Research from Choi et al. provides insights into the risk of infection in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), comparing patients treated with Janus kinase inhibitors vs. tumor necrosis inhibitors. The most frequent infection was herpes zoster, with patients treated with JAK inhibitors having a significantly greater risk of herpes zoster infection than those treated with TNF inhibitors.
Biosimilars have become a therapeutic turning point for many patients who are living with rheumatic illnesses. Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a complex, multi-faceted chronic inflammatory musculoskeletal and skin disease where the treatment has changed considerably over the past few years. Psoriatic arthritis has an impact on about 30% of people with psoriasis.1 In 2019, the…
The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. (CPD) launched in January 2022 to distribute and home deliver prescribed generic medications to consumers. The Texas-based business seeks to reduce the prices of generic drugs by leapfrogging financial negotiators and going straight to drug companies for supply, according to a news release.1 “It’s crazy that medications are…
On Feb. 3, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) revised its Letters of Authorization for two emergency use authorizations (EUAs), Paxlovid and Lagevrio, to remove the requirement for positive test results to prescribe these drugs. The agency continues to recommend that providers use direct SARS-CoV-2 viral testing to help diagnose COVID-19. The FDA recognizes…
Sarilumab is now FDA approved to treat adults with polymyalgia rheumatica who have had an inadequate response to glucocorticoids or who cannot tolerate a glucocorticoid taper. This new indication is based on results from the multicenter, phase 3 SAPHYR trial.
Adami et al. examined the fracture risk associated with glucocorticoid treatment in women with inflammatory rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases, finding that low-dose glucocorticoid use may result in significant bone mineral density loss in patients who are not on anti-osteoporotic drugs.
The ACR recently released its first guideline focused on vaccination in adult and pediatric patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.1 The guideline recommends modifications to certain vaccine and medication schedules to increase immunogenicity and ensure patient safety, while encouraging providers not to miss vaccination opportunities. The Need Patients with rheumatic conditions who are on immunosuppressive…
First described in 1888, polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is a chronic inflammatory condition that almost exclusively affects individuals older than 50.1 Until this week, no therapies for PMR had been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA).2 Tuesday, Sanofi announced sarilumab (Kevzara) has been approved by the U.S. Food & Drug Administration for the…
Research by Chicre et al. found that Janus kinase inhibitors may significantly increase the risk of major adverse cardiac events and all-cause death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) when compared with other RA treatments. This study highlights the need for more comparative safety studies.
Van der Meulen et al. found the use of both systemic and inhaled glucocorticoids is associated with changes in several brain imaging parameters, including decreased white matter integrity and gray matter volume. Study patients also reported more depressive symptoms and tiredness than controls.