Rheum Scholarship (8.21.2026)
Dr. Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com; talking about lumbar belts, scholarships and misdiagnosis.
Read Article
Systematic review of targeted Rx for lupus nephritis during pregnancy (2000-25). HCQ & AZA are cornerstone good Rx. Acceptable: tacrolimus, ASA. MMF is TERATOGENIC-AVOID! Not Enuf data; Voclosporin, obinutuzumab, Anifrolumab https://t.co/otO9nMHHuO https://t.co/1hLysZLJnG
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
French study of 90 RA F pts w/ 100 pregnancies (steroids 46% & biologics 39% were used). Vs 359 controls, RA had signif. more preterm birth (PTB;OR 2.08) & small for gestational age. SGA assoc w/ nulliparity (adj OR 4.38), PTB assoc w/ maternal age (aOR 1.14) & GC ≥10 mg/d (aOR https://t.co/StCJW2rsZI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
In a Cohort of 410 #SLE pts, there were 37 MALES who demonstrated a high prevalence of renal (IV/V lupus nephritis 49%) and a notable incidence of Plaquenil-related retinal toxicity. 62% on HCQ, but 22% D/C HCQ due to retinal toxicity or drug intolerance. https://t.co/FcIFxRoZ6O https://t.co/7OgexLYWge
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Premenopausal women can get gout, if they are post-transplant, taking cyclosporin or tacrolimus.
For more gout content, follow our Gout: More than Flares campaign at https://t.co/lQoiFjubZJ, https://t.co/kawSlJ2tb6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
No Fetal Risks with First Trimester NSAID Use
PLoS Medicine has published a population-based retrospective cohort study from the Southern Israeli Pregnancy Registry (siPREG) project showing that 1st trimester exposure to NSAIDs was not associated with major congenital malformatoin (MCM) risk.
Pain management during pregnancy
Read Article
Remember
Babies of pts on chronic #immunosuppression with #SARDs
❎delay #vaccinations til 6/12
For safety & to mount sufficient response
#rotovirus #vaccine is Ok before 6 months or vaccine is ineffective
Pts w #SARDs need #COVID shots
@RheumNow #EULAR2026 #vaccine #recom https://t.co/WEzNajWlxY
Links:
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope( View Tweet )
What’s new with the 2026 update of reco for vax in AIIRD?
Vaccinate as soon as possible
Non-live vaccines are safe
Hold MTX for upto 2wks to inc vax yield
Strong reco for RZV
Catch-up vax for HPV in SLE
Rotavirus vax for newborns exposed in utero to TNFi
@RheumNow #EULAR2026 https://t.co/RZbyvAcYRI
Links:
sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
#EULAR2026 LB0007 Phase 2 RCT of Nipocalimab, an FcRn-i in moderate-to-severe #SLE, with mandatory GC taper =<7.5mg/d by WK16: met primary endpoint at WK24 (SRI-4) vs PBO. Effect size better in Ab+, Ab-High & IFN-High. 23% had IgG<3 at WK58 but SIE. Phase 3 is underway @RheumNow https://t.co/EpgNOHcEqC
Links:
Md Yuzaiful Md Yusof @Yuz6Yusof( View Tweet )
Hypertension was the most robust and consistent predictor of pre term labor. Data from germany nationwide #POS1062 @RheumNow ##EULAR2026 https://t.co/Uccf11PpAK
Bella Mehta @bella_mehta( View Tweet )
Dr. Laura Andreoli shares this slide showing the impact of rheumatic disease in reproductive health as described by Dr. MOstensen.
These interplay of factors affect patients and should be taken into consideration when managing fertility & pregnancy.
@RheumNow #EULAR2026 https://t.co/fB9kuD4kXo
sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
🤰What happens to RA disease activity during pregnancy?
🔴 Most remain stable
🔴 70% with high disease activity at baseline improve
🔴 20% flare again post-partum
✨ACPA+ improve more
✨ Better outcomes after 2016 (after modern treatments)
OP0242 #EULAR2025 @rheumnow https://t.co/i3X566DcN6
Links:
Nelly ZIADE 🍀 @Nellziade( View Tweet )
Count Your Telangiectasias (5.29.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and missed quiz questions.
