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Screening High Risk Myositis Patients for Cancer
An Italian retrospective study of 411 idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) patients applied IMACS criteria to assess the risk of cancer and found significantly more cancers in those at high risk.
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Top Four and More (4.10.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com this week - including his top four favorite subjects.
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JAMA Guideline on the Management of Crohn Disease
https://t.co/GV0lICS8Sn https://t.co/aFWH5Tl4Jv
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
OL phase 2 study 50 active systemic JIA pts Randomized to IL-1 inhibitor, firsekibart or TCZ q2wk x 24 wks. At day 28, modified ACR Pedi 30response (no fever) favored FIRS 3mg dose (94% vs 75% vs 82%). Also higher ACR Pedi 70/90 responses & steriod tapers. https://t.co/8bdCLUFFLT https://t.co/ddQe7k25UE
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Global Study of #gout - incidence increased by 158% (from 1990 to 2023), during which mean onset agerose from 58 to 62 years; but % young-onset gout dropped 15.8% to 9.8%. #s due to aging, not younger onset. https://t.co/5pqMwPEnuj https://t.co/414vJHnBYi
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
2023 FDA’s removal of REMS in-person Rx requirement for mifepristone was assoc w/ large increase in mifepristone Rx at pharmacies (most thru mail order where abortion is legal and telehealth Rxing is permitted https://t.co/9NHMmxUpLl https://t.co/jkV5DmIaJt
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Systematic review of plasma exchange (PE) in myositis (IIM) - 35 studies (mostly observational), 473 IIM pts (361 Rx w/ PE). Many reported improvements (publication bias). 7 comparative RCTs show no mortality benefit (severe ILD) (RR 0.41, 95% CI 0.16–1.06, I2 = 70%) https://t.co/ox0pdUL3Ek
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Claims data 2,751 #AAV patients - 6.2% developed #PJP infx. w/ predictors: age, max GC dose, rituximab, CTX, & PJP prophylaxis had Good concordance (0.70) @2mos & 0.66@1yrs. W/ monthly risk of 1.0%, prophylaxis yielded 34 potentially preventable PJP cases https://t.co/c2ObDnmfYp https://t.co/0JRd1k0R2R
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
“Math has no opinion” - Mellody Hobson
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Couldn’t attend https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR 2026?
You can now watch the entire meeting On Demand.
This high-impact program features leading experts discussing:
• RA outcomes and pathogenesis
• Obesity, inflammation, and rheumatic disease
• Treatment decisions in Psoriatic https://t.co/A3wb3pzbl3
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Updated CRA/SPARCC Recommendations for Axial Spondyloarthritis
The original CRA/SPARCC recommendations endorsed IL-17i and TNFi as equivalent second-line options for adults with active axSpA who fail an adequate NSAID trial. JAK inhibitors were reserved for patients with prior https://t.co/e1iLSksgYj
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Danish real-world study anifrolumab use in 36 #SLE pts. SLEDAI-2K decreased from 8 (baseline) to 2 @ mos 3; @6 mos 52% had SLEDAI-2K=0. 87% had PGA ≤0.5 w/ LLDAS, & 70% DORIS remission. Pred use declined by >50%. Herpes infx were most freq AE https://t.co/gNIAoXplMt https://t.co/D6xhQrY8ep
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
UK Our Future Health study of 1,563,155 finds affective Dz (depression, bipolar, anxiety) signific higher (p<0.001)in autoimmune pts vs gen. pop. (29% vs 18%) - dx by PHQ-9, GAD-7. (OR 1.86), even after adjustments income and pain, etc. https://t.co/HoKBeAZxbS https://t.co/NtJhaf7WCo
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ILD in RA – Dr. Jeffrey Sparks
In this https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR 2026 podcast, Dr. Jeffrey Sparks reviews the latest advances shaping diagnosis and management of ILD in RA.
🎧 Listen here: https://t.co/U5cZVlgAka
#Rheumatology #ILD #RNL2026 https://t.co/LidiS3Wj9d
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Italian retrospective study 411 IIM pts classified cancer risk per IMACS criteria: 44% high-, 38% intermed- 18% standard-risk. 9.2% had CA w/in 3yrs. Signif more in high-risk (OR 4.05). CA predictors: TIF1γ (OR 12.3), SAE1 (OR = 11.9) https://t.co/j4gA0g79bI https://t.co/Pt5nMs89bl
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
COMMON - Incidental Rotator Cuff Abnormalities on MRI
In this cross-sectional study of 602 Finnish adults undergoing bilateral shoulder magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and clinical assessment, abnormalities were found in nearly everyone over age 40 years, regardless of whether https://t.co/2n58lglVP0
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Advanced Practice Rheum: Methotrexate
In this session, we're going to review methotrexate. It is the most popular of disease-modifying drugs used in rheumatology. While it may be indicated for a few disorders, it's widely used in many inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. https://t.co/RKh3mQv7Hx
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Asia-Pacific Lupus study of Mucocutaneous activity (MC-A) in 4102 SLE pts. 36% had MC-A (rash 1055; alopecia 731; m ulcers 352); 15% persistently. MC-A assoc w/ W, smoking, +serologies, vasculitis, myositis, serositis, nephritis, NP-SLE https://t.co/XeBc4DJon9 https://t.co/n2wAq2OIGt
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Hopkins Myositis study of 637 dermatomyositis pts - FLARES were assoc w/ DM Dz activity; manifest as rash (76%), motor weakness (58%), Pulm (19%), arthritis (12%). O
nly 2–5% of Flare pts had cancer Dx w/in 6–24-mos https://t.co/AKC9oIKAS7 https://t.co/26q8FfkUfl
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Among neuro-ophthalmic complications of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors, myasthenia gravis (often with concomitant myositis) is most common irAE, followed by optic neuropathy (often as optic neuritis) https://t.co/7pxqSKY3M1 https://t.co/bisbShFHIc
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
