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ILD Begins (8.29.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com. This week news on vaccines, safety of acetaminophen and more.
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Cardiovascular Sequelae in Adults After Kawasaki Disease
A long-term cohort study of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (KD) shows evidence of future adult cardiovascular complications and hospitalizations. These severe cardiovascular events clustered during the young KD adults and later, a second surge in their late 30s.
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TNF Inhibitors in Takayasu's Arteritis
A large, retrospective, multicenter study demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous infliximab and subcutaneous adalimumab in patients with Takayasu arteritis.
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Repurposing & Pipeline (8.8.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, reports, pipeline and drug repurposing on this week’s podcast.
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Smoking and the Global Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Detailed analysis of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database shows that tobacco and smoking is one of the most significant environmental risk factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) over the last 20 years.
RA leads to ILD: but ILD does not lead to RA
Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease, and approximately 30%-40% of patients develop pulmonary complications such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but the causal relationship between the two has long been unclear.
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MUC5 mutations not in SSc-ILD. Study of 2363 SSc-ILD, 3526 SSc w/o ILD & 15076 controls. They found no assoc w/ MUC5B promoter variant & SSc-ILD. (Suggesting ILD pathogenic mechanisms differ between RA and SSc) https://t.co/bBq52X0Mwq https://t.co/eu1IpaXGL8
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MUC5 mutations not in SSc-ILD. Study of 2363 SSc-ILD, 3526 SSc w/o ILD & 15076 controls. They found no assoc w/ MUC5B promoter variant & SSc-ILD. (Suggesting ILD pathogenic mechanisms differ between RA and SSc) https://t.co/bBq52X0Mwq https://t.co/QdUzra1fnj
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Cardiovascular Sequelae in Adults After Kawasaki Disease
A long-term cohort study of children diagnosed with Kawasaki disease (KD) shows evidence of future adult cardiovascular complications and hospitalizations. These severe cardiovascular events clustered during the young KD https://t.co/zbo64gAV1H
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Study of 90 Still's Dz pts w/ lung disease from AIDA network - mean age 36 yr; 36% male (13% from pediatrics). Lung findings: pleuritis 72%, parenchymal 34%, ARDS 9.5% & pulm HTN 2.3%. Parenchymal involvement assoc w/ sore throat, pericarditis, higher systemic score, but not https://t.co/4YIx2BwADe
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Single-center Retrospective study of 4,736 RA, propensity matched 509 w/ RA-ILD vs 509 without ILD. In multivariate analysis RF positivity was an independent risk factor for RA-ILD (adj OR = 1.5) w/ signif nonlinear relationship observed, risk threshold @60 IU/mL Paradoxical https://t.co/0XtWnIsbmK
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TNF Inhibitors in Takayasu's Arteritis
A large, retrospective, multicenter study demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous infliximab and subcutaneous adalimumab in patients with Takayasu arteritis.
https://t.co/lJbvaYnylO https://t.co/uRBruhW2Fd
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Detailed comprehensive overview of GLP-1RAs and SGLT2 inhibitors - their benefits w/ inflammatory conditions, & potential antiinflammatory effects. Bi-directional interplay between obesity, inflammation, and comorbid diseases https://t.co/oAQsuWVbZO https://t.co/SNqngATBtv
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JAMA overview of Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - affects 1 billion worldwide. Treatment options: Positive Airway Pressure, Oral Appliance, Positional Therapy, Weight Loss, upper airway surgery. https://t.co/imrdsLAocG https://t.co/JEneFvyijN
Links:
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Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk goes up w/ age, obesity, estrogens; BUT a UK primary care database shows VTE risk signif higher in RA (n 23K) vs matched controls (n 94K): adj HR 1.46. Absolute VTE risk higher w/ age & BMI, but VTE higher in younger v older; normal vs. Hi BMI: https://t.co/htI2YqiF0c
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Large metanalysis of TNFi use in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (45 studies, 150K pts) shows no increased risk of de novo heart failure (HF), and no significant risk of HF worsening w/ TNFis. https://t.co/9sRVsMZ1kv https://t.co/igCdcQMVK3
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Smoking and the Global Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis
Detailed analysis of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database shows that tobacco and smoking is one of the most significant environmental risk factors for RA over the last 20 years.
https://t.co/4IDf1ZTl7w https://t.co/oM0bNXIw28
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RA leads to ILD: but ILD does not lead to RA
New research sheds light on the link between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). A team from Taizhou Hospital used advanced multi-omics methods to explore the causal relationship between these two https://t.co/QbY6GC0KBZ
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Japans IORRA study of 10,613 RA pts (2007-21) - 915 deaths from cancer (28%), lung Dz (22%), CV Dz (16%). Protective Rx were MTX and bDMARDs, while even low-dose glucocorticoids showed increased mortality risk. https://t.co/lV5WmC5l1X https://t.co/QncyqXSRE9
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Large metanalysis of TNFi use in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (45 studies, 150K pts) shows no increased risk of de novo heart failure (HF), and no significant risk of HF worsening w/ TNFis. https://t.co/9sRVsMZ1kv https://t.co/Kapg9ZwVGf
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
