Rheumatoid Arthritis News

Janus kinase inhibitors are associated with numerical, but not statistically significant, risks for adverse cardiovascular events and malignancy, according to a presenter at the 2021 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology-West.

While the 2021 American College of Rheumatology rheumatoid arthritis recommendations improved over the 2015 document, understanding the weaknesses and limitations of the most recent iteration can be beneficial, according to a presenter here.

In a disturbing repeat of last year’s run on hydroxychloroquine, U.S. health care systems are scrambling to maintain tocilizumab access for rheumatology patients following the drug’s emergency use authorization for COVID-19 and the surge in delta variant cases.

Olokizumab is associated with significant improvements in rheumatoid arthritis signs, symptoms and physical function in patients with inadequate response to methotrexate, according to data published in the Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases.

COVID-19 mortality was not increased in patients on immunosuppressive biologics, according to a study.

Patients with rheumatic diseases who were pregnant at the time of developing COVID-19 demonstrated favorable pregnancy and infection outcomes, according to data published in The Journal of Rheumatology.

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis who achieved greater response with tofacitinib do so regardless of whether methotrexate was added to therapy or not, according to data published in Arthritis Research & Therapy.

Parental smoking during childhood is potentially associated with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis later in life, according to data published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.

Updated evidence “strongly supports” ending the use of hydroxychloroquine for either preventing or treating COVID-19, due to a lack of benefits combined with potentially fatal cardiovascular complications, according to a meta-analysis.

Providers should consider nonpharmacologic therapies, including exercise, education and psychological and self-management interventions, in cases of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis, according to new EULAR “points to consider.”