Obesity and Psoriatic Disease
Mason Arbabi, MD and Juliana S. Simonetti, MD
Recent News
Obesity is a clinically important comorbidity in psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. Excess adiposity contributes to systemic inflammation and cardiometabolic risk and may adversely affect disease severity and response to some systemic therapies. Intentional weight loss should be considered an adjunct to appropriate dermatologic and rheumatologic treatment.Read Article
Gabapentin Use Rose as Restrictions Fell, Study Shows
MedPage Today
Gabapentin use jumped quickly in Michigan after the drug was removed from the state's controlled substance schedule in 2024, a cross-sectional study showed.
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QD Clinic: Bariatric Surgery "Curing" Arthritis?
Dr. Richard Conway, Dublin, presents this QD Clinic as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" campaign, presented in September 2026.
https://t.co/YwtSkroMta https://t.co/tl8eSrvGhq
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Obesity in Rheumatic Diseases: More than just a Comorbidity
https://t.co/0QJ188HYSm https://t.co/3L09m2cowl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Metabolomic/proteomics w/ cardiac MRI & longitudinal outcomes in 488079 UK Biobank pts shows chronic systemic inflammation assoc w/ reduced LV volumes, incr CV risk (cytokines, GFs, IL-1, TNF as potential mediators) https://t.co/3woGOttKHz https://t.co/eJLkPyJe6U
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Scleroderma-Specific Autoantibodies in Early Systemic Sclerosis
Prognostication is tenous in early scleroderma, especially in those with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc). dcSSc has associated with substantial morbidity and disease-specific mortality. Analysis of an early SSc registry shows that anti-RNA polymerase III autoantibodies in early SSc were associated a higher risk of worse phenotypes and clinical outcomes.
Steroid Delusions in Giant Cell Arteritis
A real world analysis of drug use in giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients shows that despite intending to taper patients off glucocorticoids (GC) by 24 months, 75% remained on GCs for ≥ 48 months.
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Obesity and Gout: An Old Relationship with New Thoughts
https://t.co/T71u9Ta4NS https://t.co/B7vUVqIBQE
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
🚨 Registration opens October 1!
RheumNow Live 2027 returns January 30–31 for our 9th Annual CME Meeting.
📍 Dallas + Online
📅 January 30–31, 2027
🎓 High-impact CME. Expert faculty. Real-world rheumatology.
The rheumatology meeting that sets the tone for the year ahead. https://t.co/PFZ37DlTQe
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Systematic review 14 studies assessed Lung ultrasound (LUS) (vs HRCT) to detect RA-ILD (using threshold of ≥ 5 B-lines) found sensitivity was 86.8% (95% CI 80.1–91.4), specificity 75.4% (95% CI 62.3–85.1), and AUC 0.890 https://t.co/GlNpsPBwtS https://t.co/FJ6B5E5CWy
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FORWARD is a Phase 4, OL trial in 51 refractory uncontrolled gout pts Rx w/ MTX plus higher doses pegloticase (16 or 30mg) IV q4wk. At 24-wk Responses similar 68% or 73%. ~31% of responders later had SUA >6. Confusing anti-Drug Ab results in this trial?? https://t.co/udjE7sXDm5 https://t.co/F8VGDAyJzb
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Study of 119 Rheum pts on GLP-1 Rx (65% T2DM, 35% obesity; mean BMI 35). @ 12 mos wt loss −7.7 kg & 56% improved ≥1 BMI category. Signif decr in A1c, FBS, lipids, LDL, TG, ESR & CRP. GLP-1RAs useful cardiometabolic benefits https://t.co/fdNtvGu8Vb~ https://t.co/EdAqXfsjW0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Single center, DBRPCT of tofacitinib 11 mg/d vs PBO in 100 knee OA pts (KL Gr 1-2); At wk 12 there was NO significant differences betw groups in VAS Pain, or other outcomes-WOMAC, Oxford Knee Score, EQ-5D-5L, analgesic use https://t.co/VDtgY7hTm4 https://t.co/PveouQbI8r
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Endocrine Society - State of Obesity Science and Management
The Endocrine Society has published a scientific statement reframing obesity as a heterogeneous, chronically dysregulated fat-mass disorder, the biology of which is being tested effectively by GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists. Is this precision-medicine? We await long-term safety data, while assessing the outcomes in rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders.
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Phenotypic cluster analysis of 134 CPPD pts from COLCHICORT & CHRONIC-CPPD European cohorts ID 4 Grps: 1) C1 monoarticular recurrent flares, older, W, ^CRP; 2) C2 monoarticular w persistent arthritis; 3) C3 polyarthritis lower CRP; 4) C4 polyarticular (spine/shoulder( & recurrent https://t.co/ghMCmDLCki
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
True or False: The TriNetX retrospective study found that JAK inhibitors significantly increased VTE risk in rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing hip or knee replacement compared to TNF inhibitors.
Check your knowledge in the latest RheumIQ quiz at https://t.co/LHFv1P6XZe.
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
CLOAK study: 3 mos DBRPCT of Colchicine vs PBO (no NSAID) in 120 symptomatic KOA (KL gr 2/3) shows no benefit in VAS pain index knee after 3 mos. (but COL pts had signif change in some biomarkers hsCRP, β-NGF (p < 0.05); PGE2, IL-1ra, IL-8, and VEGF (p < 0.16). https://t.co/MPgLpr7LPP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
17 Sept EMA CHMP recommended marketing authorisation for secukinumab (Cosentyx) in the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica. BUT- not yet EMA approved in the EU. https://t.co/ZGUSbw06vX https://t.co/EqRwpT8Sxo
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Join us for Tuesday Nite Rheumatology on September 22 for:
🔴 Obesity Treatment & Safety
Experts will tackle:
• GLP-1/GIP therapies
• Lifestyle & bariatric interventions
• Treatment selection & safety
• Cost & compounding concerns
• Sarcopenia & bone health
• The future https://t.co/YNEsGofRR9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Observational study of 63,215 neuropsychiatric (NP) pts showed semaglutide signif lowered NP events over 2yrs (vs metformin, SGLT2 inhibitors, DPP-4 inhib);unrelaed to wt loss. Less substance, mood anxiety, CNS atrophies, neuromuscular, eating/sleep & personality/impulse-control https://t.co/tbuvLRK3QE
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Video
From the Blog
Podcasts
Obesity Treatment & Safety
The Four PIllars of Weight Loss Part 2-
The Four Pillars of Weight Loss Part 1
Obesity QD Clinics Part Two
Therapeutic Updates
The Four Pillars of Weight Loss
RheumNow
Watch our 'Four Pillars of Weight Loss' 6-part series as part of this month's The Obesity Imperative campaign.
Read Post
Label update: Structural damage progression in active PsA
Sponsored by Johnson & Johnson Medical Affairs
Listen to Dr. Catherine Bakewell’s review of clinical data from a recent label update.
Read Post
Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
A JAKi After Primary or Secondary TNFi Nonresponse in RA (SELECT-SWITCH)
Daily Gem
Treat-to-Target for weight, disease activity and function
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