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In lupus patients presenting with demyelinating symptoms, consider a probable disease overlap between NPSLE and NMOSD. >>>> serum AQP4 is highly specific for NMOSD. @RheumNow #APLAR25 @rheumarhyme @marklagacmd https://t.co/2Z8rbJ3a1c

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sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
🆕 Intro to ILD (Part I): the essentials 🫁 Definition & basics 🔬 Key pathology patterns 🧑⚕️ Clinical approach 📋 What rheums need to know ⬇️ Download & learn more: https://t.co/7RzpTDOjwa Created by @MithuRheum | via @RheumNow for our Rheum to Breathe: ILD Campaign https://t.co/D9d97bqcD5

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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RheumNow Podcast – Ro, Ro, Ro52 (9.12.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Are there benefits to diet or vegan diets? What's the effect of menopause on CTD?  Ro52 makes a big entrance with all our ILD coverage this month.

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AI can Dx & predict HCQ retinopathy (HR). An International, Multi-center study used retrospective data from 409 pts (171 HR+, 238 HR-) & tested on 8251 SD-OCT scans. AI Dx 100% & predicted 98.7% mean 221 D before Dx. Sensitivity 100%; specificity 98%, PPV 94%; NPV 100% https://t.co/USABVO8Ss5
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Systemic Sclerosis–Associated ILD Watch Alicia Hinze, MD, share personalized strategies for managing Systemic Sclerosis–Associated ILD. Sponsored By: Boehringer Ingelheim https://t.co/Mxg9P50m7C #ILD #Scleroderma https://t.co/Cmupl7Dgwl

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Based on a survey in Japan, resolution of dry mouth was the most important symptom resolution reported by SJD pts. The JCR CPG for SjD suggests RTX for glandular involvement while BEL for extra-glandular involvements. #APLAR25 @RheumNow https://t.co/SsUvQIM9Eu

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sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
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September to Remember (9.5.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow. This week - unemployment, diagnosing Sjogren's and a lot of ILD.

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GLP-1 receptor agonists use assoc w/ lower risk of uveitis compared vs controls. EHR study 258 026 ea on GLP-1RA or not. GLP-1RAs exhibited roughly half the risk of developing uveitis. Protective effect greater than that of metformin & insulin but lower than SGLT2i https://t.co/w311b6swc3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Sjogren.eye.mouth

It's now called Sjögren Disease!

Jack Cush, MD

Sjögren syndrome is now Sjögren disease, according to recommendations stemming from the 2023 International Rome consensus for the nomenclature of Sjögren disease.

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Glossary for Giant Cell Arteritis Dejaco and colleagues have published a glossary of terms often used in conjunction with giant cell arteritis. The glossary of definitions for 23 signs and symptoms of GCA was developed through a consensus process involving international https://t.co/cIA3UvNcP6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Metanalysis of Uveitis & JIA - 28 studies, 22,834 JIA pts w/ 3,381dx w/ uveitis - prevalence = 12.7%,, highest in Europeans (14.3%), lowest in Asian (6.5%). Uveitis risk factors included early age JIA onset, ANA-positive, and increased ESR. https://t.co/MxffJKvbik https://t.co/LDz60uwQTM

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Patient Education Page on what is Interstitial Lung Disease https://t.co/BDbV6I53NH https://t.co/1OtTiJHkdt

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
POCUS of the lung can detect subclinical ILD and can be a useful, inexpensive, easy to perform screening tool for CTD-ILD. #EULAR2025 @RheumNow https://t.co/HC0skwUKQG
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
AI in Early Diagnosis of Giant Cell Arteritis Dr. Bella Mehta reviews abstract OP0343 - THE CLAUDICAITIO MODEL: ULTRASOUND IMAGE CLASSIFICATION IN GIANT CELL ARTERITIS BY APPLICATION OF ARTIFICIAL INTELLIGENCE - at the 2025 EULAR meeting in Barcelona. https://t.co/lJFuAgmSTH https://t.co/R1tbYpJ74o

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
IL-17 inhibitors - Long-term Extensions and Uveitis Dr. Peter Nash offers his perspective on data presented at the 2025 EULAR meeting in Barcelona. https://t.co/eQd0TcQn76 https://t.co/6Zog4LC8Aj

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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PCR: Prevalence, Cost, & Risk (6.27.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from last week on RheumNow.com

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lab.test.genetics.lavender.pcr

HLA-B27 Testing in Practice

Jack Cush, MD

A single center study shows HLA-B27 testing is often performed by both by rheumatologists and nonrheumatologists for a wide array of reasons and often along with other serologic tests. Optimal use of HLA-B27 testing has yet to be defined.

