ICYMI: ACP: Best Practice Advice on Cannabis or Cannabinoids Use for Chronic Noncancer Pain
The American College of Physicians published a best practice advisory on cannabis or cannabinoids in the Annals of Internal Medicine.
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Secukinumab fails in GCA phase 3 RCT. Novartis announced top-line results from the GCAptAIN study evaluating secukinumab in adults with newly diagnosed or relapsing GCA. In a steroid taper RCT, the endpoint was sustained remission at Wk 52 compared to placebo https://t.co/JuMDPvznCn
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Case series of 22 PsA pts treats w/ combination bioDMARDs & JAKi,TYK2i or APR
IL17i + JAKi 10.5 PY = 1 mild infectious stomatitis
IL23i + JAKi 3.7 PY = no AE
IL-17i + TYK2i 8.5 PY = 2 mild upper respiratory infections
IL-23i + TYK2i 8.3 PY = 2 mild URIs, 1 folliculitis
TNFi + https://t.co/hxhTxmJpbN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ICYMI: Channeling Bias and Cancer Risk with Biologic or Targeted Synthetic DMARDs
A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of RA patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a statistically significantly higher risk of incident cancer in patients receiving rituximab, abatacept, or JAKis (
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ICYMI: AGA Guideline: Prevention and Treatment of Hepatitis B Virus Reactivation in At-Risk Individuals
The American Gastroenterology Association has published its revised clinical practice guidelines for the prevention and treatment of hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in at-risk patients, particularly those with immune-mediated disease, receiving immunomodulatory therapy and steroids.
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ICYMI: Combination treatments in Psoriatic Arthritis
Despite the advances in the treatment of PsA with biologic (bDMARD) and targeted synthetic (tsDMARD), less than half of patients with this condition achieved remission or low disease activity. Combination DMARD treatment is often used in order to achieve remission or minimal disease activity.
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ICYMI: TNF Inhibitor Drug-Induced Lupus
A study from the FDA's adverse event reporting system (FAERS or Medwatch) database identified cases of drug induced systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) inhibitors - a paradoxical reaction to common antiinflammatory biologic agents.
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ICYMI: Is Rheumatoid Arthritis Becoming Milder?
A 24 year, prospective study analyzing very early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in three consecutive eras suggests that RA has evolved since 2005, demonstrating less seropositivity, inflammation, and erosions but is characterized by more comorbidity, smoking and corticosteroid use.
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Upcoming Lupus Nephritis Pipeline
1. Gazyva (obinutuzumab) – due for FDA/EMA decision
2. Saphnelo IV (anifrolumab) – now in Phase III (new indication for LN
3. Ianalumab SC (Dual-action B-cell inhibitor) – now in Phase III https://t.co/mTInV8JXzq https://t.co/jEv2uvhkqK
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FDA has approved a SC autoinjector of Benlysta (BEL) for use in pediatric lupus nephritis & pts > 5rs of age for SLE and active LN. BEL SC dosing for Pediatric SLE: 200 mg qwk (>40 kg) or 200 mg EOW (q2wk) if 15-40 kg. https://t.co/zrskHdw9Jx https://t.co/jkqygmfJPv
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ICYMI: Proinflammatory Diet Increases Gout Risk
MedPage Today
Some dietary habits are worse than others when it comes to gout risk for women, a large study indicated. Data from the two iterations of the Nurses' Health Study, in which more than 170,000 women were followed for more than two decades, indicated that diets scoring high on the Empirical Dietary
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ICYMI: Introducing Polyrefractory RA: A New Frontier in Difficult-to-Treat RA
At a EULAR 2025 session titled “What makes ‘Difficult-to-treat RA’ so difficult to treat? And what can we do?”, Drs. Paula David and Dennis McGonagle introduced the emerging concept of polyrefractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a term now being used to describe a subset of patients who have
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PCR: Prevalence, Cost, & Risk (6.27.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from last week on RheumNow.com
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ARD's Impact Factor
EULAR
Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases (ARD) is the official journal of EULAR –The European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology. An international peer-reviewed publication committed to promoting the highest standards of scientific exchange and education. New Journal Impact Factors
Korean Health claims data study of 35,133 newly Dx, seropositive #RA pts (2011 to 2020) & 1,386 (3.9%) were Dx w/ new-onset stroke (CVA). Signif. lower risk of CVA w/ SSZ (aOR: 0.79) or HCQ (aOR: 0.83), but Increased risk w/ glucocorticoids (aOR: 1.71) & tocilizumab (aOR: 3.47) https://t.co/rPaj6cH74K
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Using Veterans Affairs data (2006 - 2020) on RA-ILD patients, a target emulation trial showed no difference in mortality or respiratory hospitalization comparing RA-ILD Rx w/ either RTX, abatacept, tocilizumab, tofacitinib. Does this mean? they Dont Work or the Do Work? https://t.co/MkQmKsE3WQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A Review of Intracranial GCA
A comprehensive review in Rheumatology on intracranial giant cell arteritis (icGCA) stresses that GCA is both an intracranial and extracranial large vessel vasculitis, with the former having unique presentations, and outcomes.
A systematic review included 102
post hoc MRI study from Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) of 210 knee OA pts (mean age 64) Rx w/ either IA corticosteroids or hyaluronate (HA). Bboth reduced pain post-injx (WOMAC -5.2 CS & -2.1 HA), CS had worse progression (cartilage, BM lesions, meniscus) vs controls & HA https://t.co/pbb1ePXob1
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Remission in Axial Spondyloarthritis Unrelated to Gut Inflammation
MedPage Today
Most patients with early, active axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) who quickly received a tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitor experienced remission, and it didn't matter whether or not they had intestinal inflammation at baseline, a small single-arm study found.
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Survey of 154 Saudi established #RA pts on MTX >3mos; 64% claiming #MTX intolerance & 36% w/ MTX Intolerance Severity Score (MISS) >6. But MTX intolerance was NOT related to dose or route of administration, meal or time of day. These were not new MTX starters https://t.co/6KWGcZvx4o
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Difficult to Treat Psoriatic Arthritis
Dr. Eric Ruderman shares his perspectives on data being presented at the 2025 EULAR meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
https://t.co/AdKILLc12Y https://t.co/4pB0OH2Gup
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Full read overview of MDA-5 Dermatomyositis (DM) - pathogenesis, findings, & Rx. MDA-5 DM is a rare, aggressive amyopathic form with distinctive skin findings & rapidly progressive interstitial lung dz. Rx includes Hi dose steroids, calcineurin inhib & IV CTX (maybe JAKi, MMF)
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Simple Measures are Effective in Knee Osteoarthritis
EurekAlert!
Knee braces, water therapy and exercise are the most promising non-drug therapies for treating knee osteoarthritis, according to a new meta-analysis publishing June 18, 2025 in the open-access journal PLOS One by Yuan Luo of the First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, China.
Knee
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Does Abatacept Buy You Time Off RA?
Dr. David Liew reports on abstract OP0325 presented at the 2025 EULAR meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
https://t.co/t8NLvPjcju https://t.co/bloTKQ87rv
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Add-on certolizumab in pregnant women with APS
Women with antiphospholipid syndrome and lupus anti-coagulant are at high risk of developing adverse pregnancy outcomes (APO). Usual care includes low molecular weight heparin (LMWH) and low dose aspirin (LDA). https://t.co/qnnkFlhtiS
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