New Polymyalgia Rheumatica Treatment; Genetic Treatment for Hypercholesterolemia

This week on TTHealthWatch, the topics include a genetic treatment for high cholesterol, cannabis and hyperemesis syndrome, reducing the risk of dementia, and a new anti-inflammatory treatment for polymyalgia rheumatica.

Polymyalgia rheumatica is a second most common idiopathic inflammatory rheumatic disease affecting people over 50, predominantly women. It causes severe pain and stiffness in the back, shoulders, and pelvic girdle. Steroids are typically used for treatment, but many patients experience recurrence despite steroid therapy. A new treatment called secukinumab, an anti-inflammatory antibody targeting interleukin-17A, was tested on 381 patients with recurrent polymyalgia rheumatica.

Those who received secukinumab were twice as likely to discontinue steroids and achieve complete remission of symptoms within 12 weeks, with remission lasting an additional 40 weeks.

A new diagnosis code for cannabis hyperemesis syndrome, characterized by cyclical nausea and vomiting associated with frequent cannabis use, has led to a nearly fourfold increase in emergency department visits involving the condition. The increase was particularly pronounced among younger individuals, females, and certain demographic groups. However, some skepticism remains regarding the cause of the increase, as it may be attributed to the change in the ICD-10 diagnosis code rather than a genuine rise in the condition.