Anti-Rheumatic Rx

RT @gibson_rheumPAC Who should be tested? Test only if you plan to treat. Indications include: • Active or prior ulcers • MALT lymphoma • Gastric cancer • Chronic atrophic gastritis Avoid indiscriminate testing. #RNL26 atoid arthritis https://t.co/2KJluSAPNx
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Terkeltaub RNL26 Gout lecture

Disease Modification, Disparities and the Next Therapeutic Frontier in Gout

Audrey Gibson, PA-C

Gout management has entered what Dr. Robert Terkeltaub MD from UC San Diego described as its “disease-modifying era,” during his talk at RheumNow Live 2026. In a recent comprehensive review of the past, present, and future of gout therapy, the central message was clear: “We can really apply

Read Article
RT @ericdeinMD #RNL26 @RheumNow Uzma Haque GLP1 on pts with  SLE and diabetes Retrospective study - major improvements in MACE HR 0.66 VTE HR 0.49 Renal progession HR 0.77 Mortality HR 0.26 A major tool for rheumatic care! https://t.co/qR3HKfsugZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RT @gibson_rheumPAC Baseline serum urate >8–9 mg/dL strongly predicts worse flares, hospitalizations, and joint damage over years. Urate level should inform urgency and intensity of therapy. #RNL26 https://t.co/4RBVXZxCCX
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RT @Gibson_RheumPAC Drug-induced SCLE remains an important mimic in biologic-treated patients. Compared with idiopathic SCLE, drug-induced disease is often more widespread and may resolve with antibody normalization after withdrawal.#RNL26 https://t.co/ICOzg3Tz4L
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RT @Gibson_RheumPAC Important rheumatology signal: dupilumab-associated inflammatory arthritis. Usually seronegative, imaging-supported, and sometimes persistent despite normal labs. Co-management and careful work-up are essential.#RNL26 https://t.co/r73cSZC59s
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RheumNow Podcast square

Maui Potpourri (2.13.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the hot item takeaways from last week's RheumNow.Live 2026.

  1. Diet & Obesity Management in Rheumatology - Uzma Haque, MD
  2. Mitigating risk for Rheum patients undergoing orthopedic surgery - Susan Goodman, MD
  3. Paradoxical skin reactions – Joseph
Read Article
Cockerell

Vasculitis

Richard Conway, MBBChBAO, PhD

Sunday’s vasculitis session at RNL26 was a fantastic update on inflamed blood vessels, large and small, by two experts in the field: rheumatologist Dr. Mike Putman and dermatopathologist Dr. Clay Cockerell.

Read Article
Sparks RNL26

Advances in RA-ILD

Richard Conway, MBBChBAO, PhD

Dr. Jeffrey Sparks gave a state of the art update on Advances in RA-ILD, many of which he and his group have played a big part in, on Saturday at RNL26. 

Read Article
SGLT2 Inhibitors in Gout - Better Outcomes, Fewer Meds Natalie McCormick, PhD (RACER Center, Mass General Brigham), led a new Diabetes Care study on gout-related medication use after starting SGLT2 inhibitors in patients with gout and type 2 diabetes. https://t.co/BFJB3OY2L3 https://t.co/63Bu4t6LYM

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
REcently published SMILE study looked at the potential of HCQ (vs PBO) to prevent SLE in at risk people. Had to be ANA+ and 1-2 SLICC criteria at entry. Can you Prevent SLE? Dr. David Karp lecturing at UTSW @drdavidkarp @utswrheum https://t.co/s4Mzoec5ga
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Methotrexate intolerance in rheumatoid arthritis A current large rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohort study from Cairo assessed methotrexate (MTX) use and found over half were MTX intolerant and a third of patients were noncompliant with MTX. https://t.co/ODiVqUXBb9 https://t.co/QwmNkrjvn6

