Outcomes

Patient Resource: The Hidden Connection - ILD and Rheumatic Disease Dr. Iazsmin Bauer Ventura, Chicago, talks about ILD as a window to systemic disease as part of RheumNow's Rheum to Breathe: ILD campaign, presented throughout the month of September 2025. https://t.co/8rJm4O3hHU
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
NEW EULAR POSTER: Real-world impact of second-line treatment choice in patients with PsA! 🔎View the effectiveness of different PsA treatment patterns: TNFi to JAKi, TNFi to IL-17i, or TNFi to TNFi. Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact. https://t.co/GNTl0I6Wbh https://t.co/ggBgY2kn1S

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
RA-associated interstitial lung disease or bronchiectasis is assoc w/ increased risk of total and cause-specific mortality. retrospective cohort study using the Mass General Brigham Biobank 221 RA-LD cases (151 RA-ILD, 70 RA-BR). RA-LD higher mortality (34 vs 13/1000PY; HR

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STOP-RA: Hydroxychloroquine Fails in ACPA+ Arthralgia Deane et al has published the results of the STOP-RA trial, demonstrating that 12 months of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) did not prevent the development of clinical RA at 36 months. https://t.co/HLLhwgcVrS https://t.co/MKpeXhVdoe

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Retrospective study of 201 IPAF (Interstitial pneumonia w/ autoimmune feat.) pts w/ F/U 5.6 yrs. ANA+ 80%, RF+ 25%, CCP+ 14%, 88% Rx w/ IS or antifibrotics. 24% died, 7.5% transplant. Comorbidies were common; mean CCI 3.2; IPAF mortality worsened by

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Commercial claims analysis of 8855 adults w/ axSpA and/or PsA, 1771 who had joint replacements. JAK inhibitor use did not significantly reduce joint replacement (OR 0.67; 0.41–1.08), BUT TNFi, Non-TNFi biologics & DMARD users had signif fewer surgeries (OR ~0.65) vs NSAID users https://t.co/vnBnFcPxGw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
SUA levels & adverse health outcomes? Australian ASPREE trial of 11,878 older participants had baseline SUA measurements. SUA levels had NO ASSOC. w/ all-cause mortality, disability-free survival, CV Dz, MACE, cancer mortality, cognitive decline, or dementia. In females, low SUA https://t.co/VY6NJsetW9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Hitting the Target: T2T Therapy in SLE Treat-to-target strategies are not a new concept in rheumatology. It has shown to improve patient outcomes and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis and is now being increasingly adopted not only in SLE research https://t.co/PfnG0AeJsH
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAK Janus

Equal Safety of JAK Inhibitors and TNF Inhibitors

Jack Cush, MD

JAMA has published a systematic review and meta-analysis of head-to-head studies showing there was no meaningful difference in safety events observed when taking either JAK inhibitor (JAKi) vs TNF antagonist (TNFi) therapies for the treatment of immune-

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RCT of 800 adults w/ Chronic LBP, acupuncture (AP) was compared usual care or AP +/- added maintenance found that acupuncture improved pain-related disability at 6 months and 12 months, with no statistically discernible benefit of additional maintenance sessions. https://t.co/suy09fGxxI
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SMART study - Single vs. Split Dose Methotrexate in RA Split dose weekly, oral methotrexate (MTX) was shown to be superior to single dose MTX in treating active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. https://t.co/JN5wPGNjao https://t.co/lizsrtVHwf

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
early.ra_.2.jpg

STOP-RA: Hydroxychloroquine Fails in ACPA+ Arthralgia

Jack Cush, MD

Deane et al has published the results of the STOP-RA trial, demonstrating that 12 months of hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) did not prevent the development of clinical RA at 36 months. 

