Rheum Roundup: Switching PsA Medication, Exercise for RA, AI for Hip Fracture, and More

Patients taking a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) for their psoriatic arthritis (PsA) who are considering switching their medication may be better off switching to another TNFi versus a non-TNFi. The study found this course of treatment was associated with better financial outcomes and longer adherence to treatment. 

Researchers recently used artificial intelligence to help diagnose hip fracture. While the study results were successful, the authors note that deep learning does not come without controversy. 

Alternative therapies are becoming increasingly more popular, but do they work? Here, DocWire reviews what the literature says about yoga and tai chi in various forms of arthritis. 

A second biosimilar for etanercept (ENBREL, Amgen) has won the Food and Drug Administration’s approval. ETICOVO (etanercept-ykro), manufactured by Samsung Bioepis, is indicated to treat a host of rheumatic diseases. 

Psoriasis patients had a low rate of discontinuation of secukinumab in a recent trial. Among those who did stop treatment, the most common reason was loss of efficacy. 

Researchers found that the European League Against Rheumatism response criteria may overestimate how RA patients respond to treatment with interleukin-6 inhibitors. 

Body weight may not impact efficacy and safety of sarilumab in RA patients. 

Compared to healthy controls, patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have increased arterial stiffness. Other factors, including age and cumulative organ damage, correlated with arterial stiffness. 

After five years, most SLE patients presenting with anginal chest pain still had persistent chest pain. Almost half still had persistent or worsening myocardial perfusion consistent with coronary microvascular dysfunction without coronary artery disease.