All News

heart2.ekg_.red_.jpg

Assessing and Treating CV Risk Increases in Systemic Lupus

Maureen A. McMahon, MD

We’ve recognized the increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) in SLE for almost half a century since Urowitz et al. first described a bimodal pattern of mortality in lupus patients in 1976. Numerous subsequent studies have confirmed this, with estimates of increased risk ranging from 2-10-fold compared to the general population. Most striking is the risk in young patients; in their landmark study, Manzi et al. found that women with SLE in the 35–44-year age group had an almost 50-fold increased risk of myocardial infarction compared to age-matched women without SLE.

Read Article
light-bulbs-1125016_640.jpg

Lupus in an empty house

Eric Dein, MD

The full house immunofluorescence pattern is the classic histopathologic finding of lupus and lupus nephritis. Glomerular deposits staining for IgG, IgA, IgM, C3 and C1q can help confirm a suspected diagnosis of SLE. But what about patients with negative immunofluorescence and no proliferative or membranous features?

Read Article
woman-1284353_640.jpg

Comparing EULAR (2025) and ACR (2020) Guidelines on Safety of Lupus Medications in Pregnancy

Catherine Sims, MD

Attendees at the 2025 RheumaPreg meeting were excited to discuss the newly released EULAR recommendations for use of antirheumatic drugs in reproduction, pregnancy, and lactation. Table 1 summarizes the major recommendations from EULAR (2025) and the American College of Rheumatology (2020) reproductive guidelines for commonly used medications in SLE. It should be noted that these two sets of guidelines largely align, however, the updated EULAR guidelines have included some additional medications incorporating data from the last five years.

Read Article
RheumNow Podcast square

Vitamin D Headlines (5.9.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and lupus highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com. Triple positivity, the gut and CRPS, and hope for better outcomes with Vitamin D therapy. 

Read Article
Soluble CD13 (sCD13) has pro-inflammatory effects & is elevated in severe COVID-19. sCD13 is chemotactic, angiogenic, & arthritogenic. In COVID-19, sCD13 was assoc w/ sCD13 severity, ethnicity, inflammation markers, NETosis, & vascular injury/thrombosis. https://t.co/2bKY9NtnCD
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Comparing EULAR (2025) and ACR (2020) Guidelines on Safety of Lupus Medications in Pregnancy Attendees at the 2025 RheumaPreg meeting were excited to discuss the newly released EULAR recommendations for use of antirheumatic drugs in reproduction, pregnancy, and lactation. https://t.co/DSYPaElRij

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Retrospective cohort study 112 biopsy-proven Lupus nephritis pts (65% class IV; F/U 8.3 yrs). (64.3%), alone or in combination. Renal damage incr betw 5 & 10 yrs F/U. 13.4% progressed to renal function impairment, and 11.6% to ESRD. Early Dx & Rx of LN, esp w/ highproteinuria, https://t.co/yHzN1Hczb4
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
QOL survey of on 5222 lupus pts (94% F; 56% both CLE/SLE; 40% w/ SLE. QOL concerns on social activities (60%), mental health (38%). CLE had increased therapeutic hesitancy and less likely to believe in the efficacy of biologics than SLE or both. https://t.co/BOUXUSmmcM https://t.co/zrzEsDDqVn

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Betw 2005 -2021, there was a substantial increase in HCQ use, but only modest steroid (GC) reductions. Swedish cohort study of 3891 SLE pts - over 5 yrs GC decr from 68% - 54% to 46%. HCQ increased by 29% over 5 years. https://t.co/6LZVMt9zy7 https://t.co/WunjnBBTW9

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Telitacicept, recombinant fusion protein targeting BLyS & APRIL, studied in 41 Chinese SLE pts (added to standard Rx) showed mean improvements in SLEDAI-2K (10.0 to 6.25 @12 wks & 4.2 @24 wks;p<.001), daily prednisone (21 mg to 9.8mg) & proteinuria (2.8 gr to 1.3 gr/day) https://t.co/xtPMSZBoWg
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Vitamin D Headlines (5.9.2025) Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and lupus highlights from the past week on RheumNow. Triple positivity, the gut and CRPS, and hope for better outcomes with Vitamin D therapy. https://t.co/i9OJrYR59T https://t.co/PQ3fAR5teR

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Lupus Unlocked: Journal Club In this first webinar of RheumNow's Lupus Unlocked campaign, Journal Club discussed two articles: Efficacy and Safety of Obinutuzumab in Active Lupus Nephritis. Furie R, et al. NEJM. 2025 Feb 7. doi: 10.1056 Efficacy and safety of voclosporin https://t.co/OYv5J8VpRB
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Betw 2005 -2021, there was a substantial increase in HCQ use, but only modest steroid (GC) reductions. Swedish cohort study of 3891 SLE pts - over 5 yrs GC decr from 68% - 54% to 46%. HCQ increased by 29% over 5 years. https://t.co/sI7JWq3AGk https://t.co/RBUMcl8uGz

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
New Steroid Rules in Lupus? Let’s Talk. Dr. Michelle Petri breaks down the latest strategies to minimize steroid exposure while managing disease activity in lupus patients. 💡 Smarter steroid use = better outcomes. 👉 Watch now on RheumNow: https://t.co/vbjrXAlixz #Lupus https://t.co/04CjTkCqMJ

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Telitacicept, recombinant fusion protein targeting BLyS & APRIL, studied in 41 Chinese SLE pts (added to standard Rx) showed mean improvements in SLEDAI-2K (10.0 to 6.25 @12 wks & 4.2 @24 wks;p<.001), daily prednisone (21 mg to 9.8mg) & proteinuria (2.8 gr to 1.3 gr/day) https://t.co/KHMWPeq79x
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Metanalysis of ANCA-associated vasculitis with interstitial lung disease (8 studies, 654 pts shows the following significan mortality risk factors: age (HR 1.06), ever smoker (HR 1.61), UIP pattern (HR 2.07), acute exacerbation (HR 2.73) & microscopic polyangiitis (HR 4.03). https://t.co/Rf6c2gidpK
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Certolizumab effective in preventing adverse pregnancy outcomes in high-risk antiphospholipid syndrome. CZP given to 51 APS pts wks 8 to 28. 9 w/ primary APO (17.6%) (6 w/ pregnancy loss <10 wks) - significantly lower than historical controls. Median delivery 36.5 wks. Neonatal https://t.co/KfOOM7sEAt
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
RA nodules respond to JAKi. Small case series of 7 established/refractory moderate-to-severe#RA pts w/ rheumatoid nodules who were treated w/ JAKi (tofacitinib, upadacitinib)-- 5/7 had complete resolution & 1 reduced nodules size (w/in 3-12 mos) on JAKi therapy. https://t.co/oQWHMBVQEi
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Pitfalls in sacroiliitis imaging: Bone marrow edema may also be seen in young-middle-aged postpartum women, & athletes & kids (ongoing bone growth) & w/ advancing age (DJD) https://t.co/bwS047wlmI https://t.co/pqI3xTYtCz

Links:

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
single-centre study of 469 consecutive RA pts - 15 had VTE (3%). Strongest risk factor of VTE was the history of previous VTE (OR 44.7), recent hospitalisation (OR 6.82), diabetes (OR 11.23), and JAKi (OR 5.54) (Other studies show inflammation incr VTE risk) https://t.co/JfaBtfvujU
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
How well do you know this week's rheumatology news?
Take the rheumIQ quiz
Take the RheumIQ Quiz

×