Jack Cush

This year at ACR24, the RheumNow faculty and reporters were prolific, generating >800 Tweets, 56 written articles, 117 Videos and 28 podcasts – all in 4 days! You can best review and learn ACR 2024 by A) Rheumatology Roundup; b) TOPIC Panel podcasts; and c) Topic podcasts.

A recent article from BMC Global Health suggests that between 2011 and 2020, the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya, has disabled millions and likely amassed close to $50 billion in healthcare and disability-related costs in 110 countries.

While adult rheumatology fellowships have surged in popularity and become quite competitive, more than half of pediatric rheumatology fellowship positions went unfilled in 2024, according to the National Resident Matching Program (NRMP).

A Spanish retrospective registry study of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) found that 3-4 years after diagnosis, only 21% of patients with GCA successfully reached the sustained drug-free remission (SDFR), But if SDFR was achieved, the likelihood of experiencing recurrence was low.

A total of 356 HOA patients (83% female, mean 60 years) were enrolled from the Hand OSTeoArthritis in Secondary care (HOSTAS) cohort. Outcomes were assessed using annual Australian/Canadian hand osteoarthritis index (AUSCAN) pain subscale (range 0-20) measurements. Pain changes were categorized as deterioration, stable and improvement using the Minimal Clinical Important Improvement (MCII).

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com

A Spanish Collaborative Group study of Tocilizumab (TCZ) in Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) demonstrated high efficacy regardless of the different vascular phenotypes treated.

Dr. Madelaine Feldman has written an important commentary on the 340B Drug Pricing Program, a safety-net program that would allow vulnerable populations to receive expensive new therapies. But she points out that this "this well-intentioned program has strayed from its original purpose", allowing certain hopsitals and for-profit pharmacies to exploit the program. She points out, "What was once a program to uplift underserved communities now risks becoming a case study in how good intentions can go astray without accountability".

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients not responding to usual dosing with secukinumab (150 mg) after 16 weeks were dose escalated to secukinumab (SEC) 300 mg, but failed to show improvement by week 52.