Cardio/Pulmonary

CV.CP_.Heart_.pericarditis

When Gout Flares, So Does the Cardiovascular System

Edoardo Cipolletta, MD, PhD

We have spent decades teaching that a gout flare is a joint problem: a hot, swollen, painful joint that we treat with anti-inflammatory drugs and move on from (i.e., the treat to avoid symptoms strategy). The campaign title says it well — gout is more than flares. I would add

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Among 784,091 pts in a UK acute MI registry, 715 (0.1%) had SLE. SLE pts were younger & more female. SLE w/ MI had signif higher adjusted all-cause mortality from 30 days (HR 1.62) to 5 years (HR 1.84), despite age & having less traditional cardiovascular comorbidities https://t.co/78oHVWTdTJ
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Nerandomilast (Jascayd) has been approved in the European Union for adults with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF). The drug was approved for IPF & PPF by the FDA for US use in late 2025 https://t.co/scOuVb3aYy https://t.co/EcmpRhyWgu

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Chikungunya Club Meeting (7.24.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.

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SGLT2 inhibitors lower serum urate AND reduce gout flares — and may close the mortality gap (CV mortality benefit) and offer renal protection. For more gout content, follow our Gout: More than Flares campaign at https://t.co/lQoiFjubZJ, https://t.co/QywxaTSSv6

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Gout patients are at greater risk for dementia, sleep apnea, septic arthritis and erectile dysfunction. For more gout content, follow our Gout: More than Flares campaign at https://t.co/lQoiFjubZJ, https://t.co/p4WQ1GCB68

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The Marriage between Gout and the Kidney While the link between uric acid and gout was first described by Alfred Baring Garrod in the 1800s, the proof that uric acid might actually be the cause had to await the self-experimentation of two rheumatologists from the University of https://t.co/AWZbjaUtdu
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Gout pills injection

Pragmatism in Gout: How therapeutic choices can have multiple benefits

Michael Toprover, MD

William James famously wrote in Pragmatism, “There can be no difference anywhere that doesn’t make a difference elsewhere.” Gout treatment offers a striking medical example of that idea. Drugs prescribed to calm flares or lower uric acid are designed with one primary goal in

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Risk Option Decision

The Hidden Cost of Gout

Mrinalini Dey, MBBChir, MA(Hons) Cantab., MRCP, FHEA

For many people, gout is viewed as an episodic disease: a painful flare, a short course of treatment, and then life returns to normal. However, as rheumatologists, we know that recurrent attacks can lead to joint damage and tophi if left untreated. Furthermore, the true burden of gout extends

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RheumIQ: True or False: In an international consortium of RA patients, MACE risk was significantly associated with disease activity but not ACPA positivity. Test your knowledge here: https://t.co/LATb1P18Sh https://t.co/Bs1ReJk0OY

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Seronegative RA Disease Activity (7.17.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and Gout features from this past week on RheumNow.com.

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Retrospective study 1420 newly Dx non-tuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infx (2012-2024) - 66 (4.6%) Dx w/ RA (55 after RA dx). Having RA + NTM incr risk of Resp. death (HR 4.3) w/ lower 5yr survival (75% vs 93%) partly explained by ILD and sytemic inflamm. https://t.co/6sdR7XwwD7
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DMARD Efficacy in RA-ILD A network meta-analysis in the Journal of Autoimmunity reviews the pharmacologic options for rheumatoid arthritis–associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). RA-ILD guidelines were recently presented by ERS/EULAR, but these were mainly conditional,

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

The mortality gap in gout has not improved in 20 years – CV disease is the leading cause of death (2-fold increase). For more gout content, follow our Gout: More than Flares campaign at https://t.co/xnBVBN5IXZ, https://t.co/c12GmMaatt

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EULAR26: ANCHOR-RA Study of RA-ILD People with rheumatoid arthritis are at risk of developing interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), which is associated with high mortality. ANCHOR-RA is a large, international cross-sectional prospective study that will enable the development of a https://t.co/tsOpA4SAZP
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lung.ILD.MD

DMARD Efficacy in RA-ILD

Jack Cush, MD

A network meta-analysis in the Journal of Autoimmunity reviews the pharmacologic options for rheumatoid arthritis–associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). RA-ILD guidelines were recently presented by ERS/EULAR, but these were mainly conditional, low-certainty recommendations.