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Aortitis in Giant Cell Arteritis Treated with Tocilizumab The Tocilizumab in Giant Cell Arteritis Spanish Collaborative Group studied giant cell arteritis (GCA) with aortitis, comparing the efficacy of intravenous (IV) vs. subcutaneously (SC) tocilizumab (TCZ) - demonstrating https://t.co/yo7SDj5lgZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
DMARD Responses in Localized Scleroderma JAMA Dermatology has published the results of a juvenile localized scleroderma (JLS) trial showing that mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) and methotrexate (MTX) are equally effective in treating JLS, noting low flare rates and possibly better https://t.co/6bDtVoCgRj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
NEJM: Aortitis Due to Large-Vessel Vasculitis 63yoM w/ Hx HTN c/o 3 mos of CP, palpitations, abdominal pain. ESR-104, CRP 85 mg/L. CT showed thickening of the thoracic & abdominal aorta. After 6wks Rx w/ AZA, HCQ, Pred, ESR/CRP still high and pt stared on SC TCZ w/ improvement. https://t.co/1TBreptAFr
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ALTO: Long-Term Abatacept Outcomes in At-Risk RA Lancet Rheumatology has published the ALTO results - long term outcomes of the APIPPRA trial, demonstrating that treatment with abatacept (ABA) in at risk patients can delay progression to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for up to 4 https://t.co/Lb8md9cYbG
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Giant Cell Arteritis Outcomes in Canada A retrospective cohort study of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) demonstrates relapses are common and seen in nearly half of patients, were common after treatment is stopped and is not effectively averted by methotrexate (MTX). https://t.co/7hIpn6CJXg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RheumNow Podcast square

ANA Pollution (2.06.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and regulatory news from this past week on RheumNow.com

Read Article
patient.safety.jpg

FDA vs. Amgen: At Odds Over Avacopan

MedPage Today

The FDA has requested that Amgen voluntarily withdraw avacopan (Tavneos), a treatment for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, but the company said it has no plans to pull the drug from the market.

Originally developed by ChemoCentryx, the oral

Read Article
Funding.money.research

ACR Applauds Recent Government Funding

ACR

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) today applauded the recent passage of the Congressional CY 26 funding package that includes several important provisions, including extending Medicare telehealth payment flexibilities, improving transparency in pharmacy benefit management (PBM)

Read Article
Which Fibromyalgia Drugs are Cost-Effective? A cost-effectiveness analysis compared FDA approved fibromyalgia (FM) drugs (pregabalin, duloxetine, milnacipran) with amitriptyline and found duloxetine was the preferred strategy across perspectives. https://t.co/5NZeYquGxs https://t.co/rhcwH2yLEm

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
REcently published SMILE study looked at the potential of HCQ (vs PBO) to prevent SLE in at risk people. Had to be ANA+ and 1-2 SLICC criteria at entry. Can you Prevent SLE? Dr. David Karp lecturing at UTSW @drdavidkarp @utswrheum https://t.co/4FY0kOLdRT
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Methotrexate intolerance in rheumatoid arthritis A current large rheumatoid arthritis (RA) cohort study from Cairo assessed methotrexate (MTX) use and found over half were MTX intolerant and a third of patients were noncompliant with MTX. https://t.co/PDUv2YRFIq https://t.co/2DuBXjNqec

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RA,polyarticular,black,rheumatoid

ALTO: Long-Term Abatacept Outcomes in At-Risk RA

Jack Cush, MD

Lancet Rheumatology has published the ALTO results - long term outcomes of the APIPPRA trial, demonstrating that treatment with abatacept (ABA) in at risk patients can delay progression to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) for up to 4 years.

Read Article
artangiogca.jpg

Giant Cell Arteritis Outcomes in Canada

Jack Cush, MD

A retrospective cohort study of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) demonstrates relapses are common and seen in nearly half of patients, were common after treatment is stopped and is not effectively averted by methotrexate (MTX).

Read Article

Recent Blogs

Advanced Practice Rheum

Difficult to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD
D2T RA Cover
Dr. Cush addresses the management of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2TRA). Read Post
Advanced Practice Rheum

Methotrexate

Jack Cush, MD
APR MTX Cover
In this session, Dr. Jack Cush reviews methotrexate. Read Post
How well do you know this week's rheumatology news?
Take the rheumIQ quiz
Take the RheumIQ Quiz

Rx Updates (filtered for Topic)

Therapeutic Updates

The Impact of Obesity on Psoriatic Arthritis

Sponsored by Lilly Medical Affairs
Lilly February RX Update Revised Image
Image alt text: A person indoors raises one arm in a flexed pose while holding the elbow with the opposite hand. Is obesity common in your patients with PsA? Learn more about the intersection of disease pathogenesis between PsA and obesity and how weight intervention can affect PsA outcomes.
Read Post
×