Recent News
Read ArticleDr. Jack Cush discusses his favorite journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Update on Multicentric Reticulohistiocytosis
Have you ever seen multicentric reticulohistiocytosis? Don't worry, it's a rare non-Langerhans cell histiocytosis condition, characterized by papulonodular skin lesions and symmetric erosive polyarthritis, and has only been described in fewer than 500 cases reported worldwide.
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Lupus Mortality Risk in Young Women
New research using death certificate data from 52,942 females, reveals that systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) is a leading cause of years of potential life lost among young women in the United States, underscoring the disease’s significant https://t.co/2FSINr6gZN
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Branebrutinib (Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibitor) was studied in phase 2 RCT of 85 RA pts for 12 weeks and was safe but failed to achieve an ACR50 response (19% BTK vs 33% PBO; p=0·16). https://t.co/gTjLJm9iIW https://t.co/GN9p1P8ZNJ
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RA adds to mortality risk in nontuberculous mycobact. infx (NTM). Retro study 1420 NTM pts, 66 (4.6) had RA. RA was independent predictor of resp-death (HR 4.30) - partly explained by ILD & systemic inflammation https://t.co/S9bndHsXCE https://t.co/mC74Qve1LZ
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NEJM reports a 10 yrs study of Arthroscopic Partial Meniscectomy (APM) for Degenerative Tear — randomized, sham-surgery–controlled RCT of 147 pts w/o Knee https://t.co/WMGRIOunwZ 10 years, found no signif benefit betw APM and Sham surgery (pain, function) & possible worsening https://t.co/979C7IYuyZ
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Fatigue in SLE
An NIH lupus cohort study looked at fatigue in SLE and found associations with organ damage, obesity, but does not correlate with disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.
Another IL-17A inhibitor (Vunakizumab) for active Ankylosing Spondylitis
Vunakizumab, a novel anti–interleukin (IL) 17A monoclonal antibody, was studied in patients with active radiographic axial spondyloarthritis [r-axSpA] and found to be effective and tolerable.
UCB has aquired Candid Therapeutics for $2 billion; plan to lead in autoimmune dz by acquiring cizutamig - a T cell engager. Its been studied in >100 pts, including early Global Phase 2 RCTs of myasthenia gravis & ILD. https://t.co/xz4uEhvxu6 https://t.co/6FS1riLecW
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ArthritisPower Registry (now PatientSpot) survey study of 351 RA pts (age 60, F 84%); reported 439 nonserious infx. 27% total infx, 14%w/ MD visist & Abx. Infx incr w/ GC ≥10 mg/d (OR 1.94), but Biologics & JAKi not assoc. w/ greater NSIE risk vs cs DMARDs https://t.co/bHqFnoY0Ud
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Society of Interventional Radiology position statement supports genicular artery embolization (GAE) symptomatic knee #OA pts who have failed conservative therapy and not candidates for TKA. https://t.co/fFkKqRm0s6 https://t.co/0jDhVsgyha
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Advanced Practice Rheum: Fibromyalgia
https://t.co/Wx09nPMA5n https://t.co/UAysDMGuFC
Links:
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JAMA Insights on Chikungunya (affects 35 million worldwide) - mosquito-borne alphavirus seen in tropics, also travelers. Dz char by fever, disabling polyarthritis; less rash, HA, myalgia, N/V, conjunctivitis; rarely myocarditis. https://t.co/Fa3cHygc4W https://t.co/jmh2WjOcI5
Links:
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Advanced Practice Rheum: Still's Disease and Fever
https://t.co/P3qbGYll8y https://t.co/6EAoVWimSI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
EGPA Review
A current review of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) provides current recommendations on diagnosis and management.
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Registry of 587 #SLE pts. 30% were RNP+ --> more dz activity than RNP- (SLEDAI-2 8.0 vs 4.0) and more Rx use (daily GC 6.8 vs 3 mg). RNP+ more renal, skin & serologic activity & less likely to LLDAS (20% vs 32%) or REM (12% vs 23%). RNP + 18-fold more likely to be Sm+ https://t.co/3J0Uew48OS
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PTPN22 1858C>T allele, seen in 5-15% NAmerica, often assoc. w/ autoimmune dz risk. BUT...PNAS shows Ptpn22 augments innate immunity and enhances NK activity against coronavirus infection https://t.co/1AMTuOXtoT https://t.co/9f3JdimJsG
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Chronic Low Back Pain Disappointments in a Randomized Trial
Annals of Internal Medicine reports that patients with chronic low back pain (cLBP) may benefit from physical therapy (PT); but when that fails, other secondary measures (cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT) or https://t.co/17JObbXz5U
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Vitamin D in Rheumatic Disease - Is It Good Enough?
Vitamin D in rheumatic disease — is it sufficient? Vitamin D deficiency/insufficiency is common and linked to inflammatory rheumatic diseases, raising the question of whether low vitamin D drives immune dysregulation, disease https://t.co/CLBFii2TbR
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Don’t miss a moment. #Rheumatology https://t.co/hqmIdeoS4H
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From the Blog
Podcasts
Infectious Rheumatology (5.15.2026)-
Influential Rheumatoid Factors(5/8/2026)
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Great Lectures; Great Presentations
DERM on RheumNow (April 2026)
Therapeutic Updates
Expert insights on the 2024 ACR Guideline recommendations for lupus nephritis
Sponsored by Aurinia
Two experts in lupus care offer a balanced perspective on applying the updated ACR Guideline recommendations and the clinical nuances of managing lupus nephritis.
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Poster Hall
