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Eating Crow (10.10.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, FDA approvals, and journal articles. In this episode: HMGCR Abs, FDA approvals and Cush eats crow.
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Gender Complexities in Psoriatic Arthritis Treatment Outcomes
Analysis of a German psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients registry demonstrates sex-specific differences regarding clinical manifestation and treatment outcomes, especially with regard to drug discontinuations.
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Tramadol not effective at chronic pain
EurekAlert!
The strong opioid painkiller, tramadol, is not that effective at easing chronic pain for which it’s widely prescribed, finds a pooled data analysis of the available research, published online in BMJ Evidence Based Medicine.
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Hip Osteoarthritis Treated with Exercise plus Weight Loss Diet
An exercise and diet intervention study showed that while exercise improved hip pain, adding a weight loss diet to exercise did not change hip pain but improve most secondary outcomes.
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GLP-1 drugs cost-effective for knee osteoarthritis and obesity
EurekAlert!
A new study led by investigators at Mass General Brigham finds that adding novel weight loss GLP-1 drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide to usual care represents a cost-effective treatment strategy for people with knee osteoarthritis and obesity, with tirzepatide providing greater health benefits at lower cost compared to semaglutide.
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Systematic review of obesity management meds - 56 RCTs (60,307 pts). All OMMs were better at total weight loss than PBO (P < 0.0001), >10% semaglutide & tirzepatide (both effective at NIDDM CHF). Semaglutide effective reducing pain in knee osteoarthritis https://t.co/4MX2IiDC2X
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Prediction of D2T-RA. Model was trained on BRASS pts (700; 16% w/ D2T-RA) & validated on CERTAIN pts (2,070; 28% D2TRA). PRO's were strongest predictors. Moderate predictive accuracy (C-index of 0.64 & 0.62) w/ functional status, pain, fatigue, and global Dz activity https://t.co/uv3uGYIRFb
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Phase 3 RCT Cannabis sativa DKJ127 (VER-1) in 820 chronic low back pain (cLBP) pts. Primary endpt at wk 12 showed pain reduction of −1.9 NRS VER-01 vs −0.6 PBO (P < 0.001). Pain further decreased to −2.9 w/ 6 mos OL Rx. VER-1 was well tolerated. No addiction https://t.co/IeCV8tU2WR
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Impact cumulative MTX on liver fibrosis? 1314 #PsA pts (age 44), 28% on MTX. Total of 44 (3%) had baseline liver fibrosis & 12% developed it over med/ 5.6 yrs. Cumulative MTX Did NOT assoc w/ liver fibrosis (OR 0.99), but high BMI & DM did (Metabolic factors) https://t.co/OSVZHskjB4
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2019 National Health Survey of 87,678, 21% had chronic back pain (cLBP). cLBP had more Multimorbidity 62.1%, worse activity limitation. depression, and cardiovascular disease https://t.co/LFdWr0s6tg https://t.co/R5cZSWySUK
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How Does Your Garden Grow (9.26.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from RheumNow. Pool therapy, Fibrosis, NSIE's and what's best for knee OA.
https://t.co/JCf9u8Wd4O https://t.co/g0xLmEMLbS
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Data from 2019 National Health Survey on 87,678 ppl -- 21.6% had chronic back pain. Chronic LBP assoc w/ multimorbidity in 62% (esp. CV dz, arthritis, & depression) https://t.co/LFdWr0s6tg https://t.co/Enj162VYJl
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PPP syndrome = a rare triad
👉 Pancreatitis + Polyarthritis + Panniculitis
🔬 Pathogenesis: circulating pancreatic enzymes (esp. trypsin) → fat necrosis in subcutis & bone marrow.
📌 Clue: painful nodules + arthritis, often with minimal abdominal symptoms.
#Rheumatology https://t.co/3qniCmahgl
ILLIASUL IBAD IlliasulK ( View Tweet)
Turkish study of 799 psoriasis pts - 30% had concurrent onset PsO & PsA & in 70% there was a long transition time (~13 yrs) from PsO-to-PsA. Factors assoc w/ prolonged interval included Depression, fatigue, scalp PsO(OR 7), nail PsO (3.2), +Fhx & enthesitis ever (OR 2) https://t.co/wqtSbeQ2vz
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Systematic review of 139 RCTs(9644 pts) & 12 Rx options for knee OA (KOA) shows simple Rx is best. For pain and function, knee brace was best, followed by exercise, and US worst. For total WOMAC best was hydrotherapy, then exercise & LaserTx. (Short wave diathermy worst) https://t.co/sN9TxJGn6N
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
GLP-1 Drugs Reduce Rheumatoid Arthritis Symptoms
Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who used GLP-1 receptor agonists had less disease activity and improved cardiovascular biomarkers, a small retrospective study indicated.
https://t.co/x2soZxuZCO https://t.co/84lnQOzsvP
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GLP-1 drugs cost-effective for knee osteoarthritis and obesity
A new study led by investigators at Mass General Brigham finds that adding novel weight loss GLP-1 drugs semaglutide and tirzepatide to usual care represents a cost-effective treatment strategy for people with knee https://t.co/pqWDEUgYmI
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Nitazenes — a class of highly potent synthetic opioids — are rapidly emerging as a major contributor to the overdose crisis; they are over 20 times more potent than fentanyl. Nitazenes are an illegal Schedule I drug that are rapidly spreading in the illicit drug market
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Hospital for Special Surgery (HSS) reports that ear acupuncture applied during hip replacement surgery reduces pain and lessens opioid use over the weeks to follow. https://t.co/lOrwb1DzW5 https://t.co/6rkHNTwaAl
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RCT of 800 adults w/ Chronic LBP, acupuncture (AP) was compared usual care or AP +/- added maintenance found that acupuncture improved pain-related disability at 6 months and 12 months, with no statistically discernible benefit of additional maintenance sessions. https://t.co/suy09fGxxI
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
