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SAIL-RA: Finding ILD in Early RA

Jack Cush, MD

Cohort study of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients finds that interstitial lung disease (ILD) begins early in the course of RA, with certain factors enhancing this risk.

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pregnant, pregnancy, mother, fertility

Pregnancy Management in Inflammatory Bowel Disease: A Global Consensus

Jack Cush, MD

Consensus guidance on the management of pregnancy in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) was simultaneously published in six international journals, including The American Journal of Gastroenterology.

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Eating Crow (10.10.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, FDA approvals, and journal articles. In this episode: HMGCR Abs, FDA approvals and Cush eats crow.

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MRI.scan

Whole Body MRI for Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

Whole-body MRI (wbMRI) reviews have increasingly appeared in the medical literature, owing to better scanners, faster imaging times and reduced costs. Used of such non-oncologic musculoskeletal imaging provides high-contrast resolution images of the entire body or selected regions screening, diagnosis, staging, and surveillance purposes.

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MGUS,SPEP,Gamma

Review: Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance

Jack Cush, MD

NEJM has reviewed the common hematologic/immunologic finding of "monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance" (MGUS) - a common premalignant plasma-cell proliferative disorder found in approximately 5% of those over age of 50 years.

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pill,pain,med,hand

Tramadol not effective at chronic pain

EurekAlert!

The strong opioid painkiller, tramadol, is not that effective at easing chronic pain for which it’s widely prescribed, finds a pooled data analysis of the available research, published online in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine.

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Optimizing DMARD Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

A phase IV trial from Spain demonstrates that optimization of therapy by lessening biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be feasible, with a low risk of flare.

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RA Hands Difficult deformity

Not all difficult-to-treat RA will have rapid radiographic progression

Jack Cush, MD

A study of radiographic outcomes in difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2T RA) and poly-refractory RA (pr-RA) show a subset in whom damage is rapid and in need of more aggressive therapy.

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Associations in Rheumatology (10.3.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and important associations in rheumatology from the past week on RheumNow.com.

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Muscle mass & JAKi? 15 active RA pts (+ sarcopenia risk) Rx w/ tofacitinib - signif. improved @1 mo. @6 mos muscle mass signif improved (+242 cm3, +4%, p=0·017) {less w/ NSAIDs); w/ signif creatinine incr (0.06 mg/dl) & decr in serum IL-6, IL-1 & TNF. No change in CK, myoglobin, https://t.co/taY7DisMOS
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Rheumatic and musculoskeletal disorders in musicians: Famous musicians/performers with Rheumatic dz and the most common disorders reviewed. https://t.co/FitQpg4KvC https://t.co/ch8V2WGJXm

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Single center study of pregnancy outcomes in 189 women (131 RA, 29 SpA, 29 PsA). Stats for RA/SpA/PsA -- Live births 76%/90%/69%; Preterm 16%/12%/7%; IUGR 31 RA, none in SpA/PsA.. C-Sections ~1/3. TNFi used in 12% RA, but higher in SpA (48%) & PsA (31%) https://t.co/wVWOlRR0c0 https://t.co/sChkDJMrUs

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Activity Trackers Can Predict RA Flares People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who experienced disease flares often showed changes in heart rate and physical activity captured by popular wearable devices 4 weeks before they became clinically apparent, a small study indicated. https://t.co/LjE0LkJTrB
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Gender Complexities in Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment Outcomes Analysis of a German psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients registry demonstrates sex-specific differences regarding clinical manifestation and treatment outcomes, especially with regard to drug discontinuations. https://t.co/zGtfpndod9
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Prediction of D2T-RA. Model was trained on BRASS pts (700; 16% w/ D2T-RA) & validated on CERTAIN pts (2,070; 28% D2TRA). PRO's were strongest predictors. Moderate predictive accuracy (C-index of 0.64 & 0.62) w/ functional status, pain, fatigue, and global Dz activity https://t.co/uv3uGYIRFb
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Not all difficult-to-treat RA will have rapid radiographic progression A study of radiographic outcomes in difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2T RA) and poly-refractory RA (pr-RA) show a subset in whom damage is rapid and in need of more aggressive therapy. https://t.co/WrwyeW5qsj
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Optimizing DMARD Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis A phase IV trial from Spain demonstrates that optimization of therapy by lessening biological DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may be feasible, with a low risk of flare. https://t.co/37O3mAulGy https://t.co/y7OkkzRZUg

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Ethnic Minority Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium registry study of 1315 RA pts (Dz duration 10yrs) incl 29% Blacks found Blacks in less remission(~2-fold by DAS28), more mod-hi dz activity, & frequently met active disease eligibility for RCTs. https://t.co/SfkVUB1GBz https://t.co/OwvmALHPFA

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
German survey of 124 AOSD pts - Dz duration 7 yrs (Dx delay 2 yrs), 2/3 on biologics, 84% responding, 81% inactive by CRP. MDs report 35% of pts Sx-free. More Patients report Persistent Sxs LBP (39.5%), fatigue/weakness (39%), & joint inflammation (27%). https://t.co/2FGUPrhB8H
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UK remission rates for early RA have been stablebut there are variations. DAS study of 13 752 RA, 35% in remission - but 28% (London) to 40% (East England). Delays in referral since COVID-19. Less remission w/ youth, female, Black, hi DAS28, delayed DMARDs. longer Sxs duration https://t.co/57QlnEqBci
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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