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MTX Fails Knee OA (6.6.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com
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Diagnosing Neuropsychiatric SLE (5.23.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com - including views on the vagus nerve, NPSLE and CAR-T mania.
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Osteoarthritis Risky Business (4.18.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and Journal reports from this week on RheumNow.com. Osteoarthritis patients have unique risks and synovial fluid WBC numbers can tell you when to worry about septic arthritis in gout and pseudogout patients.
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B Cell Depleters (2.21.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Nailfold Capillaroscopy correlated w/ cardiac ECHO in Systemic Sclerosis. NFC & ECHOs studied in 30 SSc pts. Systolic & diastolic dysfunction most common in late SSc NFC patterns. Cardiac dysfunction seen w/ low capillary density, avascular areas, cap neoangiogenesis https://t.co/pFBKjXqwfr
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Uncontrolled pilot trial of frequency specific microcurrent treatment given to 17 pts w/ Raynaud’s & systemic sclerosis. Microcurrent Rx given for 45-60 min over 1-2d; w/ average improvement of 40% in hand function & Raynauds improvement ~18% p .016)- RCT needed!! https://t.co/4OUeODuj8Q
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Systematic review of JAK inhibitor use in systemic sclerosis - 18 articles/87 SSc pts (80%F; ages 13–78 yrs). JAKi (83% tofa) mostly used for ILD & Skin Dz (45%) or GI+Skin Dz (39%). 87.5% improved, w/ 6% relapsed. Adverse events in 50% (20% infx). We need RCTs! This could be a https://t.co/VXFuHGpDjB
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
🔺CTD-ILD radiological signs to look out for 👀
#CTD #ILD #UIP #NSIP #Fibrosis #scleroderma #systemicsclerosis #Sjogrens #Lupus
By @IlliasulK https://t.co/hHupTz0bCy
Dr Gurdeep S Dulay gurdeep_dulay ( View Tweet)
Review of SARCOPENIA - a loss of muscle mass and function, with significant implications on physical performance. More common in RA, SSc, SpA, SLE, FM, myositis, and vasculitis https://t.co/tCXdoEn9xR https://t.co/Oi91niMn5M
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Review of SARCOPENIA - a loss of muscle mass and function, with significant implications on physical performance. More common in RA, SSc, SpA, SLE, FM, myositis, and vasculitis https://t.co/tCXdoEn9xR https://t.co/PvtmVCv2QJ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
JAMA Pt Education handout - Scleroderma https://t.co/UpK24WfyNF
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Anti-muscarinic 3 Abs are assoc w/ severe GI Dz in systemic Sclerosis. 132 SSc pts (enrich for GI Sxs) - 39% had anti-M3R Abs; 25% high-titer M3R+. Hi titer M3R+ pts had more diffuse Dz (44% vs 23%), GI severity (91% vs 70%), RNPC3+ (18% vs 6%), U1RNP+(21 vs 2%) https://t.co/j8ZWFY4fgx
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Patient Education handout on Raynaud’s Phenomenon https://t.co/Ug2MmtexgU https://t.co/kk9Klxhl8x
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
EUSTAR database study of 17,805 scleroderma (SSc) pts, 468 (2.6%) used HCQ with no effect on or improvement on HAQ-DI, or hand function scores when comparing HCQ users to non-HCQ users. https://t.co/Tu4tfG74pn https://t.co/Kckx3zTiJ4
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
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
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
JAMA Case: A Woman With Painful Digital Ulcers - What would you order next?
- chest CT w/ myositis-specific autoAb panel
- dsDNA
- SCL-70 & Centromere Abs
- muscle biopsy https://t.co/t0WCIMtZg2 https://t.co/M1jBhnclLl
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
JAMA Case: A Woman With Painful Digital Ulcers - What would you order next?
- chest CT w/ myositis-specific autoAb panel
- dsDNA
- SCL-70 & Centromere Abs
- muscle biopsy https://t.co/9T8mNDdJTs https://t.co/pTphzcuZKF
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd
Active Morphea: - MTX +/- steroids. If not effective, MMF/RTX/ABA - Topicals for circumscribed - Phototherapy Most pts achieve remission in active in 1 year Inactive morphea - Can address with PT, pain rx, psychological support, plastic surgery fat… https://t.co/wEnlo6vtAB https://t.co/4uJYC9HaS1
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Prevalence of Systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) was 49.8% - Chinese study of 223 SSc (F/U 8.1 yrs). Among SSc-ILD, 64% had progressive disease w/ elevated CRP at Dx as predictor. Overall mortality rate = 24.2% (pneumonia) w/ predictors of age,… https://t.co/Lb98KziPOj
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd
How do you know if Morphea is active? -Erythema -Peripheral induration -New lesions in the past few month Non-active damage? - Dermal atrophy -SQ atrophy -Hyperpigmentation -Skin thickness center #RNL2025
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
