General Rheumatology

Music and Pain Relief A new scoping review in Pain Reports by Bradt et al., examines the effect of MBIs on pain management. While its efficacy is well established, how or why music relieves pain has never been fully explained. This systematic review is based on 663 records and https://t.co/0FJgzWSoOB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Obesity isn’t just a comorbidity—it can influence inflammation, disease activity, and treatment response. Join our second Tuesday Night Rheumatology webinar this month as leading experts explore the biology of fat and its impact on rheumatic disease. Register: https://t.co/0EqO9g1sHn
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
AI Diagnosing Rheumatic Disease? Prof. Valmed, a large language model (LLM) cleared by European regulators for medical diagnosis, outperformed human physicians for diagnosing rheumatologic conditions in terms of speed but not accuracy, a randomized trial showed. https://t.co/WVKlRGHFL1
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Dr John Stone grand rounds Kroc lecture #wustlRheum. Pearls: -IgG4RD can manifest as a variable vasculitis -Men have worse disease -Histology will not show necrosis or neutrophils -IgG4 levels will rise as the disease progress (>5X) -Rx with B cell therapy @alhkim @RheumNow https://t.co/GUw348OrrA

Links:

TheDaoIndex @KDAO2011( View Tweet )
RheumNow Podcast square

A Day of Infamy (9.11.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

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

Read Article
RA.Xray.Hands

JAMA: Review of Adult Rheumatoid Arthritis

Jack Cush, MD

Smolen, Kerschbaumer, Aletaha, and Robinson have published a comprehensive review article of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in JAMA, noting significant changes to our understanding and treatment guidelines.

Read Article
QD Clinic: Obesity: Escalate or Reassess? Dr. Mrinalini Dey, London, presents this QD Clinic as part of RheumNow's "The Obesity Imperative" presented in September 2026. https://t.co/wt5N6RZmg6 https://t.co/3EyRa1WC9U

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Scale,weight

Obesity in Axial Spondyloarthritis: what are we missing beyond the scale?

Antoni Chan, MD, PhD

Obesity in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is not a minor comorbidity. Beyond the scale, there are several factors that need to be considered with obesity in axSpA.

Read Article
Physician SURVEY> When prescribing a generic, where do you refer the Patient?

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

ACP Position Statements on the Ethics of AI in Medical Practice Recently JAMA updated its guidance on artificial intelligence (AI) in medical publications. Now, the ACP has published a position paper regarding the use and ethical considerations for the use of AI in medical https://t.co/J6qgfI2Sgt
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Treating Obesity is Disease-Modifying (9.4.2026) Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow. New drugs approved, new drugs halted and some drugs out of control. https://t.co/ojBOosSWMX https://t.co/K4DvUK24Pb

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
AI.think.digital.brain.chat

AI Diagnosing Rheumatic Disease?

MedPage Today

Prof. Valmed, a large language model (LLM) cleared by European regulators for medical diagnosis, outperformed human physicians for diagnosing rheumatologic conditions in terms of speed but not accuracy, a randomized trial showed.

Read Article
Denzel Washingtons plan for self improvement - great advice to anyone starting out, looking for direction. https://t.co/0HcLyDAfNP https://t.co/DaqObRNgLW

Links:

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Epic Cosmos study of GLP-1RA Rxs in 3.5 million children (8–11 yrs) - very few 0.6% recv a GLP-1RA (20,282 kids) - Rx went from 0.03% (2019) to 9.3% (2026-310-fold incr). More likely in older, girls, obese kids. Most GLP-1 kids had severe obesity (93.7 percent) https://t.co/JW6SXxJjA0
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
ACP Clinical Guideline on Treatments of Overweight or Obese Adults In July 2026, ACP published its first living clinical guideline addressing pharmacologic management of overweight and obesity in nonpregnant adults in outpatient settings. As this therapeutic area is rapidly https://t.co/5oQIY7J2Aw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Why does obesity worsen Rheumatic disease?

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Appleton video still

Osteoarthritis, Obesity and GLP-1s

Tom Appleton, MD, PhD

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?

