Doubting RS3PE (8.14.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles this week where RheumNow featured info on cancer, deadly viruses, AI rules, poetry and good moons rising.
Read Article
French study of 90 RA F pts w/ 100 pregnancies (steroids 46% & biologics 39% were used). Vs 359 controls, RA had signif. more preterm birth (PTB;OR 2.08) & small for gestational age. SGA assoc w/ nulliparity (adj OR 4.38), PTB assoc w/ maternal age (aOR 1.14) & GC ≥10 mg/d (aOR https://t.co/StCJW2rsZI
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
US TriNetX EHR study of of seropositive RA: 31,932 without ILD; 115 RA-ILD on antifibrotic Rx & 1885 RA-ILD not Rx w/ antifibrotics. MTX was used more in RA w/o ILD (52%) vs RA-ILD (12%) on antifibrotics. RA-ILD was assoc w/ heterogeneous antifibrotic use. https://t.co/eBJBXbnQLN
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
2026 BSR Pain Guideline: What Rheumatologists Need to Know
The British Society for Rheumatology has issued its first guideline dedicated solely to pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA)—covering RA, PsA, axial SpA and JIA.
https://t.co/3Jtneox8Rh https://t.co/06ccLhjhMh
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
NHANES survey (2005-2018) studied prevalence of arthritis in adults w/ depression (PHQ-9 ≥10), From 15157 depressed pts, RA was most prevalent & increased 7.8 to 17.7%; OA unchanged 11.7 to 10.7% & PsA declined 7.2 to 1.7%. Depression assoc w/ higher risk for RA (OR 1.40) & PsA https://t.co/fcROEvsHDT
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
2026 BSR Pain Guideline: What Rheumatologists Need to Know
The British Society for Rheumatology has issued its first guideline dedicated solely to pain in inflammatory arthritis (IA)—covering RA, PsA, axial SpA and JIA.
Read Article
Evaluating Inflammatory Joint Pain in Older Adults
Lee, Levinson, and Makris have published an approach to evaluating inflammatory joint pain in older adults in JAMA Internal Medicine. While intended to be a practical guide for primary care clinicians, the tenets and clues ring true for all.
Read Article
MoonLake announced positive phase 3 data from its IZAR-1 RCT using its dual A/F IL-17 inhibitor sonelokimab, showing significant responses at week 16: 66% ACR20, 42% ACR50, 41% minimal disease activity (MDA), & 61% PASI90 at week 16. a 2nd IZAR-2 PsA RCT is in progress https://t.co/eX0cxekRKG
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
UK Clinical Practice Research Database study RA pts 3134 on glucocorticoids (vs not 4142 matched controls). were identified. GC use assoc w/ signif risk of SSRI initiation risk - recent GC (adj OR 1.53) & past GC (aOR 1.40). GC effect or confounding dz activity? Think depression! https://t.co/WZLkQWlURC
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Air Pollution Increases RA Activity and Flares
Koreans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) showed increased disease activity and higher flare rates when exposed to relatively high levels of small atmospheric particulate matter, researchers reported.
https://t.co/9dZkTzivRz https://t.co/Reic3P5U6r
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Korean study of 1070 #RA pts. assessed for Dz activity & monthly pollution exposure (SO2, NO2, ozone, CO, PM10, PM2.5). Among 6 pollutants, PM2.5 signif incr risk of flare (adj OR 1.11) & DAS28-CRP, CDAI, TJC, SJC; more so w/ in women & nonsmokers & w/ prolonged PM2.5 exposure https://t.co/HgtWMz9LMs
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease
A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how SLE, RA, and SSc have an increased risk of arrhythmias and SCD attributable to shared immune pathways. These facts substantiate the https://t.co/j9AW26LE66
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Best proof of difference betw Seropos vs seroneg RA from TREAT-EARLIER 12 mos study 236 clinically suspect arthralgia pts w/ subclinical Jt inflammation Rx w/ MTX vs PBO. MTX prevented RA only the seroneg RA (9 v 35%); But no protection in seropos RA (58 vs 65%) https://t.co/ufY9ZJmKgf
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Mentshlichkeit* (8.7.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and recent journal reports on RheumNow.com.
Read Article
Air Pollution Increases RA Activity and Flares
MedPage Today
In this study from Korea, levels of small particulate matter correlated with increased RA disease activity and risk for disease flares.
