Cardio/Pulmonary

takayasu.jpg

TNF Inhibitors in Takayasu's Arteritis

Jack Cush, MD

A large, retrospective, multicenter study demonstrated the efficacy of intravenous infliximab and  subcutaneous adalimumab in patients with Takayasu arteritis.

This multicentre study enrolled patients from Takayasu's referral centers in France, Italy, Spain, Armenia,

Read Article
JAMA overview of Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) - affects 1 billion worldwide. Treatment options: Positive Airway Pressure, Oral Appliance, Positional Therapy, Weight Loss, upper airway surgery. https://t.co/imrdsLAocG https://t.co/JEneFvyijN

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Venous thromboembolism (VTE) risk goes up w/ age, obesity, estrogens; BUT a UK primary care database shows VTE risk signif higher in RA (n 23K) vs matched controls (n 94K): adj HR 1.46. Absolute VTE risk higher w/ age & BMI, but VTE higher in younger v older; normal vs. Hi BMI: https://t.co/htI2YqiF0c
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Large metanalysis of TNFi use in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (45 studies, 150K pts) shows no increased risk of de novo heart failure (HF), and no significant risk of HF worsening w/ TNFis. https://t.co/9sRVsMZ1kv https://t.co/igCdcQMVK3

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Smoking and the Global Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis Detailed analysis of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database shows that tobacco and smoking is one of the most significant environmental risk factors for RA over the last 20 years. https://t.co/4IDf1ZTl7w https://t.co/oM0bNXIw28

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RA leads to ILD: but ILD does not lead to RA New research sheds light on the link between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF). A team from Taizhou Hospital used advanced multi-omics methods to explore the causal relationship between these two https://t.co/QbY6GC0KBZ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RheumNow Podcast square

Repurposing & Pipeline (8.8.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, reports, pipeline and drug repurposing on this week’s podcast.

Read Article
smoking.jpg

Smoking and the Global Burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

Detailed analysis of the Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2021 database shows that tobacco and smoking is one of the most significant environmental risk factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) over the last 20 years. 

This study utilized the Global Burden of Disease

Read Article
Lung.Pleural.inflamm.AI

RA leads to ILD: but ILD does not lead to RA

Jack Cush, MD

Rheumatoid arthritis is a common autoimmune disease, and approximately 30%-40% of patients develop pulmonary complications such as idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF), but the causal relationship between the two has long been unclear.

Read Article
Japans IORRA study of 10,613 RA pts (2007-21) - 915 deaths from cancer (28%), lung Dz (22%), CV Dz (16%). Protective Rx were MTX and bDMARDs, while even low-dose glucocorticoids showed increased mortality risk. https://t.co/lV5WmC5l1X https://t.co/QncyqXSRE9

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Large metanalysis of TNFi use in immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (45 studies, 150K pts) shows no increased risk of de novo heart failure (HF), and no significant risk of HF worsening w/ TNFis. https://t.co/9sRVsMZ1kv https://t.co/Kapg9ZwVGf

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
TriNetX study of E-health record study of ~53k transcatheter aortic valve intervention (TAVI) pts. 705 were on preoperative colchicine - these had signif reduction of post-TAVI heart block and AV/LBBB (RR 0.867 [95% CI, 0.756–0.994]) @ 1 month, but not at 6 months https://t.co/9tI2KFY7u7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
TriNetX study of E-health record study of ~53k transcatheter aortic valve intervention (TAVI) pts. 705 were on preoperative colchicine - these had signif reduction of post-TAVI heart block and AV/LBBB (RR 0.867 [95% CI, 0.756–0.994]) @ 1 month, but not at 6 months https://t.co/wuwlzE22q2
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Heart Attack No Longer the Leading Cause of Death in America . Journal of AHA reports that heart disease mortality in the United States dropped by 66 percent over the past five decades, driven largely by a dramatic decline in fatal heart attacks. https://t.co/whMQSMozVv https://t.co/ik6uydmspF

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RheumNow Podcast square

CKD & Osteoporosis Rx Revisited (7.25.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal and FDA updates from this past week on RheumNow.com.

Read Article
RA Lung Disease Portends Poor Outcomes A retrospective Harvard affiliates study shows that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with lung disease have higher mortality, especially respiratory and infection-related mortality than those without lung disease (LD). https://t.co/13h2u26ecb
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
antibody (Keep)

Clinical Associations with Anti-RNA Polymerase III Antibodies

Jack Cush, MD

A systematic review of anti-RNA polymerase III antibodies (ARA) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients finds ARA positivity in only 9% of SSc patients, but come with a higher risk of many potentially worrisome outcomes.

Read Article
Lung,AI,Pleura

RA Lung Disease Portends Poor Outcomes

Jack Cush, MD

A retrospective Harvard affiliates study shows that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with lung disease have higher mortality, especially respiratory and infection-related mortality than those without lung disease (LD).

Read Article
SSB, > SSA, Abs are signif associated w/ abnormal DLCO (AUC 0.791) in Sjogrens syndrome, esp in assoc. w/ LIP- lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis. These findings more likely in quadruple positive Sjogrens w/ RF/ANA/SSA/SSB positivity. https://t.co/s6IyRzfXiN https://t.co/rKDBovTOpl

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RheumNow Podcast square

NHANES, Numbers, & Risk (7.18.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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".

Read Article
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 )
SSB, > SSA, Abs are signif associated w/ abnormal DLCO (AUC 0.791) in Sjogrens syndrome, esp in assoc. w/ LIP- lymphocytic interstitial pneumonitis. These findings more likely in quadruple positive Sjogrens w/ RF/ANA/SSA/SSB positivity. https://t.co/s6IyRzfXiN https://t.co/J3bMowsrUQ

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Interstitial Lung Disease and Lung Cancer Risk A large prospective cohort study found that interstitial lung disease (ILD) is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer. https://t.co/SdOT28qVfr https://t.co/6KhAijhfHw

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Martinque, Afro-Caribbean population (n 354 800) study(2004-2022) of 33 AOSD pts (71%F; 79% systemic; 21% chr articular); 91% met Yamaguchi criteria; features as expected but more Pulmonary Dz(51%; 94% w/ a systemic pattern). Half Dx < age 35 yrs. Prevalence 7.6 /100 000 mean https://t.co/QWyfNuvhkl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Lung,cancer,nci

Interstitial Lung Disease and Lung Cancer Risk

Jack Cush, MD

A large prospective cohort study found that interstitial lung disease (ILD) is associated with an increased risk of lung cancer.

This cohort study of 5,425,976 used a a sibling-controlled design to account for genetic factors. Data was taken from the Swedish Total Population Register

Read Article

Recent Blogs

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?

Read Post

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.  Read Post
How well do you know this week's rheumatology news?
Take the rheumIQ quiz
Take the RheumIQ Quiz

×