Read Article
ChatGPT,computer,learning

ACP Position Statements on the Ethics of AI in Medical Practice

Jack Cush, MD

Recently JAMA updated its guidance on artificial intelligence (AI) in medical publications. Now, the ACP has published a position paper regarding the use and ethical considerations for the use of AI in medical practice.

Read Article
Why does obesity worsen Rheumatic disease?

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Necrotizing arteritis is rare w/ IgA Vasculitis (IgAV). Review compared 30 IgAV-NA to 257 adult IgAV & 196 PAN pts. Overall IgAV-NA is a severe IgAV phenotype with life-threatening complications & should prompt vascular imaging and intensified immunosuppression. IgAV-NA had more https://t.co/GRVcqRPKTL
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Small series of 5 Idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) pts Rx w/ obinutuzumab for refractory myositis (2 antisynthetase syndr, 1 DM, 2 overlap myositis). 4/5 patients achieved complete response. Lung improved/stabilized in ILD patients. Two required second obinutuzumab cycle. https://t.co/ev9qlEO04l
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RheumNow Podcast square

Treating Obesity is Disease-Modifying (9.4.2026)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.  New drugs approved, new drugs halted and some drugs out of control. Ready to test your knowlege? Take this week's quiz!

Read Article
NY Times reports Gallop poll: 15% Americans have used a wt-loss drug (11% currently taking) - up from 3% in 2024. These have been approved for use in NIDDM, weight loss, liver Dz, CV risk reduct. & sleep apnea. Also obesity in USA is fell to 36.4%, after peak of 39.9% in 2022. https://t.co/ghxUEcuoGr
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
guidelines.recommendations.jpg

ACP Clinical Guideline on Treatments of Overweight or Obese Adults

Jack Cush, MD

The American College of Physicians (ACP) in July 2026 published its first living clinical guideline addressing pharmacologic management of overweight and obesity in nonpregnant adults in outpatient settings. The guidelines importance is driven by striking epidemiology: 59% of the global

Read Article
Korean retrospective study compared NIDDM pts Rx w/ SGLT2 inhibitor (n 552,065) vs sulfonylurea (1,480,092) showed SGLT2 inhibitors were assoc w/ a signif 11% lower risk of incident autoimmune rheumatic disease (HR 0.89). Diff of −6.50 per 100K PYs over median ~9 mos F/U. https://t.co/uTiCjejkjL
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Therapeutic Updates

5-Year Results of an IL-23 Inhibitor in Patients With PsA

AbbVie March 2026
Dr. Alvin Wells and Dr. Shikha Singla share their clinical perspectives on using an IL–23 inhibitor to manage patients with PsA throughout their treatment journey in the context of 5-year data from the KEEPsAKE trial program.
Read Post

Sjögren’s Disease – What Are You Missing?

Novartis November RX Update
What could you be missing in Sjögren's disease? Explore hypothetical patient cases with atypical presentations, systemic manifestations, and overlooked symptoms. Gain expert insights and practical tips for clinical assessment from Dr Shereen Mahmood and learn how the ESSDAI can help you measure disease activity.
Read Post

Recent Blogs

rheumthought

Obesity and Lupus: Coconspirator or Comorbidity?

Alfred Kim, MD, PhD
Dr. Al Kim

Dr. Al Kim, St. Louis, discusses the effects of obesity on lupus activity, organ damage, complement levels and mTor activation.

Read Article

ICYMI: Autoantibodies Anonymous

Artie Kavanaugh, MD
AutoAb.Token
At first, it seemed similar to many other such sessions – a circle of folding chairs, a group of colleagues whose visages exuded understanding and acceptance – but this was special. I started the meeting…. “Hi, my name is Artie.”
Read Post
Advanced Practice Rheum

Safety of Biologics and Novel Agents

Jack Cush, MD
APR Safety Video Cover
Dr. Jack Cush reviews safety of biologics and novel agents.
Read Article
How well do you know this week's rheumatology news?
Take the rheumIQ quiz
Take the RheumIQ Quiz

Podcasts

  • Systemic Burden of Gout Part 1
  • Gout Lessons from the Clinic Part 2
  • Upgrading & Maximizing the Classics (Colchicine, Allopurinol, etc.)
×