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Estrogen-only menopausal hormone therapy was associated with a slightly higher incidence of autoimmune disease compared with estrogen-progestogen therapy, a retrospective cohort study suggested.
Recent News
Toyoda and colleagues from the British Society for Rheumatology have published new PMR treatment guidelines to supercede the previously published 2009 BSR/BHPR PMR guidelines. These guidelines emphasize earlier specialist input, methotrexate as an option, and bone protection for all PMR patients who will require chronic glucocorticoids.Read Article
Dr. John Cush
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CLARITY-1 & CLARITY-2 Phase 3 Trials show Brepocitinib effective in Non-Infectious Uveitis. 371 pts Rx w. brepocitinib 45 mg or placebo x48wks w/ 2 wks of Pred taper. Time to Rx failure greater w/ BREP (48 vs 12 wks PBO; p<0.0001)https://t.co/EBaWe7TJbt https://t.co/UVg188eEHZ
Dr. John Cush
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Beverages & relative risk of hyperuricemia (HUA) & gout. Metanalysis of 52 studies shows alcohol has signif high risk of gout (OR 1.8) & HUA (OR 1.5); & sugar-sweetened beverages (SSBs) incr gout (1.37) & HUA (1.48); as well as tea for HUA among female (OR = 1.29). Coffee https://t.co/nq1fKvOlgv
Dr. John Cush
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High TB & LTBI burden in Latin America. Review of PANLAR registry 590 IMID pts (54% GC, 44% bDMARDs (TNFi), 29% JAKi, 27% csDMARD). Only 430 (73%) had TB screening- 59 (14%) Dx w/ LTBI. @12 mos, 99 repeat TB screening - 5 new LTBI cases Dx. Only 2 (0.34%) had active TB. (CDC https://t.co/wnPdEueb4N
Dr. John Cush
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Rheum Survey on SCLE> In your clinic, what is the most common cause of drug-induced subacute cutaneous lupus (SCLE). CLICK HERE>> https://t.co/LdnYIw0Qw3 https://t.co/qWUqwFpLta
Dr. John Cush
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Novartis announced the European Commission has approved secukinumab (Cosentyx) for use in adults w/ polymyalgia rheumatica, not responding to GCs. SEC is 1st IL-17A inhibitor approved in Europe for PMR https://t.co/ASTwbSrGr2 https://t.co/KtH0AIatdq
Dr. John Cush
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Two crystals in one joint? Cryptococcus risk doubled with JAK inhibitors? And early damage in Sjögren’s linked to a 12–14-fold increase in lymphoma risk?
Dr. Jack Cush breaks down the findings behind the numbers in this week's RheumNow roundup:
- JAK inhibitors: Cryptococcal https://t.co/4RkznhyoIt
article
A French study has shown that rituximab is more effective than azathioprine at maintaining remission in patients with eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) on chronic prednisone.
article
The treatment of active Takayasu arteritis (TAK) is imperative to quiet vascular inflammation and subsequently maintain vascular integrity while preventing vessel damage. Our upfront management of TAK, beyond glucocorticoids and conventional DMARDs, remains limited to two primary mechanistic categories: tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) and the IL-6 inhibitor tocilizumab (toci).
Dr. John Cush
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TENS does NOT work in knee OA (KOA). Sham controlled RCT of 96 KOA pts (all Rx w/ exercise) randomized to TENS or sham show no betw group difference in KOOS score at 1 mo, nor did they achieve the minimal clinically important difference. https://t.co/1xPtNn7MM0 https://t.co/GLCfzWP39D
Dr. John Cush
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Systematic review of CV outcomes w/ SGLT2 inhibitors- 5 studies, 11,190 IMID pts (SSc 25%, SLE 71%) SGLT2i use assoc w/ signif lower all-cause mortality and heart failure risk (no clear MI benefit). SGLT2i have establ use in NIDDM, CHF & CKD Pts. https://t.co/U28aBsQpJ8 https://t.co/g9Ak2MCJEN
Dr. John Cush
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JAMA Uveitis review: Uveitis peaks at 20–50 yrs; 41–60% is anterior. ~40 linked to systemic disease (HLA-B27=axSpA). 1st exclude infection (TB, toxo, herpes). Anterior UV: topical steroids. Posterior/pan UV: DMARDs first (MTX remission 52%, MMF 71%); adalimumab if refractory https://t.co/jQQGzhAm7c
Dr. John Cush
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van Vollenhoven’s Treatment Advances in Lupus
Professor van Vollenhoven has compiled a state-of-the-art review on lupus treatment advances – current and future. SLE management is entering an unprecedented phase.
https://t.co/5oCf60XmuJ https://t.co/8TGC1Y4Cqp
Dr. John Cush
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Comorbidity management is subpar in Rheum. Surveys of 2213 inflamm rheum Dz pts & 140 rheumatologists. Rheums think theyre OK (71-92%) screening (HTN, OP, vaccines, CA), but pts say NOT (12=33%).Rheums agree they have no structured comorbidity screening in place (time 91%, https://t.co/mqcptziRdw
Dr. John Cush
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Impact of Myositis in Scleroderma Patients
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) may have overlap features such as myositis. When present, myositis in SSc is associated with an increased risk of cardiac involvement and a shift in mortality away from ILD towards a greater cardiac risk. https://t.co/bKYP9FmadY
Dr. John Cush
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EBR Journal Club: Secukinumab in Polymyalgia Rheumatica (REPLENISH)
The EBR Journal Club Companion applies my adapted version of the JAMA approach to critical appraisal to an important RCT in rheumatology.
https://t.co/uejuXKsrWD https://t.co/SqtsxK6etR
Dr. John Cush
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150 #Gout pts (56 yrs old; 33wks F/U; 21% drank EtOH, 29% obese, 5% MASLD) on allopurinol followed w/ labs. 30y (20%) had incr AST/ALT (87% mild, none severe). Allopurinol was cont 18/10 without change in AST/ALT. Allopurinol was not the primary cause of LFT elevation https://t.co/XOkUtbdRIK
Dr. John Cush
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Monogenic Inflammatory Disorders Go Unrecognized
Lancet Rheumatology published a large cohort analysis using a genome-first approach with whole-exome sequencing, finding a prevalence of 1 in 4026 (159/640092) for monogenic disorders, half with inflammatory features. Only one https://t.co/bItqMXIoUH
Dr. John Cush
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Treat-to-Target has Excellent 10-Year Outcomes in RA
Most patients with RA whose initial treatment used a stringent treat-to-target strategy in a clinical trial were in remission 10 years later, with only modest radiographic progression over that time, researchers said. https://t.co/aWQgQAsoSI
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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
Double Trouble (10.23.2026)-
Troubles with ‘Gut Feelings’
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Don’t Hold the JAK (10.9.2026)
PsA Beyond the Joints: Rheum, Derm, and Gastro Perspectives
Therapeutic Updates
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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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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Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
