UBER Rheumatology Ride (3.6.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this week on RheumNow.com
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CDC study of Death certificate data showed that btw 2018–2023, there were 14,936 #SLE deaths (43% w/ SLE as the underlying cause). Mortality rate per million: females 5.97 > males 1.16, blacks 10.7. Causes of death:heart disease (0.93), cancer (0.56), COVID-19 (0.51). https://t.co/qTe6O66wRO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA has approved tocilizumab-anoh (Avtozma; Celltrion), a biosimilar to Actemra, for intravenous and subcutaneous use in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), giant cell arteritis, polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis, systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and COVID-19. https://t.co/qw7SJ7ZCK9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
SMILE enrollment hampered by COVID - yet failed to show a protective effect for HCQ in preventing SLE. Can you Prevent SLE? Dr. David Karp lecturing at UTSW @drdavidkarp @utswrheum https://t.co/GImHpycbgO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
The 2025 Rheumatology Year in Review
The year 2025 presented numerous advances in rheumatology and related inflammatory and autoimmune disorders ranging from several new groundbreaking FDA approvals/indications, drug developments, game-changing guidelines and practices that will impact patient care for rheumatic diseases.
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Scandinavian study of > 13.6 million PYs shows NO increased risk of myositis after SARS-CoV-2 (mRNA & adenoviral vector) vaccines. Data from 101 myositis events in 7,002 398 unvaccinated PYs. Adj IRR 180d risk was 0.84 (0.63–1.11) and 1.31 (0.72–2.36) respectively https://t.co/D5KVyvXaot
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Do Patients with Rheumatic Diseases 'Weather' the Storm?
Dr. Janet Pope reports on abstract 0164 (Online Patient Survey on the Impact of Extreme Weather Events on Autoimmune and Rheumatic Diseases) presented at #acr25.
https://t.co/rY3T6tWsgu https://t.co/vdgT2DB5lH
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Why are vaccine Abs maintained after CAR-T
-depletion of pathogenic #Abs are dampened/eliminated
Clonal repetoire expansion
Remission=naive B cell pop'n
Reset immune system sparing memory cells
vs ?not all pathogenic cells eliminated in tissue
#ACR25 @RheumNow @ACRheum
#26S21 https://t.co/jb3dD5Ssip
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope( View Tweet )
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila @RheumNow Indeed, there are a lot of familiar HLH/MAS friends in the post-CAR-T CRS mix...
(indeed, rheum friends from many places)
@CarolineDiorio @ChildrensPhila in the #ACR25 BCRC pre-meeting @RheumNow https://t.co/OzWu3MV1FA
Links:
David Liew @drdavidliew( View Tweet )
Abstract 0806
Compared to belimumab, Anifrolumab associated with:
↑ infection risk b (HR 1.40, 95% CI 1.05–1.88)
↑ herpes zoster (HR 3.94) & COVID-19 (HR 1.66)
No diff in mortality or hospital use
📈 3-yr infection: 38.3% vs 21.3%
@RheumNow #ACR25
Akhil Sood MD, MS @AkhilSoodMD( View Tweet )
Pre-ACR25 (10.24.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and info reports the day before ACR 2025
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Colchicine Ineffective in Long COVID
Management of long COVID has been perplexing with symptoms having functional and possibly inflammatory origins. Colchicine has been studied in long COVID and failed to improve functional capacity, respiratory function, or inflammatory https://t.co/9E3dvUFqJP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
UK remission rates for early RA have been stablebut there are variations. DAS study of 13 752 RA, 35% in remission - but 28% (London) to 40% (East England). Delays in referral since COVID-19. Less remission w/ youth, female, Black, hi DAS28, delayed DMARDs. longer Sxs duration https://t.co/57QlnEqBci
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Did Hydroxychloroquine Reduce COVID-19 Mortality?
A multicenter study investigated the association between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) dosage and COVID-19 mortality among hospitalized patients from multiple medical centers in China. The analysis focused on dose effects of HCQ on https://t.co/BuHoMDwpuP
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Did Hydroxychloroquine Reduce COVID-19 Mortality?
A multicenter study investigated the association between hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) dosage and COVID-19 mortality among hospitalized patients from multiple medical centers in China. The analysis focused on dose effects of HCQ on mortality.
