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ILD damage fibrosis path

Antifibrotics - A New Class of Therapies in Rheumatology?

Shervin Assassi, MD

Rheumatologists typically manage systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) and associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) with immunosuppressants. However, evidence increasingly supports also the use of antifibrotic agents in this setting.

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ERS/EULAR guidelines for CTD-related interstitial lung disease

Jack Cush, MD

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) have published clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and management of connective tissue diseases (CTD) associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) in two simultaneous publications in the European Respiratory Journal and Annals of Rheumatic Diseases.

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COLCHICORT Trial

Jack Cush, MD

The COLCHICORT trial in acute calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal arthritis patients showed that colchicine was inferior to prednisone treatment and that responses were also influenced by other factors.

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APLAR 2025: What’s New in RA Management?

Aurelie Najm, MD, PhD

The unveiling of the updated 2025 recommendations for RA treatment, presented by Josef Smolen in the plenary session on the first day of the conference, sparked attention. Although not yet formally published, these updated recommendations represent a refined consensus that simplifies decision-making while reinforcing the importance of treat-to-target principles in RA.

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Multimorbidity predicts flares in rheumatoid arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

A study from Olmstead county and the Mayo Clinic shows that multimorbidity  and social factors predict higher rheumatoid arthritis (RA) flares and lower remission rates.

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close up of a stethoscope

Rheumatoid Arthritis ILD Complications

Scott Matson, MD

I'm a pulmonologist at the University of Kansas in Kansas City, and I'm excited to talk about one of my favorite topics: treatment complications in rheumatoid arthritis- associated interstitial lung disease or RA-ILD. One of the reasons I think this is a pressing and important topic is what we're dealing with here is a group of patients who have really poor outcomes, even with the significant advances that the rheumatology community's been able to make in the management of the underlying synovial disease.

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Methotrexate significantly lowers Systolic BP

Jack Cush, MD

Australian researchers have shown that methotrexate (MTX) has another secondary, beneficial effect by significantly lowering systolic blood pressure, and contributes to its well docuented cardioprotive effecs.

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Peter Taylor describing the range of potential benefits of Interception strategies in Pre-RA: A) From Ideal: full interception B) To Good outcome: stratified intervention based on high risk population for delay/interception C) To ?Beneficial: attenuate severity of established RA https://t.co/6mqA9tV7ME

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Aurelie Najm AurelieRheumo ( View Tweet)
Abatacept and Methotrexate may Lower Risk of Interstitial Lung Disease in RA A post hoc, pooled analysis of of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) clinical trials shows those received abatacept had a lower rate of Interstitial lung disease (ILD). https://t.co/3AISriCUeC https://t.co/nN03e4ZBDU

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Ellen Gravallese update on RA pathogenesis Her take on RA interception studies “While drug repurposing has not proven capable of preventing transition from Pre RA to RA, we need to better understand disease mechanisms to offer other interventions” @RheumNow #APLAR25 @APLAR_org https://t.co/d39ihVvWyA

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Aurelie Najm AurelieRheumo ( View Tweet)
Methotrexate significantly lowers Systolic BP Australian researchers have shown that methotrexate (MTX) has another secondary, beneficial effect by significantly lowering systolic blood pressure, and contributes to its well docuented cardioprotive effecs. https://t.co/HDnDWahuul
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
SSc-ILD ABs & LESSONS: 30% of won't progress. Triple negatives (ATA, ACA, ARA) wont progress. Males & diffuse dz > predictive than Abs. Great read on if Abs are biomarkers to predict Rx effect. https://t.co/YcZt4aAvL0 https://t.co/wOknKRfRHf

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Higher Medical Costs with Corticosteroid Use Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) health insurance claims database study from Japan shows that RA patients initially treated with glucocorticoids (GCs) and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) experienced greater medical costs and https://t.co/ETWX9yH11w
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
A case–time-control study of French National Health Insurance database w/ 34 241pts Rx w/ IL-17(R)A inhibitor (2016-2021) (for PsO, PsA, AS, JIA) found no significant association betw IL-17(R)A inhibitors & MACEs over 6 months compared to TNFi Rx pts. https://t.co/fJuPFYKnSr https://t.co/Vscnsq0DTA

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Lung Cancer in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Interstitial Lung Disease A matched cohort study from the Veterans Health Administration shows that RA patients have a >50% increased risk of lung cancer, a 3-fold higher risk of lung cancer in RA-ILD. https://t.co/Gjn2M2CNAO https://t.co/F231nz57NY

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
SMART study from India finally published. RCT compare split-dose to single-dose oral MTX, in 253 RA pts. Split dose was superior w/ significantly higher EULAR good response at 16 weeks; & reduced need for 2nd DMARD, but had more intolerance and transaminitis. https://t.co/4jBxP2GPZM
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
LTBI risk in rheumatic pts is high (22%). Metanalysis 18 studies, 12,167 rheum pts shows LTBI signif. incr w/ current smoking (OR 1.50), golimumab(OR 2.90), Chloroquine (OR 1.27), age >40 (OR 1.84), prior TB OR 3.26). LTBI not increased w/ RF, ADA, ETN, BCG, Pred, smoking, DM https://t.co/0PayHJqwDn
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Retrospective French Health Data System Immune Checkpt inhibitor (ICI) study. Of 172,363 ICI-Rx adult pts, ICI myotoxicities at 6 months ranged from 0.7% -0.9%. ICI myocarditis & myositis incidence was 0.3%- 0.6%, co-occurring in ∼13–23%. ICI myotoxicity- 1-mo fatality was https://t.co/kOGKM8lC0H
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ILD Begins (8.29.2025) Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from https://t.co/V10S4oVFsv. This week news on vaccines, safety of acetaminophen and more. https://t.co/YlOK3X4hkW https://t.co/9cgcDn0xab

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Retrospective Korean study of #RA & ILD pts (n 151) - ILD duration & UIP pattern significantly affected prognosis. 62% were non-smokers, DAS28=4.9, UIP in 60%. @4 years, ILD progressed in 58%; mortality=21%. MTX did not affect progression or mortality. https://t.co/1XNcWsAuea https://t.co/hsUWi27OtQ

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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