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NP and PA Growth in the USA

d Jack Cush, MD

Forbes has published a thoughtful perspective on the declining number of US physicians and the growth in the number of advanced practice providers or APPs (nurse practitioners and physician assistants) in the US clinical workforce. Gastroenterologist Dr. Spencer Dorn writes that in the US, there are fewer physicians per capita (2.6 per 1,000) than most developed nations (average 3.6 per 1,000), with a physician shortfall of 125,000, that is projected to be ~200,000 by 2037.

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Adrenal Dysfunction after Steroids in PMR and GCA Patients

d Jack Cush, MD

JAMA has published a study of PMR and GCA patients who stopped glucocorticoid (GC) therapy and noted a low (1.2%) risk of GC-induced adrenal insufficiency after planned cessation.

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ACR Frustrated with Congress Failures on Physician Fee Schedule and Research Programs

d ACR

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) expressed deep dissatisfaction that the recent passage of the Full-Year Continuing Appropriations and Extensions Act, failed to address payment cuts imposed in the CY25 Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS) at the beginning of

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PAFLAR Guidelines for Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

d Jack Cush, MD

The Pediatric African League against Rheumatism (PAFLAR) initiative has published its guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA).

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Systematic literature review of sleep Rx in Fibromyalgia - 47 RCTs, 11094 pts, found cognitive behavioral Tx (CBT) significantly benefitted insomnia, but not pain. Pregabalin & sodium oxybate had small effect, but Amitriptyline, milnacipran, & duloxetine showed no benefit for… https://t.co/ReommvC5qO https://t.co/UnSM3HnWLV
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J&J announced the FDA jas granted the investigational drug, nipocalimab (FcRn recpt Ab), with Fast Track designation for its study in adult patients with moderate-to-severe Sjögren’s disease https://t.co/TB2cESMLQi https://t.co/IC7PQP2fcx

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Ontario study of 11 641 older psoriasis pts & hospitalized serious infx in those on b/tsDMARDs. IL-12, IL-23, and IL-17 inhibitors were assoc w/ 35% lower rates of SIE, while MTX, other older systemic meds, TNFi were not incr/decr. But JAK inhibitors had signif 3 fold incr in… https://t.co/ffFdHjme65 https://t.co/DkTsadUNx2
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Study of 26 Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) pts (mean Dx age 12 yrs; 77% male; 58% B27+). These were later assessed as adults (20yrs age, <35yrs). Most were in remission/LDAS, but ~20% had synovitis or enthesitis, 73% SI Dz, 15% hip & 8% spinal damage https://t.co/FFEhyA5I6A https://t.co/hE65GNcFpY

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RF levels may offer critical insights when treating RA. Learn why from two renowned rheumatologists. Sponsored by UCB https://t.co/yuUhmZR5bC https://t.co/Fsbu8Vztna

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Channeling Bias and Cancer Risk with Biologic or Targeted Synthetic DMARDs A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a… https://t.co/8jqJwkEbZF https://t.co/cQ9aheU5mc
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Indigenous peoples of the Pacific, particularly those of Polynesian descent, have a high prevalence of hyperuricaemia and gout. Gout in Indigenous peoples of the Pacific is severe, associated with family history and is experienced at a relatively young age.… https://t.co/phf5RRkJzE https://t.co/q4VO34Ea5z
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Earlier ACL reconstruction and a lower risk of knee osteoarthritis A preclinical study by HSS investigators found that earlier ACL reconstruction led to lower immune cell activity, less inflammation and fewer joint changes associated with knee osteoarthritis compared to delayed… https://t.co/DnY5nGLah4 https://t.co/ogLTF88CVL
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Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index Dr. John Stone has led the effort to develop the GTI - glucocorticoid toxicity index. In this review article he acknowledges the need and benefit of steroids, but details a novel means to identify and limit the untoward effects of glucorticoids… https://t.co/xR8D4Jpjfv https://t.co/LyfHrbneTO
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Comprehensive review of the management of knee osteoarthritis - topicals, analgesics, narcotics, intraarticular, metabolic, nutraceuticals, TENS, acupuncture and biologics. https://t.co/SEyG4IQ0bh https://t.co/f6UY4hEl18

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Single Center study of 112 RA pts from Morocco used machine learning (ML) logistic regression model & identified #Depression in 48% (HADS score >8) w/ 76.5% accuracy, 72.2% precision, 81.2% recall, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) of… https://t.co/LBvdVEzDGJ https://t.co/bYLqsFagbR
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2024 Rheumatology Year in Review 2024 was a year of surprising new growth in technology, with the expansion of new therapeutic options for many patients and clinicians. https://t.co/XuEG8Hrc9e https://t.co/ja5OoZXdWo

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Cardiovascular and Fracture Risk with Denosumab Versus Bisphosphonates in Dialysis Patients Annals of Internal Medicine has published a Japanese administrative claims database study showing that, compared with oral bisphosphonates (BIS), denosumab (DEN) lowered fracture risk… https://t.co/kNqGNTrsAF https://t.co/xgCeaMDT1N
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Increased Mortality In Arthritis Patients with COPD A new study published in the January 2025 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal, finds that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease… https://t.co/6WCtfcrSaq https://t.co/ydVtBxqy37
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Congress Passes Fiscal Year 2025 Funding for Lupus Programs, including - $10 million Natl Lupus Patient Registry at CDC - $2 million Natl Lupus Training, Outreach, CTE Program - $47.08 billion for the National Institutes of Health SLE prgs https://t.co/BCs3lGdrXK https://t.co/58PkKG9ay6

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Stelara Biosimilar Steqeyma Launches at 85% Discount https://t.co/2ZR7LMq1JT https://t.co/coHj1jh8JB

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