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Anti-Rheumatic Rx

Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
Can DMARD Doses Be Safely Reduced for RA Patients? Close to 90% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) well controlled on targeted therapies were able to take 50% dosage reductions without experiencing worsened disease activity in a randomized trial, South Korean https://t.co/GGPOBhVhJe
Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
Don't Hold the Biologic or JAK with COVID-19 Vaccination A randomized clinical trial in inflammatory arthritis arthritis shows that temporarily holding biologic or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor therapy at the time of COVID-19 vaccination is not warranted. https://t.co/O9iJHEfp42

Treatment Landscape for Dermatomyositis Is Evolving

MedPage Today

After years of inactivity, therapeutic development for dermatomyositis has begun to move forward with several new therapies and therapeutic strategies.

"This is a very exciting time for the field because we're finally going to get some new treatments, and I think it will be helpful in

Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
T-cell engager blinatumomab (CD3xCD19 TCE) was used for Deep B-cell depletion in 15 resistant RA pts (MDR-RA). @wk 12 9/15 CDAI LDA, 3/15 CDAI remission. Synovial B cells were depleted (4 of 5 biopsies) but not in lymph nodes. Later, 14/15 flared. No ICANs, 3/15 w/ CRS (gr 1) https://t.co/xLGZjkMmit
Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
Italian retrospective study of 36 difficult #GCA pts (89% relapsed; 72% prev TCZ) showed Clinical remission 85%, 81%, & 83% at 3, 6, & 12 mos. GC-free remission increased to 15%, 28%, & 40% at 3, 6, & 12 mos. GCs d/c in 43%. Results at odds w/ ph III GCAptAIN RCT where SEC https://t.co/VnMSCPwMrn
Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
Don't Hold the Biologic or JAK with COVID-19 Vaccination A randomized clinical trial in inflammatory arthritis arthritis shows that temporarily holding biologic or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor therapy at the time of COVID-19 vaccination is not warranted. https://t.co/moQIE09lvi
Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
Steroids are easy to start and hard to stop. Hold the MTX, but not the biologic or JAK. And what’s the latest on avacopan? This week, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the rheumatology news you don’t want to miss: from new approvals and promising trial results to sobering Sjögren’s data, https://t.co/UC4RdHMaFS

Don’t Hold the JAK (10.9.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

On this week's podcast, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news: Steroids are easy to start and hard to stop; hold the MTX but not the biologic or JAK, weighing in on avacopan, and age-old messages for old-age patients. 

Can DMARD Doses Be Safely Reduced for RA Patients?

MedPage Today

Close to 90% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) well controlled on targeted therapies were able to take 50% dosage reductions without experiencing worsened disease activity in a randomized trial, South Korean researchers said.

Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
Retrospective real world avacopan (AVCP) safety data from UK vasculitis center looked at AAV pts (RTX or CTX) rx w/ AVCP (n 133) or not AVCP (n 458). @1 yr AVCP had nonsignif incr in ALT >2xULN (15.8% v 11.4%) or >3xULN (11.3% v 6.3%; P 0.064) No diff in Alk phos, Bili, Hy's law https://t.co/ZZhpxdKhQl
Dr. John Cush
@RheumNow
Using national survey data of adults (62-85 yrs) saw no change in Rx Med (84% vs 85%) or dietary supplement (66% vs 67%) use betw 2015-2016 & 2021-2013. But OTC declined (60% vs 55%; P = .04). Polypharmacy signif incr. Drug-drug interactions declined (26% vs 22%; P .02) w/ https://t.co/16xPyKS2aU

Exercise Can Improve Pain

Jack Cush, MD

This pooled meta-analyses (n=197,392) shows that exercise reduced pain versus control immediately after the intervention (SMD −0.59; 95% CI −0.65 to −0.53; P0.001). The benefit held across musculoskeletal, inflammatory, neurologic and cancer pain, and for every modality tested.

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