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Patients with Melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5) positive dermatomyositis (DM) are complicated and prone to interstitial lung disease, poor prognosis, and a high mortality.
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Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from RheumNow Live 2025 held in Dallas, TX on Feb. 8-9, 2025.
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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, regulatory and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Our immune system is armed with an array of defenses designed to detect and eliminate harmful threats. One of its most powerful defense mechanisms is the complement system—a group of proteins that patrols our body, ever vigilant for signs of infection or injury.
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A 24 year, prospective study analyzing very early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in three consecutive eras suggests that RA has evolved since 2005, demonstrating less seropositivity, inflammation, and erosions but is characterized by more comorbidity, smoking and corticosteroid use.
Dr. John Cush
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ACPA+ linked to nodule progression. 208 #RA pts w/ Chest CT studied. Lung nodules seen in 1/3; 10% before RA Dx (10.4 mos before). Positive ACPA (not RF) was assoc w/ nodule progression (OR 3.69). csDMARDs & b/ts-DMARDs NO affect on nodule progression. https://t.co/GO1wLRIl9j https://t.co/pfFGbPv2DG
Dr. John Cush
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Increased L-33 linked to SLE. Study of 120 #SLE vs 60 controls. IL-33 levels signif higher in SLE (258.7 vs 78.3, p < 0.001) & correlated w/ SLEDAI (r = 0.68, p < 0.001) & organ damage (r = 0.45, p < 0.01) & renal dz (p < 0.01). https://t.co/8dbH6u2s1r https://t.co/SzKWy5Xbv1
Dr. John Cush
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AI-assisted diagnosis for immunological disease
A novel machine learning framework – Mal-ID – can decipher an individual’s immune system’s record of past infections and diseases, according to a new study, providing a powerful tool with the potential for diagnosing autoimmune… https://t.co/gAViSbzreI https://t.co/IFXObUZe2s
Dr. John Cush
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A common clinical phenotype arising from diverse pathogenic mechanisms. Study of PBMC transcriptomes (ACPA+ at-risk vs early ACPA+ RA vs controls). A TF signature was enriched in early RA & at-risk individuals (involving SUMOylation, RUNX2, YAP1, NOTCH3, β-Catenin). Cells w/… https://t.co/vCDEjIMXWa https://t.co/mizo7AXWvr
Dr. John Cush
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At RWCS 2025, Dr. Susan Shenoi aptly noted the prevalence of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has declined significantly. Does this indicated herd immunity or the decline of community SARS-CoV-2 (or both)? @ShenoiSusan https://t.co/vY01VDkNVl… https://t.co/c8Qu4OqBSh https://t.co/yZAoRcG6LN
Dr. John Cush
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Targeting PD-1 in Rheumatoid Arthritis
The results of the large Phase 2b RENOIR trial showed that rosnilimab, a monoclonal antibody targeting PD-1, was effective in moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.
https://t.co/ZsS3JOqdLh https://t.co/3JByNrLTGR
Dr. John Cush
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8 fold risk of incident ILD in #RA pts. Data from Korean National Health Insurance, 52,325 RA pts & 261,625 controls & 4.4 yrs F/U - ILD in 3.7% of RA vs 0.5% controls (adjHR 7.84); higher in seropositive RA (aHR= 9) vs seronegative RA (aHR=4.8) https://t.co/iIoZOwFYEN https://t.co/HBzSg9KrpZ
Dr. John Cush
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EGPA in 2025
Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA), the artist formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome, remains somewhat of a rogue agent among the vasculitides.
https://t.co/4ofjQRYsMH https://t.co/PoVhaQ9QiZ
Dr. John Cush
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The POWER of #plaquenil
#Hydroxychloroquine works in #rheumatic #diseases by
Old answer
👇
Alters liposomal membranes 🤷♀️
NEW ANSWER
Inhibits TLR signalling 🔥
#RNL2025 Mary *Peggy Crow #SLE #systemic #lupus #erythematosus https://t.co/j2YQjVIpcy
Dr. John Cush
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SLE subphenotypes predisposed by distinct genetic risk loci. Multicenter 10 yr genotyping study on 1462 SLE pts (56% w/ lupus nephritis & 43% not LN) found significantly higher polygenic risk scores (PRS); significant LN variants included HLA, TNFAIP3, BLK, & STAT4.… https://t.co/5igpgtdE1U https://t.co/5KOXRThzlk
Richard Conway
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Great graph from @AlexisOgdie on the effect of biologic treatment on PsA development in psoriasis. Obvious front-loading in those who need systemic therapy. But over time those who don't appear to develop more PsA @RheumNow @RNL2025 https://t.co/UxUZyKb0NA
TheDaoIndex
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Different types of IFNs have different actions and signaling pathways. Dr. Crow #RNL2025 @rheumnow https://t.co/1lJFwlhO92
Adela Castro
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Are your patients aging with RA, or are they diagnosed with Late Onset RA (LORA)?
-LORA pts tend to present acutely
-High inflammatory markers~PMR Like
-Seronegative/Decreased titers of RF/CCP
@UnaMakris
#RNL2025 @RheumNow https://t.co/aOCwb3lHef
Dr. John Cush
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Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Becoming Milder?
A 24 year, prospective study analyzing very early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in three consecutive eras suggests that RA has evolved since 2005, demonstrating less seropositivity, inflammation, and erosions but is characterized by more… https://t.co/y50uCU79i9 https://t.co/crKytLY4WN
Dr. John Cush
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Congratulations to 2025 Crafoord Prize (in Polyarthritis) laureates Christopher Goodnow, (UNSW Sydney, Australia), and David Nemazee (Scripss,, USA) for their work on tolerance checkpoints - prevent B cells from attacking the body’s own tissues in autoimmune diseases… https://t.co/WSyXVIFJa1 https://t.co/JtBau2JSvo
