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RheumNow Week in Review - Do you Dig Shingrix? (4.6.2018)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Highlights includes manpower shortfalls, comorbidities in AA Lupus, certolizumab pregnancy safety, which Shingles vaccine is best and the power of combination biologics in severe refractory  SLE.

"Breakthrough" Drug Designation by the FDA

The current issue of the NEJM reviews the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) “breakthrough therapy” designation that was introduced in 2012 to expedite testing and approval of medications that were intended to treat serious or life-threatening conditions.  This status is granted when prelimi

SynBioSe: Combo Rituximab and Belimumab Succeeds in Severe Refractory Lupus

One of the driving pathogenic mechanisms in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is the generation of immune complexes capable of inducing netosis (NET formation) and NET-derived DNA that may be an amplifying autoantigen and give rise to anti-nuclear autoantibodies (ANAs). 

Increased Comorbidity Burden in Lupus African Americans

Researchers from Vanderbilt University Medical Center used electronic health records (EHR) to perform a phenome-wide study comparing African American (AA-SLE) and Caucasian (C-SLE) with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and found more comorbidities in AA-SLE, especially renal, cardiovascular, an

ACR Projects Significant Manpower Shortages for 2030

Arthritis & Rheumatology has published the results of the 2015 Workforce Study of Rheumatology Specialists, and estimates a current shortage (demand > supply) of 700 (12.9%) full-time rheumatologists and that this deficit will worsen (102%) to 4133 FTE by 2030.

Apremilast in DMARD-Naive Psoriatic Arthritis

Apremilast (Otezla) monotherapy was effective for psoriatic arthritis among patients who had not previously received disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) or biologics, a phase III clinical trial funded by the drug's manufacturer found. 

Defining Refractory Rheumatoid Arthritis

Dr. Maya Buch from Leeds has a thoughtful Viewpoint article in Annals of Rheumatic Disease on how to consider and manage the refractory or difficult rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient.

Favorable Certolizumab Safety Profile in Pregnancy

Clowse and colleagues have published an extensive review of the certolizumab pegol (CZP) in pregnancy database, and found no evidence that CZP has a teratogenic effect or contributes to fetal harm when compared to the general population. 

Uveitis in JIA: Screen All, Treat Early

A European group of experts has formulated consensus-based recommendations for the treatment of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA)-associated uveitis, focusing on screening, monitoring, and treatment of this potentially devastating extra-articular manifestation of JIA.

RheumNow Week in Review -The Temporal Artery Biopsy Letdown (4.6.2018)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. News on the cost of RA care, infections on planes, CV events and Sacroiliitis in IBD, NXP-2 antibodies and calcinosis and rituximab in myositis ILD patients.

IL-6 Inhibition Most Effective in Polycyclic Systemic JIA

The German Autoinflammatory Disease (AID) registry has studied the effects of the IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ) in systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) patients and shown a clinical response rate of 35% during the first 12 weeks, and inactive disease and/or remission (with medication)

Rituximab May Halt ILD in Antisynthetase Syndrome Myositis

A multicenter study assessed patients with the antisynthetase syndrome (AS) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) and found that rituximab (RTX) therapy was associated with either improved or stable pulmonary outcomes in most. 

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