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Importance: Altruism-putting the patient first-is a fundamental component of physician professionalism. Evidence is lacking about the relationship between physician altruism, care quality, and spending., Objective: To determine whether there is a relationship between physician altruism, measures of quality, and spending, hypothesizing that altruistic physicians have better results., Design, Setting, and Participants: This cross-sectional study that used a validated economic experiment to measure altruism was carried out between October 2018 and November 2019 using a nationwide sample of US primary care physicians and cardiologists. Altruism data were linked to 2019 Medicare claims and multivariable regressions were used to examine the relationship between altruism and quality and spending measures. Overall, 250 physicians in 43 medical practices that varied in size, location, and ownership, and 7626 Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries attributed to the physicians were included. The analysis was conducted from April 2022 to August 2024., Exposure: Physicians completed a widely used modified dictator-game style web-based experiment; based on their responses, they were categorized as more or less altruistic., Main Measures: Potentially preventable hospital admissions, potentially preventable emergency department visits, and Medicare spending., Results: In all, 1599 beneficiaries (21%) were attributed to the 45 physicians (18%) categorized as altruistic and 6027 patients were attributed to the 205 physicians not categorized as altruistic. Adjusting for patient, physician, and practice characteristics, patients of altruistic physicians had a lower likelihood of any potentially preventable admission (odds ratio [OR], 0.60; 95% CI, 0.38-0.97; P = .03) and any potentially preventable emergency department visit (OR, 0.64; CI, 0.43-0.94; P = .02). Adjusted spending was 9.26% lower (95% CI, -16.24% to -2.27%; P = .01)., Conclusions and Relevance: This cross-sectional study found that Medicare patients treated by altruistic physicians had fewer potentially preventable hospitalizations and emergency department visits and lower spending. Policymakers and leaders of hospitals, medical practices, and medical schools may want to consider creating incentives, organizational structures, and cultures that may increase, or at least do not decrease, physician altruism. Further research should seek to identify these and other modifiable factors, such as physician selection and training, that may shape physician altruism. Research could also analyze the relationship between altruism and quality and spending in additional medical practices, specialties, and countries, and use additional measures of quality and of patient experience.

Objective: We aimed to characterize the course of COVID-19 in autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic disease (AIIRD) patients in Israel, taking into consideration several remarkable aspects, including the outcomes of the different outbreaks, the effect of vaccination campaigns, and AIIRD activity post-recovery., Methods: We established a national registry of AIIRD patients diagnosed with COVID-19, including demographic data, AIIRD diagnosis, duration and systemic involvement, comorbidities, date of COVID-19 diagnosis, clinical course, and dates of vaccinations. COVID-19 was diagnosed by a positive SARS-CoV-2 polymerase chain reaction., Results: Israel experienced 4 outbreaks of COVID-19 until 30.11.2021. The first three outbreaks (1.3.2020 - 30.4.2021) comprised 298 AIIRD patients. 64.9% had a mild disease and 24.2% had a severe course; 161 (53.3%) patients were hospitalized, 27 (8.9%) died. The 4 th outbreak (delta variant), starting 6 months after the beginning of the vaccination campaign comprised 110 patients. Despite similar demographic and clinical characteristics, a smaller proportion of AIIRD patients had negative outcomes as compared to the first 3 outbreaks, with regards to severity (16 patients,14.5%), hospitalization (29 patients, 26.4%) and death (7 patients, 6.4%). COVID-19 did not seem to influence the AIIRD activity 1-3 months post-recovery., Conclusions: COVID-19 is more severe and has an increased mortality in active AIIRD patients with systemic involvement, older age and comorbidities. Vaccination with 3 doses of the mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 protected from severe COVID-19, hospitalization and death during the 4 th outbreak. The pattern of spread of COVID-19 in AIIRD patients was similar to the general population., Competing Interests: The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest., (Copyright © 2023 Kharouf, Eviatar, Braun, Pokroy-Shapira, Brodavka, Zloof, Agmon-Levin, Toledano, Oren, Lidar, Zisman, Tavor, Amit-Vazina, Sabbah, Breuer, Dagan, Beshara-Garzuzi, Markovits, Elias, Feld, Tayer-Shifman, Gazitt, Reitblatt, Rubin, Haddad, Giryes, Paran, Peleg, Molad, Elkayam, Mevorach, Balbir-Gurman and Braun-Moscovici.)

