Count Your Telangiectasias (5.29.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

May 29, 2026 1:00 pm

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and missed quiz questions.

Veterans Administration study of 301 #RA pts Rx w/ immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) for cancer shows all cause mortality in ICI Rx Cancer pts was no worse when RA pts took ICIs (1.09; 0.94–1.25). Cause of death similar; Infx were rare (<1.0%) https://buff.ly/b9UYtyx
Korean claims data on FX in RA (2010-2017; n = 43,677). RA had more FX (aHR 1.68), regardless of b/tsDMARD use. Seropositive had more Fx (aHR 1.19), Vertebral Fx (aHR 1.4) & hip Fx (aHR 1.55) VS seronegative RA https://buff.ly/Ytbk0TL
VACIMRA RCT in 249 RA pts on MTX were PCV13 vaccinated & continued or held MTX x 4wks. Best humoral responses w/ holding MTX x4wks with no clinical detriment over next 12 mos (remission, LDA, Xray outcomes) https://t.co/b6ByOYY0Fi
Review of Ruxolitinib in 7 pts w/ refractory systemic JIA complicated by macrophage activation (MAS) (ages 1.6-11 yrs; 3M: 4F). 5 achieved complete remission; 2 partial remission. 2 relapsed w/ GC tapering (remission after adding canakinumab). No deaths https://buff.ly/ccLq9CZ
Hopkins study of HCQ in discoid lupus (DLE) - 5 yr outcomes of 106 adult DLE; those on HCQ had less hyperlipidemia (HL), PAD, angina, & CAD. Parallel TriNetX study showed HCQ assoc w/ signif less HTN, HL, DM, CAD, & CVA. https://t.co/yX7FkGCnvR
Case-control study of 349 autoimmune (ARD) pts (SLE, RA, SSc) & serum assays for anti-neutrophil extracellular trap (aNET)Abs. aNET in 37% SLE assoc w/ APS (OR 3.4) & arterial thrombosis (OR 5.5). aNET in 40% RA assoc w/ ACPA+ (p=0.049) https://t.co/QwvmLAVmg7
30 yr Retrospective study of 1216 SLE hospitalizations in Barcelona - SLE flares & infections were most frequent. Hosp for infections signif. increased & in last 5yrs, exceeded Dz flares (34% vs. 26%). Younger pts had more flare hosp; older more infx hosp. Over time infx have https://t.co/TkUiXaoL1R
RepurpSS-II: Hydroxychloroquine plus Leflunomide in Sjögren's A small pilot, phase 2b trial has shown that the combination of leflunomide and hydroxychloroquine (LEF+HCQ) was effective and safe in treating patients with active Sjögren's disease. https://t.co/tyd1efUtca
Retrospective Intl SSc study of MD & PT telangiectasia counts (TC) (0, 1–6, 7–15 or > 15) of face, forearms & hands. High TC correlated w/ PAH (AUC 0.824–0.875) & digital ulcers. Moderate agreement betw MD & Pt for face & forearms TC (kappa 0.648 & 0.605, p< 0.001) https://t.co/jtHgVABFiA
Adverse drug events (ADEs) studied in autoimmune rheum Dz (ARDs). In 10,578 ARD pts 30% had 1+ ADE, highest in SSc (36%). Polypharmacy (57.3% minor, 39.4% major) contrib to increasing ADEs. ADEs were more from Sx Rx (antacids, Tylenol, psychotropics) than DMARDs. https://buff.ly/YouOb8E
US Biobank (n=480K) study of mobile phone use. W/ 13.6 yrs F/U, 6082 new RA. Cell phone use incr incident RA 14% (HR: 1.14; 1.07–1.23); w/ 8% risk (HR: 1.08) if used >30 min/wk. Speakerphone use was NS. https://t.co/U7TcyoY5SS
Population cohort study of pregnancies from UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink, 5.2 million pregnancies, ~2.5 mill births. Incr risk for miscarriage in Sjögrens (aRR 1.66), C-sect in IBD (1.27), SGA in SLE (2.45), preterm birth in RA (1.53), stillbirth in SLE (1.82) & more anxiety and depression in SLE> https://t.co/IjtRTE2t78
RHEUM Survey: After treating which infection can you safely resume anti-TNF therapy? The safe/right choice is H. Zoster. You never fully eradicate invasive fungal or NTM infections. HBV is too risky to again use TNFi again. After H.zoster is Rx,there is evidence its safe to restart TNFi without risk of recurrence.
Increased Polypharmacy in SLE Patients
Take the RheumIQ quiz https://t.co/tVYUEjAPy3