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epilepsy,brain,seizure,CVA

A Review of Intracranial GCA

Jack Cush, MD

A comprehensive review in Rheumatology on intracranial giant cell arteritis (icGCA) stresses that GCA is both an intracranial and extracranial large vessel vasculitis, with the former having unique presentations, and outcomes.

A systematic review included 102

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Lessons on Uveitis and AxSpA Dr. Adela Castro reporting from the 2025 EULAR meeting in Barcelona https://t.co/G0lDGDhpTh https://t.co/UWBSgTLyQm

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
🚨Diagnostic delays are real in axSpA: -Can lead to more extra-msk manfieststions (EMMs) in PsA and axSpA. -Increases disease burden and productivity losses. -EMMs can present before articular sx -Uveitis and IBD associated with longer dx delays. -Diagnosis has improved since https://t.co/rWMwG7Ewwe

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Adela Castro @AdelaCastro222( View Tweet )
uveitis eye iritis

Putting IL17i into ‘focus’ for SpA-associated uveitis

Janet Pope, MD, MPH, FRCPC

The longest studied drug for uveitis in SpA has been monocolonal TNFi Abs. Reductions of acute anterior uveitis have been found with etanercept but less impressively than adalimumab, infliximab, and in my opinion less than golimumab and certolizumab pegol.

Other data have emerged for JAKi and

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While there are trials in progress, there is no RCT data on the use of JAK inhibitors in Noninfectious Uveitis (NIU). But there is this metanalysis of many small case reports suggesting their potential efficacy in NIU. https://t.co/pBNsSmVjOz https://t.co/JrIGQGZjHt

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
labs2.jpg

HLA-B27 Testing in Practice

Jack Cush, MD

Analysis of testing for human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) in a teaching center shows HLA-B27 testing was frequently performed by rheumatologists and nonrheumatologists for a broad spectrum of indications and primarily as a screening test. 

Data

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JAMA -- Full read review "Uveitis in Adults:" - affects adults 20 to 50 years - noninfectious anterior uveitis: corticosteroids 1st line Rx - posterior noninfectious uveitis: DMARDs 1st line Rx; Biologics 2nd line https://t.co/BJQkPtK2z2 https://t.co/9zAntZK66Q

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Monitoring for #HCQ #retinal #toxicity 2 tests beyond visual fields are better than 1 OCT Etc But suggestion if low risk to do only every 5 yrs I don’t agree as risk ⬆️ w disease duration We do Annual fields and either OCT or retinal photography #LUPUS2025 @RheumNow https://t.co/TdPJ47jYEL

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Janet Pope @Janetbirdope( View Tweet )

Recent Blogs

My Take on New Ocular Screening Guidelines for Plaquenil

Sergio Schwartzman, MD
eye%20exa.jpg (keep)
A recent article published by the American Academy of Ophthalmology presented new recommendations for screening of patients being managed with hydroxychloroquine that changed the previous monitoring paradigm. More importantly, it has repositioned hydroxychloroquine from one of the safest medications that rheumatologists use to a drug that can have potentially significant ocular morbidity (if used in doses greater than 5 mg per kilogram and or for prolonged periods of time). Read Post

The Role of Hydroxychloroquine Blood Levels in SLE

Michelle Petri, MD, MPH , Laura Durcan, MD

We review the available literature, with a particular focus on the recent findings in the Hopkins Lupus Cohort, regarding the clinical utility of hydroxychloroquine blood levels in helping to clarify some of the issues regarding retinopathy, how best to dose this medication, and medication adherence. 

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