Researchers have developed the ILD-RISC score, which has the potential to predict the development of interstitial lung disease in patients with systemic sclerosis.

A monthly selection of topical peer-reviewed articles from the Adis journals, curated by the editors.

The age- and sex-adjusted overall incidence of dermatomyositis was 1.1 per 100,000 person–years, the equivalent of 2858 new cases each year in the USA, report Vanessa Kronzer (Mayo Clinic, Rochester, Minnesota, USA) and co-authors.

The findings showed that 102 patients would need to be treated with statins for 1 year to prevent one CVD event and 42 to prevent one death, while 127 patients would need to be treated with statins for 1 year for a new diagnosis of type 2 diabetes to occur.

Patients with new-onset lupus nephritis may be more likely to achieve a complete renal response if initially given a higher dose of prednisone than currently recommended, findings indicate.

The need for new therapies   Morand is optimistic that if approved, anifrolumab will help to address a large unmet need for new SLE therapies, with only one agent – belimumab – approved for the condition in the past 50 years.

Step-by-step guides and peer-reviewed journal articles that provide healthcare professionals with concise approaches to managing diseases and symptoms arising from rheumatic diseases.

Clinical practice highlights that underscore important best practice messages, report on unusual adverse effects or describe presentations of rheumatic diseases and their complications.

Practitioner-authored vignettes that provide new insights and reflections on clinical practice and care of patients with rheumatic diseases.

Malachi McKenna declares the following relationships: Advisory Board honoraria : UCB Pharma in December 2018

Malachi McKenna declares the following relationships: Advisory Board honoraria : UCB Pharma in December 2018

Explain the risks of long-term bisphosphonate therapy Identify which patients are suitable for a drug holiday Compare bisphosphonates with denosumab, and explain why denosumab should not be followed by a drug holiday

Patients with inflammatory arthritis have an increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk The increasing role of traditional CVD risk factors There is an urgent need for optimization of CVD risk management Addressing multimorbidity in patients with arthritis

The EMA has issued new precautions for the avoidance of dosing errors when using methotrexate for the treatment of inflammatory disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and psoriasis.

Understand the importance of early diagnosis and treatment of psoriatic arthritis. Describe screening tools for identifying patients who already have psoriatic arthritis. Describe screening tools for identifying patients .who are at risk of developing psoriatic arthritis.

Furthermore, the effect sizes for some of the doses tested were “substantially greater than those reported with acetaminophen, opioids, and some NSAIDs [nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs],” Gregory Geba (Regeneron Pharmaceuticals, Tarrytown, New York, USA) and co-authors report in Arthritis & Rheumatology .

Editorial Board member Fernando Pérez-Ruiz summarizes the key changes in the 2018 updated EULAR recommendations for the diagnosis of gout.

Some new recommendations have been incorporated, some have been modified, and some have been removed.