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Targeting Obesity in Rheumatic Disease Patients Sattar et al. has published an informative overview of the effect of obesity on rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs). They estimate that nearly 70% of RMD patients are overweight or obese. https://t.co/OYtsbfJQ2e https://t.co/xEZI3mkY0q

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Autoimmune Disease Impact Report Integrated Benefit Institute, a nonprofit independent research organization, has published its 2025 Autoimmune Disease Impact Report, which examines the health and productivity impacts of five prevalent and costly autoimmune conditions: https://t.co/x3l9HIDul8
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Korea National Health Insurance Database review shows that risk of mortality in Behcets patients is 28% higher than gen. population; highest in 1st 12 mos (OR 2.66). Major causes were CA, CVD, GI (viscus rupture), respiratory, & infections. Higher in younger pts. https://t.co/vWJrUN9C0H
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
If COVID was responsible for causing autoimmune Dz (AD), it is possible that Molecular mimicry was in play. Study shows 10nsequence homology between SARS-CoV-2 & AD epitopes; 2) similar MHC binding; 3) of high empirical immunogenicity. https://t.co/WO3gjxhVBw https://t.co/QdqtQMHcpL

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Rheums! Have a rheumatology question or case for Dr.Cush? Record it here and we may feature it on an upcoming podcast. Tell us your name and where you practice rheumatology. https://t.co/VkPL7thzo8 https://t.co/h85iF6tIVk

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Full read review on inflammatory myositis (Patient or med student level knowlegdge) Epidemiology Risk Factors Prognosis Sxs, Dx, Differential Dx Treatment Complications Myositis Guidelines https://t.co/s0LtHyYeuS https://t.co/lMEpMIotSP

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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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falls.jpg (keep)

Cardiac-MSK Patients at Highest Risk for Falls and Death

EurekAlert!

A new study by researchers at Peking University and the Chinese PLA General Hospital has found that multimorbidity—living with multiple chronic diseases—is closely associated with worsening fall conditions and mortality among middle-aged and older adults in China. The findings,

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Treating chronic inflammatory diseases with JAK inhibitors Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKis) are an important treatment option for people with chronic inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, Crohn's disease or ulcerative colitis. Since their approval, the https://t.co/MUHLUbK5Ml
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A study in mice shows that JAK inhibition In mice model of status epilepticus (SE) didnt prevent initial SE but when did effect chronic phase of Sz weeks after SE induction of SE, suppressing seizures, and epilepsy-associated histopathological alterations. Sz suppression lasted https://t.co/GMIPCtoc7x
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ACPA specificity and recognition motifs examined in 6,907 patients with RA from 5 Scandinavian cohorts. ACPA targeting non-glycine citrulline motifs assoc. more strongly w/ HLA-SE; ACPA to glycine citrulline motifs assoc. w/ smoking and IgA ACPA A&R https://t.co/PmKv3dZLc4 https://t.co/NdPG4Orfj4

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ACR_Journals @ACR_Journals( View Tweet )
Autoimmune Disease Impact Report Integrated Benefit Institute, a nonprofit independent research organization, has published its 2025 Autoimmune Disease Impact Report, which examines the health and productivity impacts of five prevalent and costly autoimmune conditions: https://t.co/TfXZti5NN3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
#Thrombocytopenia is common in #antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and is likely associated with more severe disease. Although the pathophysiology underlying thrombocytopenia in APS has yet to be definitively revealed, mechanisms that play a role (at least in subsets of patients) https://t.co/pUXmb1irbw

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Alberto Giraldo @alb_giraldo( View Tweet )
• Don't be afraid of being different. • Take risks. • Be curious. • Don't be afraid to fail. • Work hard for the things you love the most. https://t.co/7OeB5WfnNy

