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Rituximab is not Superior in EGPA
A cohort study of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis (EGPA) patients from the French Vasculitis Study Group failed to show superiority of rituximab compared to conventional strategy with glucocorticoids (GS) alone or in combination with cyclophosphamide.
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CKD & Osteoporosis Rx Revisited (7.25.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal and FDA updates from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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NHANES, Numbers, & Risk (7.18.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com along with interesting case questions from "Ask Cush Anything".
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1 in 5 Patients are Unaware of their Arthritis Diagnosis
Current CDC numbers suggest that arthritis (any type) affects an estimated 67.1 million (27.9% ) adults in the USA. Interestingly, 1 in 5 do not know their arthritis subtype (21.6%, 14.4 million).
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Manifestations and Treatment in Relapsing Polychondritis
A large multicenter cohort study of Relapsing Polychondritis (RP) describes the clinical manifestations and treatment approaches to this rare, heterogeneous, multisystem disease.
Interstitial Lung Disease and Lung Cancer Risk
A large prospective cohort study found that interstitial lung disease (ILD) is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.
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Emapalumab Approved for MAS in Still’s
On June 27th, 2025, the FDA approved emapalumab for macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in known or suspected Still’s disease (including both adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD) and systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA)) with https://t.co/431PQlzBsV
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Fibrosis in IgG4-related disease due to the overexpression of early growth response-1 (EGR-1) by Epithelial cells that facilitates tissue fibrosis https://t.co/AEaoucfT13 https://t.co/7UVQpkj3cn https://t.co/PuCjh5LQc5
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Clinical Associations with Anti-RNA Polymerase III Antibodies
A systematic review of anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies (ARA) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients finds ARA positivity in only 9% of SSc patients, but come with a higher risk of many potentially worrisome https://t.co/p1KVUFPJvN
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US CDC study of age-standardized mortality rate (ASMR) from 1990-2020, there were 39,496 deaths related to scleroderma (SSc) & and 5,163 from SSc w/ renal failure. Deaths lower in males (22%) than females w/ renal failure (78%). Mortality rate of SSc w? renal failure was https://t.co/OT3BHt3E85
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Fibrosis in IgG4-related disease due to the overexpression of early growth response-1 (EGR-1) by Epithelial cells that facilitates tissue fibrosis https://t.co/PBMqjr0MVV https://t.co/d9b7k2zwYE https://t.co/25aIjIrYm3
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Retrospective review of 457 Autoimmune liver disease pts found 42.5% with Polyautoimmunity. Predictors included ANA positivity (78 vs 47%), ANA titers, dsDNA (12 vs 2%), RF+ (25 vs 9%), disease duration, low albumin, high ESRs. https://t.co/Socl6XWU9a https://t.co/8qomVBh3KP
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Manifestations and Treatment in Relapsing Polychondritis
A large multicenter cohort study of Relapsing Polychondritis (RP) describes the clinical manifestations and treatment approaches to this rare, heterogeneous, multisystem disease.
https://t.co/Gz2qwtC4jZ https://t.co/llK9W45DlW
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
SSB, > SSA, Abs are signif associated w/ abnormal DLCO (AUC 0.791) in Sjogrens syndrome, esp in assoc. w/ LIP- lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis. These findings more likely in quadruple positive Sjogrens w/ RF/ANA/SSA/SSB positivity. https://t.co/s6IyRzfXiN https://t.co/rKDBovTOpl
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Manifestations and Treatment in Relapsing Polychondritis
A large multicenter cohort study of Relapsing Polychondritis (RP) describes the clinical manifestations and treatment approaches to this rare, heterogeneous, multisystem disease.
https://t.co/Gz2qwtC4jZ https://t.co/ZLkjNQmbRC
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
SSB, > SSA, Abs are signif associated w/ abnormal DLCO (AUC 0.791) in Sjogrens syndrome, esp in assoc. w/ LIP- lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis. These findings more likely in quadruple positive Sjogrens w/ RF/ANA/SSA/SSB positivity. https://t.co/s6IyRzfXiN https://t.co/J3bMowsrUQ
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Interstitial Lung Disease and Lung Cancer Risk
A large prospective cohort study found that interstitial lung disease (ILD) is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.
https://t.co/SdOT28qVfr https://t.co/6KhAijhfHw
Links:
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Martinque, Afro-Caribbean population (n 354 800) study(2004-2022) of 33 AOSD pts (71%F; 79% systemic; 21% chr articular); 91% met Yamaguchi criteria; features as expected but more Pulmonary Dz(51%; 94% w/ a systemic pattern). Half Dx < age 35 yrs. Prevalence 7.6 /100 000 mean https://t.co/QWyfNuvhkl
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Overview of the VEXAS Syndrome
A current systematic review in Rheumatology addresses the clinical features seen in the VEXAS syndrome.
https://t.co/ZjuOO08sKx https://t.co/rNVBFxgjZY
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Study of 74 systemic sclerosis pts shows nailfold videocapillaroscopy (capillary disorganization, late pattern changes) predicts ILD progression, worsening PFTs & mRSS in SSc over 2 yrs. KL-6 correlates w/ NVC findings & PFT decline. ILD incr from 38 to 51% in 2yrs https://t.co/A3LiG6Nn0m
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
