Recent News
Read ArticleHydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is one of the most important drugs in rheumatology, especially for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). It reduces flares, organ damage, cardiovascular events, and pregnancy complications, and it improves survival. Yet many clinicians still prescribe HCQ as if body weight reliably predicts drug exposure. It does not.
Prospective study of 40 newly Dx, Tx-naïve RA pts starting MTX; Of serum cytokines tested, high baseline IL-6 & IL-17 was assoc w/ nonresponse to MTX. Yet, still not good response biomarkers. TNF-α & GM-CSF did not assoc w/ MTX outcomes https://t.co/YIQKop9LMH https://t.co/XxwcRsKwoM
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Israel study 264,858 pregnancies- 1st trimester NSAID exposure had no risk of congenital malformations (MCM). 8% exposed vs unexposed: overall MCM 8.2% v 7%; aRR 0.99). MCMs not incr = MSK, CV, CNS, cleft palate, GI, GU, nonsignif MSM aRR from 0.77- 1.05 https://t.co/ytYhBFl44o https://t.co/1fq4D1KykM
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ABA versus HCQ in Palindromic Rheumatism
Palindromic rheumatism may develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and could be an at-risk population. A pilot trial compared abatacept (ABA) versus hydroxychloroquine and demonstrated ABA reduces RA development in a 2 year study. https://t.co/z0ptEYdhQj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
APR: Fibromyalgia
Dr. Jack Cush reviews Fibromyalgia as part of the Advanced Practice Rheum video series.
https://t.co/jq6dSXy6SU https://t.co/bDGRhhY2D9
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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Immune-Mediated Inflammatory Diseases Following Uveitis
A Korean insurance claims data study showed children and adolescents diagnosed with uveitis have a 7-fold increased risk of developing an immune-mediated inflammatory disorder (IMID).
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Does Exercise and Lifestyle Modification Improve RA?
Does exercise or lifestyle modifications reduce the risk of getting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or change those with early RA?
In this week's RheumIQ quiz: An RA patient has a current or new cancer. With which cancer should you avoid/stop the use of a TNF inhibitor? See if you got it right at https://t.co/DTabBEfjj9 https://t.co/tVYUEjAPy3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Study of 305 newly Dx axSpA pts (age 38 yrs; 55% male, Dx delay 6yrs, 75% B27+). Clinical Dx, without Xray/imaging in 12%, 5% developed sacroiliitis during 8 yr F/U. r-axSpA mostly male w/ ^CRP https://t.co/zGjb3uSkjP https://t.co/3bdGAvKXAm
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Medical Economics reports only 18% MDs practiced in MD-owned settings, a new low. By Jan '26 hospitals or corporate employment rose to 550,494 & independent MDs fell to 120,900 https://t.co/l0tt3yO9kt https://t.co/pkgmHFPjE1
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Depression screening (PHQ-8) equally accurate in pts w/ & w/o chronic pain. Depression screening is not biased by overlapping symptoms in depression and chronic pain. https://t.co/UWf97NDPAK https://t.co/7dvt35RT9E
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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Infectious Rheumatology (5.15.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush discusses his favorite journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.
https://t.co/MzqDykG78w https://t.co/z7BsADXo4x
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Update on Multicentric Reticulohistiocytosis
Have you ever seen multicentric reticulohistiocytosis (MRH)? Don't worry, it's a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis condition characterized by papulonodular skin lesions and symmetric erosive polyarthritis, and it has only been https://t.co/koXOwktDgA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ABA versus HCQ in Palindromic Rheumatism
Palindromic rheumatism may develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and could be an at-risk population. A pilot trial compared abatacept (ABA) versus hydroxychloroquine and demonstrated ABA reduces RA development in a 2 year study.
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FDA has approved benralizumab (Fasenra) for the treatment of adult and pediatric patients w/ hypereosinophilic syndrome (HES); based on the NATRON Phase III trial https://t.co/qqPsjhUClP https://t.co/lCZNoTh9fv
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ANCA-Assoc. Vasculitis has great Rx optionis, BUT still no reliable biomaker to predict relapse or renal outcomes, this includes IL-6. But there is hope for CD163 in the future. https://t.co/lFyfTPj5vG https://t.co/wLfOPz76JC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
10yr retrosp. study of 110 Still’s dz pts. MAS occurred in 37% (1/2 @onset; assoc w/ serositis) and ILD observed in 82% (also assoc w/ MAS, polycyclic course) https://t.co/SNa0KiWfgY https://t.co/xbpCuHdJka
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Another IL-17A inhibitor (Vunakizumab) for active Ankylosing Spondylitis
Vunakizumab, a novel anti–interleukin (IL) 17A monoclonal antibody, was studied in patients with active radiographic axial spondyloarthritis [r-axSpA] and found to be effective and tolerable. https://t.co/y0mw7tRWbs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Fatigue in SLE
An NIH lupus cohort study looked at fatigue in SLE and found associations with organ damage, obesity, but does not correlate with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.
https://t.co/JEAnhMFJD8 https://t.co/sROKzsyISl
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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
"Everything will be alright in the end; and if its not alright, then its not yet the end"
– Suni Kapoor Best exotic Marigold Hotel https://t.co/Yua7t4yoZe
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
From the Blog
Podcasts
Infectious Rheumatology (5.15.2026)-
Influential Rheumatoid Factors(5/8/2026)
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Great Lectures; Great Presentations
DERM on RheumNow (April 2026)
Therapeutic Updates
Expert insights on the 2024 ACR Guideline recommendations for lupus nephritis
Sponsored by Aurinia
Two experts in lupus care offer a balanced perspective on applying the updated ACR Guideline recommendations and the clinical nuances of managing lupus nephritis.
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Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
