All News
Low Risk with Immunosuppression at Surgery
The Annals of Rheumatic Disease reports that rheumatoid arthritis patients on biologic therapies do not have a greater risk of postoperative infection after hip fracture, abdominopelvic or cardiac surgery compared (compared with those on methotrexate alone) and that glucocorticoids were associated with a dose-dependent increase risk for postoperative infections.
RheumNow Podcast – The Beginning of Something Else (4.10.20)
Dr Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com
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TNR - Grand Rounds: Safety of Biologics & New Agents
On Tuesday, April 7th, RheumNow hosted its first Tuesday Nite Rheumatology webinar - kicking off a two-month series of Rheumatology Grand Rounds lectures. The first session featured Jack Cush, MD (UT Southwestern) who lectured on "The Safety of Biologics and Newer Agents".
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Tanezumab: A Win as Last-Ditch Osteoarthritis Tx
A phase III study of the nerve growth factor and monoclonal antibody tanezumab showed positive results in a refractory patient population with knee or hip osteoarthritis (OA) -- good enough that this agent may finally be approved after a long and rocky development road.
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NICE Guidelines on Managing Rheumatologic Conditions During COVID-19 Pandemic
On April 3rd, the National Institute for Health and Care Excellence (NICE) in the UK, published a rapid guideline for managing children and adults with rheumatological autoimmune, inflammatory and metabolic bone disorders during the COVID-19 pandemic, while protecting staff from infection.
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The Immunologic Basis of Wellness in the COVID-19 Era
We indeed are living in interesting times and we all are seeking not to contract COVID-19 - this is logical. While our goal is to avoid infection, I think we all must agree that our aspirations must encompass more than disease avoidance. What we should be seeking now, as well, is more than absence of disease but rather a state of optimal wellness.
COVID Town Hall Meeting for Rheumatology
On Thursday, April 2nd, RheumNow hosted its' first Town Hall Meeting for Rheumatologist, with this 90 minute discussion devoted to the COVID-19 crisis as it affects Rheumatologists.
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RheumNow Podcast – Pandemic Numbers (4.3.20)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news on COVID-19 and FDA actions this past week. Be sure to check out:
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Universal Masking for COVID?
In early March 2020, there were widespread recommendations that wearing routine "surgical masks" by the public sector was not likely to be helpful or advisable. Now we are hearing of a 180 degree shift in thinking with the CDC, leading health officials and the current NEJM Perspective pointing to more widespread use of masks by healthcare workers and even by individuals in the public sector.
CDC: Impact of Underlying Health Conditions Among COVID-19 Patients
The March 31 release of the Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR) reviews the impact of several key comorbidities, most commonly diabetes mellitus, chronic lung disease, and cardiovascular disease, as cofactors leading to worse outcomes with COVID-19 infections. Below are e
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RheumNow Podcast – New World Order (3.27.20)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and COVID developments from this past week.
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ACR Infusion Guidance During COVID-19 Crisis
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has published a guidance document on infusions and office based therapies.
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Dr. Artie Kavanaugh - Don't Stop!
Drs. Cush and Kavanaugh discuss the downside of stopping hydroxychloroquine, DMARDs and biologics in lupus, RA and pregnancy.
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Global Rheumatology Alliance Registry Will Study COVID-19
In the midst of a global pandemic of the 2019 Novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (COVID-19), a small handful of Rheumatologists gathered on social media to collectively grapple with the impact of this virus on vulnerable populations with rheumatic disease.
Infusions in the Time of Coronavirus
As they say, necessity is the mother of invention. After years of bemoaning the challenges of telemedicine, our rheumatology clinic transition entirely to a remote clinic in the space of a week.
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COVID-19 Rheumatology News
With the COVID-19 pandemic dynamically changing, we have provided several news items germane to the Rheumatologist.
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The COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Registry
As the highly virulent SARS-CoV-2 spreads over the world, uncertainty and fear for our patients with rheumatic diseases mount.
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Rheumatic Disease Drugs and COVID-19
We are in the early stages of trying to limit the morbid and mortal consequences of the corona virus pandemic of 2020. Not surprisingly, the recommendations designed to limit exposure and damage continually highlight the fact that the elderly and immunosuppressed may be amongst the most severely affected should they become infected with this virus.
This has led to a great deal of uncertainty by patients and providers about how rheumatic diseases and their treatments need to be specifically addressed.
In Vasculitis, Beware of Infection
Risks of infection were strikingly high among patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated (ANCA) vasculitis, which may relate to both the disease and its treatment, Scottish researchers found.
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