Anti-Rheumatic Rx

Another one to watch today: ustekinumab in GCA idea made popular @RichardPAConway https://t.co/SCJ5EyWpD2 this is a ph2 RCT IIS (now off patent) benefit slow to emerge but present why does this look okay, but guselkumab does not? will a ph3 IIS happen? ABST1896 #ACR26 @RheumNow https://t.co/7wZ4W4FSHH

CD19 CAR-T in highly refractory RA has made waves this afternoon: COMPARE study n=6 also @NatureMedicine (https://t.co/CdDKL5TCcV) obviously highly promising in tough patients appropriately lots of interest however not a long-term panacea/cure for all ABST1902 #ACR26 @RheumNow https://t.co/tJRR2E2XZo

https://t.co/YNEmDFBdzv

Dr. John Cush

Early tocilizumab leads to less hospitalization in #GCA. TriNetX study of 127 GCA Rx (w/in 3 mos Dx) w/ TCZ+GC vs GC alone (127). Early TCZ had 36% less hosp in 12 mos (19.7 vs 30.7%) but no diff in vascular events. Abstract #166 #ACR26 https://t.co/a9WfEMQ8wg https://t.co/ors9EBYb6T

Early Tocilizumab Initiation and 12-Month Hospitalisation in Giant Cell Arterit…

TARA study from China - Ph2 H2H Girocitinib (JAK1/TYK2i) vs Tofacitinib in active RA refractory to bDMARDS. 459 pts, ACR50 @wk 24 Giro 73% vs Tofa 49% (p<0.0001), also superior at ACR20, ACR70, DAS remission, CDAI<10. H.Zoster 3%. Abst#LB21 #ACR26 https://t.co/JZLjQx4vSa https://t.co/51gaIOKTWf

TARA: A Phase 3 Head-to-Head Trial of Girocitinib vs Tofacitinib in Patients wi…

Article

ACR 2026 – Day 1 Report

Jack Cush, MD Nov 08, 2026

ACR Convergence was off to a big start with the year in review, posters and plenary sessions. Here are a few of my favorite presentations from todays Plenary I session at ACR Convergence. Two of five plenary abstracts were about weight loss, one was about artificial intelligence, and two

Rx of calcinosis in #SSc is ‘hard’ Small RCT of BID topical #sodium #metabiosulfite v #PBO neg #trial but a trend to some imaging improvement at 4 mo Tough trial to do ?need: Larger, longer study Higher dose? Try sodium #thiosulfate instead #0226 #ACR26 @ACRheum @RheumNow https://t.co/CyA1k4rnNr

https://x.com/Janetbirdope/status/2119586900717490448/photo/1

Use deep B cell depletion in #diffuse #scleroderma if #rituximab fails? 🤞 Small case series from France showed #obinutuzimab seemed to be well tolerated and reduced #skin #score #mRSS post #RTX which was d/c for loss of effect or infusion rx’n Need RCT @RheumNow #0222 #ACR26 https://t.co/iEv2T4XcYS

https://x.com/Janetbirdope/status/2119582286710460867/photo/1

MTX hold 2 wk after each RZV dose: better T-cell response RCT substudy, n=38, stable ARD gE CD4 responders 65→95% hold vs 61→67% continue (p=0.038) IL-2/TNF-α driven Reasonable in stable pts. Wait for a bigger trial. ＠RheumNow #ACR26 Abstr#0899 https://t.co/4bobGIAuZX

https://x.com/he67407/status/2119540249001095191/photo/1

Does vaccine timing matter more than dose count? #ACR26 Abstract 0901: In 918 rheumatic disease patients hospitalized with COVID-19, longer time since the last booster was linked to higher mortality (OR 1.97), unlike vaccination status or dose count. @RheumNow #ACR26 https://t.co/dmmuBkycmd

https://x.com/Mota_licia_reum/status/2119537801465078256/video/1

Article

2 Weeks off Methotrexate Boosts Zoster Response

Henrique Dalmolin, MD Nov 08, 2026

Consider holding methotrexate for two weeks after each recombinant zoster vaccine dose when disease is stable, and give the vaccine before rituximab when timing allows. Those are the messages from a pair of abstracts presented by Ana Cristina Medeiros-Ribeiro of the HC-FMUSP group

