All News

DMARDs,biologics,RA

Rheums Speak - RA Treatment Survey

d Jack Cush, MD

RheumNow's August 2025 “Live Vote” surveys examine Rheumatologist impressions, knowledge and practices over the last 20 years when treating rheumatoid arthritis.

The first survey on RA Treatment (7/28/2025) sheds light on evolving prescribing habits, use of biologics, and key frustrations in RA care.

Read Article
lupus SLE

Aging Quiets Lupus

d EurekAlert!

UCSF researchers have found that epigentic changes in interferon genes over time may lead to lupus being less active as they age. Lupus is a “classic” autoimmune disease. It causes the immune system’s first-line viral defenses — known as interferons — to attack the body. Nearly every organ is at risk, leading to conditions like kidney and heart disease. But unlike many other autoimmune or chronic illnesses, lupus can improve as patients reach their 60s and 70s.

Read Article
RheumNow Podcast square

A New RA Approval (8.1.2025)

d Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and a new treatment for RA from the FDA.

Read Article
FDA%20approved.jpg (keep)

FDA Approves Vagal Nerve Stimulator for RA

d Jack Cush, MD

SetPoint Medical announced that the FDA has approved the company’s SetPoint System, a first-in-class neuroimmune modulation innovation for treatment of moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for those who are not adequately managed by—or cannot tolerate—existing advanced RA therapies, such as biological and targeted synthetic DMARDs.

Read Article
doctor.study_.decision_0.jpg

Options for Refractory axSpA or PsA

d MedPage Today

Although most patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) didn't respond adequately to the interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitor ixekizumab (Taltz), enough did that it should still be considered in such cases, a Danish registry study indicated.

Read Article
Annals of Family Medicine pub a machine learning study that predicts clinic "no-shows" w/ 85% accuracy & late cancellations w/ 92% accuracy. Data derived from >1.1 million appointments from 15 family medicine clinics in Pennsylvania between 2019 and 2023. https://t.co/462fwmEGJl https://t.co/n5vIbtKFu0

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
CCL17 is a downstream mediator of GM-CSF. Drug repurposing review of FDA approved Rx shows 5 Rx w/ anti-CCL17 effects - fluoxetine, ractopamine, ponesimod, terbutaline & etravirine, w/ inhibition of STAT5, IRF4 & CCL17 & shows antiinflamm effects in RA animal model https://t.co/2aTyZMWPJn
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA Approves Vagal Nerve Stimulator for RA SetPoint Medical announced the FDA approved the SetPoint System, a neuroimmune modulation treatment for moderate-to-severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), for patients not well-managed or cannot tolerate—existing RA therapies like https://t.co/McheSz30dl
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
TriNetX study of E-health record study of ~53k transcatheter aortic valve intervention (TAVI) pts. 705 were on preoperative colchicine - these had signif reduction of post-TAVI heart block and AV/LBBB (RR 0.867 [95% CI, 0.756–0.994]) @ 1 month, but not at 6 months https://t.co/9tI2KFY7u7
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
“There are a terrible lot of lies going about the world, and the worst of it is that half of them are true.” – Winston Churchill

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

HCQ Preserves Renal Function in Lupus Nephritis Lupus nephritis (LN) patients on long-term therapy with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) showed significantly less decline in renal function, compared with patients treated otherwise, a 10-year retrospective study indicated. https://t.co/YpJGpAysUQ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Top 20 Best Rheumatology Hospitals - 2025 Each year, U.S. News ranks hospitals in 15 specialties and for the 8th year in a row Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore has been named the top hospital for rheumatology by U.S. News & World Report. https://t.co/gBA49giwX7 https://t.co/sObhLxgrBf

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
MTX or TNFi use in elderly #RA pts w/in a year of Dx of melanoma was not associated with increased mortality. This included melanoma in situ (48%), localized (47%) and regional (5%) melanoma. Steroid use however was assoc w/ reduced survival. https://t.co/QOXfEf51S1 https://t.co/GZ5dedEMfM

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Rituximab is not Superior in EGPA A cohort study of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis (EGPA) patients from the French Vasculitis Study Group failed to show superiority of rituximab compared to conventional strategy with glucocorticoids (GS) alone or in combination https://t.co/h4B20Ngamj
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA is evaluating the safety of Vyvgart Hytrulo, ((efgartigimod) used to treat AChR Ab positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). But in clinical trials there are reports of "severe worsening of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP)” https://t.co/KN7ZZ2LWPW
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
PMR & GCA not assoc w/ increased mortality, Norway study of 274 isolated PMR (mean age 72 yrs) & 63 GCA (age 72 yrs) pts. After mean F/U 13.7 yrs 96% were deceased. Standardized mortality ratio was Not incr for PMR (0.97)or GCA (1.10), but men w/ PMR had , lower all-cause https://t.co/wbiVhjCimk
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Pregnant Women on TNFi more likely to use throughout gestation, w/ less steroids. 3711 preg on TNFi in 49,925 F (w/ RA, AS, PsA, PsO, IBD) -- 64% had 3 trimester TNFi use. 89% exposed preconception & 68% cont postpartum. TNFi use incr from 55% to 73% i(20111-21) https://t.co/DVvbwx6MoW
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
TriNetX study of E-health record study of ~53k transcatheter aortic valve intervention (TAVI) pts. 705 were on preoperative colchicine - these had signif reduction of post-TAVI heart block and AV/LBBB (RR 0.867 [95% CI, 0.756–0.994]) @ 1 month, but not at 6 months https://t.co/wuwlzE22q2
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Rheumatology Salaries Remain Low The annual Medscape Physician Compensation report was published and shows only modest salary gains for most specialists. https://t.co/NcmwrMxpKr https://t.co/mxFbqtUQv2

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
CARRA registry study of 2,956 JIA pts (activity: 71% inactive/minimal, 25% persistent moderate/high, 2% “improving”, 2% “flaring”). In 12 mos, Only 10% had DMARD escalation & only 15% escalation despite 2 consecutive visits w/ persistent moderate/high disease activity. This is https://t.co/Gviwgfcdrk
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
How well do you know this week's rheumatology news?
Take the rheumIQ quiz
Take the RheumIQ Quiz

×