MTX Fails Knee OA (6.6.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com
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Genetic Link to CPPD
In a first-of-its-kind genome-wide association study (GWAS) researchers have discovered two genes, RNF144B and ENPP1, that cause calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease in Americans of European and African descent.
https://t.co/YSR6rEYzjG https://t.co/L7JyoxQp3K
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Genetic Link to CPPD
EurekAlert!
In a first-of-its-kind genome-wide association study (GWAS) researchers have discovered two genes, RNF144B and ENPP1, that cause calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease in Americans of European and African descent. This crystalline arthritis is caused by calcium
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Emerging therapies targeting the NLRP3-inflammasome (active in Autoinflammatory Dz, Gout, neurodegenerative Dz/Alzheimers). Currently no FDA approved drugs, but many in trials. eg, Oxidized DNA (DAMP) activates NLRP3 & may be blocked by repurposed glycosylase inhibitors to reduce https://t.co/CJv50LVKhy
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Panacea of Prednisone & Cannabis (5.16.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal and regulatory reports from this week on RheumNow.com. Interesting trends and results with prednisone in lupus, cannabis in RA and opioid deaths too!
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Is the nosology of CPPD outdated? Pseudogout to chondrocalcinosis? In 2011 EULAR taskforce rec the preferred term "calcium pyrophosphate deposition dz". G-CAN aims to update & standardised terminology for CPPD, requiring change to ICD-10 & adoption by societies https://t.co/mdqwDQN1po
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Is the nosology of CPPD outdated? Pseudogout to chondrocalcinosis? In 2011 EULAR taskforce rec the preferred term "calcium pyrophosphate deposition dz". G-CAN aims to update & standardised terminology for CPPD, requiring change to ICD-10 & adoption by societies https://t.co/wTdc0Tosc6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
2023 report from US NHANES study says #Gout affects 12.1 million in the USA. Gout prevalence incr from 3.6% in 2011/12 to 5.1% in 2017/2018. Recent increases do to doubling in Asian Americans from 3.3% to 6.6%. https://t.co/IBa3fOt83c https://t.co/06Ltm0FycI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Keys to Mastery (5.2.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, articles and drug approvals from the past week on RheumNow.com. This podcast marks the beginning of our Lupus Campaign called "Lupus Unlocked: Keys to Mastery". This month's campaign on Lupus is sponsored by Aurinia.
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Gout pts No-Shows after ED: Study of 159 gout pts w/ gout flare & ED visit - only 56 (35%) had an outpatient visit addressing gout within 6 mos. Higher odds w/ being married (OR 2.66), no comorbidities (OR 3.86), colchicine use (OR 2.7), being older (OR 1.44) https://t.co/tAorjwf8xX
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Osteoarthritis Risky Business (4.18.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and Journal reports from this week on RheumNow. Osteoarthritis patients have unique risks and synovial fluid WBC numbers can tell you when to worry about septic arthritis in gout and pseudogout patients. https://t.co/T9KGoOBANN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Distinguishing Septic and Gouty Arthritis
A single center, retrospective review of patients undergoing knee joint fluid aspirations for presumed crystalline arthritis (CA) showed that synovial WBC may provide a useful diagnostic marker for SA with an optimal threshold of 50,000 https://t.co/ye69mRooSh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Osteoarthritis Risky Business (4.18.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and Journal reports from this week on RheumNow.com. Osteoarthritis patients have unique risks and synovial fluid WBC numbers can tell you when to worry about septic arthritis in gout and pseudogout patients.
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Distinguishing Septic and Gouty Arthritis
A single center, retrospective review of patients undergoing knee joint fluid aspirations for presumed crystalline arthritis (CA) showed that synovial WBC may provide a useful diagnostic marker for SA with an optimal threshold of 50,000 cells/mm3.
Distinguishing septic arthritis (SA)
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2nd Opinions in Rheumatology
https://t.co/R4CjJHEaL4 https://t.co/0quDwdANyU
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Systematic review of colchicine and pregnancy in #FMF pts included 25 studies. Miscarriage was not increased w/ colchicine in FMF (RR 0.87). Birth defects were similar to unexposed pts (range 0.6% to 4.0%). Colchicine showed no effects (men/women) on fertility. 1 study reported… https://t.co/axiH9jhEJr https://t.co/oBpew71fZw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Indigenous peoples of the Pacific, particularly those of Polynesian descent, have a high prevalence of hyperuricaemia and gout. Gout in Indigenous peoples of the Pacific is severe, associated with family history and is experienced at a relatively young age.… https://t.co/phf5RRkJzE https://t.co/q4VO34Ea5z
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Available the first time: https://t.co/4UQlqwujiR 2025 On Demand!
On Demand gives you access to all lectures, Q & A panels, and STEP talks, and all speaker slides and handouts — all packed with insights you won’t find anywhere else.
Non-CME, practical, and finally here.… https://t.co/qZb8OKjPpw https://t.co/Exr8u6QkNc
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
The Cartel is Coming for Rheumatology
"What Do Blockbuster Drugs & The Black Market All Have in Common?" asked Dr. Madelaine Feldman at RheumNow Live 2025. They thrive, she explained, on market exclusivity "... until they don't." At first glance, the pharmaceutical marketplace may not appear like a crime drug ring, but Dr.
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Pregnancy is 🔥 inflammatory
Hard to interpret MRI of SI joints in setting of pregnancy
Ideally, don't score MRI during pregnancy or 1 year afterwards, would be affected by the pregnancy
If needed for clinical eval, focus on structural lesions like erosions
#RNL2025 @RheumNow
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd( View Tweet )
Proinflammatory Diet Increases Gout Risk
Some dietary habits are worse than others when it comes to gout risk for women, a large study indicated.
https://t.co/DS6JDfJZI4 https://t.co/U3Xwq96oGj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Participation is Up! (1.31.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. We also have two call-in cases on "Ask Cush Anything".
Be sure to join in the fun at RNL 2025 next weekend - Gong Show Karaoke; what will you sing?
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SubAnalysis of STOP Gout Trial: 277 pts w/ CKD received either allopurinol or febuxostat. Most achieved SUA goal (79% vs 81%), fewer allopurinol pts had gout flares (32% vs 45%; P=0.02); AKI only seen stage w/ 3 CKD (allopurinol > febuxostat) https://t.co/wwfVCei4Ej https://t.co/W8Y7KxcSd4
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Proinflammatory Diet Increases Gout Risk
MedPage Today
Some dietary habits are worse than others when it comes to gout risk for women, a large study indicated.
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Open label trial of starting MTX in 11 uncontrolled gout pts previously Rx w/ IV pegloticase (PEG 2-27x) showed if gout pts failed PEG monotherapy, only 1/11 (9%) showed a good response to adding MTX w/ PEG. MTX must be started w/ PEG initiation to work https://t.co/aoBtyIRbQe https://t.co/RNe03O6Z1N
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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