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Ixekizumab With Tirzepatide Efficacy in Obese Psoriatic Arthritis

The TOGETHER-PsA trial has demonstrated the efficacy and safety of ixekizumab (IXE) administered with tirzepatide (TZP) in adult active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients who were overweight or obese.

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Psychiatrists have the highest Medicare opt-out rate (8% vs 1.2% MDs vs <3% Rheum), leading to a critical shortage of psychiatrists and more antipsychotic management to APRNs and PAs over the last decade. APPs Handle 40% of Antipsychotic Scripts https://t.co/wWnFcnXpRa https://t.co/WSQBEzvxgK
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

TENS Efficacy in Fibromyalgia

A randomized clinical trial of transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation (TENS) in fibromyalgia showed meaningful improvement in pain for 6 months when combined with physical therapy (PT). 

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Brepocitinib in Dermatomyositis

The NEJM reports that brepocitinib, an oral TYK2–JAK1 inhibitor, was studied in a phase 3 trial of refractory dermatomyositis (DM) patients and shown to have significant benefits at the higher dose.

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AFFINITY Study - Combination Biologic Therapy in Psoriatic Arthritis

A pilot trial assessed the efficacy and safety of the guselkumab+golimumab (COMBO) combination versus guselkumab (GUS) monotherapy in active PsA (failing a prior tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi-IR) and showed superiority in ACR 50 responses but not

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Advanced Practice Rheum: Rheumatoid & Inflammation Testing In this review, we'll be talking about labs, inflammation, and tests for rheumatoid arthritis. https://t.co/UlBuUhtB01 https://t.co/09OEk1OLs2
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
NEJM: Polymyalgia Rheumatica Drs. Dejaco and Matteson have published and update and review of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in the NEJM. They lay out the initial approach to diagnosis, initial steroid dosing, management over time and when to use steroid sparing therapy. https://t.co/CGXjcY0J3H
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Advanced Practice Rheum: Evaluation of Rheumatic Complaints In this review, Dr. Cush provides a systematic approach to evaluating musculoskeletal and rheumatic complaints in clinical practice. He emphasizes three key priorities: identifying "red flag" conditions (septic https://t.co/DwyO6FySxE
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Moral Distress (3.27.2026)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports and news from RheumNow.com.  This week we discuss moral distress, FM in PsA, Lyme Vax is back & hidden but tangible benefits of the MDHAQ.

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NEJM: Polymyalgia Rheumatica

Drs. Dejaco and Matteson have published and update and review of polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) in the NEJM. They lay out the initial approach to diagnosis, initial steroid dosing, management over time and when to use steroid sparing therapy.

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Incident RA is assoc w/ considerable work loss. 3850 RA pts compared to 4422 same-sex siblings (2006-2020). Work loss began 13 mos before RA Dx & peaked the year after, less in last 10 yrs. Work loss highly skewed; small proportion contributed the most work loss days. https://t.co/splolrEDpe
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Advanced Practice Rheum: Evaluation of Rheumatic Complaints In this review, Dr. Cush provides a systematic approach to evaluating musculoskeletal and rheumatic complaints in clinical practice. He emphasizes three key priorities: identifying "red flag" conditions (septic https://t.co/QX8AM9YNAf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA survey study of 5741 physicians found mean moral distress score (0-10, >4 High) =3.29, w/ 39% having high level of moral distress; more than US workers. Burnout, intent to leave (ITL), or reduce work hours (ITR) was higher for each 1-point incr in moral distress score https://t.co/dslwMztjV7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Polymyalgia rheumatica is an inflammatory condition that affects persons >50 years of age and is characterized by pain in both shoulders with or without hip or neck pain (or both) and with pronounced morning stiffness. Learn more about the diagnosis and management: https://t.co/pKCl42dGVX

Systemic Treatments for Chronic Plaque Psoriasis

JAMA Dermatology has published a review of the pharmacologic landscape on managing adults with moderate to severe plaque psoriasis. Armstrong et al

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Spotty Medicare Coverage for Newer Rheumatoid Arthritis Meds

MedPage Today

Medicare coverage of targeted disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) -- both under Medicare Advantage and in separate Part D plans -- is likely to leave many patients wanting, researchers found.

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Economic analysis of ESR & CRP testing (are they same or different?). Compared to doing either ESR OR CRP, they found the ESR + CRP testing was cost-effective strategy, reducing misdiagnoses, followup costs and overall healthcare costs. https://t.co/UU15bxuPKP https://t.co/7zNkUOcQpU
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Who Treats Spondyloarthritis Better?

MedPage Today

European nations may be winning at optimizing care for people with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), international survey data indicate. In data collected from physicians and patients in the U.S. and five European countries, American patients reported a greater symptom burden on average after

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Missed #RheumNowLive 2026? The full meeting is now available On Demand. ✔ 2 days of clinical updates ✔ Expert faculty panels ✔ Speaker slides ✔ Pre-learn modules Watch anytime for $250. Learn from the meeting that kicks off the year in rheumatology. 🔗 Access here: https://t.co/GJwap25PVU
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

EULAR 2025 Update for Behçet’s syndrome

EULAR has updated its recommendations for the management of Behçet’s syndrome, the last being published in 2018. The current update carries no recommendations from the previous version: seven recommendations have content modifications, four have minor wording amends, and one is entirely new

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Prednisone use in Alberta primary care 546 #RA pts - 40% of PCP RA Rx w/ 1 or more prednisone Rx. 41% Rx w/ both Pred + DMARD, w/ 44% on Pred median 124 day before DMARD. 66% continued Pred >1 yr after DMARD initiation. https://t.co/wrxQRP2TWN https://t.co/XxWpjafBsk

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Pitfalls of autoimmune serologic testing Misuse of laboratory testing may lead to misdiagnoses and mismanagement; this is particulary prevalent when clinicians consider the use of the diagnostic use of serological autoimmune markers. https://t.co/QDWTRgdlOh https://t.co/3hvM1OBcMC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Rheumatology Pitfalls (3.20.2026)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the regulatory actions, news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.

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Predictors of Response in Lupus

A systematic review suggests that traditional measures (serologies and disease activity) are superior to biomarkers in predicting response to biologics in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. 

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Long-Term Bimekizumab Safety Data

MedPage Today

Adverse effects from bimekizumab through 2 years or more of treatment for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were about as expected from shorter-term data, results from long-term extension studies indicated.

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