Rheums Speak - RA Treatment Survey
Be sure to take todays new Survey on Changing Rheumatology Practice & Choices!!
RheumNow's August 2025 “Live Vote” surveys will examine Rheumatologist impressions, knowledge and
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French retrospective observational study of Bx/CT/PET Dx of 380 #GCA pts found 7.6% (29) w/ Nl baseline CRP < 10 mg/L at Dx. GCA w/ low CRP had less fever, more ocular Dz (ant ischemic optic neuropathy 28 vs 13%), & limb claudication (24 vs. 8%) but equal relapse rates https://t.co/fPy92NjJzS
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
CCL17 is a downstream mediator of GM-CSF. Drug repurposing review of FDA approved Rx shows 5 Rx w/ anti-CCL17 effects - fluoxetine, ractopamine, ponesimod, terbutaline & etravirine, w/ inhibition of STAT5, IRF4 & CCL17 & shows antiinflamm effects in RA animal model https://t.co/2aTyZMWPJn
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 )
HCQ Preserves Renal Function in Lupus Nephritis
Lupus nephritis (LN) patients on long-term therapy with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) showed significantly less decline in renal function, compared with patients treated otherwise, a 10-year retrospective study indicated. https://t.co/YpJGpAysUQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
MTX or TNFi use in elderly #RA pts w/in a year of Dx of melanoma was not associated with increased mortality. This included melanoma in situ (48%), localized (47%) and regional (5%) melanoma. Steroid use however was assoc w/ reduced survival. https://t.co/QOXfEf51S1 https://t.co/GZ5dedEMfM
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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A New RA Approval (8.1.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and a new treatment for RA from the FDA.
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Rituximab is not Superior in EGPA
A cohort study of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis (EGPA) patients from the French Vasculitis Study Group failed to show superiority of rituximab compared to conventional strategy with glucocorticoids (GS) alone or in combination https://t.co/h4B20Ngamj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA is evaluating the safety of Vyvgart Hytrulo, ((efgartigimod) used to treat AChR Ab positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). But in clinical trials there are reports of "severe worsening of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP)” https://t.co/KN7ZZ2LWPW
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
PMR & GCA not assoc w/ increased mortality, Norway study of 274 isolated PMR (mean age 72 yrs) & 63 GCA (age 72 yrs) pts. After mean F/U 13.7 yrs 96% were deceased. Standardized mortality ratio was Not incr for PMR (0.97)or GCA (1.10), but men w/ PMR had , lower all-cause https://t.co/wbiVhjCimk
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Options for Refractory axSpA or PsA
MedPage Today
Although most patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) didn't respond adequately to the interleukin-17 (IL-17) inhibitor ixekizumab (Taltz), enough did that it should still be considered in such cases, a Danish registry study indicated.
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Danish childhood vaccination registry study (1997-2020) found among 1,224,176 children w/ vaccination before age 5, w/ aluminum containing vaccines against an DPT, poliovirus, Hib (DTaP-IPV/Hib), PCV, etc found no increased risk of autoimmune dz by 8 yrs of https://t.co/9IR6AmlIT9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
HCQ Preserves Renal Function in Lupus Nephritis
Lupus nephritis (LN) patients on long-term therapy with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) showed significantly less decline in renal function, compared with patients treated otherwise, a 10-year retrospective study indicated. https://t.co/dB6G34c6Mw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Rituximab is not Superior in EGPA
A cohort study of Eosinophilic Granulomatosis With Polyangiitis (EGPA) patients from the French Vasculitis Study Group failed to show superiority of rituximab compared to conventional strategy with glucocorticoids (GS) alone or in combination with cyclophosphamide.
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"FLAME" - machine learning model developed to predict SLE flares. Data from 28,433 SLE pts (2011-2022) looked at clinical & social determinants of health (SDoH) to predict 3 mo flare risk. AUROC = 0.67; SHAP analysis identified HA, OBS, & pyuria as predictors. Is this the https://t.co/6Eqqc9w2oV
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
HCQ Preserves Renal Function in Lupus Nephritis
MedPage Today
Lupus nephritis patients on long-term therapy with hydroxychloroquine showed significantly less decline in renal function, compared with patients treated otherwise, a 10-year retrospective study indicated.
Read Article
Review of risankizumab efficacy & safety included 545 psoriasis pts showing Mean PASI decreased from 14 to 0.5 at 208Wk. PASI100 achieved in 33% and 74% at 16Wk & 208Wk. Bio-naïve responded faster bio-experienced pts - only 5 pts D/C for adverse events https://t.co/VklLWpD0SF https://t.co/zZfuiFijd4
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
MTX or TNFi use in elderly #RA pts w/in a year of Dx of melanoma was not associated with increased mortality. This included melanoma in situ (48%), localized (47%) and regional (5%) melanoma. Steroid use however was assoc w/ reduced survival. https://t.co/QOXfEf51S1 https://t.co/6BPtEV6sOU
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA is evaluating the safety of Vyvgart Hytrulo, ((efgartigimod) used to treat AChR Ab positive generalized myasthenia gravis (gMG). But in clinical trials there are reports of "severe worsening of chronic inflammatory demyelinating polyradiculoneuropathy (CIDP)” https://t.co/6GBwIJ4ig4
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Osteoporosis Drug May Lower Osteoarthritis Risk
A target trial emulation study using administrative claims suggests that romosozumab was associated with a lower risk of osteoarthritis than teriparatide among individuals with osteoporosis, particularly for knee osteoarthritis. https://t.co/fWWw2t2jzR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Practical management of rheumatic immune-related adverse events with immune checkpoint inhibitors
Joint Bone Spine has published a full read review of the management of immune-related adverse events (irAEs) in patients receiving Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) for cancer. https://t.co/i3FMOCbyNg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
If severe refractory SLE is defined as SLEDAI-2K≥10 despite steroids & immunosuppressives; Cohort of 3,744 SLE - 14% (578) had srSLE. Median SLEDAI-2K = 12, & decreased to 6 at 6m & 12m> < 25% achieved LLDAS & only 1% attained GC-free remission @ 12 mos https://t.co/7tehA27gyT https://t.co/yef4wCpqNf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
TNFi are relatively contraindicated in RA pts w/ #MS. Literature review suggests for pts w/ MS and RA, teriflunomide and anti-CD20 therapies are the most suitable, and Cladribine may also be considered https://t.co/gIVaJ7Kwn0 https://t.co/1ar0q2OnzB
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
CKD & Osteoporosis Rx Revisited (7.25.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal and FDA updates from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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Survival in #RA pts undergoing cervical spine surgery is not good! Retrospective study of 139 RA pts who underwent Cx surgery shows higher mortality risk if they are older, w low albumin levels, high-dose pred. and have subaxial subluxation. https://t.co/hKvgaas2gh https://t.co/ygtJjb4mVl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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