Objectives: We aimed to assess the efficacy and patient satisfaction of subcutaneous tocilizumab (SC TCZ) in patients previously treated with intravenous tocilizumab (IV TCZ) during the COVID-19 pandemic., Methods: We conducted a single-centre retrospective study at the Rheumatology Day Care at the Rheumatology Institute, Rambam Health Care Campus, Israel. Clinical and laboratory data of IV TCZ treated patients who switched to SC TCZ were retracted and analysed. Data were collected from the last two visits before switching to SC treatment and two visits afterwards. A telephone call conversation was conducted for all patients who continued SC treatment and did not come to follow-up visits., Results: Forty patients (age 53.03 (± 15.7)) treated with IV TCZ were switched to SC TCZ in April-May 2020. Three patients were excluded from the study. Most of the patients were treated with TCZ for 6.35 (±2.89) years and had low disease activity. 26/37 (70%) patients discontinued SC TCZ therapy and switched back to IV TCZ. The majority of discontinuations were due to flare up of the underlying disease reflected by increased number of tender and/or swollen joints, prolongation of morning stiffness or increased pain VAS score. Two patients were hospitalised for IV glucocorticoids and 1 patient underwent knee arthrocentesis. 11/37 (30%) patients continued SC TCZ treatment. 3/11 (27%) expressed less satisfaction with SC TCZ therapy., Conclusions: More than half of the patients who switched from IV TCZ to SC TCZ showed signs of flare of their underlying disease or were less satisfied with SC treatment.

Physicians' professional ethics require that they put patients' interests ahead of their own and that they should allocate limited medical resources efficiently. Understanding physicians' extent of adherence to these principles requires understanding the social preferences that lie behind them. These social preferences may be divided into two qualitatively different trade-offs: the trade-off between self and other (altruism) and the trade-off between reducing differences in payoffs (equality) and increasing total payoffs (efficiency). We experimentally measure social preferences among a nationwide sample of practicing physicians in the United States. Our design allows us to distinguish empirically between altruism and equality-efficiency orientation and to accurately measure both trade-offs at the level of the individual subject. We further compare the experimentally measured social preferences of physicians with those of a representative sample of Americans, an "elite" subsample of Americans, and a nationwide sample of medical students. We find that physicians' altruism stands out. Although most physicians place a greater weight on self than on other, the share of physicians who place a greater weight on other than on self is twice as large as for all other samples-32% as compared with 15 to 17%. Subjects in the general population are the closest to physicians in terms of altruism. The higher altruism among physicians compared with the other samples cannot be explained by income or age differences. By contrast, physicians' preferences regarding equality-efficiency orientation are not meaningfully different from those of the general sample and elite subsample and are less efficiency oriented than medical students.

Abstract: Hypocomplementemia has been reported in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with tocilizumab (TCZ), but its long-term consequences are unknown. We assessed the long-term outcome of patients treated with TCZ who developed hypocomplementemia regarding serious bacterial infections or autoimmune diseases (AID).The charts of patients treated with TCZ at two rheumatology centers were reviewed retrospectively. Data regarding patients' age, gender, disease duration, autoantibodies status, previous or concomitant treatments, blood counts, liver enzymes, C3 and C4 levels at baseline and during TCZ treatment, episodes of infections, allergic reactions, and AID were analyzed. Univariate analysis was used to compare patients with low C3, C4 levels versus patients with normal C3, C4 levels. Variables that were statistically significant associated or tended to be associated with low C3 or C4 were included in multiple variable logistic regression.Of 132 patients treated with TCZ, 108 had serial measurements of serum complement concentration. Thirty-three (30%) patients developed low C4 levels and 23 (21%) had also low C3. Mean TCZ treatment period was 4.9 years (range, 1-14 years). All patients had normal complement levels at baseline. Leukopenia occurred in 18 (16.7%) patients, 14 of whom (77%) had low complement. Persistent leukopenia was observed in 8% and 5.3% of patients with normal C3 and C4 levels, respectively, as opposed to 47% and 42% of patients with low C3 or low C4, respectively. Low C3, C4 levels correlated with prolonged TCZ treatment retention time and effectiveness. There were no serious bacterial infections or new onset AID.Hypocomplementemia during TCZ treatment was accompanied by leukopenia that correlated with treatment duration. Hypocomplementemia was not associated with serious bacterial infections or new onset AID. Decreased complement levels were associated with treatment longevity. The role of monitoring complement level in predicting treatment response or assessing disease activity deserves further investigation., (Copyright © 2022 the Author(s). Published by Wolters Kluwer Health, Inc.)

