Scleroderma/Raynauds

Review of SARCOPENIA - a loss of muscle mass and function, with significant implications on physical performance. More common in RA, SSc, SpA, SLE, FM, myositis, and vasculitis https://t.co/tCXdoEn9xR https://t.co/Oi91niMn5M

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Review of SARCOPENIA - a loss of muscle mass and function, with significant implications on physical performance. More common in RA, SSc, SpA, SLE, FM, myositis, and vasculitis https://t.co/tCXdoEn9xR https://t.co/PvtmVCv2QJ

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Pt Education handout - Scleroderma https://t.co/UpK24WfyNF

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

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Osteoarthritis Risky Business (4.18.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and Journal reports from this week on RheumNow.com.  Osteoarthritis patients have unique risks and synovial fluid WBC numbers can tell you when to worry about septic arthritis in gout and pseudogout patients.

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Anti-muscarinic 3 Abs are assoc w/ severe GI Dz in systemic Sclerosis. 132 SSc pts (enrich for GI Sxs) - 39% had anti-M3R Abs; 25% high-titer M3R+. Hi titer M3R+ pts had more diffuse Dz (44% vs 23%), GI severity (91% vs 70%), RNPC3+ (18% vs 6%), U1RNP+(21 vs 2%) https://t.co/j8ZWFY4fgx
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Patient Education handout on Raynaud’s Phenomenon https://t.co/Ug2MmtexgU https://t.co/kk9Klxhl8x

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EUSTAR database study of 17,805 scleroderma (SSc) pts, 468 (2.6%) used HCQ with no effect on or improvement on HAQ-DI, or hand function scores when comparing HCQ users to non-HCQ users. https://t.co/Tu4tfG74pn https://t.co/Kckx3zTiJ4

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J&J announced the FDA jas granted the investigational drug, nipocalimab (FcRn recpt Ab), with Fast Track designation for its study in adult patients with moderate-to-severe Sjögren’s disease https://t.co/TB2cESMLQi https://t.co/IC7PQP2fcx

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JAMA Case: A Woman With Painful Digital Ulcers - What would you order next? - chest CT w/ myositis-specific autoAb panel - dsDNA - SCL-70 & Centromere Abs - muscle biopsy https://t.co/t0WCIMtZg2 https://t.co/M1jBhnclLl

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
JAMA Case: A Woman With Painful Digital Ulcers - What would you order next? - chest CT w/ myositis-specific autoAb panel - dsDNA - SCL-70 & Centromere Abs - muscle biopsy https://t.co/9T8mNDdJTs https://t.co/pTphzcuZKF

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd Active Morphea: - MTX +/- steroids. If not effective, MMF/RTX/ABA - Topicals for circumscribed - Phototherapy Most pts achieve remission in active in 1 year Inactive morphea - Can address with PT, pain rx, psychological support, plastic surgery fat… https://t.co/wEnlo6vtAB https://t.co/4uJYC9HaS1
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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B Cell Depleters (2.21.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

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

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Prevalence of Systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) was 49.8% - Chinese study of 223 SSc (F/U 8.1 yrs). Among SSc-ILD, 64% had progressive disease w/ elevated CRP at Dx as predictor. Overall mortality rate = 24.2% (pneumonia) w/ predictors of age,… https://t.co/Lb98KziPOj

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Eric Dein @ericdeinmd How do you know if Morphea is active? -Erythema -Peripheral induration -New lesions in the past few month Non-active damage? - Dermal atrophy -SQ atrophy -Hyperpigmentation -Skin thickness center #RNL2025

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ICYMI: Treatment of sclerosing skin disease: -Progression: inflammation➡️sclerosis➡️ atrophy -Existing therapies target inflammation not sclerosis-poorly developed ttx for sclerosis -First aspect is determining disease state, depth of involvement, extracutaneous manifestations… https://t.co/lYQRW2yDRG https://t.co/DQZjYKS2Ks

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Adela Castro @AdelaCastro222( View Tweet )
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Participation is Up! (1.31.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. We also have two call-in cases on "Ask Cush Anything".

Be sure to join in the fun at RNL 2025 next weekend - Gong Show Karaoke; what will you sing?

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QD Clinic - CREST or More? Is this CREST or Diffuse PSS? Features Dr. Jack Cush. QD Clinics - lessons from the clinic, sponsored by RNL2025 in Dallas, TX; Feb 8 & 9, 2025 Register at https://t.co/2dcFVgu8z6 https://t.co/h7e2tcOaaF https://t.co/6AceRXb4Nq

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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Fallen Angels (1.17.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com; and pays homage to colleagues who passed away in 2024.

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QD Clinic - CREST or More? Is this CREST or Diffuse PSS? Features Dr. Jack Cush. QD Clinics - lessons from the clinic, sponsored by RNL2025 in Dallas, TX; Feb 8 & 9, 2025 Register at https://t.co/2dcFVgu8z6 https://t.co/eA1GijHiYu https://t.co/3EmN9WAyIR

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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Alive in 2025 (1.10.2025)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush brings in the new year with a review of the latest from RheumNow.com

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Calcinosis cutis affects 20–40% of systemic sclerosis pts - and nothing works! PRELIMINARY animal and invitro studies suggest that Citric acid is more effective than sodium thiosulfate in chelating calcium in a dissolution model of calcinosis https://t.co/AEJmW95vud https://t.co/3NnKjHQJtv

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
post-hoc analysis 48 pts w/ SSc-ILD in the DESIRES trial (DBRPCT) showed that RTX efficacy on lung outcomes (FVC change) at 24 weeks was only seen in those with CRP levels ≥0.055 mg/dl, ΔppFVC was significantly higher w RTX vs PBO [difference 8%) https://t.co/92yfWEU1d8 https://t.co/tB9sd9VS1K

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Calcinosis cutis affects 20–40% of systemic sclerosis pts - and nothing works! PRELIMINARY animal and invitro studies suggest that Citric acid is more effective than sodium thiosulfate in chelating calcium in a dissolution model of calcinosis https://t.co/Cbzi00xHdb https://t.co/JLSIyOdxKb

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Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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ICYMI: VITAL Info on Autoimmune Disease (2.9.2024)

Jack Cush, MD

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Highlights are summarized by three songs: "Stairway to Heaven", "You're No Good", and "How Long (has this been going on)".

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PSS.scleroderma.arthritis.contractures

Best of 2024: BSR Guidelines for Systemic Sclerosis Management

Jack Cush, MD

The British Society for Rheumatology has updated its 2015 guidelines for the management of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) based on published evidence, systematic literature review and expert opinion.

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Recent Blogs

Focus on the Fasting Lipid Profile

Dr Paul Anthony John Russo
Blood labs
How best do we communicate CV risk associated with RA to other members of the treating team, most particularly the primary care physicians? After some experimentation, I have come up with an approach that seems to work and which does not take up much time. Read Post

How Do I Treat Symptomatic Interstitial Lung Disease in Scleroderma?

Janet Pope, MD, MPH, FRCPC
IPF.lancet.jpg

Will the results of two recent large scleroderma lung studies finally inform us on how to manage interstitial lung disease in systemic sclerosis?  

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