Doubting RS3PE (8.14.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles this week where RheumNow featured info on cancer, deadly viruses, AI rules, poetry and good moons rising.
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ZEUS Trial: IL-6 Inhibition Fails to Cut Cardiovascular Events
The phase 3 ZEUS trial (published in JAMA Dec. 2025) tested the IL-6 ligand inhibitor ziltivekimab in over 6,000 patients with atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease, chronic kidney disease, and elevated hsCRP—a population enriched for an inflammatory driver of risk.
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Air Pollution Increases RA Activity and Flares
Koreans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed increased disease activity and higher flare rates when exposed to relatively high levels of small atmospheric particulate matter, researchers reported.
https://t.co/9dZkTzivRz https://t.co/Reic3P5U6r
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Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease
A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how SLE, RA, and SSc have an increased risk of arrhythmias and SCD attributable to shared immune pathways. These facts substantiate the https://t.co/j9AW26LE66
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JAMA Review of Hip Fracture
The July 16th edition of JAMA reviews the highly prevalent problem of hip fractures - a major global health burden: 14.2 million occur worldwide annually (280,000 in the US), with global incidence higher in women (833.9/100,000) than men https://t.co/TiiCjoq2Hj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease
A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerosis have an increased risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death attributable to shared immune pathways.
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Methotrexate Safety Tips (7.31.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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When Gout Flares, So Does the Cardiovascular System
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 https://t.co/HCUQVaor4f
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Psoriasis = Myocardial Dysfunction (unrelated to Cardiometabolic Risk Factors) 1010 PsO pts vs controls w/o skin dz, assessed clinically & by ECHO. PSO pts (even w/ controlled dz) had signif more myocardial dysfunction (17% vs 6%). Higher BMI & DM independently assoc w/ https://t.co/MjcRmgyCWX
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When Gout Flares, So Does the Cardiovascular System
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)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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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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Pragmatism in Gout: How therapeutic choices can have multiple benefits
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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The Hidden Cost of Gout
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
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Seronegative RA Disease Activity (7.17.2026)
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
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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, 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
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Therapeutic Updates
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
How would you manage a patient with Overlap (anti-synthetase) syndrome, ILD, polyarthritis and myositis?
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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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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Podcasts
ACR Podcast - Day1A
EULAR 2021 - Day2c00:37:25
