Recent News
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com.Read Article
Gout: Diagnosis
The diagnosis of gout - labs, imaging and polarized microscopy, created by @MithuRheum for RheumNow.
https://t.co/s8gkANFJSB https://t.co/pkUeFLG5if
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Interferon-α as an Immunologic Driver of Sjögren's Disease
Using data from a Sjogren's registry, researchers have shown that IFNα drives Sjögren's disease, and can be elevated a decade before diagnosis. This study assessed the role of type 1 interferon (IFNα) in its onset and https://t.co/Clj9u5COzQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Future therapies (in development) for gout - the goal is durable crystal depletion.
Created by: Dr. Aravind Palraj @rheumat_aravind for RheumNow.
https://t.co/yeCSAnHiY2 https://t.co/nH8f2Y3hNP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Dz new terminology from 2026 G-CAN consensus. Preferred:
- acute CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- OA w/ CPP
- Chondrocalcinosis (xray)
* Pseudogout is obsolete
https://t.co/bsztXz9UDs https://t.co/GOey5YmKif
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
JAMA Case Quiz - A 57 yoF w/ #RA has a new vesicular rash. 9mos prior ETN change to ADA. Rash (painful, pruritic) started 2 wks ago. Exam: PIP swelling, & ulcerated plaques on neck, chest, & erythroderma on hands, CRP 15.0 mg/L , ESR 111 mm/h. What would you do? order?
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Medscape asked medical authors (panel of experts), including Roach, Epstein, and several literary medical professionals — this question: What’s a book every clinician should read? Here's an interesting read list for some of you! (I loved "Stiff" by Mary Roach; its about https://t.co/L5NSHjPKwA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Social Media (SM) for Health Information by US (sample 7278 adults) - SM use reported by 88% (representing ~ 228 million). ~22% adults made health decisions based on SM, despite almost 78% reporting distrust of SM. Lower SM use in older, rural, less educated. https://t.co/uYYzBvckFu
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
British Dermatology Biologics registry (BADBIR) 18976 #PSO pts had incidence serious infxns (SIE) 28 SEI/1000 Pt-Yrs; higher if they had prior infxn (79/1000 PYs). SIE signif lower w/ RIZankizumab (HR 0.74-.80) vs BROAD, ETN, other standards Rxs. SIE deaths rare (1.81/1000 PYs) https://t.co/5HqJ3zpO0g
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
New GoutStop cards - print and give to your gout patients!
https://t.co/Bh0IuM5tzu https://t.co/j5rQJStSnu
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Four Decades of Gout Management
During this month-long campaign on Gout, we have documented many significant changes in our approach to gout, as well as many unmet needs and deficiencies that merit our continued, primary attention. We are all familiar with the famous 1905 quote, “Those who cannot remember the past are condemned to repeat it." (from philosopher George Santayana)
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Treatment goals in gout: aim for remission!
Rheumatologists are used to the concept of disease remission as this is a treatment goal we use for many chronic rheumatic diseases in our clinical practice. Recently, G-CAN (the Gout and Crystal Arthritis Network), endorsed a definition of remission in gout.
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Uricase-Targeted Therapies in Gout
https://t.co/RB6Yj4oY9a https://t.co/NrWq6Y93Hg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The Wider Implications of Dactylitis
Dactylitis, AKA the "sausage digit", is a hallmark of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but as Possemato and colleagues point out, it is fundamentally a clinical sign, and not a diagnosis.
https://t.co/HRaIvMHMSV https://t.co/XOcHbFVMsS
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
When Gout Flares, So Does the Cardiovascular System
We have spent decades teaching that a gout flare is a joint problem: a hot, swollen, painful joint that we treat with anti-inflammatory drugs and move on from (i.e., the treat to avoid symptoms strategy). The campaign title https://t.co/HCUQVaor4f
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Yesterday the EMA approved upadacitinib (Rinvoq) for the Treatment of Adults and Adolescents with Non-Segmental Vitiligo - the 1st therapy approved for the most common form of vitiligo. Based on positive results from the Phase 3 Viti-Up trials https://t.co/MMv5LjZclQ https://t.co/zN41GC5T15
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Upgrading & Maximizing the Classics
Panelists: Dr. Angelo Gaffo Dr. Lisa Stamp Dr. Michael Pillinger Dr. Ted Mikuls Dr. Jack Cush (moderator)
https://t.co/gO4CQD2f19 https://t.co/ESSLL0iK8F
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
2 T2T RCTs of 383 gout pts starting allopurinol - 31% had tophi. At 12 mos achieving target uric acid (<0.36mmol/L) was same in pts with and without tophi (70.3 vs 73.6), as was the %gout flares in month 11 (71.4% vs 79.7%; p=0.21). Allopurinol T2T success not influenced by https://t.co/zr7K8Y2Bqz
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Swimming Reduces Disability from Low Back Pain
Swimming is commonly recommended for patients with chronic low back pain. Yet, there is little trial data investigating swimming. An Australian study has shown for the first time that a program of swimming can be clinically https://t.co/OfxsvRjyJg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Evidence-Based Dietary Recommendations for Gout
Gout, historically referred to as the “disease of kings,” was once associated with a lifestyle of excess. Today, it is more appropriate to refer to gout as a “disease of commoners,” as it is the most common inflammatory arthritis https://t.co/uIrSeOjxJZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Video
From the Blog
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
TU: Systemic Burden of Gout Part 2 (24 plus)
Methotrexate Safety Tips (7.31.2026)
Gout Lessons from the Clinic Part 3
DERM on RheumNow (July 2026)
Therapeutic Updates
Make Rheum for Rads: Autoimmune ILD Diagnosis, Monitoring, and the Patient Experience
Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Drs. Elizabeth Volkmann and Robert Suh explore the roles rheumatologists and radiologists play in diagnosing and monitoring autoimmune ILD and hear from a patient about her experience.
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A JAKi After TNFi Failure in RA: SELECT-SWITCH at Week 12
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Dr. Christina Charles-Schoeman and Dr. Manish Jain are back to discuss treatment considerations after TNFi failure in RA. Join them as they review the latest data from SELECT-SWITCH, including post hoc results in primary and secondary nonresponders presented at EULAR 2026.
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Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Real-World Joint Outcomes With an IL-23i vs TNFi or IL-17i in PsA
Daily Gem
Non-gout drugs that may lower uric acid: losartan, amlodipine, ACE inhibitors, fenofibrate, atorvastatin, leflunomide, vitamin C, estrogen, and high-dose ASA.
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