General Rheumatology

NEJM - Baker’s Cyst A 63-year-old woman with psoriatic arthritis presented with a 9-month history of pain in the left knee. A nontender, palpable mass was present in the left popliteal fossa, which had a “speech bubble” shape on ultrasonography. https://t.co/7wBnkDoUaX https://t.co/m0AhRnDc4c

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Consensus on Managing Vertebral Fractures in Advanced CKD A coalition of leading international experts has released the first comprehensive Consensus Statement on the Management of Vertebral Fractures in Chronic Kidney Disease (CKD) Stages G4–G5D. The statement highlights a https://t.co/gilX13EaUi
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
IXCHIQ - a live-attenuated chikungunya virus vaccine: 10-30% have mild-moderate adverse effects, w/ headache, fatigue, & myalgia. <3% have severe AEs. Rare reports of encephalitis in elderly post Ixchiq, due to type I IFN-neutralizing autoantibodies (same w/ yellow-fever Vax) https://t.co/3VlZCd4sGc
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2026 SPARTAN Annual Meeting (May 14-16; Toronto) is now accepting abstract submissions! A premier mtg brings together cutting-edge researchers and teachers in spondyloarthritis (SpA). Submit your abstracts by Feb 1st!! https://t.co/IBXEkSxpDy https://t.co/cS7exDUc9H

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Longitudinal study of 1761 US military service pre- & post-deployment. The prevalence of fibromyalgia in Males/Females was 2.%/2% (sames as civilians) but post-deploy incr to 8%/11% (P < 0.001). PTSD incr from 21% /18% to 23%/26%. PTSD predeployment lead to a 3 fold risk of FM. https://t.co/XTjuhjx0zd
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

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Emergencies, Independence & Hemorrhage (1.23.2026) Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and reports from the past two weeks on RheumNow. https://t.co/l4iMADwA1A https://t.co/YB4mnb8Xlu

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Kick off 2026 with #RheumNowLive—two days of cutting-edge rheumatology, rapid-fire STEP talks, interactive Q&A, and real-world insights with Drs. Jack Cush, Arthur Kavanaugh, and a powerhouse faculty. Register: https://t.co/zh0aBDMfoP @RheumNow

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Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )

death

Trends in Rheumatoid Arthritis Mortality

Jack Cush, MD

A recent study examines trends in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-related mortality among U.S. postmenopausal women (aged 55 and older). They found RA mortality rates have declined, yet disparities in who is most affected persist, especially for white women, and those over 85 yrs of age.

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What Is Restless Legs Syndrome? JAMA Patient Education handout. https://t.co/fCqArVxrSu https://t.co/WjFNWyr9Q2

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Evaluation of pts w/ muscle weakness and elevated muscle enzymes https://t.co/faTWMscUzz https://t.co/Dcx8m4Ny7Y

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
“We will remember not the words of our enemies, but the silence of our friends.” - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Drugs that may cause toxic myopathy, presenting as muscle dysfunction w/ weakness and elevated muscle enzymes and possibly confused w/ idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) - full read review of mimickers of myositis. https://t.co/1Yn3OXXEH6 https://t.co/HmQiYFSQMU

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ANAs and Autoantibodies https://t.co/AANvCKeAl0 https://t.co/SSPUxMEuLh

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Review of Restless Legs Syndrome JAMA has published a full review of RLS - restless leg syndrome - a frequent, but often unrecognized, cause of poor sleep and the resultant hazards of insomnia. https://t.co/lPSMH3v7xS https://t.co/lbSfeNrfLz

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Acupuncture in SpA metanalysis of 35 RCTs (2,591 AS pts) showed statistically significant improvements BASDAI score, BASFI score, ASDAS, VAS score, CRP level, and ESR level. Findings imited by high heterogeneity & the lack of large-scale, high-quality RCTs. https://t.co/gznAiNo0k4
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Retrospective real-world study of 87 Behcets dz pts & inital Rx w/ IFX (n 45) or ADA (n 42) (2020 to 2025) & >60% were on AZA. Complete remission achieved in 76% (IFX) vs 79% (ADA) initially, & 89% vs 77% last visit. Same Rx retention but more relapses w/ IFX (38% v 17%) https://t.co/6FiuYe0GI9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
group,office,people,glue,work

Reduced Healthy Working Life Expectancy with Arthritis

MedPage Today

Using the long-running, U.S.-based Health and Retirement Study (HRS), which enrolls people age 50 and older, as the data source, Ross Wilkie, PhD, of Keele University in Staffordshire, England, and colleagues estimated that those reporting an arthritis diagnosis could expect just 6.18 more years

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UCAN CAN-DU study of 181 JIA pts starting biologics. Early Rx w/in 6 mos (n=35) assoc. w/ greater odds of achieving inactive arthritis (83% vs 57% in late starters (>12 mos). For each month of delay increased the odds of future active arthritis (after 6 mos) by 9%.

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

RheumNow Podcast square

Emergencies, Independence & Hemorrhage (1.23.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and reports from the past two weeks on RheumNow.Com

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Rheums! Have a Rheumatology question or case for Jack 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/RyalkevgRp https://t.co/DKfa52Cra7

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Preoperative Semaglutide for 3 mos. prior to Total Knee Arthroplasty assoc w/ signif less Postoperative Adverse Events in NIDDM. Retrospective study of up to 745 T2DM needed TKR . 2-3 mos of GLP-1a reduces serious AEs by 75% (OR 0.25, P < 0.001). https://t.co/re57y9OvTN https://t.co/KNirmfdr2F

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
This week’s RheumNow Live pre-Learn spotlight: Vasculitis & Autoimmune disease. We’re diving into this important topic with expert-led talks from Drs. Nancy Olsen, Matthew Baker, and Clay Cockerell. To help you get the most out of their sessions, our speakers have shared key https://t.co/zLKY52Fi17
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
restless.legs.feet.spasm

Review of Restless Legs Syndrome

Jack Cush, MD

JAMA has published a full read review of RLS - restless leg syndrome - a frequent, but often unrecognized, cause of poor sleep and the resultant hazards of insomnia.

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What Is Restless Legs Syndrome? JAMA Patient Education handout. https://t.co/fCqArVxrSu https://t.co/xjl0PTdgsu

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Recent Blogs

Advanced Practice Rheum

Difficult to Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD
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Dr. Cush addresses the management of difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis (D2TRA). Read Post
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Methotrexate

Jack Cush, MD
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In this session, Dr. Jack Cush reviews methotrexate. Read Post
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Rx Updates (filtered for Topic)

Therapeutic Updates

Advancing the Treatment Landscape for Pediatric Psoriatic Disease

J&J January 2026
Learn more about a treatment offering pediatric patients 6 years and older who also weigh at least 40 kg, and their physicians and adult caregivers, an option that may improve skin clearance for moderate to severe plaque psoriasis or treat active psoriatic arthritis, collectively known as psoriatic disease.
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