Recent News
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, regulatory and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.

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/x4OVeQ5RJz https://t.co/i1fD6XQbnx
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)

P2 Trial: DEU in PsA
Encouraging results for DCV 6 and 12 mg qd.
ACR20 63% for DCV 12 mg (p=0.0004)
Not yet FDA approved for PsA, only PsO
Pending P3
P2: DEU in SLE - PAISLEY
Improved SRI(4), CLASI-50 at w32
Merola
#RNL2025 @RheumNow https://t.co/RV7OPaZWjx
Links:
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd ( View Tweet)

Combination therapy in PsA . Regulatory and reimbursement issues may inhibit such strategies (and potential adverse event concerns) but anecdotal evidence would suggest a role in difficult to treat cases. @RheumNow #RNL2025 https://t.co/IIoUiJyP95
Richard Conway @RichardPAConway ( View Tweet)

MDA5 + Pts with #ILD in #dermatomyositis can improve!
@RheumNow @ACRheum #RNL2025
Data from Christina Charles-Schoeman
#ClinicalPearl
Her pearls
👇
#DM is a #vascular #disease
#CK is not reliable in chronic DM
Neg Abs don’t r/o #myositis https://t.co/hxomz70aq5
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)

#RNL2025 @RheumNow
Dermatomyositis is VASCULAR disease
-IVIG may help DM by blocking complement deposition on endomysial capillaries
-CK levels not reliable
Pruritus common in up to 86% of DM patients
Dr. Charles-Schoeman, UCLA
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd ( View Tweet)

#RNL2025 @RheumNow
JAKi in DM:
@JuliePaikMD- 10 DM pts open label on JAKi. 7/10 improved from mod/severe to mild. In 96wk extension, 6 of 7 continued response
145 case reports for tofa, bari, ruxolitinib.
Role in helping calcinosis? Pruritu?
Brepocitinib (JAK1/TYK2i) study
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd ( View Tweet)

Pearls on Dermatomyositis:
-Negative myomarker does not r/o DM
-Pruritus can be a skin manifestation in DM🚨
-Combination therapy upfront =achieve faster remission
-Evidence for JAK inhibitors in management
-JAKis seem to have good effect in DM-calcinosis
-In DM with rapidly… https://t.co/J3iiDa6ph7 https://t.co/0WTHKa97bt
Links:
Adela Castro @AdelaCastro222 ( View Tweet)

Importance of not over-relying on lab tests. We can test for what we can test for, but this is not comprehensive. For me in clinical practice - Postive antibodies can confirm diagnosis of DM but negative cannot exclude it. @RheumNow #RNL2025 https://t.co/Kyfzne4BSD
Richard Conway @RichardPAConway ( View Tweet)

Do you want to know a secret? @drcharitydean shares that doctors are wired in the same way that #AI is built. We understand the layers of complexity & are best equipped to partner with AI. @rheumnow #RNL2025
TheDaoIndex @KDAO2011 ( View Tweet)

"Treat for the most likely, mitigate for the catastrophic" @drcharitydean (my hero!). Read her story in "Premonition" by Michael Lewis. She served an impt role in the COVID19 pandemic as a public health officer for CA. Her lecture is on re-inventing yourself.
@rheumnow #RNL2025 https://t.co/3ZWgClzez1
TheDaoIndex @KDAO2011 ( View Tweet)

#HOT #topic
Will #Rx of #PsO PREVENT onset of #PsA
Well, maybe 🤔
Alexis R Ogdie @RheumNow #RNL2025
70% of #psoriatic #arthritis is preceded by #psoriasis
Still a bit of a debate re prevention of PsA https://t.co/7bce8kcjdr
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)

Risk factors for development of PsA in psoriasis. Psoriasis severity, obesity, and depression. @alexisogdie @RheumNow @RNL2025 https://t.co/obMDBvLLnx
Richard Conway @RichardPAConway ( View Tweet)

Great graph from @AlexisOgdie on the effect of biologic treatment on PsA development in psoriasis. Obvious front-loading in those who need systemic therapy. But over time those who don't appear to develop more PsA @RheumNow @RNL2025 https://t.co/UxUZyKb0NA
Richard Conway @RichardPAConway ( View Tweet)

Can treatment of PsO prevent PsA?
-Severity of PsO and obesity->Risk fx for PsA
-PRESTO scores: Predicts whether you will develop PsA in the next year vs next 5 years
-Does ttx of PsO impact development of PsA?
Trials are mostly observational (several confounders)
TriNetX data:… https://t.co/TBv3Y2TLZv https://t.co/1K0MtMQ5gn
Links:
Adela Castro @AdelaCastro222 ( 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/qjtr4yz8Ot https://t.co/RUZmLgsmTv
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Break a leg! Or a #hip
#AVN risk occurs even at 1 month of high / moderate dose #glucocorticoids
Shown by Michelle Petri @RheumNow #RNL2025
Risk in SLE is likely
👇
#disease #activity
And
#steroids
#SLE #systemic #lupus #erythematosus #steroids https://t.co/4EsQw9tY1u
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)

Even a #SLE expert who wants all #lupus Pts on
No #chronic #prednisone
Realizes you can’t get everyone off #glucocorticoids
18% May be on chronic #steroids
But she keeps trying to taper
Michelle Petri
#RNL2025 @RheumNow https://t.co/SNP6Eep731
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)

M. Petri on Steroids in SLE👇
-Organ damage is higher in AA vs Caucasians-driven by CS
-CV risk increase is dose dependent:
>10 mg =2x risk
>20mg =5x risk
-Increase prednisone by 10mg =30% increased risk for organ damage! 🤯
-20mg/day >1m increases risk for… https://t.co/fZVjS7JQBL
Adela Castro @AdelaCastro222 ( View Tweet)

QD Clinic - dsDNA without Lupus
Insufficient Sxs to Dx SLE, but persistent dsDNA positivity - what to do?
Features Dr. Jack Cush.
QD Clinics - lessons from the clinic, sponsored by RNL2025 in Dallas, TX; Feb 8 & 9, 2025
Register at https://t.co/2dcFVgu8z6… https://t.co/hCXRhTJB7G https://t.co/y3Tzh5bRLJ
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Wise person once said
If you don’t take your medications,
THEY DON’T WORK!
Shocking 1 in 3 nonadherence with
#hydroxychloroquine
By drug levels
In young Pts with
#SLE #lupus
Michelle Petri @RheumNow #RNL2025 https://t.co/H5izbnW0qU
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)