Review of GLP-1 Receptor Agonists in Psoriasis
Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1 RAs) have transformed cardiometabolic medicine and are now attracting intense interest in inflammatory disorders.
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True or False: Low-dose aspirin given at giant cell arteritis diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events. Put your answer to the test in the latest RheumIQ quiz at https://t.co/XLPVoyCbLB. https://t.co/C5CSwuv5mF
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA Targeting the Safety of Avacopan
The future of avacopan is up in the air. In April, the FDA issued a drug safety warning, previously requesting that Amgen to pull its rare disease drug Tavneos from the market. Now, there appears more pressure to remove it from the market.
The FDA’s concern is that the data, orginally
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Smoking is most established environmental risk factor for RA- Dz risk, severity, & RA-ILD. Role of other airborne pollutants is mixed: particulate matter & nitrogen dioxide show inconsistent associations w/ RA https://t.co/Fkemc5hAUB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Neoplasia and Autoimmune Disease
Malignancy rivals cardiovascular disease as a leading cause of death in patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. Chronic inflammation and immune dysregulation can drive oncogenesis, while antitumor immune responses can trigger autoimmune phenomena (paraneoplastic syndromes, checkpoint
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TRACE study of 90 axSpA pts Rx w/ either TNFi or secukinumab (150 or 300 mg)- at wk 56, 59% achieved clinical-remission & 43% achieved w56-MRI-remission (SPARCC) w/ benefits by wk 4. Predictors of clinical remission: ASDAS & BMI (@wk16); none @wk56 https://t.co/CEsAeRMvUE https://t.co/SfSAm3u4IM
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Switch or Cycle - Upadacitinib vs Adalimumab in Refractory RA
After the first tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) failure, patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) responded by switching to upadacitinib, compared to cycling to a second TNFi, adalimumab.
FDA has accepted Genetech application for obinutuzumab (Gazyva) to treat SLE (currently only approved for lupus nephritis) - based on Phase III ALLEGORY study w/ Gazyva showing signif reduced dz activity https://t.co/louTYyN6bN https://t.co/Hy1gGliamn
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Severe thrombocytopenia (TP) assoc w/ severe APS & increased mortality. Retro study of 432 #APS pts - 142 w/ TP (33%): 13% severe TP (<50L G/L). Severe TP assoc w/ ITP & CAP -had higher mortality https://t.co/7f8VpIcEJy
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
TriNetX study of 7,929 RA pts Rx w/ bDMARDs (n 2668) w/in 6 mos of elective hand surgery - perioperative bDMARD continuation (34%) was not associated with significant increases in risks of wound healing failures (1.4% vs 1.4%) or SSI (2% vs 1.5%) https://t.co/NY6l2jRswb https://t.co/IxoYtLNGvf
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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Mortality in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Story of Decline, Delay, or Plateau? Dr. Elena Myasoedova
In this https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR 2026 podcast, Dr. Elena Myasoedova examines mortality trends in RA, exploring whether we are seeing continued decline, delayed impact, or a concerning https://t.co/yUob3Tv0tR
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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Follow the Money (4.23.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush follows the money and all the news that fits the Rheumatology Gab for this past week.
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DESIR axSpA inception cohort study of 631 pts (no HTN), found no signif association between NSAID use & incident HTN. Over 10 YRs, 88 developed HTN (HR 1.01, 1.00–1.02) https://t.co/Gs9mPwthEj https://t.co/4sfpHmFTsu
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Severe thrombocytopenia (TP) assoc w/ severe APS & increased mortality. Retro study of 432 #APS pts - 142 w/ TP (33%): 13% severe TP (<50L G/L). Severe TP assoc w/ ITP & CAP -had higher mortality https://t.co/p0bvLKupUe
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
NSAIDs in Inflammatory Bowel Disease?
MedPage Today
At least some patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) can safely use common drugs for musculoskeletal aches and pains, a large study of insurance claims data suggested, contradicting a widespread concern that these products can trigger IBD flares.
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Aspirin Cardiovascular Prevention in Giant Cell Arteritis
A retrospective target trial emulations has shown that low-dose aspirin (ASA) given with a giant cell arteritis (GCA) diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), but a higher https://t.co/dpGzjKZYkA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Aspirin Cardiovascular Prevention in Giant Cell Arteritis
A retrospective target trial emulations has shown that low-dose aspirin (ASA) given with a giant cell arteritis (GCA) diagnosis is associated with a lower risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), but a higher risk of GI bleeding.
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Weight-loss drugs may affect joints directly
EulrekAlert!
A new study from Aarhus University shows that the hormone GLP-1, which is mimicked in medication for diabetes and weight loss, is present in joint fluid. In the long term, this may open up new treatments for arthritis.
Rsearchers from the Department of Biomedicine at Aarhus
Adjunctive Prednisolone for Kawasaki Disease
An NEJM study has shown that glucocorticoids provide no added benefit when added to standard primary treatment in Kawasaki disease patients.
https://t.co/dS1uwufh69 https://t.co/wpxyOYXp8l
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Gabapentinoid use 2008-2018: worldwide there was an annual incr of +17.2% (from 4.2/d to 18.3/d per 10K pop. Highest gaba use in high income countries, 6X higher than lower income (40/d vs 6.1/d) https://t.co/jXjxNj1Uyz https://t.co/GmQJ3UGGw9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Retrospective observational study of IPAF (ILD w/ autoimmune) pts - from Mt Sinai ILD registry 791 - 14 Rx w/ rituximab vs 19 not. Betw group outcomes same: PFTs, O2 use, Infx, Resp admissions, mortality. RTX group recv more immunosuppressives. https://t.co/sle4a0JOFL https://t.co/rS69epQiif
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A LESSON FOR GC OVERUSE: Inappropriate PPI use was Twice as successful w/ reduced w/ GP & Pt-facing intervention (15 vs 7%) vs usual care or GP-only intervention. Study of 1498 GPs, 34K pts https://t.co/QWW0VYVpzU https://t.co/X3V6NMawq2
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Malignancies Not Increased with Biologic Therapies
The risk of malignancy in RA patients receiving biologic agents was evaluated by metanalysis of RCTs and found no significant increased risk of malignancy compared with other DMARDs or with placebo.
https://t.co/ZEO4jP5RwA https://t.co/C1YeTSh7ZN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
TRACE study in 90 active axSpA, biologic-naïve, Rx w/ secukinumab 150 mg; @wk16 ASDAS remission in 30 (35%)& 55 incr SEC to 300 mg. By wk 24, 22% of 300 mg achieved ASDAS remission; but without signif change in MRI inflamm (SPARCC). Most MRI changes in 1st 4wks https://t.co/pMMtrxxDLh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Cross-sectional study from UK Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum looked at > 40K w/ #PMR Rx w/ steroids - 67% were coprescribed bisphosphonates (BP) & 79% Rx PPIs/H2RAs (less in males & pts deprived areas) resulting more Fx w/in 12 mos (2.32% vs 1.4%). https://t.co/b2DFJMjqCu
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Therapeutic Updates
Lupus Nephritis
Sponsored by RheumNow
View our six video perspectives on lupus nephritis, including Management of CKD in Lupus Nephritis.
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