Mental Health

NIH Complimentary Medicine overview of Music Therapy - preliminary research suggests that music interventions may be helpful for anxiety, depression, pain control, dementia, multiple sclerosis, Parkinson’s disease, etc https://t.co/RP8X8Kf2jV https://t.co/s0bOTEUCPT

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Transcranial_magnetic_stimulation

Repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation in Fibromyalgia

Jack Cush, MD

A randomized, sham-controlled trial has shown that repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) reduced pain in fibromyalgia for up to 8 weeks; while analgesic effects waned, functional improvements remained during extended maintenance at week 16.

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ERA, APPs, & Alpha GAL (3.21.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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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Single Center study of 112 RA pts from Morocco used machine learning (ML) logistic regression model & identified #Depression in 48% (HADS score >8) w/ 76.5% accuracy, 72.2% precision, 81.2% recall, and an area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC AUC) of… https://t.co/LBvdVEzDGJ https://t.co/bYLqsFagbR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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World Changers (3.14.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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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Metanalysis of 376 studies, 347 468 pts w/ chronic pain (mean 51yrs; 70%F) finds ~40% had clinically significant depression and anxiety (more common in Women, younger people, pts w nociplastic pain). Depression common in FM (54%) & OA/RA (~28%). https://t.co/s1tcgC3y7k https://t.co/NCxkOA82jD

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
dementia.think.brain

Long-Term Use of NSAIDs Linked to Lower Dementia Risk

MedPage Today

Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was tied to a decreased risk of dementia, data from the prospective Rotterdam Study showed.

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Neuropsychiatric Lupus: More than just a headache Presentation by Dr. Daniel Carlson, at the Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposia - Feb 2025 https://t.co/v0da4UNFNV https://t.co/BhBKOgak4W

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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Hydroxychloro-King (3.7.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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

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TheDaoIndex @KDAO2011 @UnaMakris wants us to shift our approach to #GeriRheum. #RNL2025– remember the 5 M’s Multimorbidity Mind Medications Mobility what Matters most https://t.co/MIVnpw87rW https://t.co/D4AmrYhyWH

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
The ‘dark’ side of #Hidradenitis #suppurativa 👇 Smell of leaking lesions #HS ⬆️skin folds, buttock, axilla, also thighs, neck ⬆️depression @RheumNow #RNL2025 ‘ If pt doesn’t get in gown then not ready for systemic #Rx!’ Jennifer Clay #ClinicalPearl https://t.co/tZzz5tielt

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Janet Pope @Janetbirdope( View Tweet )
Risk factors for development of PsA in psoriasis. Psoriasis severity, obesity, and depression. @alexisogdie @RheumNow @RNL2025 https://t.co/obMDBvLLnx

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Richard Conway @RichardPAConway( View Tweet )
Predicting #PsA PRESTO study #obvious risks are #predictive Alexis R Ogdie ⁦@RheumNow⁩ #RNL2025 bad PsO 2X ^PsA High BMI Depression Modifiable risks #psoriasis #psoriatic #arthritis https://t.co/pOxidCWcg5

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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

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Eric Dein @ericdeinmd( View Tweet )
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Drug Naming Games (2.7.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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

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How did Rheumatology go from being the happiest specialist to now being 5th from the bottom at 65%? Top heavy happiness seems to be influenced by income? what do you think? Allergy 94% Pathology 88% Dermatology 87% .... Rheum 67% Internal med 66%... https://t.co/YTKMElL868 https://t.co/RnsIVYWBFo

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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Weak Data (1.24.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com, and features Dr. Charity Dean, the Keynote speaker at RheumNow Live 2025, and why she is an inspiration.

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A substantial # of pts with inflammatory arthritis (IA) are not receiving adequate treatment for depression and anxiety(same as those IA-free controls). Canadian study of 6,951 w/ IA & depression, on 50% recv treatment & 20% psych. Rx for depression. Similar for 3,701 w/ IA &… https://t.co/CfpwEtLH3c

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Online survey of 1,531 in 2019 showed that rural women have greater psychological and physical burdens than their suburban/urban women - with more mood swings, muscle and joint pain, vaginal dryness and urinary problems . https://t.co/TlaEEENdzp https://t.co/TTtyWK5urZ

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Although there is a bidirectional relationship betw pain and sleep, Sleep impairment more strongly predicts pain than pain does sleep. Addressing sleep disturbances is crucial, as it is linked to higher levels of disability, depression, pain-related catastrophizing.… https://t.co/pcFeCWSBCg https://t.co/0QlnbpKEbp
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
CorEvitas registry study of 1823 psoriatic arthritis pts found that 11.1% fulfilled the fibromyalgia definition and 20.6% fulfilled the widespread pain definition. Factors assoc w/ FM: female, depression, anxiety, impaired function, BMI & #of comorbidities.… https://t.co/nDk8hPTlAu https://t.co/jnO5MijoGJ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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54K Peptic Ulcers Annually (12.13.2024)

Jack Cush, MD

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

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CorEvitas registry study of 1823 psoriatic arthritis pts found that 11.1% fulfilled the fibromyalgia definition and 20.6% fulfilled the widespread pain definition. Factors assoc w/ FM: female, depression, anxiety, impaired function, BMI & #of comorbidities.… https://t.co/rBZwUxQ8yw https://t.co/W42YDBnDCa
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Hands caring bond

Why should rheumatologists care about aging?

Patricia Harkins, MD

The global population is aging and none of our rheumatic diseases are immune to the impact of the complexities and so-called “geriatric syndromes”, including sarcopenia, frailty, falls and cognitive impairment, associated with the aging process. Whilst we are increasingly aware of these

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Cognitive Impairment: The Hidden Burden in Lupus Care Suppose you have a patient with SLE returning for follow-up. Their joint symptoms are well controlled. The kidneys—managed with a combination of biologic DMARD and mycophenolate—show no signs of active urinary sediment or… https://t.co/W8RO5aOaxj https://t.co/EF9P93hdPB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Recent Blogs

Choice Overload (and the Way Out)

Jack Cush, MD
paint,choice,overload,color
I recently overheard a very good practicing rheumatologist complain, “why do I need yet another drug for psoriatic arthritis? I have more treatment choices than I have actual PsA patients who need a new or better drug”. Read Post

Comorbidities in RA: Focus on Difficult-to-Treat Disease

Elena Nikiphorou, MD, PhD
Puzzle pieces
The presence of comorbidities naturally complicates treatment choice, patient adherence to medication and patient outcomes, increasing also the risk of making RA ‘difficult-to-treat’. Read Post
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