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IL-6

EULAR Guidelines on Reproductive Health

MedPage Today

Rheumatology patients considering or actually having babies can safely take most of the medications currently used to treat their conditions, according to an updated guideline from the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR).

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2024 Management of Familial Mediterranean Fever Recommendations

A EULAR/PReS combined task force has developed recommendations for the management of Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), the most common monogenic autoinflammatory disease worldwide. These evidence-based recommendations update the 2016 recommendations developed for rheumatologists and other HCPs

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Rheumatology: Believe It or Not (4/25/2025)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Should we believe the reviews and metanalyses?

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Unmet Needs in Still’s disease

In February 2023, an expert consensus panel of pediatric and adult rheumatologists met to address challenges in Still’s disease (SD), including systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and adult-onset SD. They addressed four main topics: (1) early recognition and diagnosis of SD; (2) pathogenetic

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Does DMARD Rx affect neurocognitive function in older pts? bDMARDs targeting TNF-α & IL-6 may mitigate neuroinflammation & preserve cognitive function. But, cognitive impact of csDMARDs (MTX) is complex, w/ conflicting reports on its role in vascular dementia. https://t.co/u3kSKHRvpI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Does DMARD Rx affect neurocognitive function in older pts? bDMARDs targeting TNF-α & IL-6 may mitigate neuroinflammation & preserve cognitive function. But, cognitive impact of csDMARDs (MTX) is complex, w/ conflicting reports on its role in vascular dementia. https://t.co/6uMmOOdRoF
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

1st Line Biologics vs csDMARDs in Adult Still's Disease

A German multicentre, retrospective study assessed the first-line efficacy of biologics and conventional synthetic DMARD therapy in patients with adult-onset Still's disease and found biologic agents were significantly better with sustained, event-free remissions and fewer complications.

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ERA, APPs, & Alpha GAL (3.21.2025)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.  Listen in for 2 new case questions - Ask Cush Anything.

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Adrenal Dysfunction after Steroids in PMR and GCA Patients

JAMA has published a study of PMR and GCA patients who stopped glucocorticoid (GC) therapy and noted a low (1.2%) risk of GC-induced adrenal insufficiency after planned cessation.

GC are widespreadly and chronically used in rheumatology, often with the

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PAFLAR Guidelines for Polyarticular Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis

The Pediatric African League against Rheumatism (PAFLAR) initiative has published its guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA

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World Changers (3.14.2025)

Dr Jack Cush and his podcast friends are out to change the world. Here is his weekly review of the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.

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Channeling Bias and Cancer Risk with Biologic or Targeted Synthetic DMARDs

A retrospective US administrative claims cohort study of RA patients on tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFis), non-TNFi biologics, or Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) found a statistically significantly higher risk of incident cancer in patients receiving rituximab, abatacept, or JAKis (

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2024 Rheumatology Year in Review

2024 was a year of surprising new growth in technology, with the expansion of new therapeutic options for many patients and clinicians.  While these many advances offer new hope, they are countered by disappointments and gapping unmet needs in rheumatology. Below is my top 10 list

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The European Commission (EC) has approved Celltrion’s Avtozma (CT-P47), a biosimilar referencing Roche’s RoActemra (tocilizumab). https://t.co/ukMDwtgUhw https://t.co/htDVWKbu3n
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Are Combination Biologics Safe?

Although package inserts commonly warn against combining the use of biologic or targeted therapies, there is growing interest in such combination therapy for patients with problematic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID).
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Opioid Deaths are Down (2.28.2025) Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow. Opioid deaths are down, IL-33 levels are up and Weight loss is in the news again this week! https://t.co/Lb6F64AlNJ https://t.co/7AjSXOn142
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
US nationwide claims data study of CV outcomes (MACE) in #RA based on b/tsDMARD (n=34375) exposures (71% TNFi, 10% JAKi, 8% ABA, 5% RTX, 5% IL-6i). Compared to TNFi, RTX (HR 1.5) & IL-6i (HR 1.3) had numerically higher, but not statistically significant, MACE risk.… https://t.co/GXunfMY3US https://t.co/XYZPt0kzGE
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

B Cell Depleters (2.21.2025)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.

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#Benralizumab vs #Mepolizumab both work for #EGPA Which to use? 🤷‍♀️ perhaps some advantage of more steroid sparing w Benralizumab? ? JAKi ?long acting #IL5i #RNL2025 ⁦@RheumNow⁩ https://t.co/UkthHpNRIq
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope( View Tweet )
@UnaMakris #RNL25 @RheumNow Older patients w RA 1/3 of pts onset >60-65 - More acute onset, more systemic, more PMR-like, larger jts - Higher IL-6, lower TNF-a, less RF, higher ESR -Co-morbidities, polypharmacy, cognition, depression Age does not equal frailty, but does correlate https://t.co/5qb60WyKkP
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd( View Tweet )

Drug Naming Games (2.7.2025)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, regulatory and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.

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A 3rd Actemra biosimilar was approved by the FDA - Celltrion announced approval of its 7th biosimilar, Avtozma (CT-P47, tocilizumab-anoh); both IV & SCm for Rx of RA, GCA, pJIA, Still's dz & Covid-19. Joins other IL-6 biosimilars Tofidence (Biogen 10/23) & Tyenne (Frensius 3/24)… https://t.co/UtG9YOXUX2 https://t.co/j3LzG7beys
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Lung Involvement in Still's Disease

A multicentre registry observational study assessed lung involvement in a cohort of Still’s disease patients, affirming pleuritis as most common and that parenchymal lung inflammatory disease is very uncommon in both children and adults.

A total of 90 Still's patients with lung

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ICYMI: VITAL Info on Autoimmune Disease (2.9.2024)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Highlights are summarized by three songs: "Stairway to Heaven", "You're No Good", and "How Long (has this been going on)".

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Overview of Uveitis management of adult & pediatric rheumatology. - Uveitis accounts for 10% of visual impairment globally - TNF inhib are effective; w/ IL-6 inhib as 2nd line options https://t.co/fwhTxEpVG0 https://t.co/cKGdcDbz3d
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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