Rheumatology

Which factors predict progression from discoid lupus to severe SLE?

14 Mar 2023

A diagnosis of discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) at age 25 years or below, phototype V to VI, and antinuclear antibody titers of ≥1:320 are significantly associated with the development of severe systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study.

Short-term risk of certain cancers similar in RA, PsA patients treated with JAK, TNF inhibitors

12 Mar 2023

For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA), initiation of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor treatment does not carry a higher short-term risk of cancer, with the exception of nonmelanoma skin cancer (NMSC), as compared with initiation of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) including tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors, according to a study.

Deucravacitinib bestows benefits in Asian patients with plaque psoriasis

Roshini Claire Anthony, 04 Oct 2022

The benefit of deucravacitinib in moderate to severe plaque psoriasis was demonstrated in a population of Asian patients, according to results of the phase III POETYK PSO-3 trial.

Baricitinib delays, lowers frequency of flares in JIA

Roshini Claire Anthony, 23 Jun 2022

In patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) with insufficient response to conventional synthetic (cs) or biologic (b) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), the JAK*1/2 selective inhibitor baricitinib reduced the frequency and delayed time to disease flares, according to a phase III trial presented at EULAR 2022.

Bimekizumab triumphs in bDMARD-naïve psoriatic arthritis patients

Roshini Claire Anthony, 20 Jun 2022

Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) with no prior exposure to biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) experience improvements in their condition when treated with bimekizumab, according to results of the phase III BE OPTIMAL trial.

Bimekizumab shows promise across the spectrum of axial spondyloarthritis

Elaine Soliven, 18 Jun 2022

Treatment with bimekizumab, a monoclonal IgG1 antibody that selectively inhibits interleukin (IL)-17F and IL-17A, significantly improved ASAS40* response rate in patients with either nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) or ankylosing spondylitis (AS**), according to two phase III studies presented at EULAR 2022.

JAK inhibition with upadacitinib works well in nr-axSpA

Elvira Manzano, 16 Jun 2022

Treatment with upadacitinib improves disease activity, pain, function, and quality of life (QoL) in patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) in a study touted as the first to evaluate a Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor for this condition.

Sarilumab shows potential for relapsing polymyalgia rheumatica

Audrey Abella, 15 Jun 2022

The monoclonal antibody sarilumab demonstrated significant efficacy in individuals with relapsing polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR), findings from the phase III SAPHYR trial have shown.