World Changers (3.14.2025)
Dr Jack Cush and his podcast friends are out to change the world. Here is his weekly review of the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.
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Sobi announced it has submitted to FDA a supplemental (sBLA) for Gamifant (emapalumab-Izsg) for use in adult & kids w/ hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in Still’s disease with an inadequate response glucocorticoids, or with recurrent… https://t.co/a3I1fzHLdl https://t.co/WTFAs5PLWF
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Still's Dz Afro-Caribbean study of 58 pts (57% AOSD). Sex differed betw kids F 36% vs F71% in adults. Kids had signif more typical skin rashes (100 vs 29%), coronary artery dilation (16 vs 0%), & MAS (52 vs 9%). Adults signif more polyarthalgia (91 vs 32%) & lung dz (51 vs 4%).… https://t.co/AYKNazgio5 https://t.co/1yQgeMiwku
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Sobi announced it has submitted to FDA a supplemental (sBLA) for Gamifant (emapalumab-Izsg) for use in adult & kids w/ hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH)/macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) in Still’s disease with an inadequate response glucocorticoids, or with recurrent… https://t.co/PLpcD5jzxH https://t.co/0LUe9bXaYS
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
SOCS1 Insufficiency - a Rare Inborn Error of Immunity
Lancet Rheumatology has published a population study of the rare suppressor of cytokine signalling 1 (SOCS1) insufficiency - an inborn error of immunity affecting the negative regulation of cytokine and growth factor… https://t.co/I0muoIk5GL https://t.co/jbcuAZivci
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Schnitzler Syndrome: A Rare Autoinflammatory Disorder
A credible, quick overview
Chronic Urticaria
Monoclonal Gammopathy (
Recurrent Fever
Bone & Joint Pain
Elevated CRP &ESR https://t.co/sQ22t8Z46m https://t.co/nJOVCghoFa
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Diagnoses via Immune ‘Fingerprints’
Science and researchers at Stanford Medicine have reported the use of Mal-ID (machine learning for immunological diagnosis) to analyze B and T cell receptors (BCRs and TCRs) sequences from human blood, showing the ability to predict health… https://t.co/nqyf4iaD10 https://t.co/wt5V6uxLYf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Diagnoses via Immune ‘Fingerprints’
Science and researchers at Stanford Medicine have reported the use of Mal-ID (machine learning for immunological diagnosis) to analyze B and T cell receptors (BCRs and TCRs) sequences from human blood, showing the ability to predict health… https://t.co/ni09ssCYSv https://t.co/4HWui3XxfE
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Cross-trait study of >300K patients’ electronic health records at UCSF and Stanford. Autoimmune conditions associate with greater Alzheimer’s risk (ORs 1.4–1.7). Women with autoimmune disorders have higher risk than men with autoimmune disorders https://t.co/bwtGhyNBs6 https://t.co/FNUdRNozCw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
AI-assisted diagnosis for immunological disease
A novel machine learning framework – Mal-ID – can decipher an individual’s immune system’s record of past infections and diseases, according to a new study, providing a powerful tool with the potential for diagnosing autoimmune… https://t.co/gAViSbzreI https://t.co/IFXObUZe2s
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
At RWCS 2025, Dr. Susan Shenoi aptly noted the prevalence of multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C) has declined significantly. Does this indicated herd immunity or the decline of community SARS-CoV-2 (or both)? @ShenoiSusan https://t.co/vY01VDkNVl… https://t.co/c8Qu4OqBSh https://t.co/yZAoRcG6LN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Review on Dx & Rx of Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance. MGUS has NO Sxs or organ damage. MGUS & Dz associations (OP, Autoimmune) were likely overestimated; M protein testing should be done if malignancy or MGCS is suspected. Risk of progression to malignancy… https://t.co/Jikc5q3BJL https://t.co/hxhcD4bJ2X
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Survey on Corticosteroid (CS) use in PFAPA syndrome included 144 MDs (67% pedi-Rheums); 92% use CS in PFAPA flares. 42% expected a response w/in 12 hrs. 31% use CS ‘routinely. Med literature cites Prednisone as most preferred CS (48%). Response to CS ~ 95% https://t.co/V1wkhNaNAP https://t.co/YILAlKrUcQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
The Cartel is Coming for Rheumatology
"What Do Blockbuster Drugs & The Black Market All Have in Common?" asked Dr. Madelaine Feldman at RheumNow Live 2025. They thrive, she explained, on market exclusivity "... until they don't." At first glance, the pharmaceutical marketplace may not appear like a crime drug ring, but Dr.
