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Steroids

Maui Potpourri (2.13.2026)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the hot item takeaways from last week's RheumNow.Live 2026.

  1. Diet & Obesity Management in Rheumatology - Uzma Haque, MD
  2. Mitigating risk for Rheum patients undergoing orthopedic surgery - Susan Goodman, MD
  3. Paradoxical skin reactions – Joseph
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Vasculitis

Sunday’s vasculitis session at RNL26 was a fantastic update on inflamed blood vessels, large and small, by two experts in the field: rheumatologist Dr. Mike Putman and dermatopathologist Dr. Clay Cockerell.

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ANA Pollution (2.06.2026)

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

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FDA vs. Amgen: At Odds Over Avacopan

MedPage Today

The FDA has requested that Amgen voluntarily withdraw avacopan (Tavneos), a treatment for anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis, but the company said it has no plans to pull the drug from the market.

Originally developed by ChemoCentryx, the oral

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Giant Cell Arteritis Outcomes in Canada

A retrospective cohort study of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) demonstrates relapses are common and seen in nearly half of patients, were common after treatment is stopped and is not effectively averted by methotrexate (MTX).

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Long term outcomes study of 22 pts w/ adult Stills. 16 (72.7%) completed LTE w/ mean observation 168.9 wks. 3/22 had serious adverse events, Tx efficacy ACR70=68% and 95% reduced in glucocorticoid doses w/ 41% in GC-free remission https://t.co/h0MvDLWGhD https://t.co/HDIKF7VMwA
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2016 ARTIC trial tested T2T w/ MTX & "bridging" tapered Prednisolone (15 mg --> 0mg over 7wks) in 237 new DMARD naive RA pts. PRED discontinuation successful in 84% @7wks, 89% @3mos, 95% @ 24 mos. Only 5% require Pred @ every visit for 2 yrs. You can D/C pred! https://t.co/O23PHq81YP
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Aortitis in Giant Cell Arteritis Treated with Tocilizumab

The The Tocilizumab in Giant Cell Arteritis Spanish Collaborative Group studied giant cell arteritis with aortitis, comparing the efficacy of intravenous vs. subcutaneously (SC) tocilizumab (TCZ) - demonstrating the superiority of SC TCZ.

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Rheum Survey> 40 yoF RA pt on Prednisone 5 mg/d is at increased risk for ?

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Smartphones and Rheumatoid Flares

FORWARD Databank of Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients reveals that smartphone data can predict flares using PROs. 

RA flares are seen in 30-60% of patients, are hard

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Rheum Survey> 40 yoF RA pt on Prednisone 5 mg/d is at increased risk for ?

Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )

The 2025 Rheumatology Year in Review

The year 2025 presented numerous advances in rheumatology and related inflammatory and autoimmune disorders ranging from several new groundbreaking FDA approvals/indications, drug developments, game-changing guidelines and practices that will impact patient care for rheumatic diseases.

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UK study of 1846 RA pts starting a b/tsDMARDs, ~30% on steroids & majority (2/3) continued use over the first year of new novel treatment. This suggests these aer either severe RA pts or that we are not vigilant in limiting/weaning/stopping steroids in RA patients - which is it? https://t.co/TrAktincKT
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2026 Resolutions (1.9.2026)

Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, announcements and journal articles from this past week on RheumNow.com. More on Variable bendability, a better way to treat RA, and a novel advance for GLP1a in PsA; and 2026 Resolutions!

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Glucocorticoid Injections in Knee Osteoarthritis A randomized clinical trial of 60 patients found that glucocorticoid injections into the infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) did not significantly reduce pain scores in patients with inflammatory knee osteoarthritis (OA) (compared to https://t.co/4bKAxER0wq
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
VA registry study; among 2771 RA pts (~65y), 64 (2.3%) had CPPD by ICD9/10 codes. RA+CPPD pts signif older [68 v. 64y], w/ more comorbidity/OA (94 v 80%), spine Dz, DM, but less ACPA (63 v 78%). SNRA+CPPD achieved less LDA, more use of pred & b/tsDMARDs (OR >2), death, TJR. Is https://t.co/hUPJzDseVc
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58 newly Dx #PMR pts (on <8 wks steroids/GC) randomised 1:1 MTX 25 mg/wk or placebo, w/ 24-week GC-tapering protocol. @wk 52 GC-free remission achieved in 80% of MTX vs 46% of placebo pts (risk difference 34%, 1-sided 95% CI: 14%, 1-sided P = .0042) https://t.co/75SLx5LtqZ https://t.co/HtDAJe5VI2
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APP Pearls “Steroids: Set a stop date upfront, educate on side effects, and teach "every milligram matters." Prevents dependence and eases tapering” - Barbara A. Slusher, MSW, PA-C, DFAAPA, DipACLM

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Glucocorticoid Injections in Knee Osteoarthritis

A randomized clinical trial of 60 patients found that glucocorticoid injections into the infrapatellar fat pad (IPFP) did not significantly reduce pain scores in patients with inflammatory knee osteoarthritis (compared to placebo).

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UK study of 1846 RA pts starting a b/tsDMARDs, ~30% on steroids & majority (2/3) continued use over the first year of new novel treatment. This suggests these aer either severe RA pts or that we are not vigilant in limiting/weaning/stopping steroids in RA patients - which is it? https://t.co/7NWeAWTjSy
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Best of 2025: Glucocorticoids in SLE: how to start, how to follow, how to stop 70+ years after their debut, glucocorticoids remain a fast, powerful tool for SLE—but long-term toxicity comes at a high cost. Guidelines now favor GC “bridging therapy”: use briefly, taper fast. The https://t.co/RS0JQquv6j
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APP Pearls “Steroids are not a long-term plan; AND One visit cannot fix everything” - Claudia Rivera-Salas, NP

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Best of 2025: Variability of Guidelines on the Perioperative Use of DMARDs in Rheumatic Diseases Patients

More effective treatments in patients with rheumatic diseases have resulted in less need for major surgery, yet a substantial number of RMD patients will undergo surgery often in the setting of DMARDs use. A scoping review looked at numerous clinical practice guidelines/recommendations for the

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Best of 2025: ERS/EULAR guidelines for CTD-related interstitial lung disease

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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GC dose and tapering may influence serious infection risk in patients with GCA. Discover the key safety outcomes observed during a year of JAKi therapy in a Phase 3 trial. Sponsored by AbbVie Medical Affairs +Health Impact. https://t.co/xIC7Vqx659 https://t.co/6n3XfXeeg2
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