Recent News
This pooled meta-analyses (n=197,392) shows that exercise reduced pain versus control immediately after the intervention (SMD −0.59; 95% CI −0.65 to −0.53; P0.001). The benefit held across musculoskeletal, inflammatory, neurologic and cancer pain, and for every modality tested.Read Article
Triple Hormone Receptor Agonist for Treatment of Obesity and Knee Osteoarthritis
The NEJM reports that retatrutide, an investigational incretin agent, was shown to yield up to 25% weight reduction, with subanalyses also showing reduced pain with knee osteoarthritis, and less apnea–hypopnea events in participants with obstructive sleep apnea.
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Danish national study (2003-2024) of 51,401 #PMR pts (24K PCPs, 27K secondary MDs): PMR incidence = 112/100K. PMR decr 53% in primary care & incr 30% in secondary care (overall 12% decline). Among PMR, GCA rate was 5.4/1,000 PYs, w/ median 68 days from PMR Dx. 28% & 22% were https://t.co/1VlI5r1r0L
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Multicenter retrosp study 2865 #RA pts (dz duration 2 yrs) starting b/tsDMARDs (TNFi, IL-6i, RTX, ABA, JAKi) - 50% were on steroids (GC). At 3 & 6 mos, only 26% & 37% D/C GC. GC D/C more w/ JAKi (24 v 17%). Predictors on NON-D/C: Chronic GC, HTN, TNFi, RTX, ABA (vs JAKi) https://t.co/JSve6M9hwm
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Petri SLE Pearls: An Update
At the CCR West 2026 conference in Huntington Beach, California, Dr. Michelle Petri updated her Petri Pearls. Some are derived from new data, while others are from her extensive experience caring for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). https://t.co/SftiqcqbLa
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Italian retrospective study of 36 difficult #GCA pts (89% relapsed; 72% prev TCZ) showed Clinical remission 85%, 81%, & 83% at 3, 6, & 12 mos. GC-free remission increased to 15%, 28%, & 40% at 3, 6, & 12 mos. GCs d/c in 43%. Results at odds w/ ph III GCAptAIN RCT where SEC https://t.co/ufCeaJnVXk
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Serum Abs against IL-1 recept antagonist (aIL-1Ra) were studied in 46 adult-onset Still’s Dz (AOSD not on anakinra) pts & found signif. higher in AOSD vs controls (p=0.003); but levels did not differ between active vs inactive AOSD https://t.co/w6KvLyv1j8 https://t.co/IuQ1SHLDF8
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Merck MSD announced positive results w/ tulisokibart (anti-TL1A) in MK-7240-012, Phase 2b DBRPCT in mod-severe hidradenitis suppurativa. Wk 16 HiSCR50 responses were 72% (hi dose), 64% (mid dose), 52% (low dose) vs 35% PBO. https://t.co/cvBH0fvCnI https://t.co/jo7JaXMItZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
"No person has the right to rain on your dreams."
- Martin Luther King, Jr.
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Upadacitinib is now approved in European Union to treat active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) ages > 2yrs for those not responding to 1+ DMARDs. In the USA, UPA is approved for pJIA & juvenile PsA https://t.co/Vhx717rw5T https://t.co/hObov1Umgb
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
BMJ reports TriNetX EHR study showing GLP-1 RA use in knee OA pts was assoc w/ significantly lower cumulative TKA incidence (p<0.001). 1 year any GLP-1 RA (HR 0.90) or 3 yrs exposure (HR 0.72) signif lowered TKA 8 yrs later https://t.co/RGQJJHgLFv https://t.co/Ko7VI3ZAC0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Amgen announced topline results from the Phase 3 OASIZ 301 study showing the efficacy of dazodalibep in Sjögren's dz, w/ signif ESSDAI improvements at wek 48. DAZO is a CD40L antagonist fusion protein https://t.co/5QPBdZivxC https://t.co/tJvYo6TrWO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Metanalysis of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in #SLE (65 articles, 11K pts). MetS prevalence 27% (higher in males (36 vs 27%). HCQ assoc w/ signif less MetS (OR 0.66), but more w/ CTX (1.39), AZA (1.25), MMF (1.13), but not steroids or MTX. MetS pts were older, obese, w/ high Chol & https://t.co/ZbVwGTy0rG
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Cluster analysis of Spanish RELES #SLE SLE cohort reveals 3 groups. C1 (n 168) was younger, w/ lupus nephritis, low C3, intensive Rx, high infx & damage. C2 (175) w/ cytopenias, serositis, APL & dsDNA(+). C3 (452) mild skin-Jts, less serologic activity & complications https://t.co/N0XLUaegWc
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
J&J announced topline results of Phase 4 STAR study where guselkumab (Tremfya) improved in axial Sxs & MRI outcomes in 411 biologic-naïve axial PsA pts, STAR is a 24 wk DBPCT of GUS (IL-23 inhib) in DMARD unresponsive pts. Endpoint was BASDAI @ wk24. https://t.co/LkqwV0zRmn https://t.co/gZuuQ4jcEf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Remission — believe it or not. What’s happening in rheumatology this week? Dr. Jack Cush breaks down the latest news and journal reports on RheumNow:
10-year T2T data: 82% in remission
Residual steroids don’t preserve remission
Biologics linked to lower PsA risk
GLP-1s + knee OA https://t.co/2Zf9g1Wehg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
DERM on RheumNow PODCAST (September 2026)
The Derm on RheumNow podcast is a review of recent citations and content curated for dermatologists – addressing Psoriasis, PsA, CLE, calcinosis, CTD skin disorders. dermatology drugs, biologics, and JAK inhibitors. https://t.co/QYX9G5UFg5
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The GLP-1 Opportunity Cost in Rheumatology
There is no doubt it is an incredibly exciting time to be tackling obesity-related diseases, like many rheumatic diseases appear to be, to some extent.
https://t.co/49EscdPOTG https://t.co/c0kSgOXZy7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Supervised Physiotherapy Wins after ACL Repair
The Annals of Internal Medicine has shown that chronic knee symptoms following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery is significantly lessened by a program of physiotherapist-supervised exercise therapy with https://t.co/8HWmkmIexr
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The weight is off, the DMARDs are off - now what?
Sometimes it’s only when we have effective solutions that we have to think about what to do next. And when that happens, remember why we do things in the first place. In an era when weight loss is happening on scale, now we need https://t.co/MTjU5YRS5q
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Video
From the Blog
The costs of GLP-1 agonists must come down in order to make these treatments available to the people who need them - including many people with rheumatologic diseases.
Podcasts
Remission – Believe it or Not (10.2.2026)
The Four Pillars of Weight Loss Part 4
DERM on RheumNow PODCAST (September 2026)
Tuesday Night Rheumatology: More than the Meds
Therapeutic Updates
Clinical dilemmas in axSpA and PsA
Sponsored by UCB
Explore some of the challenges rheumatologists face in clinical practice, including expert perspectives from UCB's Annual International Immunology Summit.
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PsA Beyond the Joints: Rheum, Derm, and Gastro Perspectives
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Dr. Saakshi Khattri hosts dermatologist Dr. Ahmad Amin and gastroenterologist Dr. Joshua Steinberg to discuss multidisciplinary care in PsA and other immune-mediated inflammatory diseases. Learn how signals in the skin and gut may prompt the need for collaboration across specialties to support better patient outcomes that extend beyond the joints.
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Obesity – Inflammation – PsA
Sponsored by Lilly Medical Affairs
Learn about the inflammatory intersection between Psoriatic Arthritis and Obesity, and why adiposity is more than a comorbidity.
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Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
