NHANES, Numbers, & Risk (7.18.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com along with interesting case questions from "Ask Cush Anything".
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🧬 Myositis-Specific Autoantibodies (MSAs) – 2025 Update
MSAs aren’t just diagnostic—they predict phenotype, prognosis, & treatment response.
👇 Infographic #RheumTwitter #Myositis #MedEd @IhabFathiSulima @DrAkhilX https://t.co/91U5s88AdB
Aravind Palraj @Rheumat_Aravind( View Tweet )
Hmmm Really? (7.11.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week - some obvious, other new thoughts and some - hmmm, reallly?
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Is the term polymyositis obsolete?.. now being replaced by dermatomyositis, necrotizing myopathy, inclusion body myositis, antisynthetase syndrome & overlap myositis. Full read overview of inflammatory myositis & new treatments from Joint Bone & Spine https://t.co/X46sptp1Ax https://t.co/QqyMv6fkVS
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Review of 104 irAE pts rx w/ JAK inhib. (82% tofacitinib). Checkpoint inhib was for Lung (20%), gastric (17%) & melanoma (16%). JAKi indications: myocarditis (70%), myositis (33%), hepatitis (24%). JAKi potentially effective esp in irAE pts unresponsive to cytokine Rx. https://t.co/8ezpAOzpRh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ICYMI: Clinical and Therapeutic Challenges in Connective Tissue Disease and ILD
Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) represent a challenging intersection of systemic autoimmunity and progressive respiratory impairment. Research presented at EULAR 2025 continues to highlight the importance of CTD-ILD and the evolving landscape of therapeutic
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Full read overview of MDA-5 Dermatomyositis (DM) - pathogenesis, findings, & Rx. MDA-5 DM is a rare, aggressive amyopathic form with distinctive skin findings & rapidly progressive interstitial lung dz. Rx includes Hi dose steroids, calcineurin inhib & IV CTX (maybe JAKi, MMF)
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
What ‘CAR’ to drive?
#CAR-T buzz was at #EULAR2025
In multiple #rheumatic #diseases
#SLE
#Scleroderma
#Sjogrens
#myositis
Even #axial #SpA
Who - active, not a lot of damage
Which target 🎯
Which priming regiment
What will results be compared to?
Who will pay?
@RheumNow
Janet Pope @Janetbirdope( View Tweet )
EULAR/ACR Classification Criteria for #ASyS, the new acronym of Antisynthetase Syndrome
🔺️Do not apply if patient is positive for other antibodies like SSA
#EULAR2025
@RheumNow https://t.co/AD5tTipBtt
Nelly ZIADE 🍀 @Nellziade( View Tweet )
EULAR 2025 – Day 3 Report
Highlights from today included presentations on imaging in vasculitis, a debate on whether to treat high risk pre-clinical RA, and EULAR Recommendations on a) Treatment of interstitial lung disease (ILD); b) Physical Activity in people with arthritis; and c) EULAR disease activity score for
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Clinical and Therapeutic Challenges in Connective Tissue Disease and ILD
Connective tissue diseases (CTDs) and interstitial lung disease (ILD) represent a challenging intersection of systemic autoimmunity and progressive respiratory impairment. Research presented at EULAR 2025 continues to highlight the importance of CTD-ILD and the evolving landscape of therapeutic
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#EULAR2025 Abstr#OP0002 Promising new mode of action therapy for #myositis. Phase 2 RCT of efgartigimod (FcRn-i; coformulated with recombinant PH20) showed improvement in TIS & other key endpoints vs PBO at Wk24. Injection reaction common (23%). Will proceed to Phase 3 @RheumNow https://t.co/SuMolfcDkS
Md Yuzaiful Md Yusof @Yuz6Yusof( View Tweet )
Retrospective multicentre study of 122 anti-synthetase syndrome pts - 14 (11%) had cancer associated myositis (CAM). The CAM SIR= 5.4 (elevated vs gen. pop. p < 0.0001). These pts were older, often +Hx cancer, lower CK levels, less weakness, worse survival. CAM cluster= older https://t.co/nuKg3P89a8
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Vitamin D Headlines (5.9.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and lupus highlights from the past week on RheumNow.com. Triple positivity, the gut and CRPS, and hope for better outcomes with Vitamin D therapy.
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International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group (IMACS) reached a consensus on ‘anti-synthetase syndrome’ as the preferred nomenclature and "ASyS" as the preferred abbreviation for the ‘anti-synthetase syndrome. https://t.co/TuTzVVZzZO https://t.co/qs5f1qATKi
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Immune Checkpoint Inhib causing Myasthenia Gravis w/ poor outcomes - 16 ICI Rx pts (9 Lung CA, 7 other tumors) Dx w/ MG; 11 w/ overlap myositis. Mean onset @ 49d. All Rx wp steroids, 6 immunosuppressives, 5 plasma exchange; only 2 complete resp. 6 deaths re: MG complications https://t.co/re73lh2Xfs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Review of SARCOPENIA - a loss of muscle mass and function, with significant implications on physical performance. More common in RA, SSc, SpA, SLE, FM, myositis, and vasculitis https://t.co/tCXdoEn9xR https://t.co/Oi91niMn5M
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Immune Checkpoint Inhib causing Myasthenia Gravis w/ poor outcomes - 16 ICI Rx pts (9 Lung CA, 7 other tumors) Dx w/ MG; 11 w/ overlap myositis. Mean onset @ 49d. All Rx wp steroids, 6 immunosuppressives, 5 plasma exchange; only 2 complete resp. 6 deaths re: MG complications https://t.co/PUc6kIE7FW
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Review of SARCOPENIA - a loss of muscle mass and function, with significant implications on physical performance. More common in RA, SSc, SpA, SLE, FM, myositis, and vasculitis https://t.co/tCXdoEn9xR https://t.co/PvtmVCv2QJ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Cancer Survival with TNF Inhibitors (3.28.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com
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An Unusual Consult for Myopathy
Presentation by Dr. Kelsey Lemmen, at the Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposia - Feb 2025
https://t.co/DYlzee6qcs https://t.co/nUxTC9roF9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
FDA grants priority reviews to:
- Nicalizumab (J&J; FcRn antibody) for use in Myasthenia gravis.
- Upadacitinib (AbbVie; JAK inhib) for use in GCA
- Namistat (BI: PDE4B inhib) for use in Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis
- Inalizumab (Hansen; anti-CD19) for use in IG4 rel Dz
-… https://t.co/dsg9vZASrk https://t.co/8t2USASmm8
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Case: A Woman With Painful Digital Ulcers - What would you order next?
- chest CT w/ myositis-specific autoAb panel
- dsDNA
- SCL-70 & Centromere Abs
- muscle biopsy https://t.co/t0WCIMtZg2 https://t.co/M1jBhnclLl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Opioid Deaths are Down (2.28.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Opioid deaths are down, IL-33 levels are up and Weight loss is in the news again this week!
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Misdiagnosis of Dermatomyositis
JAMA Dermatology reports a retrospective cohort study from Johns Hopkins reviewing mimic of dermatomyositis (DM), suggesting that DM and especially clinically amyopathic DM (CADM) are commonly and initially misdiagnosed as inflammatory skin disease (ISD).
The study was undertaken to
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Winning is everything – in football and in medicine. Rheumatologists have achieved many successes but still struggle to win against a handful of rheumatic foes. This retrospective examines past wins and losses and helps us to look ahead to a new season.
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