Chikungunya Club Meeting (7.24.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
Read Article
Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index for Liver Fibrosis is calculated from age, AST, ALT, Plts. Study of 174 RA, PsA, PsO pts on MTX find 11% w/ fibrosis (by elastography). FIB-4 AUC for fibrosis =0.68 (weak). Fibrosis was signif assoc w/ FIB-4 >1.62, DM, obesity, advanced steatosis https://t.co/GYrhs2U1s3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
UK primary care database (2000–21) gout study of new colchicine initiators (n 31,478) vs noninitiators (mean 60 yrs, BMI 30), follow-up of 4.5 yrs. Colchicine use had a signif. 12% lower risk of Joint Arthroplasty (HR 0.88); 23% lower TJA in knee/hip OA (HR 0.77) https://t.co/bT07lUYBB2
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Black tart (Montmorency) cherries (or extract) have been shown to consistently reduce gout attacks.
For more gout content, follow our Gout: More than Flares campaign at https://t.co/xnBVBN5IXZ, https://t.co/Ig6JLg3lcL
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Swimming Reduces Disability from Low Back Pain
EurekAlert!
Swimming is commonly recommended for patients with chronic low back pain. Yet, there is little trial data investigating swimming. An Australian study has shown for the first time that a program of swimming can be clinically effective in reducing disability from chronic low back pain
Read Article
UK primary care database (2000–21) gout study of new colchicine initiators (n 31,478) vs noninitiators (mean 60 yrs, BMI 30), follow-up of 4.5 yrs. Colchicine use had a signif. 12% lower risk of Joint Arthroplasty (HR 0.88); 23% lower TJA in knee/hip OA (HR 0.77) https://t.co/TkYFYhANuH
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Evidence-Based Dietary Recommendations for Gout
Gout, historically referred to as the “disease of kings,” was once associated with a lifestyle of excess, including ready access to alcohol and rich meats once reserved for society’s highest ranks. Today, it is more appropriate to refer to gout as a “disease of commoners,” as it is
Read Article
QD Clinic: Gout: Is it the Journey or the Destination?
Dr. Arthur Kavanaugh discusses a gout patient whose frequent flares improved after lifestyle changes, despite medication not being enough on its own.
https://t.co/frf4O87L0I https://t.co/cjtiYY9Ayt
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
SGLT2i use in gout reduces use of gout meds. Study of 26,739 gout pts w/ NIDDM (mean 66 yrs), 67% w/ polypharmacy. SGLT2i (vs DPP-4i) user had less Allopurinol starts (HR 0.62;0.52–0.73), also lower use of steroids (,78), NSAID (.85), colchicine (.87) & diuretics (.87) https://t.co/1dW27YzSvg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
GI dz & malnutrition in scleroderma (SSc) is common, assessed by BMI. Among 450 SSc (F/U 5.3 yrs), lower BMI were significantly assoc w/ pseudoobstruction, smaller oral aperture, higher Medsger vascular severity scores. Defines those at risk https://t.co/w45OhUOUTh https://t.co/hWuIaS6OUe
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Gout in Minority Populations
Recent research has revealed substantial racial and ethnic disparities in both who develops gout and the care patients receive. These differences reflect not only genetic susceptibility but also the substantial influence of social determinants of https://t.co/SKEsQVZPw6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ACP Position Paper on Dietary Supplements
More than half of U.S. adults use dietary supplements, yet only a quarter use supplements recommended by a healthcare professional, and current law allows supplements to reach the market without a premarket safety evaluation, unlike https://t.co/gwLG4ElfCq
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Why Do Gout Flares Start at Night?
The striking propensity for gout flares to initiate at night has been recognized for centuries. More recent epidemiological research supports this observation, indicating that the risk of a gout flare is more than twice as high in the early https://t.co/FbCUmXEl2y
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Psoriatic Arthritis: EULAR 2026 Recap
Years of IL-17 vs. IL-23 debate in PsA finally got tested head-to-head: bimekizumab outperformed risankizumab on joint outcomes in the BE BOLD trial, while a GLP-1 combination study suggests weight and metabolic status are active drivers of PsA — not just comorbidities. This recap also digs into
Read Article
ACP Position Paper on Dietary Supplements
More than half of U.S. adults use dietary supplements, yet only a quarter use supplements recommended by a healthcare professional, and current law lets supplements reach the market with no premarket safety evaluation, unlike drugs or food additives. The paper notes that under DSHEA, dietary
Read Article
Gout Cavalcade (7.10.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and regulatory decisions from the past week. July is Gout: More than Flares month.
