Recent News
Read ArticleAt the CCR West 2026 conference in Huntington Beach, California, Dr. Michelle Petri updated her Petri Pearls. Some are derived from new data, while others are from her extensive experience caring for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
Ambient AI in Rheumatology Practice: Less Typing or Less Human?
Ambient AI documentation is being adopted as a tool for clinical documentation, with the potential to improve efficiency and patient interaction. This may be particularly well suited to rheumatology, where visits often involve complex, longitudinal histories, multiple high-risk medications, and extensive counseling. Ambient AI also introduces significant risks.
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QD Clinic: Managing Muscle and Fat Loss with GLP-1s
Dr. David Liew, Melbourne, presents this QD Clinic as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" campaign presented in September 2026.
https://t.co/t9uD7TGKjZ https://t.co/BzE1m04E2s
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ARthritis & CAncer (ARCA) is Spanish retro study of 728 #RA pts w/ Hx of CA & Rx w/ biologics. W/ F/U of 11 022 yrs, new/recurrent CA was not incr (7.3/1000PYs) & = Pts Rx w/ csDMARDs (HRs 0.94; 0.73,1.21) & not incr w/ TNFi (0.94), IL-6i (1.03), CD20i (0.81), JAKi (0.6), ABA https://t.co/UUWlsaYV0Z
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Mediterranean Diet Lowers Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published the results of the SUN Project study, showing that long-term adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was associated with a substantially lower risk of https://t.co/9GhEwXuCEI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Bringing TOGETHER-PsA Into Clinical Practice
The TOGETHER-PsA trial provides prospective evidence supporting an integrated approach to PsA and weight management, reinforcing the importance of addressing both inflammatory disease activity and metabolic health as part of https://t.co/WmF4mdxDWR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
GCA international survey of 155 specialists (rheums 51%; ophthal 33%). w/ GCA dx, ASA started in only 15%; w/ 69.5% uncertain. w/ visual loss, 93% Rheums, 85% Ophthal Rx w/ IVGC, followed by oral. Uncertainty for IV versus po GC seen in 68.5% https://t.co/sWZQv8yw3u https://t.co/08tdXxDve8
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The GLP-1 Opportunity Cost in Rheumatology
There is no doubt it is an incredibly exciting time to be tackling obesity-related diseases, like many rheumatic diseases appear to be, to some extent. However, deep down, a part of us must dread adding yet another conversation to a crowded consultation. One of two things has to happen: we either outsource, or get more efficient. Ideally we can do a bit of both.
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Supervised Physiotherapy Wins after ACL Repair
The Annals of Internal Medicine has shown that chronic knee symptoms following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction (ACLR) surgery is significantly lessened by a program of physiotherapist-supervised exercise therapy with education compared to single education and self-directed exercise.
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Link Between Obesity and Psoriatic Arthritis
Obesity is an incidental comorbidity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). It is a modifiable, mechanistically active driver of disease onset, severity, and treatment failure. A new comprehensive review in RMD Open (Madsen et al., 2026) synthesizes 49 studies suggesting that weight management belongs in the core PsA treatment algorithm.
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Do biologic Rx lower risk of PsA? Metanalysis (15 studies, 124,138 psoriasis pts, 778K PYrs F/U), showed Biologic use assoc w/ lower risk of PsA (HR 0.54); best for IL-17i (0.65) & IL-12/23 or IL-23i (0.46) vs TNFi. IL-23i superior to IL-17i (HR 0.67) https://t.co/pjZZJ8yq9A https://t.co/yIwQs2FwLW
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
VA/DoD 2025 Obesity Guidelines
Annals of Internal Medicine has published the updated 2025 U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and U.S. Department of Defense Clinical Practice Guidelines on adult Overweight and Obesity management. This effort involved a multidisciplinary panel https://t.co/ukuKGCHhOf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Amgen announced topline results from the Phase 3 OASIZ 301 study showing the efficacy of dazodalibep in Sjögren's dz, w/ signif ESSDAI improvements at wek 48. DAZO is a CD40L antagonist fusion protein https://t.co/5QPBdZivxC https://t.co/VfV873Lire
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Obesity as a Risk Factor for Rheumatic Diseases
https://t.co/zTEHDbTGjb https://t.co/1JuGAfL5oK
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The Need for Weight Loss and Weight Gain in the ILD Clinic
https://t.co/UaKW9GPJTN https://t.co/QGYblSxbfP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Beyond Disease Modification: Palliative Care in Rheumatology
Palliative care is often mistakenly equated to hospice and end of life care. While this is an important subset of the field, it does not capture its broader impacts and tenets.
https://t.co/VcP1x1nKqp https://t.co/DnkdsmgG1x
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Metanalysis of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in #SLE (65 articles, 11K pts). MetS prevalence 27% (higher in males (36 vs 27%). HCQ assoc w/ signif less MetS (OR 0.66), but more w/ CTX (1.39), AZA (1.25), MMF (1.13), but not steroids or MTX. MetS pts were older, obese, w/ high Chol & https://t.co/qSXZkyYTmZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Retrospective study from India on 157 juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) pts - 44 (28%) had calcinosis. They had a long Dx delay (12 mos), were NXP2+ in 41%, & high risk for Lipodystrophy (39% vs 5%). 39% improved while 61% had static/progressive Dz https://t.co/z5gvqzZV6C https://t.co/9WlzPDZ74w
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Lifestyle and Incretin Therapy Advice for Rheumatologists
As GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists become standard co-management tools for obese patients with RA, PsA, axSpA, and gout, this JAMA Insights perspective by Kushner, et al. reframes lifestyle counseling as an adjunct to https://t.co/9dfmKLuJF7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
BMJ reports TriNetX EHR study showing GLP-1 RA use in knee OA pts was assoc w/ significantly lower cumulative TKA incidence (p<0.001). 1 year any GLP-1 RA (HR 0.90) or 3 yrs exposure (HR 0.72) signif lowered TKA 8 yrs later https://t.co/RGQJJHgLFv https://t.co/BoSgFoOyNN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Video
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
The Four Pillars of Weight Loss Part 4
DERM on RheumNow PODCAST (September 2026)
Tuesday Night Rheumatology: More than the Meds-
The Four Pillars of Weight Loss Part 3
Therapeutic Updates
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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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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Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
