All News

synovitis2.JPG

Granzyme - a major driver of inflammatory & autoimmune diseases

EurekAlert!

Our immune system is armed with an array of defenses designed to detect and eliminate harmful threats. One of its most powerful defense mechanisms is the complement system—a group of proteins that patrols our body, ever vigilant for signs of infection or injury.

Read Article
arthritis.RA_.Xray_.hands_.jpg (keep)

Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Becoming Milder?

Jack Cush, MD

A 24 year, prospective study analyzing very early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in three consecutive eras suggests that RA has evolved since 2005, demonstrating less seropositivity, inflammation, and erosions but is characterized by more comorbidity, smoking and corticosteroid use.

Read Article
T%20cell.jpg

Functional Precision Medicine in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

Novel research from the Medical University of Vienna demonstrates the plausible utility of functional precision medicine using immunophenotyping of blood cells with rheumatoid arthritis, to help guide treatment selection.

Read Article
RheumNow Podcast square

Fallen Angels (1.17.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com; and pays homage to colleagues who passed away in 2024.

Read Article
DM.sine_.jpg

Dazukibart Effective in Adults with Dermatomyositis

Jack Cush, MD

Lancet reports that the use of dazukibart, a selective monoclonal antibody against interferon B (IFNβ), was clinically effective in reducing disease activity in adults with active dermatomyositis (DM).

Read Article
RheumNow Podcast square

Alive in 2025 (1.10.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush brings in the new year with a review of the latest from RheumNow.com

Read Article
vaccine.jpg

Best of 2024: Inadequate Zoster Vaccination in Immunocompromised Patients

Jack Cush, MD

A VA study of shows that recombinant zoster vaccine (RZV) vaccination in immunocompromised patients or those receiving immunosuppressive medications is insufficient, given these are high risk individuals.

Read Article
RheumNow Podcast square

Bah Humbug Vitamin D (12.20.2024)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.

Read Article
eyes

Best of 2024: Diagnosing Seronegative Sjogren's Disease

Jack Cush, MD

Sjögren disease (SjD) is highly prevalent, but diagnosis may be challenged if anti-SSA antibodies or a labial salivary gland biopsy are negative. A recent cohort analysis suggests a novel autoantibody profile has predictive value SSA negative SjD and also in those with a positive labial biopsy.

Read Article
mosquito.jpg

Chikungunya marches on, at a cost

Jack Cush, MD

A recent article from BMC Global Health suggests that between 2011 and 2020, the mosquito-borne disease chikungunya, has disabled millions and likely amassed close to $50 billion in healthcare and disability-related costs in 110 countries. 

Read Article
Congratulations to 2025 Crafoord Prize (in Polyarthritis) laureates Christopher Goodnow, (UNSW Sydney, Australia), and David Nemazee (Scripss,, USA) for their work on tolerance checkpoints - prevent B cells from attacking the body’s own tissues in autoimmune diseases… https://t.co/WSyXVIFJa1 https://t.co/JtBau2JSvo
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Epidemiology of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) has incidence rates ranging from 0.2 to 2 cases per 100 000 person-years. https://t.co/tUWpijtKWX https://t.co/Mb66cZ1Aga

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Palmar fasciitis & polyarthritis syndrome (PFPAS). JAMA case 50yoM w/ progressive hand swelling, stiffness, thickening, erythema, hepato-splenomegaly. Skin Bx dermal fibrous tissue. WBC 152k, LDH 889, lead to CML dx made by BM Fx (myeloid-erythroid ratio 21 w/ myeloblasts). +… https://t.co/xtHbzAioss https://t.co/RfMrfntFtb
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Lung Involvement in Still's Disease A multicentre registry observational study assessed lung involvement in a cohort of Still’s disease patients, affirming pleuritis as most common and that parenchymal lung inflammatory disease is very uncommon in both children and adults.… https://t.co/rGYEgCeUDA https://t.co/fdUGvfU8HH
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Congratulations to Jennifer Anolik, MD, PhD, being named chief of the Allergy, Immunology & Rheumatology at the Univ. of Rochester Medical Center; where she is also Assoc Chair of research & professor of Medicine, Pathology, Microbiology and Immunology, and director of the… https://t.co/jvRiZZ6u1q https://t.co/N2nFp8w6Yx
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Dazukibart Effective in Adults with Dermatomyositis Lancet reports that the use of dazukibart, a selective monoclonal antibody against interferon B (IFNβ), was clinically effective in reducing disease activity in adults with active dermatomyositis (DM).… https://t.co/7oRyxrFpar https://t.co/wA06Kzsdqg
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Leeds study of 19 pts at-risk for RA (ACPA+ & arthralgia) finds low-diversity gut microbiome & in the 10 mos preceding the transition to RA, microbiome becomes more unstable w/ accumulation of Prevotellaceae, particularly Prevotella copri https://t.co/Va9Z0NWHj9 https://t.co/ciM7QtEF5S

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Leeds study of 19 pts at-risk for RA (ACPA+ & arthralgia) finds low-diversity gut microbiome & in the 10 mos preceding the transition to RA, microbiome becomes more unstable w/ accumulation of Prevotellaceae, particularly Prevotella copri https://t.co/rbYMCl1FcO https://t.co/LWqppg36cn

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Serum IL-40 increased in RA (vs OA, SLE, Controls) and correlates with some clinical characteristics. IL-40 did not correlated w/ Dz activity, but was pos. assoc. w/ RA autoAbs, coagulation-related indicators, and decreased with TNFIi Rx. https://t.co/leBPKbNpf5 https://t.co/fHU8lcS4eW

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Novel TYK2 inhibitor Zasocitinib Interest in tyrosine kinase 2 (TYK2), a member of the JAK family, is growing following the success of JAK inhibitors in treating rheumatic diseases. TYK2 is crucial for immune activation but has minimal involvement in metabolic and hematopoietic… https://t.co/KbHcgSIohv https://t.co/0g8X4zrq4X
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
How well do you know this week's rheumatology news?
Take the rheumIQ quiz
Take the RheumIQ Quiz

×