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Anakinra's Effects on COVID-19 Outcomes

d Jack Cush, MD

Sporadic reports of anakinra use in COVID-19 infection has hinted is potential; now a metanalysis shows that the use of anakinra may reduce the mortality risk in patients admitted to hospital with moderate to severe COVID-19 pneumonia, especially highly elevated ferritin and C-reactive prote

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USA Ranks 11th (Last) in Healthcare Delivery

d Jack Cush, MD

Despite spending more (18%) of its gross national product on health care than its peers, the U.S.

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COVID Vaccine Booster Effective for Transplant Recipients in Small Trial

d MedPage Today

For organ transplant recipients, a third dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine more than tripled the proportion with a sufficient antibody response, a randomized trial showed.

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Mepolizumab Dosing in Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis

d Jack Cush, MD

A new European real world experience study shows that mepolizumab is effective at both 100 or 300mg every 4 weeks in patients with the rarely encountered eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA; or Churg-Strauss Syndrome). 

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Biologics Reduce Surgical Needs in RA

d Jack Cush, MD

In Canada, biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) were introduced after 2001, and since that time there have been significant reductions in hip and knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA) among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but not in patients with osteoarthritis (OA).

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Rare Risk of Serious Adverse Events After COVID Vaccination

d CDC/MMWR

The CDC had reported the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) study of rare serious adverse events after COVID-19 vaccination and assert that the excessive morbidity and mortality from COVID-19 (and the protection afforded by vaccination) far exceeds the risk of rare safety signals

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COVID Vaccine Booster Effective for Transplant Recipients in Small Trial For organ transplant recipients, a third dose of Moderna's COVID-19 vaccine more than tripled the proportion with a sufficient antibody response, a randomized trial showed. https://t.co/iD2WFfUP3a https://t.co/eYMdocd9T4

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
A new European real world experience study shows that mepolizumab is effective at both 100 or 300mg every 4 weeks in patients with the rarely encountered eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA; or Churg-Strauss Syndrome). https://t.co/hgeiSHhxSj https://t.co/cfi2nZGzBa

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Symptom eval of 870 1st degree relatives of RA in PREVeNT-RA study - 5% were seropositive & 14% had incr CRP. Sleep probs (20%) & joint pain (18%) most common. Symmetrical small joint pain ~12% higher in RF+ and 11% higher w/ high CRP https://t.co/aYoLX0sZ2p

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Interesting case report of difficult periorbital Discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE) treated with topical tofacitinib, 2%, ointment, a topical Janus kinase (JAK) 1/3 inhibitor. https://t.co/NZxUFW9ilN

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Drs. Jack Cush, Kathryn Dao, Janet Pope, Eric Dein and Yuz Yusof discuss a number of lupus presentations as well as abstracts presented at the virtual EULAR 2021 meeting. Lupus nephritis and treat-to-remission presentations were discussed by the panel. https://t.co/dfRdeveeLp

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

85 rheumatic kids RTX treated - New hypogammaglobulinemia in 27% w/in 18 mos AND 26% w/ infections (half being serious infx). Prior pulse steriods ups risk of inx (OR 15.3) and hypogamma (OR 3.9). Hypogamm predicts risk of SIE (OR 7.9)

Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

In 206 #SLE pts (mean 62 yrs) polypharmacy (≥10 meds) seen in 35%. 31% used benzodiazepines & 24% opioids. Polypharmacy greater with prednisone, comorbidity & rural. Polypharmacy assoc w/ 4X Benzo & 7X opioid use https://t.co/4U0UakoIRr

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Takayasu's responds to Tofacitinib - 53 pts given TOF + glucocorticoids (GCs) (n=27) or MTX + GCs (n=26). At 12 mos complete remission (CR) more with TOF (88% vs 56%, p=0.02), w/ lower GC use and relapse rates ((12% vs 35%, p=0.052) https://t.co/qgziyIhKgV

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

Current Israel data for mRNA vaccination in people age >60, 1st to get vaccines >6 months ago, now confronting Delta infections 1. Vaccines work but their apparent effectiveness is diminished over time + Delta 2. Boosters showing some preliminary evidence of working via @dvir_a https://t.co/YKgF9dlFz3
Eric Topol EricTopol ( View Tweet)
Today, the 5 most vaccinated states (14M people) had 580 people in hospital, 12 deaths In the 5 least vaccinated states (16M people)? 6,600 hospitalized, 104 deaths Per capita , least vaccinated states have 10X hospitalizations and 7X deaths So yeah, vaccines are working

Ashish K. Jha, MD, MPH ashishkjha ( View Tweet)

Nice rvw of tx for SSc-ILD by @sclerodermaUM et al Endorse: "MMF is now considered the standard of care as first line therapy for the treatment of SSc-ILD" Reasonable chart, but wish we could offer more HSCT Also, I'm seeing a LOT of INappropriate early use of nintedanib https://t.co/n1R73EbrXZ
Mike Putman EBRheum ( View Tweet)
Smart, concise, insightful short video by Dr Marwan Bukhari (Editor-in-Chief of Rheumatology) on how to write an abstract. https://t.co/M8AUFZsxMF

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

The TORTUGA trial tested filgotinib, a JAK1 inhibitor, in active ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and was shown to be both effective and capable of retarding sacroiliac (SI) joint erosions as early as 12 weeks. https://t.co/awfZdiTUBt https://t.co/ST2JIkavhy

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
TB rarely causes arthritis; accounts for 1-5% of all TB (10-30% of pulmonary TB) cases. May present as mono/oligoarthritis, tenosynovitis, dactylitis, Spondylitis (Potts disease), reactive arthritis (Poncets dz) or polyarthritis. https://t.co/RpMrRLQbEa

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Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)

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