The first report of patients with rheumatic diseases and SARS-CoV2 infection in Italy suggests that people treated with biologic or targeted synthetic DMARDs may not be at increased risk for severe complications from COVID-19.
Rheumatologists highlight that more research needs to be carried out before chloroquine and hydroxychloroquine can be recommended for the treatment of COVID-19, and emphasize the need for adequate supplies of these agents for people with rheumatic diseases.
Immunocompromised patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases who receive the influenza vaccine have a reduced risk for respiratory-related diseases, according to a longitudinal study published in Rheumatology.
EULAR has announced the launch of a European pediatric and adult registry to monitor the outcomes of patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases who develop COVID-19.
Non-methotrexate conventional synthetic csDMARDs may be “efficient alternatives” to methotrexate for using in combination with biologics for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, researchers report.
Findings from the TARGET trial suggest that weight-bearing and non-weight-bearing exercise result in similar improvements in pain and function among obese people with medial knee osteoarthritis, but the latter is associated with better quality of life and fewer adverse events.
The COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance, an international registry for reporting cases of COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic diseases, has launched.
Research indicates that tumor necrosis factor inhibitor treatment is associated with an increased risk for developing neuroinflammatory disease in patients with psoriatic arthritis or ankylosing spondyloarthritis, but not in those with rheumatoid arthritis.
Preliminary findings from a small open-label study suggest that repurposing hydroxychloroquine – an antimalarial agent and DMARD – may be a feasible strategy for COVID-19 that merits further investigation.
Reducing tumor necrosis factor inhibitor dose below the standard level does not appear to benefit patients with axial spondyloarthritis, shows a meta-analysis of randomized controlled trials.
A number of factors, including the need for mechanical ventilation, central nervous system involvement, and length of stay, are significant predictors for mortality risk among rheumatology patients admitted to intensive care units, researchers report.
Preliminary data point to the utility of magnetic resonance imaging for the early diagnosis of immune checkpoint inhibitor-induced inflammatory arthritis in cancer patients.
The strongest predictors of smoking cessation among people with rheumatoid arthritis are healthcare system-related rather than sociodemographic, US research suggests.
Multiple factors, such as functional ability and treatment response, influence the likelihood of job loss and absenteeism by patients with rheumatoid arthritis who are treated with methotrexate or biologic DMARDs, study findings indicate.
Golimumab slows radiographic progression in patients with psoriatic arthritis, regardless of the extent of disease activity achieved or the composite index used to measure it, GO-VIBRANT study data show.
Findings from a systematic review and meta-analysis suggest that biologic use during pregnancy may be linked to an increased risk for maternal and neonatal adverse outcomes, but some associations lose significance after adjustment for confounding factors.