SATISFACTION (2.27.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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GLP-1s are known to improved knee OA. Using a mouse OA model w/ obesity, semaglutide yielded less pain, osteophytes & had strong chondroprotective effects, fia a wt loss-independent way. Changing from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation resulted in cartilage restoration. https://t.co/8zs34ys9o9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
GLP-1s are known to improved knee OA. Using a mouse OA model w/ obesity, semaglutide yielded less pain, osteophytes & had strong chondroprotective effects, fia a wt loss-independent way. Changing from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation resulted in cartilage restoration. https://t.co/YySGDHX9KO
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Referral Rules to Live By (2.20.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com. Highlights include referral rules, combination biiologics in psoriasis and don't use JAK inhibitors in pregnancy.
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Together PSO Trial - Combination Ixekizumab and Tirzepatide
Today Lilly announced top line results of the TOGETHER-PsO open-label, Phase 3b trial demonstrating the significant benefits of concomitant ixekizumab (IXE: an IL-17A inhibitor) and tirzepatide (TIR: GLP-1agonist) over https://t.co/YWCjN2NyGM
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Together PSO Trial - Combination Ixekizumab and Tirzepatide
Today Lilly announced top line results of the TOGETHER-PsO open-label, Phase 3b trial demonstrating the significant benefits of concomitant ixekizumab (IXE: an IL-17A inhibitor) and tirzepatide (TIR: GLP-1agonist) over IXE alone.
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Obesity, Surgery, and Optimizing Patient Care
Rheumatologic care requires a multidisciplinary approach and collaboration with other specialties to treat complex systemic diseases. While many Pods at RheumNow Live are disease-specific, the Pod II focused on Advancing Practice on https://t.co/hvSY5yHZmd
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RT @ericdeinMD
#RNL26 Haque
Effect of GLP1 on Pts with RA
Retrospective study
Significant reduction is RA disease activity (P=0.03), VAS pain (p<0.001), weight, cholesterol and A1c
But 1/3 stopped due to side effects (mostly GI) https://t.co/SNHTcRFmAX
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RT @ericdeinMD
#RNL26
Haque
TOGETHER-PsA -P3B study of IXE v IXE + Tirzepatide
BMI >27 + 1 wt related co-morbidity
-Endpts - ACR and >10% weight reduction
-ACR50 improved 33.5% compared to 20% IXE alone (p<0.05) https://t.co/KCpqbg3fHs https://t.co/zktIkdumDk
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Maui Potpourri (2.13.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the hot item takeaways from last week's RheumNow.Live 2026.
- Diet & Obesity Management in Rheumatology - Uzma Haque, MD
- Mitigating risk for Rheum patients undergoing orthopedic surgery - Susan Goodman, MD
- Paradoxical skin reactions – Joseph
Incretins/GLP-1s are being investigated widely. @RWCSmtg #RWCS26 https://t.co/57JzRJfK8l
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Most inhibition of inflammation is via the brain. More GLP1 and GIP1 receptors are in the brain, more than the gut. @RWCSmtg #RWCS26 https://t.co/CNzUqteBLg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
The hx and timeline of GLP1a development. @RWCSmtg #RWCS26 https://t.co/7tPgcRy4Ze
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Dr. Willa Tsueh taking on hx of GLP-1 agonists. The first ones, Victoza and Tulicity go back to 2010. @RWCSmtg #RWCS26 https://t.co/cKiDCM5xw6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
#RNL26
Haque @HopkinsRheum
1/2 of Americans will be obese by 2030
"Obesity is common & obesity is expensive"
Adipose tissue - active endocrine organ -> cytokines, chemokines, adipokines
Leads to inflamm axis - risk factor similar to 🚬, higher activity, worse response https://t.co/yQLTpE7reY
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RT @Gibson_RheumPAC
GLP-1 receptor agonists do more than promote weight loss.
They impact insulin resistance, inflammation, cardiovascular risk—and may influence musculoskeletal disease. #RNL26 https://t.co/ypKnOJojAm
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RT @Gibson_RheumPAC
Obesity doesn’t just increase risk of rheumatic diseases-it worsens outcomes.
Patients with obesity have higher disease activity, poorer biologic response, and 20–25% lower remission rates in inflammatory arthritis. #RNL26
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Obesity, Surgery, and Optimizing Patient Care
Rheumatologic care involves multidisciplinary approaches and collaboration with specialties to treat complex, systemic diseases. While many Pods at RheumNow Live are disease specific, the Pod II focused on Advancing Practice on important and emerging areas affecting rheumatologic patients. This
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RT @Gibson_RheumPAC
Nearly 50% of U.S. adults may meet criteria for obesity by 2030.
For rheumatologists, it directly impacts disease activity, outcomes, and treatment response. #RNL26 https://t.co/cpy4LBBPHc
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Semaglutide ameliorates osteoarthritis via wt loss-independent mechanism. GLP-1R agonist exhibits OA chondroprotective effects in a mouse model of obesity by changing chondrocyte metabolism from glycolysis to oxidative phosphorylation via the “GLP-1R-AMPK-PFKFB3” axis.
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Factors that may augment future development of SLE - includes Vitamin D levels, poor sleep, EBV reactivation & social determinants of health. Can you Prevent SLE? Dr. David Karp lecturing at UTSW @drdavidkarp @utswrheum https://t.co/2J1JBjeXKU
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Factors that may augment future development of SLE - includes Vitamin D levels, poor sleep, EBV reactivation & social determinants of health. Can you Prevent SLE? Dr. David Karp lecturing at UTSW @drdavidkarp @utswrheum https://t.co/e3TKATcxXB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
SGLT2 Inhibitors in Gout - Better Outcomes, Fewer Meds
EurekAlert!
Natalie McCormick, PhD, of the Rheumatology and Allergy Clinical Epidemiology Research (RACER) Center within the Division of Rheumatology in the Mass General Brigham Department of
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Physical activity (PA) is assoc w/ reduced all-cause mortality in RA pts. Study of 1493 NHANES & 1724 UK Biobank RA cohorts showing robust inverse association between PA and all-cause mortality (HR: active = 0.48, highly active = 0.61) https://t.co/K6ALzqP3QQ https://t.co/2XJ0zD7FA3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
DARWIN study ADHD med use among children and adults in Europe (Belgium, Germany, Netherlands, Spain, UK) more than doubled betw 2010 to 2023. IN UK use went up 20X in females, 15X males. (Ed. note: ADHD meds-->poor sleep-->fibromyalgia-->MSK pains) https://t.co/KlvUF1vhhj https://t.co/yEWXwM0WBL
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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’.
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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.
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