Early RA Referral Clinics Work (9.18.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com
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4,197 pts from the UK Biobank met fibromyalgia criteria, yet 72.6% had NOT received a diagnosis. Non-Dx assoc w/ male, older age, milder sxs or other pain Dx (OA, CRPS, CFS), lower polysymptomatic distress scores, and less frequent fatigue. https://t.co/Y9m9jR5wbR https://t.co/fitm675kyK
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Obesity management goes far beyond the number on the scale.
Watch our Four Pillars of Weight Loss video series, part of this month’s The Obesity Imperative campaign.
What Are the Four Pillars of Obesity Management?
Building a Multidisciplinary Program for Obesity & Arthritis https://t.co/16v4JFVWWs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ACR Updates Osteoarthritis Guidance
ACR
The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released updated clinical guidance for the treatment and management of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee, hip, and hand. The evidence-based recommendations update the 2019 ACR/Arthritis Foundation guideline and are designed to support individualized,
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Weight Loss Improves Psoriatic Disease Substantially!
Even before the introduction of incretin therapy and bariatric surgery, many randomized and interventional studies (2019–2026) have consistently showed that weight loss produces clinically meaningful, dose-dependent improvement in both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
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A Day of Infamy (9.11.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on Rheumnow.com - including obesity, disappointing durability with GLP-1 drugs, AI diagnoses and worries about CV risk in ANCA-associated vasculitis. And take this week's RheumIQ quiz
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Why does obesity worsen Rheumatic disease?
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Osteoarthritis, Obesity and GLP-1s
We all know that osteoarthritis is the most common form of arthritis in the world, and that obesity is its most modifiable risk factor. What I really want to focus on is the role that GLP-! receptor agonists might be playing in our management of osteoarthritis. So why does this matter?
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In the JAMA review of shoulder pain, what is the recommended first-line treatment for most shoulder diagnoses?
Test your knowledge in this week's RheumIQ at https://t.co/TBlB4pmnKa https://t.co/mKClL2P0Tc
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA: Review of Shoulder Pain
JAMA Internal Medicine (Haas et al, 2026) has published a clinical overview to the approach, diagnosis and management of Shoulder Pain.
https://t.co/xYSahFksx9 https://t.co/kTIml2mD6k
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Joint Pain Prevalence is not Declining
A current report from the national NHIS survey shows that over half of US adults diagnosed with arthritis reported moderate to severe joint pain.
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JAMA: Review of Shoulder Pain
Shoulder pain affects 16% of adults annually and is the third most common musculoskeletal presentation in primary care. This new review reframes the diagnostic and therapeutic approach, moving away from pathoanatomic labels (rotator cuff tendinopathy, impingement, bursitis) toward the umbrella
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Evaluating Inflammatory Joint Pain in Older Adults
Lee, Levinson, and Makris have published an approach to evaluating inflammatory joint pain in older adults in JAMA Internal Medicine. While intended to be a practical guide for Primary Care Clinicians (PCCs), the tenets and https://t.co/TPKEOjkcKl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
2026 BSR Pain Guideline: What Rheumatologists Need to Know
The British Society for Rheumatology has issued its first guideline dedicated solely to pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA)—covering RA, PsA, axial SpA and JIA.
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Mentshlichkeit* (8.7.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and recent journal reports on RheumNow.com.
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JAMA Review of Hip Fracture
The July 16th edition of JAMA reviews the highly prevalent problem of hip fractures - a major global health burden: 14.2 million occur worldwide annually (280,000 in the US), with global incidence higher in women (833.9/100,000) than men (510.0/100,000). Lifetime risk at age 50 is 22.9% for
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Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Dz new terminology from 2026 G-CAN consensus. Preferred:
- acute CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- OA w/ CPP
- Chondrocalcinosis (xray)
* Pseudogout is obsolete
https://t.co/bsztXz9UDs https://t.co/GOey5YmKif
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Swimming Reduces Disability from Low Back Pain
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 https://t.co/OfxsvRjyJg
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Dz new terminology from 2026 G-CAN consensus. Preferred:
- acute CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- Chronic CPP crystal arthritis
- OA w/ CPP
- Chondrocalcinosis (xray)
* Pseudogout is obsolete
https://t.co/L95N2ObHr3 https://t.co/ST7RkJa8BR
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 )
Expert Perspective on Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease
A current perspective article by Dr. Sara Tedeschi tackles many unresolved issues around CPPD diagnosis, classification, and management, including the lack of clinical trials or FDA approved treatments. https://t.co/zxJ9aQweNl
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
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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 )
Expert Perspective on Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease
A recent perspective by Tedeschi tackles many unresolved issues around CPPD diagnosis, classification, and management, including the lack of clinical trials or FDA approved treatments.
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#THA revisions in 3657 RA vs 446428 OA pts (mean F/U ~7y) find RA has signif incr risk of revision (HR 1.35); espec due to infx (HR 1.48), dislocation (1.87), aseptic loosening (0–3m; 2.81). No diff w/ cemented, cementless, hybrid THA. Age > 65 was main risk factor. https://t.co/iK6pL3QF1W
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Recent Blogs
Please don’t tell your patient that PMR “typically” lasts two years. According to real-world data from the UK, one in four patients with PMR is prescribed steroids by their primary care physician for over four years. But nobody tells them this at the start, and that causes big problems later on.
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Please don’t tell your patient that PMR “typically” lasts two years. According to real-world data from the UK, one in four patients with PMR is prescribed steroids by their primary care physician for over four years. But nobody tells them this at the start, and that causes big problems later on.
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Podcasts
ACR 2025 Daily Podcasts Day2c
