How do inflammatory pathways strain the cardiovascular system? Dr. Mark Gorelik provided insights into the inflammatory processes that influence heart recovery after myocardial infarction, Kawasaki disease, multi-system inflammatory syndrome in children and more.
Polymyositis-Dermatomyositis Tied to Arrhythmias in Young, Middle-Aged Adults
(Reuters Health)—Young and middle-aged adults with polymyositis-dermatomyositis are more likely to have arrhythmias in general, and supraventricular arrhythmias in particular, than matched controls without these rare rheumatic conditions, a U.S. study suggests.1 Researchers examined retrospective data on adults hospitalized between 2016 and 2018, including 32,085 patients with polymyositis-dermatomyositis and 320,850 age-matched controls. Overall, both women…
Sarcoidosis in the Spotlight: Screening, Treatment & More Insights into Sarcoidosis
An expert discussed the screening and treatment of sarcoidosis and drug-induced sarcoidosis-like reactions during the 2021 ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium.
Myositis & the Heart: New Perspectives on the Pathogenesis & Management of Cardiac Involvement in Myositis
Experts discuss the diagnosis and treatment of myositis-related cardiovascular disease.
3 U.S. Children with COVID-19 Have Rare Inflammatory Syndrome
CHICAGO (Reuters)—Three U.S. children infected with the coronavirus are being treated for a rare inflammatory syndrome that appears similar to one that has raised concerns by doctors in Britain, Italy and Spain, a specialist treating the patients told Reuters. All three—who range in age from 6 months to 8 years—have undergone treatment at Columbia University…
Myocardial Inflammation Associated with RA Disease Activity
Introduction: Heart failure, a key contributor to cardiovascular disease (CVD) morbidity and mortality, is associated with fewer symptoms and higher (preserved) ejection fraction, but higher mortality rates, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients than among those in the general population. In the general population, higher levels of circulating proinflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF)…
FDA Rejects Novartis Bid to Repurpose Inflammation Drug for Heart Attacks
ZURICH (Reuters)—The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has rejected Novartis’s bid to repurpose a drug now approved for rare inflammatory diseases to be used in a group of heart attack survivors, according to the Swiss drugmaker. The company received an FDA letter turning down its bid to make canakinumab a targeted therapy for those…
Cardiovascular Disease Rate Differs Between SLE Patients of Different Races, Ethnicities
A recent epidemiologic study of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) investigated racial and ethnic differences in the risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD). Among SLE patients enrolled in Medicaid, the risk for myocardial infarction (MI) was lower in Hispanics and Asians compared with whites, and the risk of stroke was higher in blacks and Hispanics…
FDA Update: Romosozumab’s Uncertain Future; Plus Tocilizumab Approved for GCA
Due to possible heart-related side effects, romosozumab is no longer expected to be approved this year for the treatment of osteoporosis…
NSAIDs Increase MI Risk; Plus New Label Warnings for Canagliflozin
NSAIDs Increase Myocardial Infarction Risk According a recent meta-analysis of real-world non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use, NSAIDs may increase the risk of acute myocardial infarction (AMI). The analysis used individual patient data meta-analysis of studies from healthcare databases in Canada, Finland and the U.K. to determine the time course for risk of AMI, as well…