All News
TNR: Decisions in Methotrexate
This Tuesday Night Rheumatology panel discussion on "Methotrexate Decisions" features Drs. Michael Weinblatt, Grace Wright, Richard Conway and Joel Kremer.
Read ArticleRA Associated Cancer Risk
A large cohort analysis of insured rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients reveals that RA patients have a 1.69 to 2.08 fold higher risk of developing cancer, especially lymphoma or lung cancer, within 1 year of RA diagnosis.
Read ArticleRheumNow Podcast – with Special Guest Dr. Peter Nash (9.15.2023)
This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news with special guest, Dr. Peter Nash. They discuss COVID Autoantibodies, SpA life expectancy, HCQ, extraarticular RA and our approach to Early RA referrals and pre-clinical RA.
Read ArticleAdalimumab Biosimilars: Realizing the Promise of Market Competition
Over four years after adalimumab biosimilars were first launched in the European Union and elsewhere, adalimumab biosimilars have finally become available in the United States.
Read ArticleTNR: Early RA - Referrals and Treatment
This Tuesday Night Rheumatology was an hour long panel discussion featuring Drs. Jack Cush, Vivian Bykerk, Glen Hazelwood and Martin J. Bergman.
The Panel discussed Rheumatologists views on Early RA referral and intake, initial treatment preferences and views on diagnosing and treating pre-clinical RA.
RA Extra-articular Manifestations Declining
A Mayo Clinic population based cohort study shows the extraarticular manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (ExRA) have declined with time; but the increased mortality risk of RA remains unchanged.
Read ArticleHydroxychloroquine Adherence Lowers Cardiovascular Risks
Daily hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) is better than an apple a day; as a new study shows that adherence to the antimalarial agent significantly lowers future risk of cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.
Read ArticleRheumNow Podcast – with Special Guest Dr. Janet Pope (9.8.2023)
This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news with special guest, Dr. Janet Pope. They discuss "Not-non-Inferior", large scale genetic screening, Zoster risk w/ newer lupus drugs, tapering, RA referral problems and the TNR webinar session on "ORAL Surveillance Revisited".
Read ArticleWoeful Rheumatology Referrals
Early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis (IA) is rooted in patient (self or MD) referrals. A recent analysis shows only a minority of rheumatology referrals had inflammatory arthritis, with only 21% were seen within the first 6 weeks of symptoms.
Read ArticleOral Surveillance Changes in Advanced Therapy Use in RA
The safety of tofacitinib and TNF inhibitors was studied in high risk rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in the ORAL Surveillance study, which culminated in an FDA warning in January 2021 on the cardiovascular, cancer and VTE risks associated with JAK inhibitor use.
Read ArticleAortic Stenosis Risk in RA
A large cohort study has shown that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are at an increased risk of developing aortic stenosis (AS), undergoing aortic valve intervention, or AS-related death.
Read ArticleHard Decisions in RA (9.1.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow, and introduces our September campaign - "Hard Decisions in RA".
Read ArticleGut Microbiome Differences Antedate JIA Development
Researchers have shown that gut microbiome differences may be associated with later development of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and that such differences are present years before the disease is diagnosed.
Read ArticleBiologic Adherence and Drug Survival in RA Patients
A real-world rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohort study from Israel shows significant variability of drug survival using biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatics drugs (bDMARDs) and targeted synthetic DMARDs (tsDMARDs).
Read ArticleThe Adalimumab Biosimilar Glut
In 2023, three marketed biosimilars (Actemra, Stelara, Humira) had their patents expire, opening opportunities for multiple new biosimilars; but with competition comes a word salad of new drug names, confusion and nonsensical discounts.
Read ArticleGlucocorticoid Affects Weight, but not Blood Pressure in RA
A pooled analysis of 5 randomized controlled trials (RCTs) shows that the effects of 2 years of low-dose glucocorticoid (GC) treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can significantly increase increase body weight, but not blood pressure.
Read ArticleMonoarticular JIA - a Distinct Clinical Entity
Monoarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (monoJIA) is typically classified under oligoarticular JIA, but a recent study suggests it is a separate entity.
Read ArticlePizza and Rheumatoid Arthritis (8.11.2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the wonderful wide world of Rheumatology. This week:
Read ArticleSteroid Tapering Called Safe in Older RA Patients
Most rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients 65 and older who had 5 mg/day of prednisolone added to standard care were successfully weaned from the steroid without seeing substantial increases in disease activity, researchers said.
Read Article
Links:


