Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and best ways to review EULAR 2026.

For years, peripheral spondyloarthritis has been managed with a cautious, stepwise approach: start with NSAIDs, escalate to conventional synthetic DMARDs, and only reach for biologics when everything else fails. The SPARTACUS trial, presented at EULAR 2026 in London, challenges that paradigm head-on. The results make a compelling case for rethinking when, not just whether, to deploy TNF inhibitors.

The RA-BRIDGE and RA-BRANCH studies were presented as a late-breaking abstract at EULAR 2026. This was the pooled results from two large FDA post-marketing commitment safety trials — RA-BRIDGE (global) and RA-BRANCH (US-only) — comparing baricitinib at 2 mg and 4 mg daily against TNF inhibitors (etanercept or adalimumab) in RA patients specifically enriched for venous thromboembolic event risk factors.

It’s time for Rheumatology RoundUp from EULAR 2026 from London, UK. Drs. Artie Kavanaugh and Jack Cush review their choice presentations from the meeting, offering their perspectives on impact and applicability.

The approach to the treatment of peripheral SpA has been the same for a long time. The guidelines recommend starting with NSAIDs, escalate to conventional synthetic DMARDs, typically sulfasalazine or methotrexate and reserve biologics for patients who fail those. According to a new phase 3 trial presented at EULAR 2026, there may be a different way to approach this.

At the "What Is New in Psoriatic Arthritis" session at EULAR 2026, Professor Dennis McGonagle (Leeds, UK) took the audience on a whirlwind yet compact tour of the field, touching on three themes: the pathophysiology of PsA, individualization of clinical management, and emerging research and future directions.

People with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are at risk of a number of comorbidities, from cardiovascular diseases to cognitive impairment and fractures. The 2026 EULAR Congress showcased new data and ideas around various comorbidities and drug safety issues in people with an RMD – highlighting the need for integrated care. Here are five abstracts to consider.

Few topics in rheumatology have reshaped prescribing behaviour as dramatically as the safety concerns surrounding JAK inhibitors following ORAL Surveillance and the subsequent FDA and EMA warnings.