Sattar et al. has published an informative overview of the effect of obesity on rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). They estimate that nearly 70% of RMD patients are overweight or obese.

Dejaco and colleagues have published a glossary of terms often used in conjunction with giant cell arteritis. The glossary of definitions for 23 signs and symptoms of GCA was developed through a consensus process involving international experts.

Methotrexate (MTX) is the most commonly used DMARD in rheumatoid arthritis (RA); however, there is significant intolerance to this drug among adult RA patients - especially at doses above 15 mg per week.

The FDA has approved nerandomilast (Jascayd), a PDE4b inhibitor, to treat adults with progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). Nerandomilast was approved to treat idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IFP) in October 2025.  

EULAR has published a "points to consider" (PtCs) guidance on the development of criteria for the assessment of the disease activity in adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD).

In 2023, a EULAR subcommittee set out to assess the roles of nurses and Advanced Practice Nurses (APN) in the care of arthritis as outlined in published EULAR guidelines. The scope of APN practices was first proposed in 2012 and revised in 2018.

A large observational cohort study suggests that monitoring hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) blood levels is effective in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with a target therapeutic range (for HCQ level monitoring) of 750-1150 ng/ml.

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal and regulatory reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.  B cell drugs in SLE and ITP, biomarkers in GCA & PSS and great videos by APPs.