Recent News
Read ArticleThe British Society for Rheumatology has published its guideline for the management of adult and juvenile onset Sjogren's disease.
Dannish study of 1 million infants, exposed vs unexposed to systemic glucocorticoids shows prenatal GC exposure assoc w/ higher risk of autism (RR 1.5), intellectual disability (1.3), ADHD (1.3), mood/anxiety (1.3). Same risk for 290K mothers w/ autoimmune/inflamm Dz… https://t.co/bXL3YqCIYZ https://t.co/psNVENXRPs
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SLE subphenotypes predisposed by distinct genetic risk loci. Multicenter 10 yr genotyping study on 1462 SLE pts (56% w/ lupus nephritis & 43% not LN) found significantly higher polygenic risk scores (PRS); significant LN variants included HLA, TNFAIP3, BLK, & STAT4.… https://t.co/zvYGct9aqG https://t.co/obgkHbXNWA
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Study of 702 pts who transitioned from PsO to PsA (median 9yrs) - no baseline differences in PsA pts who transitioned late (>9yrs); but on follow-up, the late group had lower Dz activity, less csDMARD use, but no difference in radiographic progression https://t.co/xUPXA79weS https://t.co/eUeemqovv8
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Pain Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis
BMC has published a full read literture review of pharmacological pain management in rheumatoid arthritis, pointing out that the best evidence for pain control comes from the use of DMARDs and treat-to-target strategies. In contrast, there is widespread use of analgesics in RA, although the evidence supporting their use is often lacking. More research in the area of pain management in RA is needed.
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Seats are still available for virtual attendees! Join us THIS WEEKEND for RheumNow Live!
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Participation is Up! (1.31.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow. We also have two call-in cases on "Ask Cush Anything".
https://t.co/kxMkDW5X8c https://t.co/AjIuNzk7co
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
How did Rheumatology go from being the happiest specialist to now being 5th from the bottom at 65%? Top heavy happiness seems to be influenced by income? what do you think?
Allergy 94%
Pathology 88%
Dermatology 87% ....
Rheum 67%
Internal med 66%... https://t.co/YTKMElL868 https://t.co/RnsIVYWBFo
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Target Trial Emulation Study from EUSTAR - Adding po glucocorticoids (<20mg/d Pred) to immunosuppressives to 208 early diffuse systemic sclerosis pts does not improve skin scores. 12 mos mRSS change similar (-2.7 vs -3.1); same w/ shorter dz (≤ 24 mos) or w/ mRSS ≤22.… https://t.co/QVbhFOEfIk https://t.co/9GrRpaWenh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
A 3rd Actemra biosimilar was approved by the FDA - Celltrion announced approval of its 7th biosimilar, Avtozma (CT-P47, tocilizumab-anoh); both IV & SCm for Rx of RA, GCA, pJIA, Still's dz & Covid-19. Joins other IL-6 biosimilars Tofidence (Biogen 10/23) & Tyenne (Frensius 3/24)… https://t.co/UtG9YOXUX2 https://t.co/j3LzG7beys
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Congratulations to 2025 Crafoord Prize (in Polyarthritis) laureates Christopher Goodnow, (UNSW Sydney, Australia), and David Nemazee (Scripss,, USA) for their work on tolerance checkpoints - prevent B cells from attacking the body’s own tissues in autoimmune diseases… https://t.co/WSyXVIFJa1 https://t.co/JtBau2JSvo
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Recent Excess Mortality in Young Adults
JAMA has published a University of Minnesota cross-sectional study showing early adult (ages 25-44) mortality in the U.S. has risen substantially between 2011 to 2019 and 2020 to 2023. The largest portion of 2023 excess mortality was driven by drug poisoning, but many other external and natural causes exceeded what prior trends would have projected.
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Blood Flow Restriction to Reduce Pain in Knee OA
MedPage Today
A technique now widely used in sports medicine to speed recovery from leg injuries helped reduce symptoms and improve function in people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, a randomized trial showed.
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Celecoxib Lowers Colon Cancer Recurrence Risk
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology today announced the results of a data analysis from a randomized phase III clinical trial involving patients with stage III colon cancer, which found that adding the drug celecoxib to… https://t.co/tIoMtRlwKt https://t.co/fzOAplwJLi
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Full read review and overview of Fibromyalgia - manifestations, pathophysiology, treatments and guidelines. Multidisciplinary, patient-centered treatment should includes a combination of pharmacological and nonpharmacological options. https://t.co/Go5T9pN6wH https://t.co/CIXai9OhZd
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
UK NHS 2023-24 figures show hospitalization for SLE is 8X more common in blacks (62.6 per 100,000) compared to white SLE (7.8/100K) and Asian SLE (26/100K), Lupus hospitalizations risen 50% in 4 yrs (6,334 to 8,006 in 2023-24). Is this “stark” inequality from delayed Dx?… https://t.co/NDdIkWKZy5 https://t.co/E4Fmvz9uLn
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RHEUMS! Please check out this important Survey on Cannibis/THS/CBD use in Rheumatology. This is a short survey (Ive done it) from the Rheumatology Research Foundation, FORWARD and the National Databank folks. We need to know more here; especially from you1 Link:… https://t.co/0KYbgqvceq https://t.co/JeO8hV0luB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA has approved Journavx (suzetrigine) 50 mg tablets, 1st in-class non-opioid analgesic, to treat moderate to severe acute pain in adults. Journavx reduces pain by targeting a pain-signaling pathway involving sodium channels in the peripheral nervous system, before pain signals… https://t.co/xKy7JY7pPr https://t.co/VYrDMQcjHc
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Cross-sectional study of 50 SLE patients, 24% had fibromyalgianess, and 18% experienced widespread pain. Fibromyalgianess in SLE patients primarily reflects heightened pain sensitivity and symptom severity rather than SLE disease activity. https://t.co/oLYc4IsIpN https://t.co/eHVIe9OXVF
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Screening for #RA-Machine learning algorithm applied to primary healthcare pts shown to correctly identify early RA based on 11 features (RF, CRP, ESR, SUA, HB, PLT, AMS, age, SJC TJC, deformity) w/ 96% specificity, 96% sensitivity, 96% AUC. https://t.co/Q25yvDwdJZ https://t.co/CTESAl6hSf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Infectious Sacroiliitis
A large Chinese cohort study of patients with infectious sacroiliitis (SI) suggests that CT-guided biopsy of the sacroiliac joint is necessary to properly identify the infectious pathogen leading to SI.
https://t.co/GYI8iz0rOS https://t.co/3wQR47Wd4g
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Podcasts
QD clinics - lessons from the Clinic - brought to you by RheumNow Live 2025
Participation Is Up! (1.31.2025)-
QD clinics - lessons from the Clinic brought to you by RheumNow Live 2025
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Weak Data (1.24.2025)
Therapeutic Updates
Autoimmune Myositis: The Role of the Laboratory in Diagnosis and Phenotyping
Sponsored by Labcorp
Hear from rheumatologist Stanley J. Naides MD, FACP, FACR, as he details the clinical features of autoimmune myositis, the associated phenotypes and autoantibodies, plus the methodologies and testing options to support a myositis diagnosis.
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Poster Hall
