Recent News
The July 16th edition of JAMA reviews the highly prevalent problem of hip fractures - a major global health burden: 14.2 million occur worldwide annually (280,000 in the US), with global incidence higher in women (833.9/100,000) than men (510.0/100,000). Lifetime risk at age 50 is 22.9% for women, 10.7% for men. Mortality is substantial.Read Article
Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease
A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerosis have an increased risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death attributable to shared immune pathways.
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Tips for safe use of allopurinol
https://t.co/Yn1u1bEj4F https://t.co/lMWPI9OsVe
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
6 mos. RCT of low-dose baricitinib (Bari) plus danazol for refractory ITP (n 216); Pts Rx w/ either Bari+DNZ vs DNZ alone. At 6-mos a durable response was seen in 45% of Bari+DNZ vs 20% in DNZ monotherapy (P < 0.001). AEs were equal (48% vs 45%), More studies needed on this https://t.co/YbF49ZNA0E
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Machine learning study of 657 multiethnic Lupus pts - 14% had organic & 30% had neuropsychiatric damage. High Glucocorticoid dose was the strongest predictor or organic Dz. NP damage predicted by MD global, fatigue, pain, & steroids https://t.co/LVK57LxKk6 https://t.co/VLisZT7ReY
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Cerebral atrophy is common in SLE - assoc w/ age (OR 1.1), higher education (0.22), NPSLE (OR 4.6), cognitive impairment & lower dsDNA titers. 70 pts (mean age 40, Dz dur 12yrs). Cerebral atrophy 53% (mostly 76% mild). https://t.co/ewRmNj8zNA https://t.co/yT8TCXZREA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
$2 Million in Research Grants for Juvenile Arthritis
In July, the Arthritis Foundation and the Childhood Arthritis and Rheumatology Research Alliance (CARRA) awarded $2 million in research grants to support physician-led research in pediatric rheumatology. https://t.co/1GewFUMauu
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
British Dermatology Biologics registry (BADBIR) 18976 #PSO pts had incidence serious infxns (SIE) 28 SEI/1000 Pt-Yrs; higher if they had prior infxn (79/1000 PYs). SIE signif lower w/ RIZankizumab (HR 0.74-.80) vs BROAD, ETN, other standards Rxs. SIE deaths rare (1.81/1000 PYs) https://t.co/GTr3DLCVXs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
JAMA Case Quiz - A 57 yoF w/ #RA has a new vesicular rash. 9mos prior ETN change to ADA. Rash (painful, pruritic) started 2 wks ago. Exam: PIP swelling, & ulcerated plaques on neck, chest, & erythroderma on hands, CRP 15.0 mg/L , ESR 111 mm/h. What would you do? order?
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Gout: Diagnosis
The diagnosis of gout - labs, imaging and polarized microscopy, created by @MithuRheum for RheumNow.
https://t.co/s8gkANFJSB https://t.co/pkUeFLG5if
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Interferon-α as an Immunologic Driver of Sjögren's Disease
Using data from a Sjogren's registry, researchers have shown that IFNα drives Sjögren's disease, and can be elevated a decade before diagnosis. This study assessed the role of type 1 interferon (IFNα) in its onset and https://t.co/Clj9u5COzQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Future therapies (in development) for gout - the goal is durable crystal depletion.
Created by: Dr. Aravind Palraj @rheumat_aravind for RheumNow.
https://t.co/yeCSAnHiY2 https://t.co/nH8f2Y3hNP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Dz new terminology from 2026 G-CAN consensus. Preferred:
- acute CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- OA w/ CPP
- Chondrocalcinosis (xray)
* Pseudogout is obsolete
https://t.co/bsztXz9UDs https://t.co/GOey5YmKif
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Methotrexate Safety Tips (7.31.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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JAMA Case Quiz - A 57 yoF w/ #RA has a new vesicular rash. 9mos prior ETN change to ADA. Rash (painful, pruritic) started 2 wks ago. Exam: PIP swelling, & ulcerated plaques on neck, chest, & erythroderma on hands, CRP 15.0 mg/L , ESR 111 mm/h. What would you do? order?
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Medscape asked medical authors (panel of experts), including Roach, Epstein, and several literary medical professionals — this question: What’s a book every clinician should read? Here's an interesting read list for some of you! (I loved "Stiff" by Mary Roach; its about https://t.co/L5NSHjPKwA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Social Media (SM) for Health Information by US (sample 7278 adults) - SM use reported by 88% (representing ~ 228 million). ~22% adults made health decisions based on SM, despite almost 78% reporting distrust of SM. Lower SM use in older, rural, less educated. https://t.co/uYYzBvckFu
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
British Dermatology Biologics registry (BADBIR) 18976 #PSO pts had incidence serious infxns (SIE) 28 SEI/1000 Pt-Yrs; higher if they had prior infxn (79/1000 PYs). SIE signif lower w/ RIZankizumab (HR 0.74-.80) vs BROAD, ETN, other standards Rxs. SIE deaths rare (1.81/1000 PYs) https://t.co/5HqJ3zpO0g
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
New GoutStop cards - print and give to your gout patients!
https://t.co/Bh0IuM5tzu https://t.co/j5rQJStSnu
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Uricase-Targeted Therapies in Gout
https://t.co/RB6Yj4oY9a https://t.co/NrWq6Y93Hg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Video
From the Blog
At first, it seemed similar to many other such sessions – a circle of folding chairs, a group of colleagues whose visages exuded understanding and acceptance – but this was special. I started the meeting…. “Hi, my name is Artie.”
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Podcasts
A JAKi After TNFi Failure in RA: SELECT-SWITCH at Week 12
TU: Systemic Burden of Gout Part 2 (24 plus)
Methotrexate Safety Tips (7.31.2026)
Gout Lessons from the Clinic Part 3
Therapeutic Updates
Make Rheum for Rads: Autoimmune ILD Diagnosis, Monitoring, and the Patient Experience
Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Drs. Elizabeth Volkmann and Robert Suh explore the roles rheumatologists and radiologists play in diagnosing and monitoring autoimmune ILD and hear from a patient about her experience.
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A JAKi After TNFi Failure in RA: SELECT-SWITCH at Week 12
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Dr. Christina Charles-Schoeman and Dr. Manish Jain are back to discuss treatment considerations after TNFi failure in RA. Join them as they review the latest data from SELECT-SWITCH, including post hoc results in primary and secondary nonresponders presented at EULAR 2026.
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Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
GCA Flares With a JAKi in the Second Year of SELECT-GCA
Daily Gem
Non-gout drugs that may lower uric acid: losartan, amlodipine, ACE inhibitors, fenofibrate, atorvastatin, leflunomide, vitamin C, estrogen, and high-dose ASA.
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