Methotrexate

Adalimumab, with or without methotrexate, is well-tolerated over a period of at least 7 years among most children with polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis, according to data published Arthritis Care & Research.

Methotrexate may be used as a third-line therapy for treating chronic spontaneous urticaria, but it was not superior to placebo added to H1-antihistamines, according to a research letter in the Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology.

Atopic dermatitis, one of the most common inflammatory skin conditions, begins in many patients by age 1 year, according to the American Academy of Dermatology. Globally, an estimated one in five children is affected by the disease. The prevalence is higher among children in developed countries, including the United States, and it may be increasing, researchers suggest.

The FDA has approved upadacitinib, a 15-mg, once-daily oral JAK inhibitor, for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis among patients who have had an inadequate response to methotrexate, according to an AbbVie press release.

In a landmark FDA approval, AbbVie’s upadacitinib has won the race to enter the drug market as the third JAK inhibitor approved for the treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis, with the drug expected to be available in the United States within the month.

Although most pediatric rheumatologists agree with published consensus treatment plans – and with each other regarding tapering steroids – for systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, there is considerable disagreement related to tapering decisions for other drugs, according to survey data published in Pediatric Rheumatology.

Based on the available literature, the American Academy of Dermatology and the National Psoriasis Foundation published joint guidelines on ultraviolet light-based therapies for the treatment of psoriasis.

A 77-year-old white woman presented to the emergency department with worsening floaters and decreased vision in the left eye. She reported that she initially noticed floaters in the left eye 6 months ago, but over the past few months, the floaters had turned brown and coalesced to form a dark cloud. Her husband also noticed new right-hand clumsiness and word-finding difficulties for the past 3 days. She denied fevers, chills, weight loss and shortness of breath.