Read Article
Weight loss helps gout, but extreme weight loss (bariatric surgery, ketogenic diets) may trigger gouty attacks. (Not seen with GLP-1 agonist weight loss)
For more gout content, follow our Gout: More than Flares campaign at https://t.co/xnBVBN5IXZ, https://t.co/LGEENexSZ6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Long term F/U of Gout (CARES) trial (febuxostat vs allopurinol) shows remission increased from 37% (1,593/4,259) 1st Yr to 63% (322/510) at year 6. Over the 6 years, ~60 achieved remission at least once; more likely based on age, race, dz severity, comorbidities, & febuxostat
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
EULAR26: GLP-1 Agonist Use in the RISE Registry
At EULAR 2026, McCormick and Curtis et al presented data from the American College of Rheumatology’s (ACR) Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry on the use of GLP-1 agents in rheumatic diseases (RMD). https://t.co/EqgETKjN1v
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ICYMI: Worldwide Trends in Hyperuricemia
A Lancet Rheumatology systematic review shows the prevalence of hyperuricaemia has risen markedly over the past two decades in both men and women, owing to population growth, aging, and increasing age-specific rates
Read Article
EULAR26: GLP-1 Agonist Use in the RISE Registry
EurekAlert!
At EULAR 2026, McCormick and Curtis et al presented data from the American College of Rheumatology’s (ACR) Rheumatology Informatics System for Effectiveness (RISE) registry on the use of GLP-1 agents in rheumatic diseases (RMD).
Read Article
Spotlight on Comorbidities from EULAR 2026
EurekAlert!
Systemic autoimmune diseases are associated with increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality – possibly through autonomic imbalance, myocardial inflammation, or fibrotic infiltration of the conduction system. A team in Colombia have been looking into the
Read Article
20% sample of elder RA Medicare pts (2009-2022) on TNFi who either stopped or tapered TNFi found 38% sustained de-escalation, while 62% re-escalated within a medianof 164. Re-escalation was more likely in Blacks, Hispanic/other, with a lower comorbidity burden. https://t.co/rEB3VdOii2
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Dietary Interventions in PsA
Dr. Peter Nash reports on several abstracts at the 2026 EULAR meeting in London, including: OP069; OP070 and POS0050.
https://t.co/VLldzkbFU3 https://t.co/5w5wstPawk
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Risk of Psoriasis is increased 19% by long-term exposure to Particulate Matter (PM2.5 & PM10; adjHR 1.19), while short-term exposure increases risk of psoriasis exacerbation (adjusted OR 1.03). Stronger in younger, urban, lower SES, ever-smokers, & comorbid allergies https://t.co/pd6S13RG1B
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Therapeutic Updates
Psoriatic arthritis and overweight or obesity
Sponsored by Lilly Medical Affairs
Dr. Merola presenting the results from TOGETHER‑PsA, a phase 3b trial evaluating the concomitant use of an IL‑17A antagonist and an incretin receptor agonist in adults with psoriatic arthritis and overweight or obesity.
Read Post
Recent Blogs
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
Comorbidities can pile up like a stack of blocks for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). At the time when RA is diagnosed, they already have more comorbidities than their peers, and after RA diagnosis they accumulate comorbidities faster than their peers.
It’s been reported that approximately one-third to one-half of patients with psoriatic arthritis will try supplements and other complementary and alternative medicinal (CAM) practices without discussing with their rheumatologists. Of those, nearly 90% of PsA patients using CAM report benefits!
Here is your updated review on common supplement data in psoriasis and PsA.
Read Post
Podcasts
EULAR 2026 Daily Podcast Day 2a
