The Patient Journey with Rheumatic Disease
Oton and colleagues have reviewed the "patient journey" - from symptoms to specialty referral in those diagnosed with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).
Prospective study 1,237 pregnant women (APS excluded) - finding LA-RVVT, anti-β2GPI IgG, predicted preeclampsia & intrauterine fetal death (IUFDR) and were were in identifying obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) https://t.co/5zKpR9NTcw https://t.co/6HXID7gtwR
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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Aging Quiets Lupus
UCSF researchers have found that epigentic changes in interferon genes over time may lead to lupus being less active as they age.
https://t.co/MLBFLXnXOQ https://t.co/9aacdZPoED
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Inefficiencies of ANA Testing
The Journal of Rheumatology has published an analysis of antinuclear antibody (ANA) multiplex testing showing its nonspecific utility and poor rate of return in identifying ANA-associated autoimmune rheumatic disease (ARDs).
Aging Quiets Lupus
UCSF researchers have found that epigentic changes in interferon genes over time may lead to lupus being less active as they age.
https://t.co/MLBFLXnXOQ https://t.co/BMB4V1p3pW
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Study of 110 #SLE pts found 41% w/ osteoporosis, 35% of whom had Lupus nephritis (LN). SLE w/ lower BMD assoc w/ LN classes III & IV, U1-RNP Abs, high CRP, & longer Dz duration, also w/ higher age, HAQ, C3 levels. 86% were on glucocorticoids, mean age 48 yrs. https://t.co/dqutqbvnjB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Aging Quiets Lupus
EurekAlert!
UCSF researchers have found that epigentic changes in interferon genes over time may lead to lupus being less active as they age. Lupus is a “classic” autoimmune disease. It causes the immune system’s first-line viral defenses — known as interferons — to attack the body. Nearly every organ is at
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HCQ Preserves Renal Function in Lupus Nephritis
Lupus nephritis (LN) patients on long-term therapy with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) showed significantly less decline in renal function, compared with patients treated otherwise, a 10-year retrospective study indicated. https://t.co/YpJGpAysUQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A New RA Approval (8.1.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and a new treatment for RA from the FDA.
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HCQ Preserves Renal Function in Lupus Nephritis
Lupus nephritis (LN) patients on long-term therapy with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) showed significantly less decline in renal function, compared with patients treated otherwise, a 10-year retrospective study indicated. https://t.co/dB6G34c6Mw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
"FLAME" - machine learning model developed to predict SLE flares. Data from 28,433 SLE pts (2011-2022) looked at clinical & social determinants of health (SDoH) to predict 3 mo flare risk. AUROC = 0.67; SHAP analysis identified HA, OBS, & pyuria as predictors. Is this the https://t.co/6Eqqc9w2oV
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
HCQ Preserves Renal Function in Lupus Nephritis
MedPage Today
Lupus nephritis patients on long-term therapy with hydroxychloroquine showed significantly less decline in renal function, compared with patients treated otherwise, a 10-year retrospective study indicated.
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Systemic immune-inflammation index (SII), as a potential biomarker -- computed as platelet count × neutrophil count/lymphocyte count. SII has been shown to be useful in RA, PsA, SpA, SLE and vasculitis, reflecting disease activity, drug responses & supplements ESR & CRP levels https://t.co/LuFaYbWiWN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
If severe refractory SLE is defined as SLEDAI-2K≥10 despite steroids & immunosuppressives; Cohort of 3,744 SLE - 14% (578) had srSLE. Median SLEDAI-2K = 12, & decreased to 6 at 6m & 12m> < 25% achieved LLDAS & only 1% attained GC-free remission @ 12 mos https://t.co/7tehA27gyT https://t.co/yef4wCpqNf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Practical management of rheumatic immune-related adverse events with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Joint Bone Spine has published a full read review of the management of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients receiving Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer.
NHANES, Numbers, & Risk (7.18.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com along with interesting case questions from "Ask Cush Anything".
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Stroke in patients with SLE is associated with a poorer outcome than matched controls in
terms of functional recovery, recurrence, and mortality - study of 40 SLE vs 120 controls w/ CVA https://t.co/spBT1u6bfj https://t.co/eVNYBogJWz
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
1 in 5 Patients are Unaware of their Arthritis Diagnosis
Current CDC numbers suggest that arthritis (any type) affects an estimated 67.1 million (27.9% ) adults in the USA. Interestingly, 1 in 5 do not know their arthritis subtype (21.6%, 14.4 million).
This most recent analysis of the prevalence and distribution of arthritis subtypes
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Rheums! Question or case for Jack Cush? Record it here and we may feature it on an upcoming podcast.
https://t.co/HsqM9xLNtP https://t.co/voONsOLeSK
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
🎩REGENCY: Obinutuzumab + standard therapy improved renal outcomes in #lupus nephritis across all tested response definitions (REGENCY, BLISS-LN, AURORA-1). Week 76 CRR consistently 13–16% higher vs placebo. Results hold despite variable thresholds.
@RheumNow #EULAR2025 #OP0006
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ICYMI: SLE: advances to achieve deep B-cell depletion
The race is on for the first chimeric antigen receptor (CAR)-based therapy to be approved for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus. Its main principle is to induce deep B-cell depletion, with the hope to reset the B-cell aberrant immunity for a sustained clinical remission. At EULAR
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ICYMI: Should Lupus Nephritis Receive PJP Prophylaxis?
A current review article suggests that the need for Pneumocystis jirovecii pneumonia (PJP) prophylaxis in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and lupus nephritis will need to be individualized based on therapies and risk factors.
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ICYMI: Clinical and Therapeutic Challenges in Connective Tissue Disease and ILD
Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) represent a challenging intersection of systemic autoimmunity and progressive respiratory impairment. Research presented at EULAR 2025 continues to highlight the importance of CTD-ILD and the evolving landscape of therapeutic
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Glucocorticoid Tapering in SLE
Dr. Yuz Yusof discusses abstract POS1224 presented at the 2025 EULAR meeting in Barcelona, Spain.
https://t.co/oI992YLvnB https://t.co/mPmMxcpMey
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Rituximab - Super Responders Exist in SLE
Dr. Yuz Yusof reports on abstract POS0325 presented at the 2025 EULAR meeting in Barcelona.
https://t.co/LkYzMtsErn https://t.co/awRhQmbhoT
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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