Patient-Friendly News You Can Use: September

In this edition, we cover new treatment options and important health insights. Learn about the FDA’s approval of new treatments for psoriatic arthritis (PsA), spondyloarthritis, and eczema, plus a self-management toolkit for rheumatic diseases.

We’ll also highlight research linking abdominal fat to chronic pain and share encouraging news about improved osteoporosis rates in RA patients. Finally, discover how your daily coffee might benefit your heart and help prevent diabetes.

FDA Approves BIMZELX for Psoriatic Arthritis and Spondyloarthritis Conditions

If you’re living with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA ), or ankylosing spondylitis (AS), there’s a new treatment option to know about. UCB has announced that the FDA just approved bimekizumab-bkzx (BIMZELX), making it the first medication in the U.S. to target both IL-17A and IL-17F, two proteins that drive inflammation. This means bimekizumab-bkzx might help reduce symptoms like joint and skin issues more effectively. This approval follows the initial U.S. approval in 2023 for moderate-to-severe plaque psoriasis.

In clinical trials, people with PsA and axSpA (which includes nr-axSpA and AS) who took BIMZELX saw significant improvements in their symptoms by week 16, and those benefits were sustained for up to a year. This approval builds on the FDA’s previous green light for BIMZELX in treating plaque psoriasis in 2023.

In a press release from UCB,  Emmanuel Caeymaex, Executive Vice President, Head of Patient Impact and Chief Commercial Officer, UCB,  said, “The approval of BIMZELX in the U.S. across three new indications — active psoriatic arthritis, active non-radiographic axSpA with objective signs of inflammation, and active ankylosing spondylitis — highlights the clinical benefit of dual inhibition of both IL-17A and IL-17F for patients, and provides an opportunity for more people living with chronic inflammatory diseases to achieve meaningful outcomes.”

Talk to your doctor about choosing the best medication for you — including what will work best with your medical history, personal preferences, and overall treatment goals.

Free Self-Management Toolkit for Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month

Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month, observed each September, shines a spotlight on the challenges faced by more than 53 million Americans (about one in four people) living with more than 100 types of rheumatic conditions. While rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and lupus are among the most well-known, other conditions include Sjögren’s disease, gout, scleroderma, and PsA.

In honor of this month, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has launched a new self-management toolkit to help patients improve their quality of life. It encourages strategies like stress management, medication adherence, healthy lifestyle changes, and open communication with health care providers, helping patients take a more active role in managing their condition and foster better collaboration with their health care providers.

The campaign highlights five overarching strategies patients can incorporate in their lives:

1. Stress management
2. Medication adherence
3. Lifestyle changes
4. Communicate and collaborate with a health care team
5. Maintain a support system

Excess Abdominal Fat Linked to Chronic Pain

New research shows that too much belly fat may increase the risk of widespread chronic pain, especially in women. The study looked at data from more than 32,000 people who were part of a large health study called the U.K. Biobank.

These participants had MRI scans of their abdomen to measure two types of fat: visceral adipose tissue (VAT), which is the fat stored around organs inside the belly, and subcutaneous adipose tissue (SAT), which is the fat stored just under the skin. The purpose of measuring these fat levels was to better understand how they might be linked to health conditions like chronic pain.

The participants, who had an average age of 55 and were 50 percent women, completed pain questionnaires asking whether they had experienced pain in the back, hip, knee, neck, shoulder, or throughout the body for longer than three months. Managing weight through healthy eating and exercise could help reduce pain, especially for those with widespread discomfort. The connection between fat and pain was stronger in women, possibly due to hormonal differences, suggesting future treatments may benefit from being more personalized.

Osteoporosis and Fracture Rates Decline in RA Patients

A new study from Jena University Hospital in Germany brings encouraging news for people living with RA: the rates of osteoporosis and related fractures have significantly decreased over the past 24 years. Researchers found that only 28 percent of RA patients treated between 2005 and 2019 had osteoporosis, compared to about 48 percent of those treated between 1996 and 2004. This is a big improvement in bone health for RA patients.

The researchers believe this positive change is due to advances in RA treatments, especially the increased use of biologic drugs and reduced reliance on steroids (glucocorticoids), which are known to weaken bones. Patients in the later years of the study were more likely to receive biologics, and their bone density was significantly better, even if they had been using steroids.

In addition, there was also a sharp decline in osteoporotic fractures. The number of people with peripheral fractures was about 21 out of every 100 people, but this number dropped to about 12 out of every 100 people. For vertebral fractures, the number went from about 11 people out of 100 to around 7 people out of 100.

If you’re concerned about osteoporosis, talk to your doctor about how to protect your bones as part of your RA treatment plan.

FDA Approves EBGLYSS for Moderate-to-Severe Eczema

There’s good news for people struggling with moderate-to-severe eczema (atopic dermatitis). The FDA has approved a new medication from Eli Lilly called lebrikizumab-lbkz (EBGLYSS), offering a new treatment option for those 12 and older who haven’t found relief from creams or ointments. EBGLYSS is an injectable biologic, which means it targets the inflammation behind eczema. In studies, people saw their skin start to clear in just four weeks and itch relief in as soon as two weeks. This medication is intended for people of all skin tones.

The approval is based on three major studies with more than 1,000 participants. Across two studies (ADvocate 1 and 2), 38 percent of people who used EBGLYSS had clear or nearly clear skin by 16 weeks, compared to 12 percent of those who took a placebo. Additionally, 10 percent of participants saw these results as early as four weeks.

If you have eczema, talk with your doctor to see if this treatment option is right for you.

Can Coffee Help Protect Your Heart and Prevent Diabetes?

Do you love your daily cup of Joe? A new study suggests that drinking coffee in moderation may do more than just give you an energy boost — it could help lower your risk of heart disease, stroke, and type 2 diabetes. Researchers found that people who drank about three cups of coffee per day, or consumed 200 to 300 milligrams of caffeine, had a 40 to 48 percent lower risk of developing multiple heart and metabolic conditions compared to those who drank little to no caffeine.

The study, which included more than 360,000 participants, focused on how coffee and caffeine might protect against cardiometabolic diseases. Although the researchers didn’t find a direct cause-and-effect link, they believe that compounds in coffee, like antioxidants and anti-inflammatory agents, could play a role in keeping your heart and metabolism healthy.

However, experts warn that not all caffeinated drinks offer the same benefits. It’s best to stick to coffee or tea, and to enjoy them in moderation.

Want to Get More Involved with Patient Advocacy?

The 50-State Network is the grassroots advocacy arm of CreakyJoints and the Global Healthy Living Foundation, comprised of patients with chronic illness who are trained as health care activists to proactively connect with local, state, and federal health policy stakeholders to share their perspective and influence change. If you want to effect change and make health care more affordable and accessible to patients with chronic illness, learn more here.