Early RA Referral Clinics Work (9.18.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com
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Bariatric Surgery in the Era of GLP-1RA
Overweight/obesity is a chronic multi-system disease that can impair physical and mental health. It now affects almost 1 in 3 Canadians. Multiple recent guidelines have therefore suggested using waist measurements, in addition to BMI, to https://t.co/RaXnQ2d9Yr
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
4,197 pts from the UK Biobank met fibromyalgia criteria, yet 72.6% had NOT received a diagnosis. Non-Dx assoc w/ male, older age, milder sxs or other pain Dx (OA, CRPS, CFS), lower polysymptomatic distress scores, and less frequent fatigue. https://t.co/Y9m9jR5wbR https://t.co/fitm675kyK
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Obesity management goes far beyond the number on the scale.
Watch our Four Pillars of Weight Loss video series, part of this month’s The Obesity Imperative campaign.
What Are the Four Pillars of Obesity Management?
Building a Multidisciplinary Program for Obesity & Arthritis https://t.co/16v4JFVWWs
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Discussing Weight Loss: 3 Minute Script
Dr. Jack Cush's 3 Minute Script as discussed in his Introducing Weight Loss video.
https://t.co/JRWAPc5if5 https://t.co/NUpxPT4bdo
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Weight Loss Improves Psoriatic Disease Substantially!
Even before the introduction of incretin therapy and bariatric surgery, many randomized and interventional studies (2019–2026) have consistently showed that weight loss produces clinically meaningful, dose-dependent https://t.co/BWeW7fzSC8
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Single center study of FALLs in 124 ambulatory RA females ≥50 yrs.(age 68 yrs, DAS28 2.6, sarcopenia 16%, prior fall 25%). 27.4% had falls; predicted by prior fall hx (OR 2.76, hypnotics/anxiolytics (3.92), not steroids or sarcopenia (NS trend) https://t.co/J62RPF9rQs https://t.co/OKxdPl5Oev
Links:
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Music and Pain Relief
A new scoping review in Pain Reports by Bradt et al., examines the effect of MBIs on pain management. While its efficacy is well established, how or why music relieves pain has never been fully explained. This systematic review is based on 663 records and https://t.co/0FJgzWSoOB
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A Day of Infamy (9.11.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on Rheumnow.com - including obesity, disappointing durability with GLP-1 drugs, AI diagnoses and worries about CV risk in ANCA-associated vasculitis. And take this week's RheumIQ quiz
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Difficult PsA is called ‘difficult-to-manage’ (D2M) or ‘treatment-refractory’ dz (TRD). Data from 5 Nordic PsA registries 14,362 ps, D/Cs of ≥2/≥3/≥4 b/tsDMARDs in 36%/18%/10%. Freq of D2M low 2%/3%/3%, & TRD was 1.2%/1.2%/0.8%. Female #s, depression, & opioids incr w/ # of https://t.co/FkQU5BVRn2
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RCT 451 chronic LBP in general practice shows 8-wk telehealth mindfulness reduced pain intensity and interference at 6 months compared with usual care, BUT changes did not meet the prespecified mean 1-point MCID between groups. Is it worth doing? https://t.co/H4oYTeq1is https://t.co/cozq7gGnYO
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Osteoarthritis, Obesity and GLP-1s
https://t.co/SGnWksQBpT https://t.co/TPxM4aj7bd
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High BMI decreases the odds for MDA in PsA, esp w/ TNFi Rx (but not Inflx, IL-17i, IL-12/23i, IL-23i, JAKi). Longitudinal PsA cohort 1291 pts (mean BMI 29); Higher BMI independently assoc w/ signif. lower odds for MDA (OR 0.97), also female, age, smoking, FM & Xray damage. https://t.co/zAJ8Pmk1HY
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Music and Pain Relief
A new scoping review in Pain Reports by Bradt et al., examines the effect of MBIs on pain management. While its efficacy is well established, how or why music relieves pain has never been fully explained. This systematic review is based on 663 records and https://t.co/HBCURxB9WC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
QD Clinic: The Weight Behind Delay in Diagnosis
Dr. Antoni Chan, London, discusses a case of a patient with ankylosing spondylitis whose weight delayed the diagnosis and treatment of AS. This QD Clinic is presented as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" campaign, https://t.co/fDozAaX64j
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Treating Obesity is Disease-Modifying (9.4.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com. New drugs approved, new drugs halted and some drugs out of control. Ready to test your knowlege? Take this week's quiz!
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Cochrane systematic review of LBP Rx (8 RCTs, 501 cLBP pts) show that Lumbar supports may result in a small reduction in pain intensity if given w/ NSAIDs, but may offer little to no benefit for pain intensity & disability if used alone. Insufficient evidence to support their https://t.co/6Vq4CPXLvE
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Music and Pain Relief
If laughter is the best medicine, then music has to be second best. A new scoping review in Pain Reports by Bradt et al., examines the effect of music-based interventions (MBIs) on pain management. While its efficacy is well established, how or why music relieves pain has never been fully
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Sleep and Obesity: A Bidirectional Relationship
In July 2026, JAMA published a concise review of the bidirectional relationship between sleep health and obesity. Obesity affects roughly 40% of US adults, and sleep problems affect nearly one-third. This review outlines the https://t.co/cA6P4aOHR0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
MSK problems w/ Mobile gaming addiction (MGA)? Study of 364 Jordanian med students showed 9% had MGA- these has signif more UE MSK pain (71% vs 48%; p 0.012) vs nonaddicts. Elbow pain (41%) best predictor of MGA, but also neck (85%), upper back (65%), wrists (41%). https://t.co/51AWgHjrGC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Sleep and Obesity: A Bidirectional Relationship
In July 2026, JAMA concisely reviewed the bidirectional relationship between sleep health and obesity. Obesity affects roughly 40% of US adults and sleep problems affect nearly one-third. This review outlines the biological mechanisms and clinical interventions relevant to weight management.
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Rheums! Do you have a Rheumatology question or case for Dr. Cush? Record it here, and we may feature it on an upcoming podcast. Tell us your name and where you practice rheumatology.
https://t.co/LZ59KW8HdA https://t.co/DwHdvpTYax
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JAMA Review: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
POTS is a chronic autonomic disorder affecting an estimated 0.1%–1% of the US population, with peak incidence at ages 13–29 and a striking 90% female predominance.
https://t.co/dAKlTp4VK3 https://t.co/A2UvgYOQN1
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Review: Postural Orthostatic Tachycardia Syndrome (POTS)
Postural orthostatic tachycardia syndrome (POTS) is a chronic autonomic disorder affecting an estimated 0.1%–1% of the US population, with peak incidence at ages 13–29 and a striking 90% female predominance.
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Dr. Cush provides a systematic approach to evaluating musculoskeletal and rheumatic complaints in clinical practice.
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I have been investigating the mechanisms of antinuclear antibody (ANA) expression in SLE since 1978. In this pursuit, I have followed the advice of my first division chief, Dr. Ralph Snyderman, a great academician. Ralph told me to identify a research focus and make it mine. I think I have done reasonably well in my mission so you can imagine my surprise (and excitement) when, for the Lupus 2025 meeting in Toronto, I was asked to conduct a Meet the Professor session on the Type 1 & 2 model for SLE.
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