Background: The registration trials of messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 did not address patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD)., Objective: To assess the humoral response after two doses of mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2, in patients with IRD treated with immunomodulating drugs and the impact on IRD activity., Methods: Consecutive patients treated at the rheumatology institute, who received their first SARS-CoV-2 (Pfizer) vaccine, were recruited to the study, at their routine visit. They were reassessed 4-6 weeks after receiving the second dose of vaccine, and blood samples were obtained for serology. IRD activity assessment and the vaccine side effects were documented during both visits. IgG antibodies (Abs) against SARS-CoV-2 were detected using the SARS-CoV-2 IgG II Quant (Abbott) assay., Results: Two hundred and sixty-four patients with stable disease, (mean(SD) age 57.6 (13.18) years, disease duration 11.06 (7.42) years), were recruited. The immunomodulatory therapy was not modified before or after the vaccination. After the second vaccination, 227 patients (86%) mounted IgG Ab against SARS-CoV-2 (mean (SD) 5830.8 (8937) AU/mL) and 37 patients (14%) did not, 22/37 were treated with B cell-depleting agents. The reported side effects of the vaccine were minor. The rheumatic disease remained stable in all patients., Conclusions: The vast majority of patients with IRD developed a significant humoral response following the administration of the second dose of the Pfizer mRNA vaccine against SARS-CoV-2 virus. Only minor side effects were reported and no apparent impact on IRD activity was noted., Competing Interests: Competing interests: None declared., (© Author(s) (or their employer(s)) 2021. No commercial re-use. See rights and permissions. Published by BMJ.)

Background: Behçet's disease is a multi-systemic chronic relapsing inflammatory disease, classified among the vasculitides. The heterogeneity of clinical manifestations challenges the disease management., Objectives: To assess efficacy and safety of adalimumab in patients with active persistent Behçet's arthritis who did not respond to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and to assess the impact of treatment on the cytokine milieu., Methods: Our cohort comprised 10 patients with active arthritis who received adalimumab in a 24-week investigator-initiated prospective open-label study. Patients who relapsed within 12 weeks following adalimumab discontinuation could enter a 3-year extension study. The patients underwent a comprehensive assessment including questionnaires and measurement of inflammatory cytokines, adalimumab serum levels, and anti-drug antibodies., Results: A significant improvement was observed in arthritis, disease activity visual analogue scales, Behçet's disease current activity form, and interleukin-6 (IL-6) levels, but not in health assessment questionnaire and functional assessment of chronic illness therapy fatigue scale questionnaire. Resolution of oral and urogenital ulcers was achieved in all patients. Significant reduction of pain was reported by 40% of patients. The disease relapsed in 9 of 10 patients, within 2-6 weeks following adalimumab discontinuation. Of the 7 patients who continued the study, arthritis was resolved in 5. Two patients with high neutralizing antidrug antibodies titer relapsed., Conclusions: Adalimumab treatment achieved a significant improvement in arthritis, mucocutaneous manifestations, and IL-6 levels in all study patients but only 40% reported significant pain reduction. The arthritis relapsed in 90% of patients following adalimumab discontinuation and long-term treatment was required.

Background: High levels of infliximab (IFX) directed antibodies (IFX-Ab) may result in significant reduction in IFX concentration and loss of drug efficacy., Objectives: To assess the input of measuring serum IFX levels and levels of IFX-Ab in the management of rheumatic diseases., Methods: Serum levels of IFX and anti-IFX-Ab were measured by ELISA (IFX-Abs were also identified by anti-human lambda chain Ab) and correlated to patients (responders and nonresponders) disease activity scores., Results: A total of 144 tests for IFX were performed in 91 patients (mean age 50.2 years and disease duration 9.9 years). Among responders (57 patients) levels (mean, median) of IFX were significantly higher than in non-responders (34 patients) (4.2 mcg/ml (2.3) versus 1.1 mcg/ml (0.45)); levels of IFX-Ab in responders were significantly lower than in non-responders (4.59 mcg/ml (1.0) versus 13.1 (6.1)). High IFX-Ab levels predicted IFX discontinuation in 8.8% of responders and 55.9% among non-responders. In non-responders with low IFX levels and low IFX-Ab, the shortening of re-treatment intervals lead to significant improvement. In about 28% of patients, results of blood tests influenced treatment decisions., Conclusions: Assessment of immunogenicity of anti-TNF monoclonal antibodies proved useful information for guiding the therapy in rheumatic diseases with suboptimal clinical response. Patients with low IFX levels and low levels of IFXAb may benefit from increasing the drug dose or decreasing of re-treatment intervals. In patients with negligible serum levels of IFX and high levels of IFX-Ab, the therapy should be switched to another biological agent, probably with a different mechanism of action.

