Remission – Believe it or Not (10.2.2026)
Dr, Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com
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Prednisone Primer for Patients
The Washington Post published a patient overview on "what Prednisone does to your body".
Prednisone is a double-edged drug. It has been on the market since 1955, ranks among the 40 most-prescribed US drugs, and about 10 million Americans receive
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ARthritis & CAncer (ARCA) is Spanish retro study of 728 #RA pts w/ Hx of CA & Rx w/ biologics. W/ F/U of 11 022 yrs, new/recurrent CA was not incr (7.3/1000PYs) & = Pts Rx w/ csDMARDs (HRs 0.94; 0.73,1.21) & not incr w/ TNFi (0.94), IL-6i (1.03), CD20i (0.81), JAKi (0.6), ABA https://t.co/UUWlsaYV0Z
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Petri SLE Pearls: An Update
At the CCR West 2026 conference in Huntington Beach, California, Dr. Michelle Petri updated her Petri Pearls. Some are derived from new data, while others are from her extensive experience caring for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As always, her observations and wisdom have
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GCA international survey of 155 specialists (rheums 51%; ophthal 33%). w/ GCA dx, ASA started in only 15%; w/ 69.5% uncertain. w/ visual loss, 93% Rheums, 85% Ophthal Rx w/ IVGC, followed by oral. Uncertainty for IV versus po GC seen in 68.5% https://t.co/sWZQv8yw3u https://t.co/08tdXxDve8
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Metanalysis of Metabolic syndrome (MetS) in #SLE (65 articles, 11K pts). MetS prevalence 27% (higher in males (36 vs 27%). HCQ assoc w/ signif less MetS (OR 0.66), but more w/ CTX (1.39), AZA (1.25), MMF (1.13), but not steroids or MTX. MetS pts were older, obese, w/ high Chol & https://t.co/qSXZkyYTmZ
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Link Between Obesity and Psoriatic Arthritis
Obesity is an incidental comorbidity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). It is a modifiable, mechanistically active driver of disease onset, severity, and treatment failure. A new comprehensive review in RMD Open (Madsen et al., 2026) synthesizes 49 studies suggesting that weight management belongs in
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Prednisone Primer for Patients
The Washington Post published a patient overview on "what Prednisone does to your body".
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The weight is off, the DMARDs are off - now what?
That promised land of substantive weight loss comes within it the illusion of better disease control and, for inflammatory arthritis patients, the possibility of reducing the burden of regular medicines - often driven by the patient, with or without telling you. It is a dream worth aspiring to
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Cluster analysis of Spanish RELES #SLE SLE cohort reveals 3 groups. C1 (n 168) was younger, w/ lupus nephritis, low C3, intensive Rx, high infx & damage. C2 (175) w/ cytopenias, serositis, APL & dsDNA(+). C3 (452) mild skin-Jts, less serologic activity & complications https://t.co/OYTXD4KV6O
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Long-term F/U of T2T Artic trial. 230 DMARD naive pts, 84% ACPA+ 179 (82%) in 10 yr F/U & 82% were in DAS < 1.6 remission 10 yrs later w/ only 17% w/ Xray progression. ~50% on csDMARDs, 30% on bDMARDs. Early aggressive works! https://t.co/ASRrIZqfS5 https://t.co/SykEI4QjPa
Links:
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Mediterranean Diet Lowers Incident Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk
The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition has published the results of the SUN Project study, showing that long-term adherence to a Mediterranean diet (MedDiet) was associated with a substantially lower risk of incident rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but not psoriasis.
