Skip to main content
RA-ILD represents the most severe extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis, affecting an estimated 1% of the adult population in the US and Northern Europe. Prevalence estimates vary widely  (up to 58%), reflecting different diagnostic criteria, imaging modalities, and study populations.
Moral Distress (3.27.2026)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports and news from RheumNow. This week we discuss mor

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
Moral Distress (3.27.2026) Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports and news from RheumNow. This week we discuss moral distress, FM in PsA, Lyme Vax is back & hidden but tangible benefits of the MDHAQ. https://t.co/LdNcsUcHc2 https://t.co/tRYeDhQ3hC
The TOGETHER-PsA trial has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ixekizumab (IXE) administered with tirzepatide (TZP) in adult active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients who were overweight or obese.
AXIS is an Intl prospective study of 409 psoriatic arthritis pts - found Axial involvement in 27.4% of pts. Axial PsA si

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
AXIS is an Intl prospective study of 409 psoriatic arthritis pts - found Axial involvement in 27.4% of pts. Axial PsA signif younger (45 vs 47.6 yrs) , male (56% vs 51.5%), more B27 positivity (22% vs 11%), inflammatory back pain (75% vs 43%), & ^CRP (53% vs 37%) https://t.co/XY5pf4BNNm
19 yr old male is Dx w/ Stills Dz (Fever 104F, pleuritis, organomegaly, WBC 24k, ESR 98, CRP 11 mg/L) - what drug do you

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
19 yr old male is Dx w/ Stills Dz (Fever 104F, pleuritis, organomegaly, WBC 24k, ESR 98, CRP 11 mg/L) - what drug do you prescribe first?
Portugese multicentre retrospective of 748 adults with JIA (age 28 yrs; Dz duration 21 yrs). Oligoarticular JIA was the

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
Portugese multicentre retrospective of 748 adults with JIA (age 28 yrs; Dz duration 21 yrs). Oligoarticular JIA was the most common subtype (29.9%). HTN (9%), psychiatric dz (8%), & osteoporosis (5%) were most prevalent comorbidities. bDMARD use reduced risk of psych Dz https://t.co/xCrTDxirlj
Psychiatrists have the highest Medicare opt-out rate (8% vs 1.2% MDs vs <3% Rheum), leading to a critical shortage of

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
Psychiatrists have the highest Medicare opt-out rate (8% vs 1.2% MDs vs <3% Rheum), leading to a critical shortage of psychiatrists and more antipsychotic management to APRNs and PAs over the last decade. APPs Handle 40% of Antipsychotic Scripts https://t.co/wWnFcnXpRa https://t.co/WSQBEzvxgK
Myocarditis causes 17,000 deaths/Yr worldwide. Causes include A) iatrogenic/autoimmune: checkpoint inhibitors & gene

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
Myocarditis causes 17,000 deaths/Yr worldwide. Causes include A) iatrogenic/autoimmune: checkpoint inhibitors & gene therapy; B) High income countries: parvo B19, herpesvirus 6; C) low income: dengue, HIV, malaria and Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) https://t.co/en4OnhWPda https://t.co/urwkjlVeg6
A randomized clinical trial of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in fibromyalgia showed meaningful improvement in pain for 6 months when combined with physical therapy (PT). 
19 yr old male is Dx w/ Stills Dz (Fever 104F, pleuritis, organomegaly, WBC 24k, ESR 98, CRP 11 mg/L) - what drug do you

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
19 yr old male is Dx w/ Stills Dz (Fever 104F, pleuritis, organomegaly, WBC 24k, ESR 98, CRP 11 mg/L) - what drug do you prescribe first?
Italian population study of 37996 RA (prevalence 0.54%) pts w/ and 12875 incident cases (incid rate 33.1/100K), there we

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

5 months 4 weeks ago
Italian population study of 37996 RA (prevalence 0.54%) pts w/ and 12875 incident cases (incid rate 33.1/100K), there were 1288 deaths/8yrs (MR 21.3/1K), median age=83; SMR 1.28 (1.21 to 1.35), higher <45 yrs (2.15). Leading causes CV (37%), cancer (21%) & infxn (11%) https://t.co/wPx5iqW7Nl
Time to pregnancy (TTP) in 2 RA cohorts: PARA (n 245, 2002-10) vs PreCARA (n 215, 2011-23), latter Rx by T2T. Median TTP

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

6 months ago
Time to pregnancy (TTP) in 2 RA cohorts: PARA (n 245, 2002-10) vs PreCARA (n 215, 2011-23), latter Rx by T2T. Median TTP was 251d vs 91d (p<0·0001). Preg w/in 1 yrs was 42% v 77%. 61% PreCARA in remission https://t.co/qIHwXvfzMy https://t.co/1huBKiarhH
The NEJM reports that brepocitinib, an oral TYK2–JAK1 inhibitor, was studied in a phase 3 trial of refractory dermatomyositis (DM) patients and shown to have significant benefits at the higher dose.
A pilot trial assessed the efficacy and safety of the guselkumab+golimumab (COMBO) combination versus guselkumab (GUS) monotherapy in active PsA (failing a prior tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi-IR) and showed superiority in ACR 50 responses but not minimal disease activity (MDA; the primary endpoint). PsA patients with an elevated CRP benefitted most from COMBO treatment.
Target trial emulation: biologics or JAK vs RTX in RA-ILD -- abatacept (n=694), JAKi (156), IL-6i (389), or TNFi (734),

Dr. John Cush RheumNow

6 months ago
Target trial emulation: biologics or JAK vs RTX in RA-ILD -- abatacept (n=694), JAKi (156), IL-6i (389), or TNFi (734), PS-matched =# RTX; no significant differences (HR 0.74-1.09 NS) in outcomes of resp hosp, lung transplant & death. But ABA (HR 0.84) & JAKi (HR 0.62) had less https://t.co/2ZVyf8neVH
×