The European Commission approved tofacitinib citrate to treat two pediatric conditions, as well as a prolonged-release version of the medication designed to treat adults with active PsA.

The European Commission approved tofacitinib citrate to treat two pediatric conditions, as well as a prolonged-release version of the medication designed to treat adults with active PsA.
In June, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) issued an emergency use authorization (EUA) for tocilizumab (Actemra) for treatment of hospitalized COVID-19 adults and children who are receiving systemic corticosteroids and supplemental oxygen. Since this announcement, the tocilizumab manufacturer, Genentech, has not been able to produce enough product to meet the higher demand. The…
Elizabeth Sloan, MD |
PRSYM—At the 2021 Pediatric Rheumatology Symposium (PRSYM), a session on lupus provided a robust discussion of recent advances in lupus treatments and genetic discoveries in pediatric rheumatology. Lupus Nephritis The first speaker was Shaun Jackson, MD, PhD, a pediatric nephrologist and rheumatologist and associate professor at Seattle Children’s. His presentation focused on state-of-the-art treatments in…
Research has shown voclosporin in combination with MMF and low-dose steroids benefits patients with lupus nephritis, significantly increasing the speed of remission. New data from an ongoing extension study demonstrate a positive risk/benefit profile.
At a recent ACR town hall, panelists described immune responses and side effects of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with rheumatic disease, along with ways to leverage monoclonal antibody treatments, especially in light of virus variants.
Kimberly Steinbarger, PT, MHS, DHSc, & Saba Mohiuddin, PharmD, BCACP |
In the early 1900s, the treatment for rheumatic and musculoskeletal disease (RMD) was primarily targeted at symptomatic relief and included analgesics, physical therapy, splinting and bed rest. With the discovery of methotrexate and its impact on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management, a much-needed evolution of medications targeting disease activity began. Over the past 30 years, several…
With a large percentage of the U.S. population unsure whether they will get vaccinated against COVID-19, rheumatology patients remain vulnerable. On May 13, the ACR hosted a virtual town hall highlighting ways rheumaÂtology providers might effectively approach their patients who have not yet decided to get a COVID-19 vaccine. Get the Slow Yes At the…
On May 6, the U.S. Food & Drug Administration’s (FDA’s) Arthritis Advisory Committee narrowly voted in support of avacopan, a C5a receptor inhibitor, for the treatment of adult patients with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis. Although the panelists were excited about the possibility of a steroid-sparing therapy, some raised questions about whether results from…
Ibrahem Salloum, MD, & Deepan S. Dalal, MD, MPH |
Discovered more than 3,000 years ago, colchicine is one of the oldest drugs still in use today. Like most old remedies, colchicine is a chemical substance found in many plants, most notably in colchicum autumnale, known as wild saffron or autumn crocus. It was mentioned in the oldest Egyptian medical text, Ebers Papyrus (circa 1550…
Lee et al. examined the use of a smartphone application to monitor longitudinal electronic patient-reported outcomes on satisfaction and disease activity in patients with RA.