Recent News
Read ArticleDr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal and regulatory reports from this past week on RheumNow.com. B cell drugs in SLE and ITP, biomarkers in GCA & PSS and great videos by APPs.
GESPIC - German SpA study of 252 SpA (139 nr- axSpA, 113 r-axSpA), followed w/ serial Xrays and mSASS Scores over 2 yrs. 80% were on NSAIDs. Higher NSAID intake, particularly COX2i, on slowing radiographic progression in axSpA https://t.co/sKgCGaJFVr https://t.co/jMQTAnsCmG
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The 1st Nurse Practitioner program was launched in 1965 (@ Univ Colorado), since then the profession has grown to >461,000 licensed NPs nationwide (up from 385,000 in 2023). ~1 billion patient visits are delivered by NP’s every single year https://t.co/Ma9wHHiy8E https://t.co/gytIMsd2wt
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Retrospective EHR study of 38,327 COVID-19 infx pts & 1,143 whodeveloped post Covid Syndrome (PCC). PCC risk was signif higher in women & obese. Pre-COVID, psoriasis (OR 1.41) & RA (OR 1.64) had incr risk of PCC. Post COVID, more Sjögren’s (OR 4.05) among PCC. https://t.co/0Z48Hy43XY
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
PSS & Biomarkers: Dutch international scleroderma trial of 21 pts showed that cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), and collagen type IV alpha 1 (COL4A1) significantly correlated with modified Rodnan skin score; COMP were associated with mRSS change (r = 0.013) https://t.co/E7SgmIiYmn
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Evaluation of Rheumatic Complaints
https://t.co/dZjD1Y5IBn https://t.co/WwhMbUysZl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Cases & Guidelines: Tuesday Night Rheumatology
Panelists discuss their approaches to a range of difficult cases in multiple areas, including RA, PsA and PMR. Panelists: Audrey Gibson, PA-C; Benjamin A. Smith, PA-C; Emma Bavage, ANP; Jack Cush, MD
https://t.co/1HPBdPdIVx https://t.co/30Q6azQU3r
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
QD Clinic: Weakness with Fibromyalgia
ack Cush, MD and Leilani Law, APN, Dallas, TX, discuss a case about weakness with fibromyalgia and how to best treat the complaints she presents with. This APP QD clinic is presented as part of RheumNow's "Mission: APP Partners in Care" https://t.co/OHeTdemtra
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
JAMA reports that by end of 2025, half (52-56%) of USA nonfederal acute care hospitals will use generative AI and predictive AI. Teaching hospitals and EPIC EHR are early adopters, while For-profit and government hospitals were less likely to currently adopt AI. https://t.co/iJib0YjnW3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Medical Cannabis for Pain Management
Recent research and publications have underscored the use, efficacy, safety and limitations to the use of cannabis for arthritis and pain patients.
https://t.co/kxTDqbzpgg https://t.co/fBumEAgISU
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Roche announced that the European Commission has approved obinutuzumab (Gazyvaro in EU/UK & Gazyva in US) in combination with mycophenolate mofetil for the treatment of adult patients with active Class III or IV, with or without concomitant Class V, lupus nephritis. https://t.co/usUidNVMNY
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Taiwanese retrospective study (2001-2022) of 2,383 PsA pts Rx w/ 1+ DMARDs. Comparing 1,190 bDMARDs vs 1,193 cDMARD Rx pts, bDMARDs assoc. w/ signif lower risk of MACE (HR 0.65), all-cause mortality (0.44), CV mortality (0.54), but more infx related Hosp (1.45) https://t.co/eu7fSVkjZl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
2025 Adult Rheumatology Fellowship Match is Strong (Again)
ACR
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) announced today that 2025 Medicine and Pediatric Specialties Match results show rheumatology fellowship positions continuing to fill at high rates. The Match uses a computerized process to pair applicant and program preferences, determining where physicians will complete subspecialty training.
Read Article
Metabolic Bone Pearls
Betsy Kirchner, DNP, shares practical tips for managing metabolic bone disease, including the importance of VFA imaging to catch asymptomatic vertebral fractures and utilizing fracture liaison services to close care gaps. She highlights key pearls like the doubled fracture risk in RA patients, ACR's risk stratification for glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis, and a simple FRAX adjustment calculation that can improve treatment decisions.
Read Article
RHEUM Survey> In RA, seropositivity correlates best with what?
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
QD Clinics - Mission: APP Partners in Care Week 1
QD300: Flare or Beware (featuring Lindsay Tom, PA-C and Phong Nguyen, MD) QD301: CAR-T Cell Therapy for Lupus (featuring Philip Mease, MD and Cayla Alexander, DNP) QD302: Unweanable PMR (featuring Jack Cush, MD, and Leilani Law, https://t.co/Ow2KMAzwGK
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ICYMI: MSK Evaluation
https://t.co/QuHWcv6zAc https://t.co/0n5A1EtL9c
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
B Cell Targeting in Idiopathic Thrombocytopenic Purpura
The New England Journal of Medicine has published a phase III clinical trial showing that a B cell targeting monoclonal antibody, ianalumab, was effective in more than half of the patients with primary immune https://t.co/VN0KjE478B
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
I Can't Believe it's Not Seronegative Rheumatoid Arthritis?!
In rheumatology, we're no stranger to uncertainty. In any diagnosis of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis, it's always our invitation to reconsider the diagnosis.
https://t.co/JGPTXkvF3E https://t.co/ds1aRzAPF7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA has issued its final guidance on: Promotional Labeling and Advertising Considerations for Prescription Biological Reference Products, Biosimilar Products, and Interchangeable Biosimilar Products: Questions and Answers https://t.co/69sbgoWnSW https://t.co/kpTgdPOkka
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
From the blog
Dr. Cush provides a systematic approach to evaluating musculoskeletal and rheumatic complaints in clinical practice.
Read Article
Podcasts
Reefer Madness (12.12.2025)
Focus on Guidelines-
Preview of RheumNow Live 2026
QD Clinics - Mission: APP Partners in Care Week 1
Therapeutic Updates
Underserved and Under-treated
RheumNow
Watch our Underserved and Under-Treated series as part of this month's Mission: APP Partners in Care campaign. Now available: Vaccine Pearls, Sex & The Rheumatology Patient, Pitfalls in Osteoporosis and Genesis & History of APPs.
Read Post
Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
