The Johns Hopkins Lupus Center, Baltimore, has described its experience using hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) levels.1 Forty-four percent of its patients had levels below 500 ng/mL (partial nonadherence); 13% were severely nonadherent (<200 ng/mL). They were shown their results and educated on HCQ adherence. Adherence then improved to 80%; those with lower HCQ levels had higher disease…
ACR representatives updated members on recent insurance issues…
As a veteran rheumatologist, I remember the clinical trials of etanercept’s (Enbrel’s) efficacy. And when the drug was first approved in 1998, I participated in those clinical trials and realized the effectiveness was astonishing. It was easy to tell which patients were treated with etanercept vs. those who received placebo, even though both groups were…
When insurance company practices put patients at risk, advocacy is an important tool physicians can use to make a real difference. You can make a difference.
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Ultrasound guidance does not improve the effectiveness of treat-to-target therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), new findings confirm. “Incorporating ultrasound information in treatment decisions did not lead to reduced MRI inflammation or less structural damage compared with a conventional treatment strategy,” Dr. Ulf Sundin of Diakonhjemmet Hospital, Oslo, and colleagues write in Rheumatology….
In a phase 3, comparator study in adults with plaque psoriasis, patients taking
risankizumab achieved greater skin clearance than those taking secukinumab…
(Reuters Health)—Almost half of U.S. adults with private health insurance are not visiting primary care providers for routine care or sick visits, a new study suggests. Between 2008 and 2016, the number of annual primary care visits for every 100 people with private health insurance declined by 22%, from 169.5 to 134.3, the study found….
Researchers suggest antiviral therapy is not appropriate for patients with GCA, based on their study findings and related research…
A rare form of large vessel vasculitis, Takayasu arteritis persents with no clear patterns, with patients experiencing vascular symptoms, as well as such systemic symptoms as fever and weight loss. A systematic literature review found evidence to guide rheumatologists in monitoring and treating their patients with Takayasu arteritis…
Upadacitinib will soon be available to treat patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis in Canada and the E.U…