All News
Opioid Deaths are Down (2.28.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Opioid deaths are down, IL-33 levels are up and Weight loss is in the news again this week!
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Loss of Good Sleep Linked to All-Cause Mortality
A US study shows that nearly two-thirds of the population had suboptimal 5-year sleep duration trajectories with a resultant 29% increase in risk of all-cause mortality.
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Recurrent Pericarditis in Lupus
A study from the Lupus Hopkins Cohort shows that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with pericarditis are at risk for recurrence, and likely to be younger patients, with uncontrolled disease, and linkage to higher doses of oral prednisone.
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AbbVie Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for Upadacitinib (RINVOQ®) for the Treatment of Adults with Giant Cell Arteritis https://t.co/WP8JGpHc6p https://t.co/x9m870mCJ4
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
UK MRCP exam makeup:
Cardio 15%
Pharm 15%
Resp 10%
GI 10%
Neuro 10%
ID 8%
Endo 8%
RHEUM 6%
Heme 5%
Renal 5%
Derm 4%
Eye 2%
Psych 2% https://t.co/WG7X3B8a0Y https://t.co/9VF5LkLJjs
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Cochrane review of TNF inhib. in #JIA shows TNFi efficacy, but uncertainty about LT safety, pain, function, & Dz control - esp compared to MTX. 9 studies, 678 JIApts, age 8-15 yrs (80% F), Dz duration 0.8-6.7 yrs. Withdrawls 1% v 3%; Serious AE 6% v 7% (PBO vs TNFi).… https://t.co/i35m5uzG1m https://t.co/VzJN9PmmMh
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"Never take the advice of someone who has not had your kind of trouble"
- Sidney J. Harris https://t.co/xdB6u6OiPq
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Ankle Fusion or Total Replacement?
In a large study of British patients needing surgical treatment for advanced arthritis in the ankle, fusion appeared to be a better option than total ankle replacement.
https://t.co/ZFbd2VinpP https://t.co/QCqMkxNLoQ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Schnitzler Syndrome: A Rare Autoinflammatory Disorder
A credible, quick overview
Chronic Urticaria
Monoclonal Gammopathy (
Recurrent Fever
Bone & Joint Pain
Elevated CRP &ESR https://t.co/sQ22t8Z46m https://t.co/nJOVCghoFa
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Diagnoses via Immune ‘Fingerprints’
Science and researchers at Stanford Medicine have reported the use of Mal-ID (machine learning for immunological diagnosis) to analyze B and T cell receptors (BCRs and TCRs) sequences from human blood, showing the ability to predict health… https://t.co/nqyf4iaD10 https://t.co/wt5V6uxLYf
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
JAMA Case: A Woman With Painful Digital Ulcers - What would you order next?
- chest CT w/ myositis-specific autoAb panel
- dsDNA
- SCL-70 & Centromere Abs
- muscle biopsy https://t.co/t0WCIMtZg2 https://t.co/M1jBhnclLl
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Misdiagnosis of Dermatomyositis
JAMA Dermatology reports a retrospective cohort study from Johns Hopkins reviewing mimic of dermatomyositis (DM), suggesting that DM and especially clinically amyopathic DM (CADM) are commonly and initially misdiagnosed as inflammatory skin… https://t.co/2SbGxxcPLm https://t.co/TtoxFIXg3Q
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
TNF Inhibitor Drug-Induced Lupus
A study from the FDA's adverse event reporting system (FAERS or Medwatch) database identified cases of drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors - a paradoxical reaction to… https://t.co/LYq0qxDtp3 https://t.co/vRYrBAIMEA
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13% of the ~22 million people with traditional coverage received a telehealth betw 10-12/2023. Expansion of Medicare telehealth coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic is set to expire on March 31 , 2025. Most telehealth will expire if Congress does not act. https://t.co/mVy7s664OX https://t.co/BVH6Hv5553
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Retrospect. study of 77 RA pts w/ +ANCA (age 62 yrs, 79%F. 65% RF+. 45% p-ANCA+; 42% MPO+. Diagnoses included: AAV (29%); GPA (45%), MPA (36 %); EGPA (5%). Renal (41%) & upper Resp (36%) were most freq. Pts w/ RA+AAV had more RF, MPO+, nodules, inflam eye Dz… https://t.co/NTvAhZY2y8 https://t.co/IAkWHtcTCo
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CDC reports an unprecedented drop of ~24% in US drug overdose deaths (87,000 down from 114,000) in 12 mos prior to 9/24. Yet, overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44 yrs https://t.co/REiaQx6NKd https://t.co/nzOMDgUYbS
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Schnitzler Syndrome: A Rare Autoinflammatory Disorder
A credible, quick overview
Chronic Urticaria
Monoclonal Gammopathy (
Recurrent Fever
Bone & Joint Pain
Elevated CRP &ESR https://t.co/boYFFEVwII https://t.co/xKCUZb8o6A
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The global biosimilars market size is evaluated at USD $40 billion in 2025 and is expected to hit approximately USD 176 billion by 2034 (a 17.78% increase) https://t.co/U4PbinVN4J https://t.co/SLHynlhJrs
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Diagnoses via Immune ‘Fingerprints’
Science and researchers at Stanford Medicine have reported the use of Mal-ID (machine learning for immunological diagnosis) to analyze B and T cell receptors (BCRs and TCRs) sequences from human blood, showing the ability to predict health… https://t.co/ni09ssCYSv https://t.co/4HWui3XxfE
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Postoperative Weight Loss Improves Joint Replacement Survival
A cohort study of shows that postoperative weight loss with antiobesity medications significantly reduced the risk of 5-year and 10-year revision among patients with obesity undergoing hip or knee replacement.… https://t.co/u04Lc6DTT0 https://t.co/iZhEICFHUd
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)