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APLAR 2025: What’s New in RA Management?
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
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.
September to Remember (9.5.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow. This week - unemployment, diagnosing Sjogren's and a lot of ILD.
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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
Aurelie Najm AurelieRheumo ( View Tweet)
What’s new in RA Pathogenesis in #APLAR25 by Ellen Gravellese
Take home message: there is still hope for synovial biopsies to be a biomarker for prediction of response to treatment
As a synovial biopsy expert, I am not convinced of this one, but time will tell
@APLAR_org https://t.co/EEw5ncKa1r
Aurelie Najm AurelieRheumo ( View Tweet)
Can we prevent #rheumatoidarthritis?
Dr. Gravallese shares this interesting slide that summarizes the different disease prevention trials in RA…..they have managed to delay disease onset but prevention is still in question.
@RheumNow #APLAR25 @rheumarhyme @marklagacmd https://t.co/qhGYnNL5Ek
sheila RHEUMarampa ( View Tweet)
📍Smoking, obesity and low Vit D are significant risk factors for Pre-RA.
📍Subdoligranulum arthritogenic strain is a newly described infectious agent implicated in the pathogenesis of pre-RA
@RheumNow #ACR25 @rheumarhyme https://t.co/ZzZZlfdKmk
sheila RHEUMarampa ( View Tweet)
QD Clinic: Rapidly progressive RA ILD - or not?
Dr. Richard Conway, a rheumatologist in Dublin, Ireland, discusses whether this case shows rapidly progressing RA-ILD, or not, as part of RheumNow's Rheum to Breathe: ILD campaign, presented throughout the month of September 2025. https://t.co/YC8XFiqZmd
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Rheumatoid Arthritis ILD Complications
https://t.co/gAZCGTwHLB https://t.co/qcMmDuxXYx
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( 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
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
Aurelie Najm AurelieRheumo ( View Tweet)
One of the most impt updates recommended to add a bDMARD if tx target is not achieved by the 1st csDMARD (no more prognostic stratification)
But, accdg to Dr. Smolen, adding a 2nd csDMARD should still be considered especially in resource-limited countries.
@RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/ZQiviGcrYp
sheila RHEUMarampa ( View Tweet)
Dr. Josef Smolen discusses 2025 EULAR updates for RA.
He highlighted the importance of OP A - that tx should be a shared decision making between px and rheuma in order to ensure better care and disease control.
@RheumNow #aplar25 #APLAR25 https://t.co/KOJbiK87TS
sheila RHEUMarampa ( 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)
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/DPgDQsCWK9
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Combined Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis Interstitial Lung Disease
RA-ILD is a major therapeutic evidence gap in treatment, affecting 8% of patients. It was often under-diagnosed, leading to more severe cases and inflated mortality rates. Despite advancements, RA-ILD, https://t.co/sSzMvDUMf5
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/QLod6uj2Dj
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)
EULAR & European Respiratory Society have published clinical practice guidelines for ILD assoc w/ connective tissue diseases (SSc, RA, SjD, IIM, SLE, MCTD). 2 publications included Dz specific ILD management algorithms; use of Hi Res CT over Lung Bx; ILD risk factors
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
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
