The edition · Rheumatology
Scleroderma PAH: staying on early therapy linked to lower mortality
A EUSTAR analysis finds patients with systemic sclerosis–associated PAH who stayed on initial therapy had lower mortality and progression; CAR T recommendations for autoimmune disease are updated; a probiotic did not help psoriatic arthritis; and a seven-variable model flags proliferative lupus nephritis.
The edition in brief
A EUSTAR registry analysis of 301 treatment-naive patients with systemic sclerosis–associated pulmonary arterial hypertension found only a third with milder haemodynamics were started on therapy; in as-treated analyses, sustained monotherapy (HR 0.50) and combination therapy (HR 0.40) were associated with lower mortality, though intention-to-treat analyses showed no association. The EBMT-ISCT-JACIE consensus on CAR T cells for autoimmune disease has been updated for 2026, covering patient selection, investigation, management and monitoring across rheumatic, neurological and other indications. A randomised trial of 66 patients with psoriatic arthritis found a multispecies probiotic did no better than placebo (43% vs 65% response). A multicentre model using seven routine variables identified proliferative lupus nephritis with an AUC of 0.895 on external validation. The FDA recorded a supplement to the etanercept biologics licence, an administrative action.
CAR T cells for autoimmune disease: 2026 consensus update
Use the 2026 consensus to identify which refractory patients might be candidates for CAR T referral, and what work-up to prepare.
A seven-variable model flags proliferative lupus nephritis without biopsy
Worth considering as a stop-gap risk estimate when biopsy is not possible; it does not replace histology.
A probiotic did not improve psoriatic arthritis activity
Tell patients asking about probiotics for psoriatic arthritis that a randomised trial found no benefit.
FDA records a supplement to the etanercept licence
No change to practice from this notice.
Screen for pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis every year
Annual DLCO, NT-proBNP and echo in every systemic sclerosis patient catch PAH before it is advanced.
Systemic sclerosis–associated PAH: staying on initial therapy linked to better survival
Consider discussing treatment for systemic sclerosis–associated PAH even at milder haemodynamic thresholds, and support patients to stay on therapy.
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