Background: Patients with immune-mediated diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, or inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) are increasingly being prescribed biologics. While biologics may account for roughly 2% of total prescriptions in the United States, they account for over 35% of net drug spending and for over 80% of the growth in net drug spending.1,2 [...]

Case Presentation: 63M with severe primary closed angle glaucoma, DMII, pemphigus vulgaris (PV) presents to ED with skin lesions over most body. Functional status impaired due to lower extremity edema, oral lesions resulting in odynophagia and malnutrition. PV recently diagnosed via skin biopsy on H&E stain without immunofluorescence following new blisters beginning on tongue, hard [...]

Background: Asthma disproportionately affects racial minorities and individuals of lower socioeconomic status (SES). The introduction of biologic therapies in 2015 provided new treatment options for managing severe asthma. This study investigates the impact of biologics on racial and SES disparities in asthma-related emergency care visits before and after 2015. Methods: Data from the National Health [...]

Case Presentation: Many patients are being treated with biologic therapies for autoimmune diseases in the outpatient setting. It is critical for the hospitalist to recognize these patients as immunosuppressed and generate a broad differential when they are admitted to the hospital. The patient in this case was a 35-year-old male with a past medical history [...]