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Janet Pope @Janetbirdope
#ClinicalPearl Insights into #fibrosing #skin conditions Inflammatory Fibrotic Atrophy We treat the #inflammation but need to determine if lesions are active or not Bx May not discern #dx Heidi Jacobe #RNL2025 https://t.co/dG1k4fm4aO https://t.co/5TowCCDiTt
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
OK this is ‘HOT’
App on phone for a
👇
#thermal #camera
Of hands 🙌
If #hot➡️ flare of #inflammatory #arthritis
And call for a #follow up apt
If not — then not a flare
#AI #artificial #intelligence
#rheumatoid #arthritis
@RheumNow #RNL25
Jeff Curtis AI in #rheum
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope( View Tweet )
Facing challenges in diagnosing idiopathic inflammatory myopathies? Check out our recent webinar to hear from Stanley J. Naides, MD, FACP, FACR, as he explores the role of autoantibody testing in autoimmune myositis diagnosis and phenotyping. Sponsored by LabCorp Rx. #Myositis… https://t.co/4jMevolO3k https://t.co/ObWPR8QFW2
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Overweight & obesity increase risk of Chr. Inflammatory Dz (CIDs). TriNetX EHR study of >3.1 million persons shows risk of any CID=28.5% in overweight/obese vs. 17.6% in controls (HR 1.52). Overweight/obesity posed a > risk of 4 CIDs in females & also >risk for 7 CIDs in Whites… https://t.co/U5ydFGolIY https://t.co/b3Jpl27wLf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Dannish study of 1 million infants, exposed vs unexposed to systemic glucocorticoids shows prenatal GC exposure assoc w/ higher risk of autism (RR 1.5), intellectual disability (1.3), ADHD (1.3), mood/anxiety (1.3). Same risk for 290K mothers w/ autoimmune/inflamm Dz… https://t.co/bXL3YqCIYZ https://t.co/psNVENXRPs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A 3rd Actemra biosimilar was approved by the FDA - Celltrion announced approval of its 7th biosimilar, Avtozma (CT-P47, tocilizumab-anoh); both IV & SCm for Rx of RA, GCA, pJIA, Still's dz & Covid-19. Joins other IL-6 biosimilars Tofidence (Biogen 10/23) & Tyenne (Frensius 3/24)… https://t.co/UtG9YOXUX2 https://t.co/j3LzG7beys
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Congratulations to 2025 Crafoord Prize (in Polyarthritis) laureates Christopher Goodnow, (UNSW Sydney, Australia), and David Nemazee (Scripss,, USA) for their work on tolerance checkpoints - prevent B cells from attacking the body’s own tissues in autoimmune diseases… https://t.co/WSyXVIFJa1 https://t.co/JtBau2JSvo
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Adalimumab Withdrawal in Uveitis Patients
Adalimumab is an effective treatment for JIA-associated uveitis and has been FDA approved for such use - but for how long and can the drug be withdrawn? An adalimumab (ADA) withdrawal trial has shown recurrence of uveitis, arthritis, or… https://t.co/J1CRgC3GJz https://t.co/8eOSvl5zZm
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
QD Clinic - An Undiagnosed Autoinflammatory Patient
Autoinflammatory or Still's disease - does this matter?
Features Dr. Jack Cush. QD Clinics - lessons from the clinic
Sponsored by RNL2025 in Dallas, TX; Feb 8 & 9, 2025
Register at https://t.co/2dcFVgu8z6… https://t.co/UimGBUZMeO https://t.co/fkAg9gK0Im
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Lung Involvement in Still's Disease
A multicentre registry observational study assessed lung involvement in a cohort of Still’s disease patients, affirming pleuritis as most common and that parenchymal lung inflammatory disease is very uncommon in both children and adults.… https://t.co/rGYEgCeUDA https://t.co/fdUGvfU8HH
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Weak Data (1.24.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com, and features Dr. Charity Dean, the Keynote speaker at RheumNow Live 2025, and why she is an inspiration.
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