Recent News
A current review of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) provides current recommendations on diagnosis and management.Read Article
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.
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
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
🚨 SAVE THE DATE
June 3–6, 2026
RheumNow is bringing you real-time coverage of #EULAR2026
👉 Breaking data
👉 Late-breakers
👉 Global expert insights
Don’t miss a moment. #Rheumatology https://t.co/hqmIdeoS4H
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Femoral BMD & osteoporosis are independent predictors (nverse relationship) of all-cause mortality in postmenopausal women. NHANES study(2005-2018) of 2,977 postmenopausal F, OP yielded 47% incr mortality (HR 1.47) https://t.co/67Jv63X0Hx https://t.co/4vbFDydTY7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Toll-Like Receptor Drugs Effective in Cutaneous Lupus
MedPage Today
Enpatoran, an investigational oral drug that inhibits Toll-like receptors (TLR) 7 and 8, was superior to placebo in relieving lupus skin manifestations in a dose-finding phase II trial.
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Lupus Mortality Risk in Young Women
ACR
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 and often underrecognized public health burden.
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APR: Still's Disease
Companion slide deck for the Advanced Practice Rheum: Still's Disease and Fever video, featuring Dr. Jack Cush.
https://t.co/wsUP2zEulC https://t.co/AWSNt9Uzlg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Influential Rheumatoid Factors (5.8.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.
https://t.co/BaugLQEIai https://t.co/WdWXAfB5lk
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Parvovirus B19 Infection - Images from JAMA Dermatology. 40yoM 2-days asymptomatic rash w/ fever to 39°C, w/ arthralgias, Rash on BL cheeks, inguinal, flanks, axilla. WBC =2K, CRP 1.24 mg/dl. Dx by PCR for parvovirus B19 DNA https://t.co/LGGnabvFvA https://t.co/yyBF9pEGls
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Predictors of renal crisis & pulm. arterial HTN (PAH) in systemic sclerosis - retrospect. study of 234 SSc pts; 7.3% had PAH & SRC. PAH may precede overlap w/ SRC. SSc w/ both at hi risk for GI bleed (OR 9.5). SRC+PAH assoc w/ Older age, elevated NT-proBNP https://t.co/MsaiPdcDrb https://t.co/CyMrL8izxP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Dr. Robert Terkeltaub walks through the evolution of gout at #RheumNowLive 2026.
🎧 Listen here: https://t.co/S6RXQo2Umt
#Gout #Rheumatology #MedEd https://t.co/XDbTmj3MOw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
No link between pregnancy tylenol & autism. JAMA Pediatrics data from 1.5 million Danish children( 1997 -2022); ~2% were tylenol exposed during preg. 2% of these Dx w/ Dx w/ autism (vs. 3% not exposed) https://t.co/Pp1tE54Dic https://t.co/qu61jKolpN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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 mindfulness) may not be effective.
Read Article
Vitamin D in Rheumatic Disease - is it Good Enough?
Vitamin D deficiency or insufficiency of is highly prevalent and has been often associated with inflammatory rheumatic diseases, raising the question of whether inadequate vitamin D status contributes to immune dysregulation, incipient disease, increased disease activity, or poor skeletal outcomes.
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FDA has published final guidance on Postapproval Pregnancy Safety Studies; how to study outcomes in pregnant women exposed to drugs & biologics- updates on registries,statistical methods, complementary studies, rare Rx exposures https://t.co/NWxrgB0dPQ https://t.co/ckyaJ07MQ0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ANCA assoc. pachymeningitis (AAP) is rare. 230 systemic vasculitis, from 177 reports (108 MPO+, 71 PR3+); age~60; HA & cranial neuropathy (hearing/visual loss, diplopia) common. 89% w/ systemic Sxs (ENT, lungs, orbits, kidneys). Look for abnl ESR/CRP, CSF https://t.co/bHQegYYl5V https://t.co/hpfu8iaIkx
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
From the Blog
Podcasts
Influential Rheumatoid Factors(5/8/2026)-
Great Lectures; Great Presentations
DERM on RheumNow (April 2026)-
Follow the Money (4.23.2026)
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
