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Cannabis Hospitalizations and Mortality Risk
A Canadian population, retrospective cohort study shows individuals needing hospital-based (emergency department or hospitalization) care for a cannabis use disorder (CUD) were at increased risk of death.
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Pain Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis
BMC has published a full read literture review of pharmacological pain management in rheumatoid arthritis, pointing out that the best evidence for pain control comes from the use of DMARDs and treat-to-target strategies.
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Participation is Up! (1.31.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. We also have two call-in cases on "Ask Cush Anything".
Be sure to join in the fun at RNL 2025 next weekend - Gong Show Karaoke; what will you sing?
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AGA Guideline: Prevention and Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation in At-Risk Individuals
The American Gastroenterology Association has published its revised clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in at-risk patients, particularly those with immune-mediated disease, receiving immunomodulatory therapy and steroids.
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Young Males and Future Risk of MSK and Chronic Diseases
A large cohort of 18-year-old Swedish males were followed longitudinally for cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal outcomes.
M. Petri on Steroids in SLE👇
-Organ damage is higher in AA vs Caucasians-driven by CS
-CV risk increase is dose dependent:
>10 mg =2x risk
>20mg =5x risk
-Increase prednisone by 10mg =30% increased risk for organ damage! 🤯
-20mg/day >1m increases risk for… https://t.co/fZVjS7JQBL
Adela Castro AdelaCastro222 ( View Tweet)
Wise person once said
If you don’t take your medications,
THEY DON’T WORK!
Shocking 1 in 3 nonadherence with
#hydroxychloroquine
By drug levels
In young Pts with
#SLE #lupus
Michelle Petri @RheumNow #RNL2025 https://t.co/H5izbnW0qU
Janet Pope Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)
Michele Petri @RheumNow #RNL2025
1 mg of prednisone -> 3% increased risk of damage
Taper quickly, withdrawal slowly
Make sure background therapy is on - monitor therapy with HCQ levels, early use of additional Rx https://t.co/pjFNcg99ed
Eric Dein ericdeinmd ( View Tweet)
Who’s liable for an incorrect #AI diagnosis or medical advice? @rheumnow #RNL2025 @RADoctor
TheDaoIndex KDAO2011 ( View Tweet)
AI models require good Positive Predictive Value (PPV)
But: PPV decreases as prevalence decreases
- In choosing a successful biologic:
Harder to predict more challenging patients (multiple failures, co-morbidities, etc) - ACR50 non-response is higher
J Curtis
@RheumNow #RNL2025 https://t.co/SdJ0FHVuSC
Eric Dein ericdeinmd ( View Tweet)
Late onset RA (LORA) aka RA diagnosed at an older age — pts have higher inflammatory markers, presents like PMR; they also have polypharmacy, comorbidities, frailty, etc that can complicate management
@UnaMakris #RNL2025 @RheumNow #GeriRheum https://t.co/zqEcyg2ejw
TheDaoIndex KDAO2011 ( View Tweet)
Can #AI help us determine the
👇
Right drug
At
Right time
Pipe dream?
Or to use #artificial #intelligence term
➡️ a #hallucination?
garbage in ➡️➡️garbage out
Most predictions of drug response are same: multimorbid multiRx failures
Nonadherent poverty #RNL25 @RheumNow https://t.co/70SRp8BnCl
Janet Pope Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)
Facing challenges in diagnosing idiopathic inflammatory myopathies? Check out our recent webinar to hear from Stanley J. Naides, MD, FACP, FACR, as he explores the role of autoantibody testing in autoimmune myositis diagnosis and phenotyping. Sponsored by LabCorp Rx. #Myositis… https://t.co/4jMevolO3k https://t.co/ObWPR8QFW2
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Rituximab is FDA approved for treatment of moderate to severe pemphigus, but 20% may relapse in 1st Yr. Study of 87 pts shows the efficacy of repeat 6 mos RTX in A) those with persistent Dz activity and B) anyone w/ predictors of relapse (PDAI score, DSG1 or DSG3 abs)… https://t.co/IhqdGWVcdp https://t.co/MKhDpa5zHv
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Dannish study of 1 million infants, exposed vs unexposed to systemic glucocorticoids shows prenatal GC exposure assoc w/ higher risk of autism (RR 1.5), intellectual disability (1.3), ADHD (1.3), mood/anxiety (1.3). Same risk for 290K mothers w/ autoimmune/inflamm Dz… https://t.co/bXL3YqCIYZ https://t.co/psNVENXRPs
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Celecoxib Lowers Colon Cancer Recurrence Risk
The Alliance for Clinical Trials in Oncology today announced the results of a data analysis from a randomized phase III clinical trial involving patients with stage III colon cancer, which found that adding the drug celecoxib to… https://t.co/tIoMtRlwKt https://t.co/fzOAplwJLi
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
UK NHS 2023-24 figures show hospitalization for SLE is 8X more common in blacks (62.6 per 100,000) compared to white SLE (7.8/100K) and Asian SLE (26/100K), Lupus hospitalizations risen 50% in 4 yrs (6,334 to 8,006 in 2023-24). Is this “stark” inequality from delayed Dx?… https://t.co/NDdIkWKZy5 https://t.co/E4Fmvz9uLn
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
FDA has approved Journavx (suzetrigine) 50 mg tablets, 1st in-class non-opioid analgesic, to treat moderate to severe acute pain in adults. Journavx reduces pain by targeting a pain-signaling pathway involving sodium channels in the peripheral nervous system, before pain signals… https://t.co/xKy7JY7pPr https://t.co/VYrDMQcjHc
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
ACR Applauds Second Round of Medicare Drug Price Negotiations
The ACR applauded the announcement of additional drugs subject to pricing negotiations with the CMS. This second round includes nintedanib (Ofev) and apremilast (Otezla), which are used to treat common and rare… https://t.co/z1LkpWMXqg https://t.co/hqjkqTqJxw
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
SubAnalysis of STOP Gout Trial: 277 pts w/ CKD received either allopurinol or febuxostat. Most achieved SUA goal (79% vs 81%), fewer allopurinol pts had gout flares (32% vs 45%; P=0.02); AKI only seen stage w/ 3 CKD (allopurinol > febuxostat) https://t.co/wwfVCei4Ej https://t.co/W8Y7KxcSd4
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
