Focus Rheums| ACR Convergence 2024 Previews

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Treating IBD with Anti-TNF Tied to Higher Risk of Demyelinating Disease

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Treating inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors is associated with a doubling of the risk of central nervous system demyelinating disease, researchers from Denmark report. “Based on the current evidence anti-TNF should be used cautiously in patients with an own or family history of demyelinating disease,” Dr. Nynne…

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Have More Severe ACS, Poorer Outcomes

Shannon Aymes  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with more-severe acute coronary syndrome and poorer outcomes, according to a new study. “We found that despite the well-researched increased risk of acute coronary events (ACS) in RA, that there was almost no existing data describing clinical characteristics and outcomes of RA- and non-RA patients with ACS,”…

Unwelcome News about Medicare’s Rising Drug Plan Costs

Mark Miller  |  

CHICAGO (Reuters)—Seniors have received some unpleasant news in their mailboxes in recent weeks: premiums for many Medicare prescription drug insurance plans will rise at double-digit rates next year. Premiums for the ten most popular Medicare Part D prescription drug plans (PDPs) will rise an average of 8 percent next year—the fastest clip in five years,…

Bone Loss Common in Suspected Spondyloarthritis

David Douglas  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—More than 40% of patients with early inflammatory back pain suggestive of axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) show bone loss over the course of two years, according to French researchers. SpA is known to be associated with bone loss at the spine and the hip and an increased risk of vertebral fractures. To investigate…

Psoriasis Tied to Increased Risk of Major Depression

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—People with psoriasis are twice as likely as others to have major depression, according to data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES). In earlier work, psoriasis has been linked to depression, anxiety and substance abuse. Studies have shown that both depression and psoriasis are associated with cardiovascular disease, which…

Immunotherapy May Be Effective for Some Patients with Autoimmune Cerebellar Ataxia

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Immunotherapy appears to yield neurological improvements in some patients with autoimmune cerebellar ataxia, especially those with nonparaneoplastic disorders, researchers report. “I was surprised that so many patients responded to immunotherapy (steroids, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIg), and plasma exchange) and remained ambulatory,” Dr. Andrew McKeon from Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minn., told Reuters Health…

Tabalumab Modestly Effective in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus

Will Boggs, MD  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Tabalumab, a monoclonal antibody to B-cell activating factor, was modestly better than placebo in relieving symptoms of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to results from the ILLUMINATE-2 trial. “Lupus is a complicated disease that does not behave the same way in all patients who share the clinical symptoms,” Dr. Joan T. Merrill…

Biotechs Extend Selloff as Pricing Concerns Intensify

Caroline Valetkevitch & Bill Berkrot  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters)—U.S. biotech shares extended their recent downward spiral on Tuesday as concerns about drug pricing continued to plague the sector while disappointing news from Illumina and other companies added to selling pressure. The Nasdaq Biotechnology index, down 4%, has now fallen about 17% since just before Hillary Clinton, front-runner to be the Democratic nominee…

Complex Patients More Likely to Switch from Medicare Advantage

Andrew M. Seaman  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Medicare Advantage plans might not be meeting the needs of patients requiring the costliest and most complex levels of care, a new study suggests. Between 2010 and 2011, such patients were more likely to switch from Medicare Advantage plans to traditional Medicare, rather than vice versa, researchers found. The results suggest people…