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Consensus Best Practices for Virtual Care in Rheumatology

Jack Cush, MD

The Canadian Rheumatology Association’s (CRA) Telehealth Working Group (TWG) has developed a series of best practice statements for the virtual care in adult and pediatric rheumatology patients.

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ACR Fellow Training Subcommittee Report on Pandemic Experiences

Jack Cush, MD

Arthritis & Rheumatology has publish an ACR Subcommittee report on how the COVID-19 pandemic affected fellows and their training. 

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RheumNow Podcast – What You Do For & What You Do To the Patient (4.8.2022)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week and discusses the use of fibroscan in RA, steroid hip injections in OA and famous quotes from a famous cardiologist.

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virus,injection,COVID,vaccine

FDA Authorizes 2nd Booster for Older and Immunocompromised Individuals

FDA

Today, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration authorized a second booster dose of either the Pfizer-BioNTech or the Moderna COVID-19 vaccines for older people and certain immunocompromised individuals.

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Are Shoulder Conditions Incited by Vaccination?

Jack Cush, MD

A retrospective cohort study from Kaiser Permanente Southern California intramuscular vaccination given between 2016 and 2017 shows a small but significant increase in shoulder conditions, reported as an adverse event (AE) following intramuscular vaccination in the deltoid muscle. 

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Consequences of TNF inhibition (3.18.2022)

Jack Cush, MD

This week we're going to talk about the downside of TNF inhibitors, a few interesting observations in gout, and yes, kids do get COVID. We're also going to preview what's coming in April (hint: it's about PsA). This and more as Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.

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Baricitinib’s COVID-19 Efficacy in the RECOVERY Trial

Jack Cush, MD

Pre-print results of the RECOVERY Trial has shown that when baricitinib (BAR) is given to hospitalized severe COVID-19 patients, it results in significantly less mortality.

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Tocilizumab Works Best in Non-Mechanical Ventilated COVID-19 Patients

Jack Cush, MD

JAMA has published a meta-analysis of 15 studies of hospitalized patients with COVID-19 treated with tocilizumab and corticosteroids, showing that a clinically meaningful mortality benefit from tocilizumab (and steroids) was best seen in those not requiring invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV).

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Vaccination,vaccine

Downside of Holding Methotrexate with COVID-19 Vaccination

Jack Cush, MD

A recent prospective, randomized, blinded clinical trial has shown that a 2 week hold of methotrexate (MTX) following COVID-19 (Sinovac-CoronaVac) vaccination resulted in greater anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunogenicity; but there was an increase in flare rates after the second dose of vaccine.

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NPF COVID-19 report from AAD mtg shows #PSA pts on systemic Rx were not at risk of hospitalization or severe COVID-1 based on US claims data. Also TNFi, IL-17, IL-23 Rx not affect on Vax Ab responses; less hosp (36%) w/ TNFi https://t.co/ekvu0mMvrn https://t.co/Qogm1Vx5hF

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA has granted a Priority Review for tocilizumab (Actemra) intravenous for the treatment of hospitalised COVID-19 adults receiving systemic corticosteroids and require supplemental O2, mechanical ventilation, or ECMO. https://t.co/b4GSuvsElp https://t.co/oEGskAJVyd

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
“Do as much as possible for the patient, & as little as possible to the patient.” (B Lown). JAMA review of Antithrombotics in COVID-19 says all hospitalized COVID pts with COVID-19 should recv anticoagulation with heparin; no proven value to anti-Plts Rx https://t.co/ZfaH4FiRy1 https://t.co/DW8BGKjfnX

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The striking and most welcome streak of US Covid hospitalizations going down every single day since mid-January continues, now well below the prior pandemic nadir, and even after facing BA.2 variant dominance in parts of the country weeks ago 👍 https://t.co/WUZUCb2TOK
Eric Topol EricTopol ( View Tweet)
15 RTX patients with no response to 2 doses of SARS-CoV-2 vaccine received a booster. Despite persistent B-cell depletion 7/15 had a response to booster vaccine #Vasculitis22 https://t.co/y8y8Bjnqtp
Richard Conway RichardPAConway ( View Tweet)
JAMA reports another study showing safety of COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy with no incr in adverse pregnancy outcomes. Scand study of 157,521 births - 0.7%, 8.3%, 9.1% of were vaxD during 1st, 2nd, 3rd trimesters https://t.co/dZuabwr1Sf https://t.co/CtzMoEV1Ee

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Canadian population study shows that mRNA COVID-19 vaccination DURING 2nd &3rd trimester of pregnancy did not increase rate of adverse peripartum outcomes (vs no vax or vax post-Preg). Comparison of 97 590 Preg vs 44 815 non-preg https://t.co/n7nWcoLw4S https://t.co/uiVOg5A1S8

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
COVID-19 mRNA Vaccine Safety #s - From ~300 million doses, there were 340,522 VAERS reported side effects, 92% mild, 6·6% serious (non-death)& 1·3% deaths(none from Anaphylaxis-0.025%). From 7.9 million V-safe participants, 1/2 had some AE. https://t.co/LV3aiOBOah https://t.co/mbYkZeywEo

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Another Kind of COVID Discussion Another kind of COVID (vaccination) discussion - kindness and respect for the patient QD Clinic is sponsored by https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR (March 19 & 20, 2022 in Las Colinas, Texas) https://t.co/XkUkqQ1Vli https://t.co/lrPd6jBMjt

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Tocilizumab Works Best in Non-Mechanical Ventilated COVID-19 Patients https://t.co/nUrAikqyPS https://t.co/CfmyB7Wwb6

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Downside of Holding MTX with COVID-19 Vax A recent clinical trial has shown that a 2 week hold of MTX following COVID-19 vax resulted in greater anti-SARS-CoV-2 immunogenicity; but there was an increase in flare rates after the second dose of vaccine. https://t.co/a7XfBxVkvJ https://t.co/h4VqsQYkaK

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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