Read Article
Best proof of difference betw Seropos vs seroneg RA from TREAT-EARLIER 12 mos study 236 clinically suspect arthralgia pts w/ subclinical Jt inflammation Rx w/ MTX vs PBO. MTX prevented RA only the seroneg RA (9 v 35%); But no protection in seropos RA (58 vs 65%) https://t.co/A5aFUgMPQR
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A Tribute to Daniel L. Kastner, MD, PhD (1951–2026)
The rheumatology, genetics and NIH communities mourn for Dr. Daniel L. Kastner, who died on July 28, 2026, in Bethesda, Maryland, at age 74. The following are declarations, tributes, and memories dedicated to this mensch of a man, titan of science, memorable mentor and humble physician.
Read Article
Arrhythmias in Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease
A new review in the Journal of Cardiovascular Development and Disease (Tamirisa et al) synthesizes how systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and systemic sclerosis have an increased risk of arrhythmias and sudden cardiac death attributable to shared immune pathways.
Read Article
JAMA Case Quiz - A 57 yoF w/ #RA has a new vesicular rash. 9mos prior ETN change to ADA. Rash (painful, pruritic) started 2 wks ago. Exam: PIP swelling, & ulcerated plaques on neck, chest, & erythroderma on hands, CRP 15.0 mg/L , ESR 111 mm/h. What would you do? order?
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Methotrexate Safety Tips (7.31.2026)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com.
Read Article
$2 Million in Research Grants for Juvenile Arthritis
July is Juvenile Arthritis Awareness Month, and while many people think of arthritis as a disease of aging, nearly 300,000 children in the U.S. are living with a rheumatic disease.
Equally important is that 2026 marks a 50 year anniversary for Pediatric
Read Article
Retrospective study of 2187 RA pts initiating menopausal hormone Tx (MHT) vs 8,205 unexposed controls. VTE incidence higher among MHT users (6.49 vs 3.3/1000PY). MHT use was associated with a 92% signif increased risk of VTE in RA (adj HR: 1.92), mostly DVT risk (aHR: 2.26)
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
STOP-HZ trial - 30 #RA pts going on tofacitinib given Shingrix (RZV) on day 1 & wk 8 & started Tofa on d1 or wk8. @wk 12 VZV responses incr in both (2.66 & 2.91 fold incr). @wk 4, d1 Tofa had fewer ≥1.5-fold VZV vs wk8 (44.8% vs 80%); BUT can you wait 8wks to start JAKi? https://t.co/tH0zPgBbHQ
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
UTSW observational study of labs (n 14,199) changes w/ MTX use in 2,439 pts (13% RA, 11% PsO/PsA, 15% inflam arthritis) - found no difference in labs q3 vs q6 mos. No signif correlation betw monitoring intervals & changes in ALT, AST,WBC, HCT, MCV, PLT, FIB-4. Small https://t.co/gKwA7juexG
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Fibrosis-4 (FIB-4) Index for Liver Fibrosis is calculated from age, AST, ALT, Plts. Study of 174 RA, PsA, PsO pts on MTX find 11% w/ fibrosis (by elastography). FIB-4 AUC for fibrosis =0.68 (weak). Fibrosis was signif assoc w/ FIB-4 >1.62, DM, obesity, advanced steatosis https://t.co/GYrhs2U1s3
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Therapeutic Updates
Make Rheum for Rads: Autoimmune ILD Diagnosis, Monitoring, and the Patient Experience
Sponsored by Boehringer Ingelheim Pharmaceuticals, Inc.
Drs. Elizabeth Volkmann and Robert Suh explore the roles rheumatologists and radiologists play in diagnosing and monitoring autoimmune ILD and hear from a patient about her experience.
Read Post
A JAKi After TNFi Failure in RA: SELECT-SWITCH at Week 12
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Dr. Christina Charles-Schoeman and Dr. Manish Jain are back to discuss treatment considerations after TNFi failure in RA. Join them as they review the latest data from SELECT-SWITCH, including post hoc results in primary and secondary nonresponders presented at EULAR 2026.
Read Post
Poster Hall
Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs + Health Impact
Real-World Predictors and Early Indicators for IBD in Patients With PsA
Recent Blogs
Podcasts
EULAR 2026 RA Topic Panel
RA Topic Podcast compilation
EULAR 2026 Daily Podcast Day 4c
