Rare Diseases

Controversies in ILD This deep dive into controversies in interstitial lung disease explored complex topics including IPAF, methotrexate, systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease vs. connective tissue disease distinctions, and the evolving role of anti-fibrotic therapy. Panelists: https://t.co/ekP1Gg73yj
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
SARD-ILD: Significant diagnostic and treatment delays Should we be screening all our patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD) for interstitial lung disease? https://t.co/WyccifEHtY https://t.co/S6X5AhZCjz

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
KDIGO is excited to share the publication of the 2025 Clinical Practice Guideline for the Management of IgA Nephropathy (#IgAN) and IgA Vasculitis (#IgAV), along with the Executive Summary in @Kidney_Int. Read the Guideline in KI: https://t.co/Ygwhu3rizm Download the Executive https://t.co/jio8N1C7KP

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KDIGO @goKDIGO( View Tweet )
ILD and Mortality in Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Dr. Bryant England, Lincoln, NE, discusses interstitial lung disease and mortality in systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs), as part of RheumNow's Rheum to Breathe: ILD campaign, presented throughout the month https://t.co/wtg9Te6oth
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
SARD-ILD and serious infection risk: The elephant in the room Interstitial lung disease (ILD) remains one of the largest unmet clinical needs across many systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). ILD is highly prevalent across systemic sclerosis, mixed connective tissue https://t.co/oxIteGfUTd
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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 )
Definitions for Interstitial Lung Disease: A Consensusfrom the Fleischner Society https://t.co/gEqmkdJLDh https://t.co/8nnWKbKjk9

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Call to Update the Classification Criteria in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies (IMM), Why? - EULAR/ACR myositis criteria dont cover specific myositis subtypes - Polymyositis is rare - antisynthetase & necrotizing myopathy & Jo1 Dz not well represented - Need to include MSA, https://t.co/LUfF0VCeJ7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
What are the Pros and Cons of autologous CAR T cell therapy? Summary slide from Georg Schett who also mentioned the exciting in vivo CAR approach using nanoparticules in myeloma, something to stay tuned for @RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/kWjrx6N9Dv

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Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
Why shall we screen all patients with SSc for ILD? Focusing screening strategy on patients « at risk » misses 25% of patients with ILD ILD being the main cause of mortality in SSc @RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/djzCTdZoVb

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Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
PAH diagnosis and management in the context of CTD ILD Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a serious complication of connective tissue disorders (CTD), affecting about 25% of PAH patients. CTD-PAH is the second most common cause after the idiopathic form. PAH involves high https://t.co/UgsdYWv02S
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( 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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ERS/EULAR guidelines for CTD-related interstitial lung disease The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) have released clinical practice guidelines for evaluating and managing connective tissue diseases (CTD) https://t.co/2mmxsor4ND
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Addressing Disparities and Unequal Burdens in ILD Interstitial lung diseases (ILDs) represent a complex spectrum of conditions that share one unifying truth: they are almost always serious, progressive, and life-altering. But for many patients, the burden of disease does not https://t.co/Ubh7R7Xb3E
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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ERS/EULAR guidelines for CTD-related interstitial lung disease

Jack Cush, MD

The European Respiratory Society (ERS) and European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) have published clinical practice guidelines for the evaluation and management of connective tissue diseases (CTD) associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) in two simultaneous publications in

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Interesting data shared by Dr. Sandhya Pulukool on Asian pts with SjD vs. Caucasians: - Younger age of onset except in Japan - Higher female to male ratio @RheumNow #APLAR25 https://t.co/RPM9zI4tVQ

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sheila @RHEUMarampa( View Tweet )
Peter Taylor on Pre-RA: If Pre-RA is too late for interception, shall we start screening general population? We have to remember RA is a RARE disease Pre-test of RA per year per person would be 0.00025% for primary prevention: A needle in a haystack? @RheumNow @APLAR_org https://t.co/LKGtz1P7sl

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Aurelie Najm @AurelieRheumo( View Tweet )
Elevated serum levels of interleukin-18 discriminate Still's disease from other autoinflammatory conditions. Sera from 53 mSAID, 220 guSAID, 49 controls show IL-18 signif increased in Still's Dz; free IL-18 levels were selectively higher in Still's disease. https://t.co/8IWXWZmWgE
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Anti-MDA5 DM is assoc w/ rapidly progr ILD & mortality risk. 26 MD5+ DM pts (age 56.6 yrs; 7/26 male) Sxs: Gottrón’s (81%), ILD (73%), periungual erythema (69%), heliotrope (61%), V-sign (42%), arthritis (42%), weakness (38%), mechanic’s (35%), Raynaud’s (19%). 7/19 RP-ILD died https://t.co/WFwavo32rB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Turkish study of Childhood-onset arthritis (n 1713; age 6.8 yrs). Most Dx: JIA 50% (most oligo), FMF 16% (recurrent oligo), vasculitis 14% (most IgA vasculitis; 94% oligo), reactive arthritis 9% (monarthritis) & acute rheumatic fever 5% (polyarticular& migratory), SLE 5% (oligo https://t.co/HkiPT0hsr7
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Global prevalence of Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is 0.99%, but varies globally between 0.67% and 1.46%. HS is assoc w/ female sex. Based on a meta-analysis 22 743 participants, identifying 247 HS pts. https://t.co/TtKdfKiIn3 https://t.co/zOIVUlF5E8

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
September is Pulmonary Fibrosis Awareness month. PF & ILD affect more than 250,000 Americans. The Pulmonary Fibrosis Foundation (PFF), will lead a nationwide campaign to raise awareness https://t.co/BYKeLcFP2U https://t.co/746CyLCT0z

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Review of cancer-associated myositis (CAM) & assoc myositis-specific or myositis-associated autoantibodies. 2017 meta-analysis 5 studies & 4538 pts w/ DM or PM, the cancer risk (SIR) for DM = 4.66, but PM = 1.75. Cancer risk ^^ w/ Low serum KL-6, TIF1γ, NXP2, HMGCR Abs https://t.co/xsOt4wPIXB
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Interstitial lung disease is a group of conditions that cause inflammation and scarring in the lungs. This JAMA Patient Page describes types and causes of interstitial lung disease as well as its diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis. https://t.co/WELKKR0SX7 https://t.co/ykzR16ja3L

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JAMA @JAMA_current( View Tweet )
Anti-MDA5 DM is assoc w/ rapidly progr ILD & mortality risk. 26 MD5+ DM pts (age 56.6 yrs; 7/26 male) Sxs: Gottrón’s (81%), ILD (73%), periungual erythema (69%), heliotrope (61%), V-sign (42%), arthritis (42%), weakness (38%), mechanic’s (35%), Raynaud’s (19%). 7/19 RP-ILD died https://t.co/ugbmKlXsBp
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

Recent Blogs

Choice Overload (and the Way Out)

Jack Cush, MD
paint,choice,overload,color
I recently overheard a very good practicing rheumatologist complain, “why do I need yet another drug for psoriatic arthritis? I have more treatment choices than I have actual PsA patients who need a new or better drug”. Read Post

Best of 2022: Five Mistakes When Diagnosing Still’s Disease

Jack Cush, MD
Thermometer
Adult-onset Still's presents an interesting and diagnostic challenge when encountered. Here are 5 tips to improve your diagnostic acumen for this febrile disorder. Read Post
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