Mentshlichkeit* (8.7.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and recent journal reports on RheumNow.com
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Air Pollution Increases RA Activity and Flares
MedPage Today
In this study from Korea, levels of small particulate matter correlated with increased RA disease activity and risk for disease flares.
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Rethinking Treatment of EGPA
Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) has long been managed by extrapolating results from microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis clinical trials. But new insights into EGPA's has lead to advances in therapy and new treatment paradigms.
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Best proof of difference betw Seropos vs seroneg RA from TREAT-EARLIER 12 mos study 236 clinically suspect arthralgia pts w/ subclinical Jt inflammation Rx w/ MTX vs PBO. MTX prevented RA only the seroneg RA (9 v 35%); But no protection in seropos RA (58 vs 65%) https://t.co/A5aFUgMPQR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
COLIPSO prospective study of psoriasis or psoriatic arthritis adults starting ts/bDMARDs; MRI done serially. 35 pts f/u for ~29 wks - MASLD. Only Rx w/ IL-17 inhibitors improved liver fat and inflammation in psoriatic disease as well as clinical outcomes. https://t.co/uHO8ldjLKJ https://t.co/RqKK5JCANt
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Four Decades of Gout Management
During this month-long campaign on Gout, we have documented many significant changes in our approach to gout, as well as many unmet needs and deficiencies that merit our continued primary attention.
https://t.co/ddzj3RktDD https://t.co/x7o0HfWqHa
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
New, Advanced Therapies in Gout
New, Advanced Therapies in Gout explores the rapidly evolving therapeutic landscape beyond conventional urate-lowering therapy.
https://t.co/0uNK0nOEp6 https://t.co/YD7tQu2QrT
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
U Alberta Rheumatology study of GCAPS score in 62 new onset, suspected GCA referrals. GCA Dx in 39 pts excluded in 23. 50% had a High risk GCAPS (screening) score, 38% Intermediate & 13% had Low risk GCAPs. Intermediate or High risk GCAPS sensitivity 97%, specificity 30%, PPV 70% https://t.co/HxHL60VAuO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Top 20 Best Rheumatology Hospitals
U.S. News & World Report has published its Best Hospitals for 2026-2027, listing the best among many specialties, including rheumatology. Each year U.S. News Best Hospitals ranked hospitals in the U.S. in 14 adult specialties and for the 9th year in a row, Johns Hopkins Hospital in
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Keep HCQ Blood Levels Up to Avoid Cardiovascular Disease in Lupus
MedPage Today
People taking hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) showed markedly increased risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease when blood levels of the drug were low and when long-term adherence was poor, a prospective study showed.
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Four Decades of Gout Management
During this month-long campaign on Gout, we have documented many significant changes in our approach to gout, as well as many unmet needs and deficiencies that merit our continued, primary attention.
https://t.co/pTcEtEfQtc https://t.co/yK79xyrEHI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Treatment goals in gout: aim for remission!
Rheumatologists are used to the concept of disease remission as this is a treatment goal we use for many chronic rheumatic diseases in our clinical practice. Recently, G-CAN (the Gout and Crystal Arthritis Network), endorsed a https://t.co/PP2NBqvo7E
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
6 mos. RCT of low-dose baricitinib (Bari) plus danazol for refractory ITP (n 216); Pts Rx w/ either Bari+DNZ vs DNZ alone. At 6-mos a durable response was seen in 45% of Bari+DNZ vs 20% in DNZ monotherapy (P < 0.001). AEs were equal (48% vs 45%), More studies needed on this https://t.co/YbF49ZNA0E
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease
A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerosis have an increased risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death attributable to shared immune pathways.
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JAMA Review of Hip Fracture
The July 16th edition of JAMA reviews the highly prevalent problem of hip fractures - a major global health burden: 14.2 million occur worldwide annually (280,000 in the US), with global incidence higher in women (833.9/100,000) than men (510.0/100,000). Lifetime risk at age 50 is 22.9% for
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Future therapies (in development) for gout - the goal is durable crystal depletion.
Created by: Dr. Aravind Palraj @rheumat_aravind for RheumNow.
https://t.co/yeCSAnHiY2 https://t.co/nH8f2Y3hNP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Methotrexate Safety Tips (7.31.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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Four Decades of Gout Management
During this month-long campaign on Gout, we have documented many significant changes in our approach to gout, as well as many unmet needs and deficiencies that merit our continued, primary attention. We are all familiar with the famous 1905 quote, “Those who cannot remember the past
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2 T2T RCTs of 383 gout pts starting allopurinol - 31% had tophi. At 12 mos achieving target uric acid (<0.36mmol/L) was same in pts with and without tophi (70.3 vs 73.6), as was the %gout flares in month 11 (71.4% vs 79.7%; p=0.21). Allopurinol T2T success not influenced by https://t.co/zr7K8Y2Bqz
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Swimming Reduces Disability from Low Back Pain
Swimming is commonly recommended for patients with chronic low back pain. Yet, there is little trial data investigating swimming. An Australian study has shown for the first time that a program of swimming can be clinically https://t.co/OfxsvRjyJg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
$2 Million in Research Grants for Juvenile Arthritis
July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, and while many people think of arthritis as a disease of aging, nearly 300,000 children in the U.S. are living with a rheumatic disease.
Equally important is that 2026 marks a 50 year anniversary for Pediatric
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Pragmatism in Gout: How therapeutic choices can have multiple benefits
Drugs prescribed to calm flares or lower uric acid are designed with one primary goal in mind, yet many also produce meaningful effects beyond the joints. Some of those secondary effects are unwelcome; such https://t.co/QvXAwFM7LJ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Retrospective study of 2187 RA pts initiating menopausal hormone Tx (MHT) vs 8,205 unexposed controls. VTE incidence higher among MHT users (6.49 vs 3.3/1000PY). MHT use was associated with a 92% signif increased risk of VTE in RA (adj HR: 1.92), mostly DVT risk (aHR: 2.26)
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Genetic Risk Loci in Fibromyalgia
Researchers examined genetic data drawn from 11 different worldwide cohorts, that included from more than 2.5 million adults, of which 55,000 had been diagnosed with fibromyalgia. They identified DNA sequence variants in 26 regions of the genome that affect the risk of developing fibromyalgia.
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Uricase-Targeted Therapies in Gout
In most mammals, uricase catalyzes the oxidation of uric acid to allantoin, a highly soluble compound easily excreted by the kidneys. But humans lack functional uricase, leaving xanthine oxidase inhibitors (allopurinol/febuxostat) as first-line urate-lowering therapy (ULT). Uricase-based
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Nearly 25 years ago, while lecturing on best therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I loudly stated that hydroxychloroquine was “useless” and, deservedly, I was “boo-ed” off stage. My point then was that rheumatologists needed to be aggressive, if not overly aggressive, in treating all RA patients. And my view was that HCQ was representative of under-treatment. I have reconsidered the use of HCQ in RA substantially in the last few years, based on its merit.
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I recently overheard a very good practicing rheumatologist complain, “why do I need yet another drug for psoriatic arthritis? I have more treatment choices than I have actual PsA patients who need a new or better drug”.
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EULAR 2026 Daily Podcast Day 2c
Are your patients with moderate to severe RA getting the appropriate dose? Sponsored by Genentech, Inc