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Prof. Feynman @ProfFeynman( View Tweet )
Congratulation to all the MSIVs who matched last week - Looking forward to ya'll becoming RHEUMATOLOGISTs of the futre https://t.co/NAePO72j9Z
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Full read Overview of the effects of Menopause and Estrogen on autoimmune disorders https://t.co/NpVPrnPT6x https://t.co/wt9f5D7WXL

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
55 myositis (IIM) pts studied Nailfold Capillaries, MSAbs, cytokines & IFN genes. MDA5(+) pts signif more dilated (DIL), giant & abnl morphology caps, w/ microhemorrhages (MH) vs ARS (+) pts. MH & DIL assoc w/ MX1, IFI27, IP-10, RANTES, GROα. Giant caps assoc w/ IFI27, SDF-1α, https://t.co/3WQL8Sw0rq
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Systematic literature review of sleep Rx in Fibromyalgia - 47 RCTs, 11094 pts, found cognitive behavioral Tx (CBT) significantly benefitted insomnia, but not pain. Pregabalin & sodium oxybate had small effect, but Amitriptyline, milnacipran, & duloxetine showed no benefit for https://t.co/XG8cFlpQqq
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index Dr. John Stone has led the effort to develop the GTI - glucocorticoid toxicity index. In this review article he acknowledges the need and benefit of steroids, but details a novel means to identify and limit the untoward effects of glucorticoids https://t.co/foTaoYrfDn
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Large GWAS study of smokers, shows that polygenic risk scores (PRS) for RA & ILD were assoc w/ their intended phenotypes in whites (OR 1.32 & 1.88, respectively) but no in blacks https://t.co/FflF2f1orq https://t.co/NlxcASrj9K

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Systematic literature review of sleep Rx in Fibromyalgia - 47 RCTs, 11094 pts, found cognitive behavioral Tx (CBT) significantly benefitted insomnia, but not pain. Pregabalin & sodium oxybate had small effect, but Amitriptyline, milnacipran, & duloxetine showed no benefit for… https://t.co/ReommvC5qO https://t.co/UnSM3HnWLV
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Study of 26 Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) pts (mean Dx age 12 yrs; 77% male; 58% B27+). These were later assessed as adults (20yrs age, <35yrs). Most were in remission/LDAS, but ~20% had synovitis or enthesitis, 73% SI Dz, 15% hip & 8% spinal damage https://t.co/FFEhyA5I6A https://t.co/hE65GNcFpY

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Indigenous peoples of the Pacific, particularly those of Polynesian descent, have a high prevalence of hyperuricaemia and gout. Gout in Indigenous peoples of the Pacific is severe, associated with family history and is experienced at a relatively young age.… https://t.co/phf5RRkJzE https://t.co/q4VO34Ea5z
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Increased Mortality In Arthritis Patients with COPD A new study published in the January 2025 issue of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Diseases: Journal of the COPD Foundation, a peer-reviewed, open-access journal, finds that people with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease… https://t.co/6WCtfcrSaq https://t.co/ydVtBxqy37
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Alpha-gal syndrome (AGS) is a (Lone Star) tick-borne allergy to the galactose-α-1,3-galactose carbohydrate, found in mammalian meat/products; Sxs (hives, itching, swelling, and GI issues) present 2-8 hrs after meat & be life-threatening. Time to Dx has dropped considerably, w/… https://t.co/p1M9Qaf1jz https://t.co/jTJzq7YtVJ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Recent Blogs

The War Rheum

Kathryn H. Dao, M.D.
blue and yellow arms and hands
The effects on rheumatologists and their patients living in Ukraine largely have been unseen by the world. At ACR Convergence 2024, I met Dr. Marta Dzhus who practices at St. Michael's Clinical Hospital in Kyiv; she shared her story with me about the humanitarian crisis in rheumatologic care in Ukraine because of the ongoing war. Here is an excerpt of our conversation. Read Post

Overlap Syndrome with ILD

Jack Cush, MD
Cush RheumThought ILD

How would you manage a patient with Overlap (anti-synthetase) syndrome, ILD, polyarthritis and myositis?

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