Recent News
Forbes has published a thoughtful perspective on the declining number of US physicians and the growth in the number of advanced practice providers or APPs (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) in the US clinical workforce. Gastroenterologist Dr. Spencer Dorn writes that in the US, there are fewer physicians per capita (2.6 per 1,000) than most developed nations (average 3.6 per 1,000), with a physician shortfall of 125,000, that is projected to be ~200,000 by 2037.Read Article
Adrenal Dysfunction after Steroids in PMR and GCA Patients
JAMA has published a study of PMR and GCA patients who stopped glucocorticoid (GC) therapy and noted a low (1.2%) risk of GC-induced adrenal insufficiency after planned cessation.
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Ontario study of 11 641 older psoriasis pts & hospitalized serious infx in those on b/tsDMARDs. IL-12, IL-23, and IL-17 inhibitors were assoc w/ 35% lower rates of SIE, while MTX, other older systemic meds, TNFi were not incr/decr. But JAK inhibitors had signif 3 fold incr in… https://t.co/ffFdHjme65 https://t.co/DkTsadUNx2
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Study of 26 Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) pts (mean Dx age 12 yrs; 77% male; 58% B27+). These were later assessed as adults (20yrs age, <35yrs). Most were in remission/LDAS, but ~20% had synovitis or enthesitis, 73% SI Dz, 15% hip & 8% spinal damage https://t.co/FFEhyA5I6A https://t.co/hE65GNcFpY
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RF levels may offer critical insights when treating RA. Learn why from two renowned rheumatologists. Sponsored by UCB
https://t.co/yuUhmZR5bC https://t.co/Fsbu8Vztna
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Channeling Bias and Cancer Risk with Biologic or Targeted Synthetic DMARDs
A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a… https://t.co/8jqJwkEbZF https://t.co/cQ9aheU5mc
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Indigenous peoples of the Pacific, particularly those of Polynesian descent, have a high prevalence of hyperuricaemia and gout. Gout in Indigenous peoples of the Pacific is severe, associated with family history and is experienced at a relatively young age.… https://t.co/phf5RRkJzE https://t.co/q4VO34Ea5z
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ACR Frustrated with Congress Failures on Physician Fee Schedule and Research Programs
ACR
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) expressed deep dissatisfaction that the recent passage of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, failed to address payment cuts imposed in the CY25 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) at the beginning of this year.
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PAFLAR Guidelines for Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis
The Pediatric African League against Rheumatism (PAFLAR) initiative has published its guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA).
The ACR last published recommendations for JIA (for Non-Systemic Polyarthritis, Sacroiliitis, and Enthesitis) were in n 2019.
Earlier ACL reconstruction and a lower risk of knee osteoarthritis
A preclinical study by HSS investigators found that earlier ACL reconstruction led to lower immune cell activity, less inflammation and fewer joint changes associated with knee osteoarthritis compared to delayed… https://t.co/DnY5nGLah4 https://t.co/ogLTF88CVL
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index
Dr. John Stone has led the effort to develop the GTI - glucocorticoid toxicity index. In this review article he acknowledges the need and benefit of steroids, but details a novel means to identify and limit the untoward effects of glucorticoids… https://t.co/xR8D4Jpjfv https://t.co/LyfHrbneTO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Comprehensive review of the management of knee osteoarthritis - topicals, analgesics, narcotics, intraarticular, metabolic, nutraceuticals, TENS, acupuncture and biologics. https://t.co/SEyG4IQ0bh https://t.co/f6UY4hEl18
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Single Center study of 112 RA pts from Morocco used machine learning (ML) logistic regression model & identified #Depression in 48% (HADS score >8) w/ 76.5% accuracy, 72.2% precision, 81.2% recall, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) of… https://t.co/LBvdVEzDGJ https://t.co/bYLqsFagbR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
2024 Rheumatology Year in Review
2024 was a year of surprising new growth in technology, with the expansion of new therapeutic options for many patients and clinicians.
https://t.co/XuEG8Hrc9e https://t.co/ja5OoZXdWo
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Axial Involvement in Psoriatic Arthritis
Analysis of a Greek Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) cohort shows that nearly one quarter of patients have axial involvement, and among them, ∼30% have isolated spinal axPsA and nr-axSpA, respectively.
Mizoribine Effective in Lupus Nephritis
A randomized clinical trial has shown that oral mizoribine, a common immunosuppressant in Japan, was noninferior to intravenous cyclophosphamide (CTX) as induction therapy in patients with active lupus nephritis.
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Cardiovascular and Fracture Risk with Denosumab Versus Bisphosphonates in Dialysis Patients
Annals of Internal Medicine has published a Japanese administrative claims database study showing that, compared with oral bisphosphonates (BIS), denosumab (DEN) lowered fracture risk… https://t.co/kNqGNTrsAF https://t.co/xgCeaMDT1N
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Increased Mortality In Arthritis Patients with COPD
A new study published in the January 2025 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal, finds that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease… https://t.co/6WCtfcrSaq https://t.co/ydVtBxqy37
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Congress Passes Fiscal Year 2025 Funding for Lupus Programs, including
- $10 million Natl Lupus Patient Registry at CDC
- $2 million Natl Lupus Training, Outreach, CTE Program
- $47.08 billion for the National Institutes of Health SLE prgs https://t.co/BCs3lGdrXK https://t.co/58PkKG9ay6
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Stelara Biosimilar Steqeyma Launches at 85% Discount https://t.co/2ZR7LMq1JT https://t.co/coHj1jh8JB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Japanese study of hip replacements (THA) - #RA pts undergoing THA at higher risk for dislocation and reoperation. Retrosp database study of THA - matching 3,951 RA vs 11,853 OA. w/ RA incr risk of dislocation (OR 2.8) & reoperation (OR: 2.25). No diff infx, Fx, VTE, death… https://t.co/Mz8niRlFaa https://t.co/mgcXTnw5Al
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)
From the blog
The effects on rheumatologists and their patients living in Ukraine largely have been unseen by the world. At ACR Convergence 2024, I met Dr. Marta Dzhus who practices at St. Michael's Clinical Hospital in Kyiv; she shared her story with me about the humanitarian crisis in rheumatologic care in Ukraine because of the ongoing war. Here is an excerpt of our conversation.
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Podcasts
World Changers (3.14.2025)
Autoimmune Myositis The Role of the Laboratory in Diagnosis and Phenotyping Sponsored by LabCorp-
EXXELERATE: New Thoughts on High RF Titer Sponsored by: UCB
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Hydroxychloro-King (3.7.2025)
Therapeutic Updates
Treatment goals for RA: Is it time to transition MOAs?
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Rheumatologists Dr. Christina Charles-Schoeman and Dr. Manish Jain discuss their approaches to setting and pursuing treatment goals for patients with poorly controlled RA after TNFis
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EXXELERATE: New Thoughts on High RF Titer
Sponsored by: UCB
Two leading rheumatologists share insights into why RF levels are important to consider when identifying treatment options for patients with RA.
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Poster Hall