This retrospective cohort includes 2,387 COVID-19
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There is no criteria for infection-induced Antiphospholipid syndr (APS). aPL & aCL abs have been reported w/ COVID, HCV, HIV, EBV, varicella-zoster, & CMV. infections may induce transient aPL positivity without over APS, but may precipitate APS or catastrophic APS (CAPS).
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ILD Begins (8.29.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from https://t.co/V10S4oVFsv. This week news on vaccines, safety of acetaminophen and more.
https://t.co/YlOK3X4hkW https://t.co/9cgcDn0xab
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Repurposing & Pipeline (8.8.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, reports, pipeline and drug repurposing on this week’s podcast.
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COVID Vaccine study in rheum pts on JAKi (n 22) or TNFi (n 16) Showing 50% response in JAKi and 81% w/ TNFi Rx. Pt PBMCs were stim by SAR-CoV2 spike proteins & CD4+ T cells IFNγ production as Pos. response. Do JAKi impair COVID-19 Vax responses? https://t.co/dZAktwrytf https://t.co/mjkBfcGcfD
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
New CDC report confirms a record number of Measles cases in the USA, now at 1,319 (in 39 states), the highest since 1992. National cases are more than 4.5 times higher than the entirety of last year, which had an estimated 285 cases reported. https://t.co/KkqQu9C4cO https://t.co/bND6hPDUNA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Short full read review of the history, safety and use of Corticosteroids in Respiratory Medicine (including use in community-acquired pneumonia (CAP), ARDS, septic shock, ILD, COPD/asthma, COVID-19, Cancer, Sarcoid & IPF. https://t.co/aKMAT8IhLm https://t.co/RopoNnYJ6Z
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA adds new warning for "myocarditis" to the Pfizer and Moderna COVID-19 vaccines (prev mainly assoc w/ Moderna) - risk is 8 per 1 million people for those on 2023-2024 COVID shots, most common in males ages 12 to 24. Generally good outcomes seen. https://t.co/QZbTRaKGH1 https://t.co/1cAUw73eqF
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Pregnancy outcomes in autoinflammatory disease
To address this, a French multi-centre prospective pregnancy observational cohort was set up, to analyse disease activity, treatment, pregnancy outcomes, delivery, and neonatal health. The work – presented at the 2025 annual https://t.co/oQ7A2bnDmO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Imagine #Barcelona with an additional 8 degrees in summer 🔥 🔥🔥
Session: Disaster Medicine - Impact of climate change, heat, and global insecurity
#EULAR2025
@RheumNow https://t.co/1TqlBJtoZD
Nelly ZIADE 🍀 @Nellziade( View Tweet )
RA-related premature mortality highest in American Indians--> 3.6x odds of death in <65 vs White peers, w/ no improvement over 22 yrs. COVID widened the gap. Need to address structural & social drivers of early death in RA, & wider health disparities.
@RheumNow #EULAR2025 #OP0197
Mrinalini Dey @DrMiniDey( View Tweet )
Therapeutic Updates
Women Leaders in Rheumatology: Leadership in a Virtual World
Sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb and the Bristol Myers Squibb Network of Women (B-NOW)
A moderated panel of prominent female rheumatologists will discuss the challenges and successes in clinical practice and research that they encountered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
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Recent Blogs
Lung complications in RA remain a major issue, termed the “respiratory burden of RA.” Respiratory mortality is one of the leading causes of death for people with RA, particularly those with seropositive RA.
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A beloved childhood game I enjoyed was Freeze Tag. Players would run to avoid being tagged by the person who was “It”. If you were tagged, you had to “freeze” in your spot until someone was brave enough to come un-tag you. The game ends when everyone is frozen or if people quit. For over 2 years, I have been living in a real-life “Freeze Tag” game and able to dodge COVID19, until now. Sitting in my room symptomatic and frozen in isolation, I ruminated about my patients who had COVID19 and their experiences. I wanted to share with you three stories of three variants.
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There is guidance published on how to manage moderate to severe cases, but very few blueprints detail what to do with “mild” infection. The first day, I developed congestion and cough, with a sore throat. As the day progressed, I started to have chills, low grade fevers, and myalgias. The postnasal drainage was overwhelming, and when I tried to swallow, it felt like swallowing broken glass.
Isolating in my room, I was left to deal with my symptoms.
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