Rare Diseases

RheumNow Podcast - Rheumatic Patients with COVID (5.29.20)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.

TNR Grand Rounds - Cytokine Storm Syndromes

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This week's Tuesday Nite Rheumatology featured Dr Randy Cron from the University of Alabama - Birmingham as he spoke and took questions on the immunology, immunopathogenesis and treatment of Cytokine Storm Syndrome, especially as they relate to COVID-19 and rheumatic disease patients. The

Anti-TNF and CNS Events: The Link Strengthens

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Patients with autoimmune diseases who were treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors had an increased risk of developing inflammatory central nervous system (CNS) adverse events, a nested case-control study found.

Systemic Sclerosis Future Therapies and Outcome Measures

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Nagaraja, Khanna and colleagues have published an overview of current and future therapies in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and have reviewed the potential outcome measures for this difficult autoimmune disorder. Notably there have been several novel agents studied in recent years,

High Dose Anakinra Effective in COVID-19

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Anakinra was studied in 29 COVID(+) patients with respiratory distress and high inflammatory markers (CRP or ferritin) and compared to non-anakinra patients, those on anakinra had better survival (90% vs. 56% ;p=0·009) and greater improvements in CRP and pulmonary function (72% vs 50%) compared

RheumNow Podcast - COVID Kids and Men (5.15.20)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.

CDC on Pediatric Multi-System Inflammatory Syndrome

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The latest hazardous spinoff to the coronavirus infection is an inflammatory, Kawasaki-like syndrome unique to children or adolescents with COVID-19. Sporadic reports from around the globe of this severe pediatric COVID syndrome have littered the news with brief mentions and little detail.

Kids' COVID-Linked Ailment Is Not Your Typical Kawasaki Disease

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As data continue to emerge about a multi-system inflammatory disorder in children apparently connected to COVID-19, evidence is growing that this is not your typical Kawasaki disease.

In New York, up to 102 children have reportedly developed this inflammatory syndrome, and three

RheumNow Podcast – The Beat Goes On (5.8.20)

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

Hydroxychloroquine's World of Confusion - What you Need to Know

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Hydroxychloroquine has been a dominant news item since the start of the COVID-19 crisis, with a great deal of misconceptions by those who don't know or use or take the drug. HCQ leaped to the headlines on March 19th when President Trump endorsed the drug as being “approved” by FDA. Of course at

Rare Inflammatory Syndrome in Kids with COVID-19

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Pediatricians are asking the question - could this be a rare manifestation of COVID-19 in children?

There are now 3 case reports in the U.S of children infected with the coronavirus who have developed what looks like Kawasaki's diseaes.  Simimar reports have been seen in the UK, Italy

COVID-19 and the Slippery Road of Cytokine Storms

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Early reports on the COVID-19 pandemic allude to a cytokine storm or hyper-inflammation, especially in patients who succumbed to the illness. These conclusions are based on elevated levels of ferritin and other inflammatory markers, drawing comparisons to rare diseases of uncontrolled

Tuesday Nite Rheumatology Grand Rounds - Febrile Disorders

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the appproach to evaluating fever in adults suspected of having a rheumatic disease, Stills disease or autoinflammatory conditions. Presentations, fever duration, disease criteria and genetic testing are discussed.

RheumNow Podcast – Drive Them Crazy (4.17.20)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal articles and new ACR COVID-19 guidelines from the past week on RheumNow.com.

COVID-19 Systemic Involvement

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The presentations of the COVID-19 infection have been clearly chronicled with the worrisome onset of sore throat, dry cough, loss of smell and taste with fevers, myalgias, fatigue and the worrisome progression of pulmonary involvement in a minority.  Lab findings may include a leukocytosis,

ACR COVID-19 Guidance for Rheumatic Disease Patients

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On April 11th, the ACR Board of Directors approved a COVID-19 guidance document written by an ACR task force charged with updating and clarifying recommendations for rheumatologists and rheumatic disease patient management during the current COVID-19 crisis.

This ACR release, in its

Post 9/11 Autoimmune Disease Risk

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The 9/11/01 terrorist attach on the World Trade Center (WTC)  resulted in at least 2,977 fatalities, over 25,000 injuries, and caused at least $10 billion in infrastructure and property damage.  Arthritis & Rheumatology reports that dust cloud exposure among responders and PTSD

RheumNow Podcast – Pandemic Numbers (4.3.20)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news on COVID-19 and FDA actions this past week. Be sure to check out:

Global Rheumatology Alliance Registry Will Study COVID-19

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In the midst of a global pandemic of the 2019 Novel coronavirus acute respiratory disease (COVID-19), a small handful of Rheumatologists gathered on social media to collectively grapple with the impact of this virus on vulnerable populations with rheumatic disease.

The COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Registry

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As the highly virulent SARS-CoV-2 spreads over the world, uncertainty and fear for our patients with rheumatic diseases mount.  

As of March 17, 2020 over 183,000* cases of Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have been recorded, with the majority in China and Europe, but that may be the

Earlier Anakinra Initiation Warranted in Still's Disease

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An Italian study examined the outcomes in adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) based on whether they received early or delayed treatment with anakinra (ANK). 

A total of 141 AOSD patients were retrospectively studied.

Overall, they found no differences in efficacy if ANK was started

RheumNow Podcast - Despite Corona (3.6.20)

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Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.

RheumNow Podcast- Half-Empty Flu (2.21.20)

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Dr Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com

Tofacitinib Effective in Refractory Still's Disease

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Fourteen cases reported from mainland China suggest that tofacitinib (TOFA) may be effective in patients with refractory adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD), further adding to a growing list of potential use of JAK inhibition in managing inflammatory, and now autoinflammatory, disease.

BSR Guidelines for Giant Cell Arteritis

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NICE has commissioned an update to the 2010 British Society for Rheumatology guideline for the management of giant cell arteritis, and proposed a total of 19 recommendations for the diagnosis and treatment of GCA.