Learn about RINVOQ with Dr. Nicole Seminara

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RINVOQ USE

RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older with moderate to severe eczema (atopic dermatitis) that did not respond to previous treatment and their eczema is not well controlled with other pills or injections, including biologic medicines, or the use of other pills or injections is not recommended.

Individual results may vary.

Please see Safety Considerations at the end of this video

Hi, my name is Dr. Nicole Seminara. I’m a board-certified dermatologist who specializes in inflammatory skin conditions such as atopic dermatitis, also known as eczema. In fact, I see over 100 eczema patients every month.

To determine if RINVOQ is the right treatment plan for my eczema patients, it’s important that we consider both its benefits and risks, then come to a decision together.

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WHAT IS RINVOQ?

RINVOQ is a prescription medicine used to treat adults and children 12 years of age and older with moderate to severe eczema (atopic dermatitis) that did not respond to previous treatment and their eczema is not well controlled with other pills or injections, including biologic medicines, or the use of other pills or injections is not recommended. RINVOQ is safe and effective in children 12 years of age and older weighing at least 88 pounds (40 kg) with atopic dermatitis. It is not known if RINVOQ is safe and effective in children under 12 years of age with atopic dermatitis.

SELECT IMPORTANT SAFETY INFORMATION

RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including:

• Serious Infections, Cancer and Immune System Problems, and Blood Clots.
• Increased risk of death in people age 50+ with at least 1 heart disease risk factor.
• Increased risk of major cardiovascular events, such as heart attack, stroke, or death in people age 50+ with at least 1 heart disease risk factor, especially in current or past smokers.
• Serious allergic reactions. Do not take if allergic to RINVOQ or its ingredients.

Please visit https://www.rxabbvie.com/pdf/rinvoq_pi.pdf for the Full Prescribing Information, including the Medication Guide, for RINVOQ.

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Is RINVOQ the right treatment plan?

I discuss a few important questions with my patient to decide if they are a good candidate for RINVOQ.

To start, I assess if their eczema is moderate to severe.

Next, I determine if my patient is on a systemic treatment for their eczema but their itch and rash are still uncontrolled.

“Not in control” or “uncontrolled” can be vague phrases so I look for specific signs such as if the patient is finding themselves scratching throughout the night. If their itch and rash are still impacting them, that’s important evidence that suggests their eczema symptoms are uncontrolled. After considering these factors, I look at RINVOQ as a treatment option.

The next step is to review my patients' health history, current medications, and medical conditions as well as the items you see here.

For Review: 

• All current medications
• Other medical conditions including:

– Cardiac history

– Past or current smoker

– History of blood clots

– History of cancer, lymphoma, skin and lung cancer

– Past, present, and recurring infections including tuberculosis (TB), hepatitis B & C, and shingles

– Allergic reactions to RINVOQ or any of its ingredients

– If the patient is pregnant or trying to get pregnant

Then, I discuss some of the benefits and risks of RINVOQ.

If someone’s eczema is uncontrolled on a current systemic treatment, the benefits may outweigh the risks. I consult with my patient on how comfortable they are with certain risks, and also discuss if some of these benefits of RINVOQ align with their treatment goals. Let’s begin with some of the benefits of RINVOQ.

The benefits of RINVOQ

RINVOQ is a once-daily pill that helps heal my patients’ painful skin in two ways—by reducing the itch and clearing the rash of moderate to severe eczema.

Some RINVOQ patients felt significantly less itch, fast. As early as 2 days after their first dose.

At 16 weeks, many people felt dramatic itch relief and saw clear or almost-clear skin—some saw 100% clear skin. Some saw 75% skin clearance as early as two weeks.

In another study of RINVOQ, many patients had clearer skin, and many had less itch, even at 3 years.

RINVOQ is proven effective without topical steroids, and in my experience, my patients have not yet needed additional topicals. But, every patient needs to talk to their provider about their specific treatment plan.

The safety considerations of RINVOQ

Now that we’ve reviewed some of the benefits of RINVOQ, it’s equally essential that we discuss the risks. As a doctor it’s fundamental to talk to patients about certain risk factors to determine if RINVOQ is right for them.

RINVOQ had 3 clinical trials for atopic dermatitis where patients were followed for up to 4 years. It is important for my patients to understand the rare but serious side effects associated with RINVOQ.

RINVOQ is a Janus kinase inhibitor. A safety study of patients taking a different Janus kinase inhibitor and methotrexate at the same time was conducted with over 4,300 rheumatoid arthritis patients. These patients were 50 years and older with one or more cardiovascular risk factors. This study showed increased risks of infections, deaths, cancers, cardiovascular events (such as heart attacks or strokes), and blood clots.

RINVOQ can lower your ability to fight infections, including tuberculosis. Serious infections and blood clots, some fatal, cancers including lymphoma and skin cancer, death, heart attack, stroke, and tears in the stomach or intestines occurred. People 50 and older with at least one heart disease risk factor have higher risks. Don’t take if allergic to RINVOQ, as serious reactions can occur. Tell your doctor if you are or may become pregnant.

Next steps

If my patient and I decide RINVOQ is right for them, there are a couple of next steps.

The first is scheduling lab work—we run periodic blood tests so we can feel confident about them starting and staying on RINVOQ.

Lastly, be sure to schedule a follow-up visit—I typically like to see my patients 4 weeks after they’ve started RINVOQ so we can talk about their experience starting treatment. I also encourage them to call me 3 to 4 days after their first dose if they’d like to touch base earlier in their treatment journey.

Considering other treatment options can be daunting, so it’s important to have a thorough conversation with your healthcare provider. Talk to them about your concerns, and they can help answer any questions you may have.

Safety Considerations

RINVOQ may cause serious side effects, including:

• Serious infections. RINVOQ can lower ability to fight infections. Serious infections, some fatal, occurred, including tuberculosis (TB) and infections caused by bacteria, fungi, or viruses.
• Increased risk of death in people age 50+ with at least 1 heart disease risk factor.
• Cancer and immune system problems. Increased risk of some cancers, including lymphoma and skin. Current or past smokers have higher risk for lymphoma and lung cancer.
• Increased risk of major cardiovascular events such as heart attack, stroke, or death in people 50+ with at least 1 heart disease risk factor, especially in current or past smokers.
• Blood clots, some fatal, in veins of the legs or lungs and arteries. This occurred more often in people 50+ with at least 1 heart disease risk factor.
• Serious allergic reactions. Do not take if allergic to RINVOQ or its ingredients.
• Tears in the stomach or intestines; changes in certain laboratory test results.

Please see additional Important Safety Information on this webpage.