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Faith and Miracle Larry
This week on the podcast, Dr. Jack Cush recalls what life was like early on during COVID, from March to June of 2020. During this time, his close friend, Larry, contracted COVID-19 and was hospitalized, intubated and put on mechanical ventilation for nearly 2 months.
Read Article2022 Rheumatology Year in Review (1-6-2023)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the best of 2022 in Rheumatology - highlights on new drug indications, breakthrough lupus therapies, new biosimilars and the multivitamin letdown.
Read ArticleCOVID-19 Vaccine Responses in Rheumatic Disease Patients
Nature Reviews Rheumatology features a review of three notable papers that address the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on people with inflammatory rheumatic disease.
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Great #RNL2023 Plenary with "Miracle Larry" after 128 days in hospital for COVID-19, on 3-year anniversary of going into coma
"I am the expert on what this virus can do. I don't want the world to ever forget"
@RheumNow https://t.co/kTuDXDhTtQ
Eric Dein ericdeinmd ( View Tweet)
Tremendously emotional (and unfiltered) first person account of his fight with COVID-19 by Miracle Larry who thanked our Dr. Cush @RheumNow for his ingenuity in fighting COVID-19, thanking healthcare workers for all they do, and reminding us to be empathic.
#RNL2023 https://t.co/i0D7r8dR8n
Robert B Chao, MD doctorRBC ( View Tweet)
Lancet metanalysis shows pts infected w/ SARS-CoV2 are conferred very high degree of re-infx from pre-omicron variants, even after 40 weeks. Protection was lower for omicron BA.1 & declined over time. Protection from severe Dz was high for all variants. https://t.co/RNgYVWQfNo https://t.co/J8U37NYXPP
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
CDC: Nursing home residents not up to date w/COVID-19 vaccines have 30%–50% higher risk for COVID infx vs those up to date. Betw 2022-23 Those vax had COVID rate of 7.2-15.6/1000pts vs 9.5-18.8/1000 pt in those unvaccinated. https://t.co/Eem2H5AMoN https://t.co/o2ZyPVswZp
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
UK Database 1,955 breakthrough COVID-19 infxs in 54,576 #gout pts compared to 52,468 w/o gout saw more in gout (adj HR 1.24), also w/ more #COVID hospitalizations (adj HR 1.30) & death (1.36), more so in women. Same for unvaccinated https://t.co/596KvupZxi https://t.co/BJJguQBdin
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Autoimmune Dz may be assoc w/ new-onset Atrial Fibrillation, esp in women. Population-based UK Biobank found significant increases for AFib in Rheumatic fever w/o CVD (HR 1.47), Crohn’ (1.23), UC(1.17), RA (1.39), PAN (1.82), SLE (1.82), PSS (2.32) https://t.co/rpIiztUfg9 https://t.co/FWmLiZ6x1S
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Should Kids w/ MIS-C get the COVID vaccine? Yes - study of 385 pt > 5 yrs w/ Hx of multisystem inflammatory syndrome showed no serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination. The safety profile of COVID-19 vax is same as gen population https://t.co/dr2QBQsMhE? https://t.co/WbsUuYEsez
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
On Wednesday 12/21 the FDA approved tocilizumab (Actemra; 8 mg/kg, 60-min IV infusion ) for hospitalized COVID-19 on steroids, supplemental O2 & req ventilation, or ECMO; 1st MAb approved for COVID-19; Prev EUA issued in June 2021 https://t.co/BswLu4ZY5O https://t.co/7gpPkeoPZ4
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
COVID-19 Vaccine Responses in Rheumatic Disease Patients
Nature Reviews Rheumatology features a review of three notable papers that address the impact of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination on people with inflammatory rheumatic disease.
https://t.co/R9UM3amPRR. https://t.co/WmHyVKdsxw
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
During 2021–22 FLU season, 6% of hosp pedi-influenza pts had SARS-CoV-2 coinfection; these required more respiratory support. Risk of influenza death augmented by not recv vaccination (flu or covid), no antiviral Rx, comorbidities & coinfx w/COVID https://t.co/bfjeClHflW https://t.co/YTOEnNSQQN
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Recent CDC/MMWR report shows Paxlovid x 5days (including those w/ prior COVID or vaccination), had a 51% lower hospitalization rate within 30 days after diagnosis than those not prescribed Paxlovid. Use it irrespective of vaccination status https://t.co/CBc1VBSDFR https://t.co/EC8QGaFrb3
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
TIME Mag - "Why Masks Still Matter". 1) COVID is still out there; 2) Influenza on the rise. Authors write "With limited yet mixed data, we would be wise to ...err on the side of masking in high risk, indoor crowded public settings..." https://t.co/l8jiTwAdZz https://t.co/0QUKJDOhjs
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Does Evusheld shield people living with rheumatic diseases?
Dr. Yuz Yusof ( @Yuz6Yusof) discusses three key abstracts from #ACR22 on Evusheld findings.
https://t.co/wYl6Wpd5Fs https://t.co/7T7u4czNOX
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
COVID Highlights
Dr. Leonard Calabrese and Dr. Cassandra Calabrese share highlights on COVID data being presented at #ACR22
https://t.co/DEUykGt8pT https://t.co/sz8GRRGrPH
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Impact of COVID 19 on Pregnancies in Women with RMD
Dr. Cassy Sims ( @DrCassySims) discusses abstract 0950 at #ACR22.
https://t.co/qbFRV5P3eP https://t.co/cmS4n15L5e
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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Vaccination +/- prior Covid-19, and with either mRNA or vectored DNA vaccines were not associated with AIRD flares. Negative association 21-days after 1st Covid-19 vaccination and no association after 2nd or 3rd doses. Nakafero G Abs#2194 https://t.co/vA8cMNQGkr #ACR22 @RheumNow https://t.co/SZnXejnmYt
Dr. Antoni Chan synovialjoints ( View Tweet)
Problem w antibodies to prevent #COVID19 infection in rheumatic Pts is that they are not as good in variants that are more prominent ex Omicron strains. But should we use in high risk Pts ex long rituximab users? I do in this group. @RheumNow #ACR22 https://t.co/A8soYbg9ZD
Janet Pope Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)


