All News
Opioid Deaths are Down (2.28.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Opioid deaths are down, IL-33 levels are up and Weight loss is in the news again this week!
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Loss of Good Sleep Linked to All-Cause Mortality
A US study shows that nearly two-thirds of the population had suboptimal 5-year sleep duration trajectories with a resultant 29% increase in risk of all-cause mortality.
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Recurrent Pericarditis in Lupus
A study from the Lupus Hopkins Cohort shows that systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients with pericarditis are at risk for recurrence, and likely to be younger patients, with uncontrolled disease, and linkage to higher doses of oral prednisone.
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Misdiagnosis of Dermatomyositis
JAMA Dermatology reports a retrospective cohort study from Johns Hopkins reviewing mimic of dermatomyositis (DM), suggesting that DM and especially clinically amyopathic DM (CADM) are commonly and initially misdiagnosed as inflammatory skin disease (ISD).
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TNF Inhibitor Drug-Induced Lupus
A study from the FDA's adverse event reporting system (FAERS or Medwatch) database identified cases of drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors - a paradoxical reaction to common antiinflammatory biologic agents.
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Misdiagnosis of Dermatomyositis
JAMA Dermatology reports a retrospective cohort study from Johns Hopkins reviewing mimic of dermatomyositis (DM), suggesting that DM and especially clinically amyopathic DM (CADM) are commonly and initially misdiagnosed as inflammatory skin… https://t.co/2SbGxxcPLm https://t.co/TtoxFIXg3Q
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TNF Inhibitor Drug-Induced Lupus
A study from the FDA's adverse event reporting system (FAERS or Medwatch) database identified cases of drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors - a paradoxical reaction to… https://t.co/LYq0qxDtp3 https://t.co/vRYrBAIMEA
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13% of the ~22 million people with traditional coverage received a telehealth betw 10-12/2023. Expansion of Medicare telehealth coverage during the COVID-19 pandemic is set to expire on March 31 , 2025. Most telehealth will expire if Congress does not act. https://t.co/mVy7s664OX https://t.co/BVH6Hv5553
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Retrospect. study of 77 RA pts w/ +ANCA (age 62 yrs, 79%F. 65% RF+. 45% p-ANCA+; 42% MPO+. Diagnoses included: AAV (29%); GPA (45%), MPA (36 %); EGPA (5%). Renal (41%) & upper Resp (36%) were most freq. Pts w/ RA+AAV had more RF, MPO+, nodules, inflam eye Dz… https://t.co/NTvAhZY2y8 https://t.co/IAkWHtcTCo
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CDC reports an unprecedented drop of ~24% in US drug overdose deaths (87,000 down from 114,000) in 12 mos prior to 9/24. Yet, overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18-44 yrs https://t.co/REiaQx6NKd https://t.co/nzOMDgUYbS
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Schnitzler Syndrome: A Rare Autoinflammatory Disorder
A credible, quick overview
Chronic Urticaria
Monoclonal Gammopathy (
Recurrent Fever
Bone & Joint Pain
Elevated CRP &ESR https://t.co/boYFFEVwII https://t.co/xKCUZb8o6A
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The global biosimilars market size is evaluated at USD $40 billion in 2025 and is expected to hit approximately USD 176 billion by 2034 (a 17.78% increase) https://t.co/U4PbinVN4J https://t.co/SLHynlhJrs
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Diagnoses via Immune ‘Fingerprints’
Science and researchers at Stanford Medicine have reported the use of Mal-ID (machine learning for immunological diagnosis) to analyze B and T cell receptors (BCRs and TCRs) sequences from human blood, showing the ability to predict health… https://t.co/ni09ssCYSv https://t.co/4HWui3XxfE
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Postoperative Weight Loss Improves Joint Replacement Survival
A cohort study of shows that postoperative weight loss with antiobesity medications significantly reduced the risk of 5-year and 10-year revision among patients with obesity undergoing hip or knee replacement.… https://t.co/u04Lc6DTT0 https://t.co/iZhEICFHUd
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Cross-trait study of >300K patients’ electronic health records at UCSF and Stanford. Autoimmune conditions associate with greater Alzheimer’s risk (ORs 1.4–1.7). Women with autoimmune disorders have higher risk than men with autoimmune disorders https://t.co/bwtGhyNBs6 https://t.co/FNUdRNozCw
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Cochrane review of TNF inhib. in #JIA shows TNFi efficacy, but uncertainty about LT safety, pain, function, & Dz control - esp compared to MTX. 9 studies, 678 JIApts, age 8-15 yrs (80% F), Dz duration 0.8-6.7 yrs. Withdrawls 1% v 3%; Serious AE 6% v 7% (PBO vs TNFi).… https://t.co/twmYfFg702 https://t.co/hG3j4sMPr9
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RNA-seq analysis of human chondrocytes (HTC) shows Osteoarthritis has more HTC-1 (w/ more cell apoptosis & PD-1 genes) & proliferate fibrochondrocytes (ProFC2) w/ heightened inflammatory response, & increased cytokine signalling https://t.co/FZ72CnWk20 https://t.co/sx4NB2C8h3
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Peking Univ long term F/U of Knee replacement (TKA) in 226 patients (246 knees) shows prosthesis survival rates of 93.6%, 92.4%, 89.8%, and 71.8% at 10, 15, 20, and 25 years post-TKA, respectively. 20yr function somewhat less than 10yr, but still much better than preop… https://t.co/gJbedIEr91 https://t.co/q799oV8TNm
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Do infections lead to Kawasaki Dz (KD)? Swedish registry study of 1774 KD vs 17 731 controls. +Hx of Infx incr risk of KD (OR 2.3; 2.0 to 2.5) - mostly Resp, skin, GU & GI Infx. Infxns usually clustered before KD Dx (OR 5.1 15–28d; OR 1.3 6-12 mos prior KD. More infx = more KD… https://t.co/V9zbcmJdKv https://t.co/Evl3rtCxUO
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Bubble Trouble - When Bullous Lupus Bursts onto the SLE Scene
Presentation by Dr. Alana Haussmann at the Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposia - Feb 2025
https://t.co/bkQSq51BEo https://t.co/DLBs3uIyH7
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