The fate of Individuals elevated anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies and

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A framework for treatment stratified approach in CTD-ILD, by Dr Low Hsiu Ling Based on -ILD extent -Risk of progression -Biology: fibrosis/inflammation -Safety -Other manifestations @RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/ma5KugzBHy

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Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
Drivers of costs associated with economic costs of RMDs in Asia Pacific -Traditional medicine -Loss of income much higher if worker as opposed to unpaid household labor so high impact of gender roles -Impact of out of pocket health payments due to « catastrophic spendings » in https://t.co/sptwGE7J2V

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Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
💥 New week, new quiz. Take 90 seconds. Prove you're the rheum news MVP. 📈 Track your accuracy 🏁 Race to the top of the leaderboard 🎯 Review what you missed Take the RheumIQ quiz ➡️ https://t.co/CASRQjoYrB https://t.co/FCjkqud0y4

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
STOP-RA results published in A&R. 144 at risk, CCP+ pts were enrolled to received HCQ vs PBO for 12 mos, w/ 24 mos F/U. Progression to RA seen in 30.4% on HCQ vs 32.9% on PBO (NS; P=0.52). Also IA, Jt Sxs, severity & adverse events were similar between groups.

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Flow cytometry on Peripheral blood can help patient stratification in RA A cluster rich in TEMRA Terminally Differentiated Effector Memory T Cells is associated with response to treatment and therapeutic decision taking into account showed higher remission 39% vs. 24% Next https://t.co/8ZZ2epf7LK

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Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
In #scleroderma pts with cardiac involvement, the presence of ventricular ectopy is assocd w/ ⬆️risk of mortality & SCD. ☝️these arrythmias present late so consider it in pts w/established dse who develop new-onset cardiac symptoms @RheumNow #APLAR25 @rheumarhyme @marklagacmd https://t.co/MTDfxevqwb

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sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
Key takeaways of trabecular bone screening: 📌Complements but doesnt replace BMD/FRAX in fracture risk assessment 📌Dont exclude any lumbar spine unless w/significant change like laminectomy 📌Can use in monitoring untreated pts since TBS declines @RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/bcN83IDDja

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sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
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RheumNow Podcast – Ro, Ro, Ro52 (9.12.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Are there benefits to diet or vegan diets? What's the effect of menopause on CTD?  Ro52 makes a big entrance with all our ILD coverage this month.

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MTX.box

SMART study - Single vs. Split Dose Methotrexate in RA

Jack Cush, MD

Split dose weekly, oral methotrexate (MTX) was shown to be superior to single dose MTX in treating active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

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Sjogren's Disease Interstitial Lung Disease Dr. Nancy Carteron, a rheumatologist in northern California, discusses interstitial lung disease in Sjogren's disease, as part of RheumNow's Rheum to Breathe: ILD campaign, presented throughout the month of September 2025. https://t.co/lA1vrBiar4
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Single center study of 47 RA-ILD pts (Dx Age 64.7 yrs; 30 mos F/U). Median 100 mos from RA Dx to RA-ILD. Nearly half (49%) recv Rx for RA-ILD; few w/ TCZ, nintedanib, pirfenidone. ~90% had RA-ILD stability/improve @ 6 & 12 mos. Progression assoc w/ tobacco use (P .025) @ 6 mos https://t.co/AK4zYgcxeK
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Italian Systemic sclerosis (SPRING-SIR) registry - 1157/1538 (75%) SSc pts were in menopause, 632 (50%) had pre-menop SSc onset, 130 (14.4%) had early menopause. Post-menop. had more CREST, centromere Abs, ILD & GI Sxs. Pre-menop. had more diffuse Dz & peripheral vasculopathy. https://t.co/Jz2v5CkH0Y
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
COLCHICORT Trial The COLCHICORT trial in acute calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal arthritis patients showed that colchicine was inferior to prednisone treatment and that responses were also influenced by other factors. https://t.co/CC2yVRXbD5 https://t.co/ebLa3FUbGR

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Recent Blogs

CNS Lupus (NPSLE)

Jack Cush, MD
Cush RhTh CNS
29 yr. old woman with SLE and transverse myelitis. Is this NPSLE; how to diagnose? Read Post

Hydroxychloroquine for Everyone

Jack Cush, MD
ra.hands2_.JPG
Nearly 25 years ago, while lecturing on best therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), I loudly stated that hydroxychloroquine was “useless” and, deservedly, I was “boo-ed” off stage. My point then was that rheumatologists needed to be aggressive, if not overly aggressive, in treating all RA patients. And my view was that HCQ was representative of under-treatment. I have reconsidered the use of HCQ in RA substantially in the last few years, based on its merit. Read Post
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