COVID-19

Does RTX work in CNS lupus? Japanese experience in 17 refractory NP-SLE pts Rx w/ RTX - 16/17 had significant improve. & 1 partial improvement -- none had NP-SLE relapse. Two died during COVID> https://t.co/GpCgpSxn37 https://t.co/PMz05MHBhj

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
PTPN22 1858C>T allele, seen in 5-15% NAmerica, often assoc. w/ autoimmune dz risk. BUT...PNAS shows Ptpn22 augments innate immunity and enhances NK activity against coronavirus infection https://t.co/1AMTuOXtoT https://t.co/9f3JdimJsG

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
No link between pregnancy tylenol & autism. JAMA Pediatrics data from 1.5 million Danish children( 1997 -2022); ~2% were tylenol exposed during preg. 2% of these Dx w/ Dx w/ autism (vs. 3% not exposed) https://t.co/Pp1tE54Dic https://t.co/qu61jKolpN

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
COVID Virus Persistence with DMARD Use Drugs commonly used to treat systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) may prolong SARS-CoV-2 circulation after COVID-19 infection in patients with these conditions, with researchers documenting substantially increased viral antigen https://t.co/szeILIbmjF
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
virus,injection,COVID,vaccine

COVID Virus Persistence with DMARD Use

MedPage Today

Drugs commonly used to treat systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs) may keep the SARS-CoV-2 circulating after COVID-19 infection in patients with these conditions, with researchers documenting substantially increased viral antigen persistence compared with other post-COVID patients.

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5 yr Italian study of hospitalized autoimmune pts(2018-23) 4,896 IMID pts compared to 301,126 non-IMIM. IMID had signif higher risk cancer (adj OR 1.32) highest 1st yr. Decreased from 1.83 @ yr 1 to 1.2 @5+ yrs. IMID had more lung & bladder CA, leukemia lymphoma & melanoma https://t.co/UXqDHQtzv0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Myocarditis causes 17,000 deaths/Yr worldwide. Causes include A) iatrogenic/autoimmune: checkpoint inhibitors & gene therapy; B) High income countries: parvo B19, herpesvirus 6; C) low income: dengue, HIV, malaria and Trypanosoma cruzi (Chagas disease) https://t.co/en4OnhWPda https://t.co/urwkjlVeg6

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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UBER Rheumatology Ride (3.6.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

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 )
2025

The 2025 Rheumatology Year in Review

Jack Cush, MD

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

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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

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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

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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 )

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Pre-ACR25 (10.24.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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 )
Covid lung pneumonia corona (keep)

Did Hydroxychloroquine Reduce COVID-19 Mortality?

Jack Cush, MD

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

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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Repurposing & Pipeline (8.8.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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

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Therapeutic Updates

Women Leaders in Rheumatology: Leadership in a Virtual World

Women in Rheumatology
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

Respiratory Burden of RA

Jeffrey Sparks, MD, MMSc
lung%2Cbright.jpg
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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Best of 2022: Freeze Tag

Kathryn H. Dao, M.D.
mask,covid,people,risk
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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A Guide to Self Care of (Mild) COVID19

Kathryn H. Dao, M.D.
morbidity,covid,heart,lung,brain
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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