
Show Notes
Today I'll be reading one of my recent newsletters! It's kind of a fun run-down of my anti-azathioprine stance. As I say in the piece, some patients may benefit from azathioprine and I am not saying it is an entirely useless drug or that nobody should ever prescribe it. Rather, I am just saying that it is likely the worst option for nearly every indication for which it could be prescribed. Please subscribe AND JOIN my newsletter if you would like to support my writing and podcasting! https://t.co/RIzRvWnSfv
More from The Evidence Based Rheumatology Podcast
A new therapy for SLE! This one is a CD40-CD40L blocker, which has some nice new-things to inhibit. The study itself was a qualified success and the podcast got a bit more rant-y than it should have been, but hopefully you get a kick out of it. Paper: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00691-4/fulltext
Another day, another B cell drug. This one adds an interesting option for IgG4-RD, offering a "maybe less efficacious maybe less toxic" pathway. I could see folks being excited for this, especially in a disease where non-scary-manifestations are relatively common. Also, check out boardsbank.com! Paper: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2601337
Big trial this week in the NEJM investigating the IL17 inhibitor secukinumab in PMR. Well worth a read, I would bet on FDA approval in the near future. Some interesting tidbits and of course a weird safety thing we now have to grapple with. Be sure to go to boardsbank.com! Free rheumatology board review, >1000 questions! Paper: https://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJMoa2602567
Really interesting study this week comparing the IL17 inhibitor ixekizumab WITH the GLP1 inhibitor tirzepatide to ixekizumab alone. Raises some interesting questions about what worked here and whether or not it matters how it worked.
Great trial this week looking at brepocitinib in dermatomyositis. Looks like a winner, expect it will be approved. Where it fits in our approach to IIM is an open question, but nice to have another option. Study: https://www.nejm.org/doi/10.1056/NEJMoa2503531 JC Companion: https://autoimmunedevreport.substack.com/