ILD Begins (8.29.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from RheumNow.com. This week news on vaccines, safety of acetaminophen and more.
Read Article
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 )
Study of 43 PsA pts starting bDMARD shows Calprotectin was elevated in PsA, decreased w/ biologics, but had no signif correlation w/ US synovitis. Baseline calprotectin, S100A12, IL-6, IL-17A, IL-23, CXCL10 were high. Calprotectin, S100A12, IL-6 decreased w/ Rx (p < 0.05).
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 )
PsO/PsA patients have an ⬆️ CV risk brought about by traditional and CV risk factors.
Do you perform regular CV risk screening in your patients?
@RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/BGNKrKeLsI
sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
IL-17is demonstrate efficacy in SpA tx
Comparable with TNFis & JAKis in terms of achieving ASAS40 response rates
IL-17is are generally well-tolerated w/⬇️TB risk (very important tx consideration esp in Asia)
But watch out for candidal infx, IBD exacerbation
@RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/rSUJlZOhKV
Links:
sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
PAH, when associated with ILD in CTD, worsens prognosis, and poses challenges for treatment
Summary of when PAH should be assessed in patients with ILD and when to perform a right heart catheterization by Prof Kuwana
@RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/g4x4ENzc9k
Links:
Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
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
Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
Stay sharp in RA, PsA & SpA care. Get the latest breakthroughs + expert insights at RWCS 2026. Don’t miss 'Year in Review: Rheumatology Advances.' Register now: https://t.co/majEsY4tXK https://t.co/fgGniR1OGk
RWCS @RWCSmtg( View Tweet )
Long term outcomes of secukinumab in Children & Adolescents w/ Psoriasis (n=84). 80% completed 4 yrs of Rx w/ either low dose [N 31] & high dose [N 36]) with sustained PASI 75/90/100 results at week 208 [SEC LD: 96%/89%/52%; SEC HD: 88%/82%/73%]. No deaths; No dose-dependent https://t.co/y059SJTxP1
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A case–time-control study of French National Health Insurance database w/ 34 241pts Rx w/ IL-17(R)A inhibitor (2016-2021) (for PsO, PsA, AS, JIA) found no significant association betw IL-17(R)A inhibitors & MACEs over 6 months compared to TNFi Rx pts. https://t.co/fJuPFYKnSr https://t.co/Vscnsq0DTA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
China study of 670 SpA pts rx w/ sulfasalazine betw 2016 to 2023 (469 pure AS; 201 w/ peripheral Sxs). SSZ Signif. reduced peripheral Sxs development (HR 0.49) and improved disease activity in both pure axial and axial-with-peripheral Sxs. https://t.co/5HdQCos9yM https://t.co/tTMScQDHBq
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Metanalysis shows patients w/ psoriasis have signif. higher risk (2-2.5 fold) of metabolic syndrome compared to the general population, RA or spondylitis patients. Comparing PsO to PsA there is no difference (PsA also has a high riskof MetS). https://t.co/gO3IomfP53 https://t.co/Ov2UHV2mN6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Sjögren's Graduates (8.22.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports, FDA approvals, drug safety, and more from this week.
Read Article
ChildCAPTURE & BioCAPTURE registry studies of 117 pediatric & 243 young adult Psoriasis pts on biologics (753.4 Pt-Yrs) shows no sex differences in clinical responses, but shows females have more adverse events than males (both cohorts) https://t.co/5at9vCqwIO https://t.co/ScJkIH9G31
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Claims data study of 82 399 PsA pts - 542 on combo targeted Rx >3 mos (200 > 6mos). 2 most common combos of apremilast w/ TNFi or IL-17i. Use of combo targeted Tx was not assoc. w/ more serious infxn (RRs 0.53; 0.17-1.63) or opportunistic infx (RR 1.00; 0.09-11.02) @ 3 or 6 mos https://t.co/mkvq1lqt9Y
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Safety of Combination Targeted Therapies in Psoriatic Arthritis
MedPage Today
Treating psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with more than one targeted therapy appears to be just fine, with no increased risk of serious infections, insurance claims data indicate.
Read Article
Cohort study of 1,553 Biologic or JAKi Rx IBD (Crohns; UC) pts (SpA excluded) found 106 (6.8%) w/ MSK Sxs & 30 (1.9%) later Dx w/ SpA (20: axial, 10: peripheral) after median F/U 5.2 yrs. SpA risk factors: partial Mayo UC (HR 1.57) & HLA-B27 positivity (HR 3.70) https://t.co/WgLLUjlLMk
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Biologic Switching in Psoriasis
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that biologic switching was effective in a significant number of psoriasis patients; but there may be a price to pay.
https://t.co/QEv5jx9AIo https://t.co/06keUfXwRT
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
There's a transient (1 yr) increase in New Abx Rx among 399 PsA pts after starting a TNF inhibitor. Pre-TNFi, PsA pts were more likely to recv Abx vs controls (1.26 vs. 0.60/yr; p<0.001). Post TNFi Abx use incr to 1.64/yr (p<0.001) but returned to baseline thereafter. https://t.co/LHXn5d7oC9
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Teaching You How to Think… (8.15.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and press clippings from the past week on RheumNow. Positive results in a Sjogren's trial, to PT or not to PT, and aphorisms to live by.
Read Article
Study of 94 children w/ Enthesitis-related arthritis (ERA) - 45 Tunisian, 49 Turkish. While similar demographics, Turkish ERA had signif. more heel pain (61% vs 9%), enthesitis (69% v 40%), &biologics (50 vs 9%); but Tunisian ERA had more sacroiliitis (91% v 55%), Axial Dz (98% v https://t.co/AKNEYoO0C6
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
945 consecutive severe psoriasis pts Rx TNFi or nbUVB phototherapy (2005-2010) w/ median F/U > 9 yrs. After propensity matching, incidence of future PsA was 1.18/100 w/ TNFi vs 2.48/100 w/ nbUVB (IRR 2.1; 1.37–2.98, P = 0.0002). TNFi lowered PsA risk (HR = 0.32). PsA predictors https://t.co/aBsXs6RpCY
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
The Patient Journey with Rheumatic Disease
Oton and colleagues have reviewed the "patient journey" - from symptoms to specialty referral in those diagnosed with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs).
Biologic Switching in Psoriasis
A systematic review and meta-analysis found that biologic switching was effective in a significant number of psoriasis patients; but there may be a price to pay.
Patients with psoriasis may be required to switch therapies, for a variet of reasons (
Recent Blogs
