In lupus, glucocorticoid exposure over the past one to three years carried the organ damage risk

The edition in brief

A Swedish register study of 3,749 patients with newly diagnosed lupus found that the increased risk of first organ damage with oral glucocorticoids was well captured by dosing over the previous two years (adjusted HR 1.42 per 5 mg/day, 95% CI 1.31 to 1.53) and fairly well by the previous year (1.34), while cardiovascular damage depended on dose over the past three years. A phase 3 MRI sub-analysis of 102 patients with radiographic axial spondyloarthritis on bimekizumab showed lower spinal inflammation sustained to week 104 with minimal change in erosions and new bone. In 165 patients with lupus nephritis, antimalarial use was not associated with differences in biopsy activity, chronicity or fibrosis scores. A feasibility trial of anakinra versus intramuscular methylprednisolone in 21 patients with gout and kidney disease missed its recruitment target and cannot show efficacy.