Recent News
Dry eye rates upwards of 20% were seen across nine common autoimmune diseases other than Sjögren's, most often in rheumatoid arthritis (39.3%) with Crohn's disease bringing up the rear (23.0%), according to Chi-Chin Sun, MD, PhD, of Chang Gung Memorial Hospital in Keelung, Taiwan, and colleagues.Read Article
Review of Calcinosis Cutis - Surgical intervent. most effective (excision, curettage, laser ablation, etc). Medical measures inconsistently, partially effective, best if used early & localized (CCB, TCN, probenecid, immunomodulation, biologics, colchicine, NA thiosulfate, & JAKi https://t.co/rv0hQBv6nX
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Referral Rules to Live By (2.20.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow. Highlights include referral rules, combination biologics in psoriasis, and don't use JAK inhibitors in pregnancy.
https://t.co/thzetw5jwa https://t.co/HTjWyqFqDZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Diagnosing and Managing GCA and Takayasu’s Arteritis
Giant-cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu’s arteritis (TAK) are both large-vessel vasculitides, but each brings its own diagnostic and management challenges. Many of the difficulties overlap because they are rare, https://t.co/ePJqcMjcBA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Peripheral manifestations are inconsistently assessed in axSpA trials. b/tsDMARDs have small-to-mod effects on peripheral Sxs & may be underestimated. Assessments in axSpA RCTs were low for periph arthritis 54%, enthesitis in 64% and dactylitis in only 10% of studies. https://t.co/cCNvU1oZMh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Full read review & update on Rhabdomyolysis. 26K cases/Yr in USA. Muscle damage leading to weakness, myalgias, swelling, myoglobinuria, electrolyte probs, AKI. Causes: 1) exogenous toxins (46%); 2) trauma; 3) myopathies/metabolic muscle dz (10%), infxn. AKI in 46%, & death in https://t.co/E2LcLeMls0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
3 Months of Romosozumab in Postmenopausal Osteoporosis
A report in The Lancet Diabetes & Endocrinology suggested that 3 months of romosozumab (ROMO) followed by denosumab is as effective at increasing hip bone mineral density (BMD) as the standard 12-month course.
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Early vs Delayed Belimumab in Lupus
An economic evaluation of early vs delayed use of the Blys inhibitor, belimumab (BEL), in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has shown both cost effectiveness and clinical utility of early BEL initiation in active lupus patients.
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Antimitochondrial antibodies (AMA)in systemic sclerosis? Retro study of 165 SSc pts (20% diffuse, 33% ILD, 7% PAH); 51% centromere AB+; 29% topoisomerase I+, 12% RNA polymerase III+)-- 22% AMA-positive: assoc w/ GI vascular dz(OR 13.3), gastric antral vascular ectasia (OR 8) & https://t.co/epMgfbj5uW
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Referrals - Orthopedics or Rheumatology?
A question, often asked with urgency, posed by those who genuinely don’t know who to see for a musculoskeletal (MSK) complaint. Inquiring patients, family, or other physicians may be one forum for such a request. Another occurs in the https://t.co/aIoSaSvdIk
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Paradoxical Reactions, Target Selection & the Future of Imaging in Psoriatic Care
At RheumNow Live, Dr. Joseph Merola presented a compelling discussion on paradoxical immune reactions in psoriatic disease. He began with a case of a 60-year-old woman with mild psoriasis who, https://t.co/AVIOO42vfP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
GLP-1s are known to improved knee OA. Using a mouse OA model w/ obesity, semaglutide yielded less pain, osteophytes & had strong chondroprotective effects, fia a wt loss-independent way. Changing from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation resulted in cartilage restoration. https://t.co/YySGDHX9KO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
What did you miss at RheumNow Live 2026?
Our Poster Hall features new data across:
• Psoriatic Arthritis
• Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
• Lupus Nephritis
• Vasculitis
• Polymyalgia Rheumatica
• Axial Spondyloarthritis
From Phase III trials to real-world evidence, these https://t.co/tp0Uncga7E
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Prevention in Lupus and Therapeutic Evolution in Sjögren’s explores the proactive approach in autoimmune diseases, moving from theory to empirical evaluation. Recent discussions on incomplete lupus and the SMILE trial, along with advancements in Sjögren’s treatments, underscore https://t.co/KY9nHnpkxk
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
What's New in Spondyloarthritis
Dr. Arthur Kavanaugh and Dr. Eric Ruderman gave an update on what's new in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) at the 2026 Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposium (RWCS) in Maui, Hawaii.
https://t.co/X9MfrZLNBq https://t.co/VS04Ra5RZK
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
J Rheum full read editorial on What HLA-B27 Can—and Cannot—Tell Us!. HLA-B27 also holds prognostic and theragnostic value, given its association with greater structural damage, higher inflammatory burden, and better response to tumor necrosis factor and interleukin 17 inhib. https://t.co/3xNDtePEzn
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RT @gibson_rheumPAC
Given rising resistance, effective first-line regimens and adequate duration (14 days) are critical. PPI-based quadruple regimens remain highly effective when patients can adhere.
#RNL26 https://t.co/bxqMbPFegt
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RT @RichardPAConway
ACR/Chest and EULAR/ERS guidelines for RA-ILD presented by Dr Sparks. I'm posting the one I use ;) #RNL26 https://t.co/fwTjB2bIqg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The vasculitis session at #RNL26 was a fantastic update on inflamed blood vessels, large and small, by two experts in the field.
https://t.co/KuVei8jiFu https://t.co/47cI4WSSkU
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RT @richardPAConway
Data from Scott Matson's group showing that immunosuppressing RA-ILD (agnostic to agent) results in stabilisation of the previous downward trajectory of pulmonary function tests. #RNL26 https://t.co/TMNeCsPDep
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Video
From the Blog
Podcasts
Referral Rules to Live By (2.20.2026)-
Maui Potpourri (2.13.2026)
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ANA Pollution (2.06.2026)
DERM on RheumNow PODCAST (January 2026)
Therapeutic Updates
The Impact of Obesity on Psoriatic Arthritis
Sponsored by Lilly Medical Affairs
Image alt text: A person indoors raises one arm in a flexed pose while holding the elbow with the opposite hand.
Is obesity common in your patients with PsA? Learn more about the intersection of disease pathogenesis between PsA and obesity and how weight intervention can affect PsA outcomes.
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Poster Hall
