA), gout, diabetic peripheral neuropathy (pDPN), post-herpetic neuralgia (PHN), and fibromyalgia (FM) shows that nonadherence to pain medications is high and leads to greater overall health care resource utilization and costs.
Ideal Outcomes are Seldom Achieved in Gout
Studies from a cohort of gout patients in Mexico shows that long-term goals of a target serum urate (sUA) 6 mg/dL and remission are rare, especially for those with severe gout.
Omega-3 Rich Fish Lowers Gout Flares
Boston researchers have shown that consumption of fish rich in omega‐3 polyunsaturated fatty acids (n‐3 PUFA) leads to a lower risk of recurrent gout flares.
FDA Adds Boxed Warning to Sleep Drugs
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) added a Boxed Warning to several sleep medications (e.g., eszopiclone, zaleplon, and zolpidem), warning rare but serious injuries may occur as a result of abnormal sleep behaviors (sleepwalking, sleep driving, and engaging in other activities while not
High GPA Hospital Readmission Rates
A national database reveals that patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) have 22.3% risk of hospital readmissions within 30 days of discharge.
From a total of 9749 hospital admissions with GPA, there were 2173 readmissions within 30 days of discharge.
New ACR/AF Guidelines on JIA Polyarthritis and Uveitis
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Arthritis Foundation (AF) have released two guidelines on management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).