Background: Immunosuppressive agents may induce hepatitis B flares. The minimal corticosteroid dose and duration of therapy leading to HBV reactivation is unknown., Objective: To assess whether short-term corticosteroid therapy for rheumatologic diseases induces HBV reactivation., Methods: The records of all HBsAg or HBcore antibodies positive, anti-HBs negative patients who were hospitalized in the rheumatology department during 2001-2014 and treated with corticosteroids were reviewed. Alanine aminotransferase (ALT), HBV serology, and serum HBV DNA at baseline and 1-3 months after discharge were recorded., Results: Complete data were found for 23 patients who were hospitalized 73 times for 7 days of treatment with IV corticosteroids. Eighteen patients were HBsAg positive. The mean methylprednisolone dose was 33.9 ± 24 mg/d. The concomitant therapy included DMARDs (15), low-dose corticosteroids (8), and biologicals (10). Serum HBV DNA was detected at baseline in seven patients. Three HBsAg-positive patients treated with cyclophosphamide had HBV hepatitis flare-up with elevated ALT. Two HBsAg-positive patients had reappearance of HBV DNA in serum after treatment with azathioprine and infliximab, respectively, but the ALT levels remained normal. Lamivudine therapy reduced the serum HBV DNA and improved ALT levels in all patients. Corticosteroid therapy by itself did not trigger exacerbation of HBV hepatitis. No HBV reactivation occurred in lamivudine-treated patients after recurrent exposure to biologicals or cyclophosphamide., Conclusions: Short episodes of corticosteroids seem to be safe in HBV carriers, even in the presence of DMARDs, but lamivudine prophylaxis should be considered for patients exposed to biologicals or cyclophosphamide. Larger prospective trials are needed to establish guidelines.

We studied the distributional preferences of an elite cadre of Yale Law School students, a group that will assume positions of power in U.S. society. Our experimental design allows us to test whether redistributive decisions are consistent with utility maximization and to decompose underlying preferences into two qualitatively different tradeoffs: fair-mindedness versus self-interest, and equality versus efficiency. Yale Law School subjects are more consistent than subjects drawn from the American Life Panel, a diverse sample of Americans. Relative to the American Life Panel, Yale Law School subjects are also less fair-minded and substantially more efficiency-focused. We further show that our measure of equality-efficiency tradeoffs predicts Yale Law School students' career choices: Equality-minded subjects are more likely to be employed at nonprofit organizations., (Copyright © 2015, American Association for the Advancement of Science.)

Background: Scleroderma lung disease (ILD-SSc) is treated mainly with cyclophosphamide (CYC). The effectiveness of CYC was judged after 12-24 months in most reports., Objectives: To analyze the effect of monthly intravenous CYC on pulmonary function tests including forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusing lung capacity (DLCO), as well as Rodnan skin score (mRSS), during long-term follow-up., Methods: We retrospectively collected the data on 26 ILD-SSc patients who began CYC treatments before 2007. Changes in FVC, DLCO and mRSS before treatment, and at 1,4 and 7 years after completion of at least six monthly intravenous CYC treatments for ILD-SSc were analyzed., Results: Mean cumulative CYC dose was 8.91 ± 3.25 G. More than 30% reduction in FVC (0%, 8%, and 31% of patients), DLCO (15%, 23%, 31%), and mRSS (31%, 54%, 62%) at years 1, 4 and 7 was registered. During the years 0-4 and 4-7, annual changes in FVC, DLCO and mRSS were 3.2 vs. 0.42% (P < 0.040), 4.6 vs. 0.89% (P < 0.001), and 1.8 vs. 0.2 (P = 0.002). The greatest annual FVC and DLCO reduction over the first 4 years correlated with mortality (P = 0.022). There were no differences in the main variables regarding doses of CYC (< 6 G and > 6 G)., Conclusions: In patients with ILD-SSc, CYC stabilized the reduction of FVC during treatment, but this effect was not persistent. The vascular characteristic of ILD-SSc (DLCO) was not affected by CYC treatment. CYC rapidly improved the mRSS. This effect could be achieved with at least 6 G of CYC. Higher rates of annual reduction in FVC and DLCO in the first 4 years indicate the narrow window of opportunity and raise the question regarding ongoing immunosuppression following CYC infusions.

