All News
Chikungunya Club Meeting (7.24.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read Article
Swimming Reduces Disability from Low Back Pain
EurekAlert!
Swimming is commonly recommended for patients with chronic low back pain. Yet, there is little trial data investigating swimming. An Australian study has shown for the first time that a program of swimming can be clinically effective in reducing disability from chronic low back pain.
Read Article
Evidence-Based Dietary Recommendations for Gout
Gout, historically referred to as the “disease of kings,” was once associated with a lifestyle of excess, including ready access to alcohol and rich meats once reserved for society’s highest ranks.
Read Article
Primary biliary cholangitis is a chronic cholestatic disease characterized by autoimmune-mediated destruction of bile ducts, leading to fibrosis, cirrhosis, & liver failure. Ursodeoxycholic acid is 1st line Rx. New Rx include elafibranor & seladelpar (activates peroxisome https://t.co/tKloXvJYek
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
UK primary care database (2000–21) gout study of new colchicine initiators (n 31,478) vs noninitiators (mean 60 yrs, BMI 30), follow-up of 4.5 yrs. Colchicine use had a signif. 12% lower risk of Joint Arthroplasty (HR 0.88); 23% lower TJA in knee/hip OA (HR 0.77) https://t.co/bT07lUYBB2
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
GI dz & malnutrition in scleroderma (SSc) is common, assessed by BMI. Among 450 SSc (F/U 5.3 yrs), lower BMI were significantly assoc w/ pseudoobstruction, smaller oral aperture, higher Medsger vascular severity scores. Defines those at risk https://t.co/JY9YFOWE5C https://t.co/xFZ0rCXjQv
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Expert Perspective on Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease
A current perspective article by Dr. Sara Tedeschi tackles many unresolved issues around CPPD diagnosis, classification, and management, including the lack of clinical trials or FDA approved treatments. https://t.co/zxJ9aQweNl
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Among 784,091 pts in a UK acute MI registry, 715 (0.1%) had SLE. SLE pts were younger & more female. SLE w/ MI had signif higher adjusted all-cause mortality from 30 days (HR 1.62) to 5 years (HR 1.84), despite age & having less traditional cardiovascular comorbidities https://t.co/78oHVWTdTJ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Nerandomilast (Jascayd) has been approved in the European Union for adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). The drug was approved for IPF & PPF by the FDA for US use in late 2025 https://t.co/scOuVb3aYy https://t.co/EcmpRhyWgu
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Coding: ICD-10 Code M45.7 describes ankylosing spondylitis of the lumbosacral region, a billable ICD-10-CM diagnosis code valid for FY2026. M45.7 became effective October 1, 2025 and belongs to the M45 parent category covering ankylosing spondylitis by anatomical site. https://t.co/jBmoD0CVps
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Chinese cohort of 209 AOSD pts identifed 49 (23%) w/ lung dz (by CXR), yet 69% were asymptomatic. Significcant risk factors for AOSD-LD were pleuritis, MAS (HR 2.62), & Dz relapse (HR 2.6). Imaging patterns: acute exudative pattern most prevalent, followed by interstitial and https://t.co/2IPJWRJicP
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Fibromyalgia: Diagnosis and Management
https://t.co/L9nA1TlJKx https://t.co/G4bkxTsXCt
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
EUSTAR scleroderma substudy propensity matched pts Rx w/ JAKi (n 38) vs 180 pts ea Rx w/ MMF, MTX, RTX. 1/3 had dcSSc. 23 AEs in 997 Pt-yrs. JAKi outcomes similar to comparators. JAKi Tx D/C in 39%, FVC stable, skin fibrosis improved (mRSS −1.8) & SJC decreased. No new
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
QD Clinic: Gout, Sepsis… or Both?
Dr. Mrinalini Dey, London, discusses a complex case.
https://t.co/UtncfZgZyL https://t.co/xVTA0LnPpN
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
The Lancet Rheumatology has a good editorial about the avacopan bad news reports with EMA, FDA and Japan issuing negative opinions that threaten the drugs future. Yet, since approval real world data on avacopan has been favorable w/ less steroid toxicity & most hepatotoxicity https://t.co/k6ebVeWv2K
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
"Leeuwenhoek (invented the microscope) examined uric acid (C5H4N4O3) crystals from gout patients and found them to resemble needles. He expounded on his observations in an 11 July 1679 letter responding to an earlier query from Mr. Lambert van Velthuysen (1622–1685), a physician, https://t.co/mY2wqYlRda
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
UK primary care database (2000–21) gout study of new colchicine initiators (n 31,478) vs noninitiators (mean 60 yrs, BMI 30), follow-up of 4.5 yrs. Colchicine use had a signif. 12% lower risk of Joint Arthroplasty (HR 0.88); 23% lower TJA in knee/hip OA (HR 0.77) https://t.co/TkYFYhANuH
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
QD Clinic: Gout: Is it the Journey or the Destination?
Dr. Arthur Kavanaugh discusses a gout patient whose frequent flares improved after lifestyle changes, despite medication not being enough on its own.
https://t.co/frf4O87L0I https://t.co/cjtiYY9Ayt
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Predicting and Managing Gout Flares in Hospitalized Patients
Dr. Kanon Jatuworapruk, Bangkok, discusses predicting and managing gout flares in hospitalized patients as part of RheumNow's "Gout: More than Flares" campaign in July 2026.
https://t.co/wrLbjsayrI https://t.co/eWmRqPNWsJ
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
