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Panacea of Prednisone & Cannabis (5.16.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal and regulatory reports from this week on RheumNow.com. Interesting trends and results with prednisone in lupus, cannabis in RA and opioid deaths too!
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SLE, Antiphospholipid Antibodies, and the Placenta
It is well established that women with SLE are at increased risk for adverse pregnancy outcomes, including preeclampsia, preterm birth, and pregnancy loss. However, the pathophysiologic mechanisms driving these complications are not yet fully understood. In this article, we explore several proposed pathways where the immune system and placenta interface, summarized in Figure 1, that may enhance our understanding of these risks.
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Lupus Nephritis 2024 Guidelines
The ACR has published evidence-based and expert guidance for the screening, treatment, and management of lupus nephritis (LN). These are the same guidelines presented at ACR Convergence 2024.
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FDA approved the chikungunya virus vaccine (Ixchiq) in 11/23, but recently announced caution and pause use while it investigates Postmarketing Safety Reports of 17 SAE (cardiac & neurologic) & 2 deaths. 6 SAE in the USA, elderly w/ chronic med conditions. ~80K doses of Ixchiq https://t.co/RED8Xab0Ir
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3-year, RCT of Mediteranean diet vs usual care in 924 older adults w/ metabolic syndrome & BMI > 27. Med. diet shows signif wt loss (3.4% vs 0.4%), w/ improved BMD (by DEXA) at year 3, especially in women. https://t.co/mllx6l1QnM https://t.co/I5e8PXX2oX
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Clinical Impacts of the Pre Lupus State on Pregnancy Outcomes
Dr. Catherine Sims talks with Dr. Jessica English at the RheumaPreg 2025 meeting in Vienna, Austria.
https://t.co/T8ZYQtDNmZ https://t.co/PmVRFVlABd
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Smoking & Autoantibodies in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Investigators from the Netherlands have published their findings that smoking is a risk factor in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), led by the induction of local autoimmune responses at mucosal sites (in the lungs) and exemplified by https://t.co/SQa3PrRnOI
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Deep remission in SLE – what is it, and can we achieve it?
Recent reports on lupus patients treated with CAR-T cells targeting CD19+ B lymphocytes have sparked excitement. This is due to the patients experiencing ongoing clinical remission without further treatment after two https://t.co/rdBkIhfWWd
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Lupus QD Clinic - SLE Get Ready
Young SLE patient wants to get pregnant; but first she needs to get ready!
Features Dr. Jack Cush
https://t.co/988jrHmdUs https://t.co/qVrBU2lvI5
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FDA approved the chikungunya virus vaccine (Ixchiq) in 11/23, but recently announced caution and pause use while it investigates Postmarketing Safety Reports of 17 SAE (cardiac & neurologic) & 2 deaths. 6 SAE in the USA, elderly w/ chronic med conditions. ~80K doses of Ixchiq https://t.co/XadqMEmSuD
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
3-year, RCT of Mediteranean diet vs usual care in 924 older adults w/ metabolic syndrome & BMI > 27. Med. diet shows signif wt loss (3.4% vs 0.4%), w/ improved BMD (by DEXA) at year 3, especially in women. https://t.co/mllx6l1QnM https://t.co/CulO1Sschf
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SLE trends: pulse methylprednisolone followed by low dose steroids is rec by various guidelines. Risk factors for SLE flare after GC withdrawal: high Dz activity, active serology, younger age, shorter remission duration, faster tapering strategy, shorter duration/cessation of https://t.co/g6LaTijOpA
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Single center study of 2741 ANA tests: 65% ANA negative, 31% ANA+ w/ nuclear staining patterns, & 2.0% ANA+ w cytoplasmic staining. Cytoplasmic - most were reticular, dense fine speckled next. Reticular assoc w/ primary biliary cholangitis (w/ Abs against M2). Dense fine https://t.co/SfBY9BShax
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Retrospective cohort study 112 biopsy-proven Lupus nephritis pts (65% class IV; F/U 8.3 yrs). (64.3%), alone or in combination. Renal damage incr betw 5 & 10 yrs F/U. 13.4% progressed to renal function impairment, and 11.6% to ESRD. Early Dx & Rx of LN, esp w/ highproteinuria, https://t.co/N1BL9Bri3M
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A brief history of familial Mediterranean fever - FMF is most common periodic fever syndr. an inherited polyserositis mainly affects Arabs, Armenians, Jews, & Turks. Hx may date back to 1802 & Heberden. Osler described 11 cases in 1895. 1st clear report 1945 by Siegal 10 pts. https://t.co/m20uO3bOoj
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Refractory Renal SLE
How to manage class III/IV lupus glomerulonephritis when you run out of options, by Dr. Jack Cush.
https://t.co/syOVCEozfA https://t.co/UOY8MkZeX2
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Lessons Learned from a Lupus Registry: Two sides of one coin?
It's Dr. Janet Pope reporting at RheumNow on our special lupus edition. I'd like to talk about lessons learned from a Canadian lupus registry. Is it two sides of one coin?
https://t.co/IxMZhA1uht https://t.co/PJixCj8d6g
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J&J announced results of Phase 3 ICONIC-TOTAL study of qd icotrokinra, an oral IL-23 receptor inhibitor, in 311 ps w/ difficult scalp and genital psoriasis (PSO) -success in 57%; skin clearance in 66% & genital psoriasis resp in 77% treated https://t.co/WftyEcDh8u https://t.co/Ydy37Eo0jX
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CDC: U.S. Overdose Deaths Decrease Almost 27% in 2024, dropping from 110,037 deaths (2023) to ~80,391(2024). Despite these improvements, overdose remains the leading cause of death for Americans aged 18 to 44. https://t.co/UXTaOPf3P7 https://t.co/1NQUfoZ1eK
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Single center study of 2741 ANA tests: 65% ANA negative, 31% ANA+ w/ nuclear staining patterns, & 2.0% ANA+ w cytoplasmic staining. Cytoplasmic - most were reticular, dense fine speckled next. Reticular assoc w/ primary biliary cholangitis (w/ Abs against M2). Dense fine https://t.co/JI7iGvw8xp
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)