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Prescribing New GLP-1-Based Therapies
https://t.co/cpxyxBMZ8s https://t.co/yV8Jvkh2sk
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Lifestyle and Incretin Therapy Advice for Rheumatologists
As GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists become standard co-management tools for obese patients with RA, PsA, axSpA, and gout, this JAMA Insights perspective reframes lifestyle counseling as an adjunct to pharmacotherapy - a https://t.co/ltPdGEgQ60
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The Friday RheumNow podcast has dropped! In this week's episode, "Rheumatology Pay Up," Dr. Jack Cush covers:
• Rheumatology physician pay rose 10.4% year-over-year
• New data on colchicine and tofacitinib in knee OA
• What a new study tells us about earlier axSpA diagnosis https://t.co/oXsNruWnc2
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Rheumatology Pay Up (9.25.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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Indian Single center retrospective study of 28 children ≤18 yrs tested w/ 18F-FDG-PET/MR for pyrexia (PUO). 25% Dx w/ pre-stenotic TAKayasu (mean 13.9 yrs), & 20/21 alternative Dxs. All had Sxs & high ESR/CRP; all Rx w/ GC & MMF, 3 w/ biologics https://t.co/6trs1WssjW https://t.co/EOPIarRhY5
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It’s almost time. 🔥
Registration for RheumNow Live 2027 opens OCTOBER 1.
Two days of practical, engaging rheumatology education designed to challenge how you think and influence how you practice.
📅 Jan 30–31, 2027
📍 Dallas + Online https://t.co/Ju0zzYX8Tl
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Gabapentin Use Rose as Restrictions Fell, Study Shows
MedPage Today
Gabapentin use jumped quickly in Michigan after the drug was removed from the state's controlled substance schedule in 2024, a cross-sectional study showed.
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FORWARD is a Phase 4, OL trial in 51 refractory uncontrolled gout pts Rx w/ MTX plus higher doses pegloticase (16 or 30mg) IV q4wk. At 24-wk Responses similar 68% or 73%. ~31% of responders later had SUA >6. Confusing anti-Drug Ab results in this trial?? https://t.co/udjE7sXDm5 https://t.co/F8VGDAyJzb
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Steroid Delusions in Giant Cell Arteritis
A real world analysis of drug use in giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients shows that despite intending to taper patients off glucocorticoids (GC) by 24 months, 75% remained on GCs for ≥ 48 months.
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Study of 119 Rheum pts on GLP-1 Rx (65% T2DM, 35% obesity; mean BMI 35). @ 12 mos wt loss −7.7 kg & 56% improved ≥1 BMI category. Signif decr in A1c, FBS, lipids, LDL, TG, ESR & CRP. GLP-1RAs useful cardiometabolic benefits https://t.co/fdNtvGu8Vb~ https://t.co/EdAqXfsjW0
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Endocrine Society - State of Obesity Science and Management
The Endocrine Society has published a scientific statement reframing obesity as a heterogeneous, chronically dysregulated fat-mass disorder, the biology of which is being tested effectively by GLP-1/GIP receptor agonists. Is this precision-medicine? We await long-term safety data, while
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CLOAK study: 3 mos DBRPCT of Colchicine vs PBO (no NSAID) in 120 symptomatic KOA (KL gr 2/3) shows no benefit in VAS pain index knee after 3 mos. (but COL pts had signif change in some biomarkers hsCRP, β-NGF (p < 0.05); PGE2, IL-1ra, IL-8, and VEGF (p < 0.16). https://t.co/MPgLpr7LPP
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17 Sept EMA CHMP recommended marketing authorisation for secukinumab (Cosentyx) in the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica. BUT- not yet EMA approved in the EU. https://t.co/ZGUSbw06vX https://t.co/EqRwpT8Sxo
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Therapeutic Updates
Lupus Nephritis
Sponsored by RheumNow
View our six video perspectives on lupus nephritis, including Management of CKD in Lupus Nephritis.
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EXXELERATE: New Thoughts on High RF Titer
Sponsored by: UCB
Two leading rheumatologists share insights into why RF levels are important to consider when identifying treatment options for patients with RA.
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Recent Blogs
A few years ago, when I would see a patient with rheumatic disease and increased BMI, I would often document it as obesity as a comorbidity, recommend weight loss and exercise, and then move on. My approach has changed.
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Dr. Al Kim, St. Louis, discusses the effects of obesity on lupus activity, organ damage, complement levels and mTor activation.
Podcasts
Systemic Burden of Gout Part 1
Better Gout Management-
Gout Advice & Tips