Kim et al. Target trial emulation. Add on pulse steroids (to RTX or CYC) in AAV. No benefit and higher infection risk. @RheumNow #ACR26 Abstr#0929 https://t.co/RPtIiP0XLN

https://x.com/RichardPAConway/status/2119535431012262388/photo/1

OTC Update from the FDA Coming to a local pharmacy shelf near you (and your patients) -- FDA approved OTC combination Tylenol® with Naproxen 7/24/26. Contains: 650mg of acetaminophen 220mg of naproxen sodium #ACR26 @RheumNow https://t.co/4HwYv87PGx

https://x.com/rheumPAC/status/2119535417959604376/photo/1

Hormonal tx for women with HTN: Control BP before starting HT Transdermal route preferred Micronized progesterone, dehydrogesterone & drospirenone are the preferred options. @RheumNow #ACR26 https://t.co/gKehydtpUr

https://x.com/RHEUMarampa/status/2119525167873618350/photo/1

Terrier et al. RCT Mepolizumab vs conventional therapy for induction in EGPA. No sig diff day 168 remission (61% vs 51%). Did significantly increase sustained remission, glucocorticoid-free remission and EGPA-related event-free survival at day 364 @RheumNow #ACR26 Abst#0926

Combination targeted therapy, French national data across 28 IMIDs: 2,955 people on combination vs 362,743 on monotherapy. Key finding: combination therapy was not associated with more serious infections (HR 0.91), cancers (HR 0.67) or deaths (HR 1.05). @rheumnow #ACR26

No benefit to pulse steroid in AAV... plus more infection? Target trial emulation identified 247 active GPA/MPA pts receiving RTX or IV CYC No difference in fancy-stats adjusted remission (OR 0.96, 0.44-2.08) if pulse or no pulse MORE seroius infections w/pulse (HR: 1.88, https://t.co/5Nv2cGVXZQ

https://x.com/EBRheum/status/2119513536372015266/photo/1

Can early antibody response predict breakthrough shingles after HZ vaccination? #ACR26 Ab 0898: 1,113 patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases, lower 3-month IgG and prednisone use were associated with breakthrough HZ. Could early IgG guide risk stratification? @RheumNow https://t.co/7FTr91FP4Q

Does holding MTX improve immune response to RZV? Abs 0899: Holding MTX for 2 weeks after each dose was associated with: • Higher gE-specific cellular immunity (65% → 95%) • Greater cellular immune response, driven by IL-2 and TNF @RheumNow #ACR26

Real-world claims data study showed ANI improved immunologic, renal & hematologic parameters in SLE pts Modest decr in UPCR (22%) Most significant improvement seen in leucopenia (overall 55%, IS-naive 80%) Improvement more prominent among IS-naive pts @RheumNow #ACR26 Abs0921 https://t.co/ax8QeA1syu

https://x.com/RHEUMarampa/status/2119498287447236663/photo/1

#ACR26 @RheumNow Ab#0478 Baricitinib in 84 RA-ILD pts Improved/stable dyspnea 83%, HRCT 68% at mean f/u 48 mos. DAS28-ESR from 4.3 to 2.8, median pred from 5 mg/d to 0 https://t.co/HTjUY7mHkV

https://x.com/ericdeinmd/status/2119495895922405490/photo/1

SUNSTAR (n=224): first head-to-head trial of 2 non-TNFi bDMARDs. SC tocilizumab did not demonstrate superiority to abatacept on week-26 CDAI change. A secondary composite response favoured tocilizumab (51% vs 36%); more infections reported. #0468 #ACR26 @Rheumnow https://t.co/TbRvR2qUZf

https://x.com/DrMiniDey/status/2119494157869679087/photo/1

#ACR26 @RheumNow Ab#0495 Leflunomide Duration and Dose - NOT associated with incident/progressive ILD Longitudinal study of 184 RA patients LEF associated with 4% lower risk of radiologic worsening, each gram of cumulative dose with 6.4% lower risk https://t.co/VeREpEQ5wc

https://x.com/ericdeinmd/status/2119492783639552033/photo/1

#ACR26 @RheumNow Ab#0448 Addition of Nintedanib to Abatacept in RA-ILD 80 pts progressive ILD, 263 non-progressive. NNTE added to 6 prog, 13 non-prog Non-prog- no signif results In prog RA-ILD, ABA+NINTE showed stabilized FVC on f/u over 48 mo https://t.co/MPpzqT4ajr

https://x.com/ericdeinmd/status/2119491850201379179/photo/1

Abstract#0703 Multicenter observational study of RA-ILD pts tx with UPA (n=43). PFTs were stable for 24 month period, HRCT stable or improved in 90%. Remission or LDA by DAS-ESR in 60% of this pop. DMARD to consider when RA-ILD is in play? @ACR26 @RheumNow