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RHEUM SURVEY>> Which Gout drugs lower the risk of cardiovascular death? Answer here: https://t.co/1OY1B3ET7B https://t.co/MRJP5OOtXb

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JAMA HBV review - Worldwide, HBV affects ~254 million, causing 1.1 million deaths. In 2022, 14k new HBV infx in the US. HBsAg = ongoing infxn; HBsAb indicates immunity; HBcAg=ongoing or past infection. Do HBV DNA for virus-replication activity https://t.co/Yvdx09DrQ5 https://t.co/88VsTEgFev

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ICYMI: Worldwide Trends in Hyperuricemia A Lancet Rheumatology systematic review shows the prevalence of hyperuricaemia has risen markedly over the past two decades in both men and women, owing to population growth, aging, and increasing age-specific rates. https://t.co/8QAWkka0DM
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ILD damage fibrosis path

EULAR26: ANCHOR-RA Study of RA-ILD

EurekAlert!

People with rheumatoid arthritis are at risk of developing interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD), which is associated with high mortality. ANCHOR-RA is a large, international cross-sectional prospective study that will enable the development of a multivariable model to help detect RA-ILD.5

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morbidity,covid,heart,lung,brain

Spotlight on Comorbidities from EULAR 2026

EurekAlert!

Systemic autoimmune diseases are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality – possibly through autonomic imbalance, myocardial inflammation, or fibrotic infiltration of the conduction system. A team in Colombia have been looking into the

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Eosinophil

ICYMI: EGPA Review

Jack Cush, MD

A current review of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) provides current recommendations on diagnosis and management.

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digit.ulcer_.jpg

EULAR26: Reports on Systemic Sclerosis

EurekAlert!

In an oral abstract presentation at EULAR 2026, results were shared from a longitudinal observational analysis of the EUSTAR database. The aim was to characterise organ involvement and disease progression – and time to these events – stratified by having a modified disease activity index (

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The North American Expert Consensus on ASCVD Screening in Lupus Nephritis Drs. Sheila Reyes and Shivani Garg discuss abstract OP094, presented in London at the EULAR 2026 Congress https://t.co/Vm2QFlO3fL https://t.co/4Xp9tkubLh

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Prevalence of GI involvement in dermatomyositis (DM) was assessed in 2 cohorts (n = 167). Severe GI involvement seen in 18% NXP2+ & 6% MDA5+; more common w/ NXP2 than other DM (HR 8.85). NXP2 w/ severe GI dz were younger, facial edema @dx w/ both skin & muscle dz activity. https://t.co/5kNvAkTLc0
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Therapeutic Updates

ILD Treatment and Guidelines

Hinze title card
Watch our 11-video series on ILD Treatment and Guidelines including videos on assessing ILD, guidelines caveats and concerns, and more.
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Recent Blogs

rheumthought

Overlap Syndrome with ILD

Jack Cush, MD
Cush RheumThought ILD

How would you manage a patient with Overlap (anti-synthetase) syndrome, ILD, polyarthritis and myositis?

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Best of 2023: New ACR RA-ILD Treatment Guidelines – What Were They Smoking!?

Richard Conway, MBBChBAO, PhD
Lungs ILD
Rheumatoid arthritis related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) is common, with symptomatic RA-ILD affecting approximately 8% of RA patients. There is a very limited evidence base supporting treatment and therefore the recent release of ACR guidelines is to be welcomed. However, the published guidelines appear discordant with the best available evidence base. 
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rheumthought

Screening and Overdiagnosis of ILD in RA

Michael Putman, MD, MSCI
Putman RheumThoughts
Dr. Michael Putman (Milwaukee, WI) reviews his approach to screening for ILD and RA, the potential for overdiagnosis and how this impacts treatment choices. Does this differ from your approach?
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