Rituximab (RTX) is a chimeric anti-CD20 antibody, approved for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who failed anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor therapy. It has been used occasionally for life-threatening autoimmune diseases (AID). We report our center experience in the use of RTX in life-threatening complications or refractory AID. Clinical charts of patients treated with RTX at our center were reviewed, cases treated for life-threatening complications or refractory AID were analyzed. Acute damage to vital organs such as lung, heart, kidney, nervous system with severe functional impairment were defined as life-threatening complications; treatment failure with high-dose corticosteroids, cyclophosphamide, IVIG, plasmapheresis was defined as refractory autoimmune disease. During the years 2003-2009, 117 patients were treated with RTX, most of them for RA. Nine patients (6 females, mean age 51.5 years, mean disease duration 6.3 years) answered the criteria. The indications were as follows: pulmonary hemorrhage (1 patient with cryoglobulinemic vasculitis, 1 with systemic sclerosis, 1 with ANCA-associated vasculitis), catastrophic anti-phospholipid syndrome (2 SLE patients), non-bacterial endocarditis and pulmonary hypertension (1 patient with mixed connective tissue disease), vasculitis and feet necrosis (1 patient with systemic lupus erythematosus), severe lupus demyelinative neuropathy and acute renal failure (1 patient), and severe rheumatoid lung disease with recurrent empyema and pneumothorax (1 patient). B cell depletion was achieved in all patients. The median time since starting of complications to RTX administration was 3 weeks (range 2-15 weeks). Complete remission (suppression of the hazardous situation and return to previous stable state) was seen in 7 out of 9 patients. Partial remission (significant improvement) was achieved in the remained. The median time to response was 3 weeks (range 1-8 weeks), mean follow-up 47.2 months (range 6-60 months). A rapid tapering off of steroids was achieved in all patients. Two patients relapsed and were successfully retreated with RTX: the patient with severe RA lung relapsed after 3 years, one of the patients with ANCA-associated pulmonary alveolar hemorrhage relapsed after 10 months. There were no side effects during RTX infusion. Two episodes of serious infections were registered: fatal Gram-negative sepsis 6 months after RTX treatment, and septic discitis 4 months after receiving RTX. RTX serves as a safe, efficient, and prompt rescue therapy in certain life-threatening conditions and resistant to aggressive immunosuppression AID. RTX when administrated at an earlier stage, prevented irreversible vital organ damage, and allowed rapid steroid tapering off in already severe immunodepressed patients.

Objectives: To review pulmonary arteritis (PA) complicated by pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) in Takayasu's arteritis (TA)., Methods: Two cases of PA and PAH in TA patients and similar cases published in the Medline database from 1975 to 2009 were reviewed., Results: Forty-six cases (females 89.1%, Asians 65%, mean age 34.6 years) were analyzed, 42.2% of which had PAH. Isolated PA was reported in 31.8%. Respiratory symptoms were presented as dyspnea (75.5%), chest pain (48.9%), hemoptysis (42.2%), and cough (17.7%). Hypertension, vascular bruits, and diminished/absent pulses were reported in 48.9% of patients. A diagnosis of PA was based on abnormal uptake on pulmonary perfusion scan and a finding of stenosis, narrowing, occlusion, and irregularity on computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, and/or pulmonary angiography. Patients were treated with glucocorticoids (77.5%), disease-modified antirheumatic drugs (35%), and warfarin (20%); only a few were treated with biological agents. Vascular procedures were performed in 52.5% of cases, on pulmonary arteries in 37.5% with good results. The outcome was death in 20.5% of PA patient and 33.3% in PAH patients., Conclusions: TA may be complicated by life-threatening PA and PAH. Clinical signs are not specific and may be masked by involvement of the aorta and its branches. Treatment with glucocorticoids and disease-modified antirheumatic drugs has only partial effect, which may be intensified by biological agents. Invasive procedures on pulmonary arteries may be a complementary option. PA and PAH in TA patients should be recognized early and treated promptly for prevention of irreversible vascular damage., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)