The Obesity Imperative

Recent News

Necrotizing arteritis is rare w/ IgA Vasculitis (IgAV). Review compared 30 IgAV-NA to 257 adult IgAV & 196 PAN pts. Overall IgAV-NA is a severe IgAV phenotype with life-threatening complications & should prompt vascular imaging and intensified immunosuppression. IgAV-NA had more https://t.co/GRVcqRPKTL
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Novartis & BMS CAR-T Cell Trials in autoimmune diseases are put on hold with concerns about safety and 3 deaths. https://t.co/ffcAHhtdBh https://t.co/aBCcaKGlF4

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Metanalysis looked at neutrophil to Lymph ration (NLR) in SLE - 31 studies, 4,006 SLE pts. NLR signif incr in SLE worldwide. NLR was higher in Active vs inactive SLE, and showed a significant but moderate correlation w/ SLEDAI (CC=0.354, p < 0.001). https://t.co/tA6UBb1wVo https://t.co/XoXrf6HlKL

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Small series of 5 Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) pts Rx w/ obinutuzumab for refractory myositis (2 antisynthetase syndr, 1 DM, 2 overlap myositis). 4/5 patients achieved complete response. Lung improved/stabilized in ILD patients. Two required second obinutuzumab cycle. https://t.co/ev9qlEO04l
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Ro52 Abs in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). From 2,126 IIM China/Japan pts, Ro52 positivity was common (46%), esp in MDA5+ DM & anti-synthetase syndr (ASyS) & was assoc w/ high freq of ILD, rapidly progressive ILD, and poor prognosis. https://t.co/TA4gSnZax1 https://t.co/riYs5YJwQV

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ACP Clinical Guideline on Treatments of Overweight or Obese Adults

Jack Cush, MD

The American College of Physicians (ACP) in July 2026 published its first living clinical guideline addressing pharmacologic management of overweight and obesity in nonpregnant adults in outpatient settings. The guidelines importance is driven by striking epidemiology: 59% of the global population and 68.5% of US adults now have overweight or obesity.

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QD Clinic: RA, IBD and Frank's sign Daric Mueller, PA-C, St. Clair Shores, MI, presents a case called, "Rheumatoid Arthritis, IBD and Frank's Sign", as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" campaign presented in September 2026. https://t.co/XMD0b35fiu https://t.co/9WUdZKAR0w

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QD Clinic: The Weight Behind Delay in Diagnosis Dr. Antoni Chan, London, discusses a case of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis whose weight delayed the diagnosis and treatment of AS. This QD Clinic is presented as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" campaign, https://t.co/fDozAaX64j
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EBR Journal Club: Dapirolizumab Pegol in SLE (PHOENYCS GO) The EBR Journal Club Companion applies my adapted JAMA approach to critical appraisal to an important rheumatology RCT. Each review covers four domains: Does this apply to my patients? What is the risk of bias? How https://t.co/kereLii5J6
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“ABCDE” Approach to Difficult-to-Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis The proposed approach to D2T-RA is based on the EULAR definition (having failed 2 or more b/tsDMARDs). It is estimated that up to 20% of RA patients meet this D2T-RA definition and can be plagued by active or https://t.co/o39IREvjI4
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Cochrane systematic review of LBP Rx (8 RCTs, 501 cLBP pts) show that Lumbar supports may result in a small reduction in pain intensity if given w/ NSAIDs, but may offer little to no benefit for pain intensity & disability if used alone. Insufficient evidence to support their https://t.co/6Vq4CPXLvE
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NY Times reports Gallop poll: 15% Americans have used a wt-loss drug (11% currently taking) - up from 3% in 2024. These have been approved for use in NIDDM, weight loss, liver Dz, CV risk reduct. & sleep apnea. Also obesity in USA is fell to 36.4%, after peak of 39.9% in 2022. https://t.co/ghxUEcuoGr
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NEJM images: Jaccoud’s arthropathy is a chronic, deforming;from laxity of the ligaments & tendons (not damage to bone & cartilage). Deformities are reducible & no erosions on Xray. Jaccoud’s mimics RA, but most seen w/ SLE. https://t.co/99WDNcpT5c https://t.co/77zAjpQh9A

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BMI Affects JAK Inhibitor Responses in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

A meta-analysis of Janus kinase (JAKi) inhibitors clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has shown higher BMI was associated with poorer responses and a reduced treatment benefit with JAK inhibitors in RA patients.

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Music and Pain Relief

Jack Cush, MD

If laughter is the best medicine, then music has to be second best. A new scoping review in Pain Reports by Bradt et al., examines the effect of music-based interventions (MBIs) on pain management. While its efficacy is well established, how or why music relieves pain has never been fully explained.

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Korean retrospective study compared NIDDM pts Rx w/ SGLT2 inhibitor (n 552,065) vs sulfonylurea (1,480,092) showed SGLT2 inhibitors were assoc w/ a signif 11% lower risk of incident autoimmune rheumatic disease (HR 0.89). Diff of −6.50 per 100K PYs over median ~9 mos F/U. https://t.co/uTiCjejkjL
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Lupus Research Alliance has awarded >$2 million in 2026 awards to studying innovative lifestyle interventions for people living with lupus. This includes studies on ginger supplementation, physical activity, and a whole health online programs https://t.co/C45y9laeHN https://t.co/6ifbPMWNt9

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MSK problems w/ Mobile gaming addiction (MGA)? Study of 364 Jordanian med students showed 9% had MGA- these has signif more UE MSK pain (71% vs 48%; p 0.012) vs nonaddicts. Elbow pain (41%) best predictor of MGA, but also neck (85%), upper back (65%), wrists (41%). https://t.co/51AWgHjrGC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow (  View Tweet)
Chinese retrospective study of 140 Bx proven Kikuchi-Fujimoto pts shows very few evolve into #SLE. While 60% were ANA+ (11.3% other autoAbs) - none developed SLE (median F/U 39mos). KFD is benign, self limiting necrotizing lymphadenitis usually in young women. https://t.co/Ai7W9GCBVb
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow (  View Tweet)

From the Blog

ICYMI: Autoantibodies Anonymous

Artie Kavanaugh, MD
AutoAb.Token
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

  • Treating Obesity is Disease-Modifying (9.4.2026)
  • A Day in the Life of a Rheumatology APP: A Focus on Interstitial Lung Disease” (hosted by Amanda Mixon, PA-C)
  • DERM on RheumNow PODCAST (August 2026)
  • NME: New Molecular Entities (8.28.2026)
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Therapeutic Updates

Label update: Structural damage progression in active PsA

Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Medical Affairs
J&J RX Update
Listen to Dr. Catherine Bakewell’s review of clinical data from a recent label update.
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Daily Gem

Obesity doubles psoriatic arthritis risk, including the transition from psoriasis to active PsA

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