Drug Naming Games (2.7.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, regulatory and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
News
Granzyme - a major driver of inflammatory & autoimmune diseases
EurekAlert!
Our immune system is armed with an array of defenses designed to detect and eliminate harmful threats. One of its most powerful defense mechanisms is the complement system—a group of proteins that patrols our body, ever vigilant for signs of infection or injury.
Cannabis Hospitalizations and Mortality Risk
A Canadian population, retrospective cohort study shows individuals needing hospital-based (emergency department or hospitalization) care for a cannabis use disorder (CUD) were at increased risk of death.
ACR Commends Legislation Addressing Harmful Medicare Payment Cuts to Physicians
ACR
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) applauded the bipartisan introduction of the Medicare Patient Access and Practice Stabilization Act of 2025, legislation to fully offset the harmful 2.8% cut in the Medicare Physician Fee Schedule (MPFS).
Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Becoming Milder?
A 24 year, prospective study analyzing very early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in three consecutive eras suggests that RA has evolved since 2005, demonstrating less seropositivity, inflammation, and erosions but is characterized by more comorbidity, smoking and corticosteroid use.
Pain Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis
BMC has published a full read literture review of pharmacological pain management in rheumatoid arthritis, pointing out that the best evidence for pain control comes from the use of DMARDs and treat-to-target strategies.
BSR Guideline on Management of Sjögren disease
The British Society for Rheumatology has published its guideline for the management of adult and juvenile onset Sjogren's disease.
Recent Excess Mortality in Young Adults
JAMA has published a University of Minnesota cross-sectional study showing early adult (ages 25-44) mortality in the U.S. has risen substantially between 2011 to 2019 and 2020 to 2023. The largest portion of 2023 excess mortality was driven by drug poisoning, but many other external and natural causes exceeded what prior trends would have projected.
Blood Flow Restriction to Reduce Pain in Knee OA
MedPage Today
A technique now widely used in sports medicine to speed recovery from leg injuries helped reduce symptoms and improve function in people with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, a randomized trial showed.
Participation is Up! (1.31.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. We also have two call-in cases on "Ask Cush Anything".
Be sure to join in the fun at RNL 2025 next weekend - Gong Show Karaoke; what will you sing?
AGA Guideline: Prevention and Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation in At-Risk Individuals
The American Gastroenterology Association has published its revised clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in at-risk patients, particularly those with immune-mediated disease, receiving immunomodulatory therapy and steroids.
Young Males and Future Risk of MSK and Chronic Diseases
A large cohort of 18-year-old Swedish males were followed longitudinally for cardiovascular, respiratory, and musculoskeletal outcomes.