Read Article
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 https://t.co/IjtRTE2t78
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
HCQ: 5 mg/kg/day Is Only the Starting Point
HCQ is one of the most important drugs in rheumatology, especially for SLE. It reduces flares, organ damage, cardiovascular events, and pregnancy complications, and it improves survival. Yet many clinicians still prescribe HCQ as if https://t.co/Fwr92tuZf2
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Quiz Talk (5.22.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush talks of birthdays, Quizzes and journal articles this week on the podcast.
Read Article
Israel study 264,858 pregnancies- 1st trimester NSAID exposure had no risk of congenital malformations (MCM). 8% exposed vs unexposed: overall MCM 8.2% v 7%; aRR 0.99). MCMs not incr = MSK, CV, CNS, cleft palate, GI, GU, nonsignif MSM aRR from 0.77- 1.05 https://t.co/ytYhBFl44o https://t.co/1fq4D1KykM
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Infectious Rheumatology (5.15.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush discusses his favorite journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read Article
Lupus Mortality Risk in Young Women
ACR
New research using death certificate data from 52,942 females, reveals that systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus) is a leading cause of years of potential life lost among young women in the United States, underscoring the disease’s significant and often underrecognized public health burden.
Read Article
No link between pregnancy tylenol & autism. JAMA Pediatrics data from 1.5 million Danish children( 1997 -2022); ~2% were tylenol exposed during preg. 2% of these Dx w/ Dx w/ autism (vs. 3% not exposed) https://t.co/Pp1tE54Dic https://t.co/qu61jKolpN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA has published final guidance on Postapproval Pregnancy Safety Studies; how to study outcomes in pregnant women exposed to drugs & biologics- updates on registries,statistical methods, complementary studies, rare Rx exposures https://t.co/NWxrgB0dPQ https://t.co/ckyaJ07MQ0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
French prospective study of pregnancy in 94 RA & 124 SpA pts. RA more likely to flare 1st 6 mos postpartum (62 v 43%), while SpA remained stable in preg & postpartum. bDMARD continuation during pregnancy was more frequent in SpA; 55-60%restarted bDMARD postpartum. https://t.co/usKHS4wYbN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Retrospective study of 1st SLE pregnancies from LUNA Registry. Fetal loss was associated w/ aPL (OR 2.46) & pulse steroids (2.46), but not w/ SSA Abs (1.32). 247 pregs, 194 live births, 53 fetal loss. Ro+ vs Ro- no difference in live births or preterm births https://t.co/bsMMvVyffw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
5 Retrospective cohorts of PM/DM pts showed IIM (myositis) had signif higher risks of IIM patients HTN w/ pregnancy (OR 2.73), & C-section (OR 2.03). Also more preterm birth (3.7), SGA/IUGR (1.9) https://t.co/w6qymR0I2w https://t.co/ovtwdleRfE
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
What’s New PsA? (4.3.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and major articles from this week, including FDA safety warnings, reports from AAD, PsA trials.
Read ArticleRecent Blogs
Still’s disease and autoinflammatory disorders are rare conditions unified by recurrent fevers and inflammation of skin, joints, and other organs. While labs often support the diagnosis, these conditions are best diagnosed by genetic testing, or by specific criteria (in the absence of a genetic test). The following is a table that lists common misconceptions (myths) and their clarifying explanations.
Read Post
Still’s disease and autoinflammatory disorders are rare conditions unified by recurrent fevers and inflammation of skin, joints, and other organs. While labs often support the diagnosis, these conditions are best diagnosed by genetic testing, or by specific criteria (in the absence of a genetic test). The following is a table that lists common misconceptions (myths) and their clarifying explanations.
Read Post
Patient TS was a 30 year old woman who had been living with psoriatic arthritis for about 18 months. Her symptoms had started about 6 months after the birth of her first child with mild psoriasis in her scalp but increasing joint pain in her hands, wrists, elbows, knees, and ankles. She had dactylitis in several fingers that caused her extreme pain.
Podcasts
EULAR 2026 Daily Podcast Day 2a
EULAR 2021 - Day2c00:37:25 -
EULAR 2021 - Day2b
00:35:57
