Recent News
Read ArticleDr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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. Here is a review of the guidelines, including five key takeaways for rheumatologists.
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Rheum Survey: Beyond weight loss, How will GLP-1 drugs benefit rheumatic pts?
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Earlier Dx of axSpA is assoc w/ lower long-term spinal structural damage. Swiss study compared xray outcomes betw 138 early (<2yrs) & 238 established axSpA pts w/ 11.5 yrs F/U. Differences became evident 10-15 yrs after Dx. https://t.co/E9oR37CEiD https://t.co/7FiaqJIRRC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Beyond Disease Modification: Palliative Care in Rheumatology
Therapeutic advances have transformed the prognosis of many rheumatic diseases, allowing patients to achieve sustained disease control and avoid irreversible organ damage. For some, however, rheumatology conditions progressively cause decline, damage, loss of function, and ultimately shortened life expectancy. Palliative care is an under-utilized and often misunderstood tool within rheumatology.
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Estimated > 7million Americans (~1/3 US GLP1 Rxs) get GLP-1 drugs from online compounding source- but these are not FDA approved. They maybe cheaper, but dosing/quality is suspect. FDA needs to close the 503B loophole to outlaw these copycat Rxs https://t.co/Xu7MeP0Ytt https://t.co/nYGr3auqzx
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Retrospective review of 33 referred pts w/ Recurrent fever w/ MSK & skin Sxs, assessed by NGS. NLRP1 had FMF-like Dz; NLRP recurrent fevers w/ mucocutaneous; NLRP12 periodic fevers w/ MP/EN rash; NLRC4 episodic systemic inflammation GI Sxs & atypical skin rash https://t.co/IWafJVFoaJ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Southern Israel study (2009-24) shows fibromyalgia prevalence Incr from 1.04% to 3.88%, esp 30-59 yrs; more males, w/ more Psych comorbidities; fewer hospitalizations & specialist visits but increased imaging. More use of pregabalin, duloxetine, & gabapentin. https://t.co/kgmvdZF9HQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Systematic review of 290 psoriasis pregnancies 211 live births (73%) finds biologic exposure (UST 241, 42 TNFi) during PREG assoc w/ favorable maternal/fetal outcomes. Only 24 cont either CZP or ADA throughout PREG. Rates of miscarriage, LBW, congenital anomalies, comparable w/ https://t.co/H5GLrvxwPv
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Indian Single center retrospective study of 28 children ≤18 yrs tested w/ 18F-FDG-PET/MR for pyrexia (PUO). 25% Dx w/ pre-stenotic TAKayasu (mean 13.9 yrs), & 20/21 alternative Dxs. All had Sxs & high ESR/CRP; all Rx w/ GC & MMF, 3 w/ biologics https://t.co/6trs1WssjW https://t.co/EOPIarRhY5
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
It’s almost time. 🔥
Registration for RheumNow Live 2027 opens OCTOBER 1.
Two days of practical, engaging rheumatology education designed to challenge how you think and influence how you practice.
📅 Jan 30–31, 2027
📍 Dallas + Online https://t.co/Ju0zzYX8Tl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Prescribing New GLP-1-Based Therapies
https://t.co/cpxyxBMZ8s https://t.co/9JXmlW2Lj6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
New report shows Median total cash compensation increased across all seven specialty groups in 2026; adult medical rose 7.2% - Rheumatology led one-year pay growth at 10.4% https://t.co/iuonfJRsf6 https://t.co/zybCZeNV5I
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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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Obesity and Psoriatic Disease
Mason Arbabi, MD and Juliana S. Simonetti, MD
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.
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Early RA Referral Clinics Work (9.18.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on https://t.co/ofGKCCNQnE
https://t.co/fn0L4goAMT https://t.co/F8QKs7261x
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
QD Clinic: GLP-1s and History of Thyroid Cancer?
Daric Mueller, PA-C, St. Clair Shores, MI, presents this case as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" campaign, presented in September 2026.
https://t.co/rhsUNVIdQ4 https://t.co/mjHEWNIGqU
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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)
Video
From the Blog
When it rains it pours, but when it comes to grief, it’s like the rains that just won't let up.
Just too many deaths this past month. All devastating, all my immediate sphere. All hard to fathom. How can something so inevitable be a recurring, unwelcome, unsolvable bad dream?
I lost my father when I was 15, my sister was 20 and my mother when I was in medical school. And I've done this many, many times since.
Podcasts
Rheumatology Pay Up (9.25.2026)
Obesity QD Clinics Part Three
Obesity Treatment & Safety
The Four PIllars of Weight Loss Part 2
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.
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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.
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Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Real-World Predictors and Early Indicators for IBD in Patients With PsA
Daily Gem
Obesity medications are powerful tools, but when combined with lifestyle interventions, they can take us even further.
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