Rheumatology: Believe It or Not (4/25/2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Should we believe the reviews and metanalyses?
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Is High Dose Aspirin Needed in Kawasaki Disease?
Does aspirin add any advantage to intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) alone in children with Kawasaki disease (KD)? A randomized clinical trial IVIG alone was not inferior to IVIG plus aspirin, suggesting that high-dose aspirin during initial IVIG treatment did not reduce coronary artery
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EMR Messaging Woes (4.11.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news, journal reports and regulatory approvals from this past week on RheumNow.com
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An Epidural Letdown (4.4.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com.
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Upadacitinib for Giant-Cell Arteritis - A Phase 3 Trial
The NEJM has published a randomized controlled trial in giant-cell arteritis (GCA) patients, demonstrating significant efficacy and safety of upadacitinib (UPA), given as 15 mg daily, as compared to placebo.
Cancer Survival with TNF Inhibitors (3.28.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from this past week on RheumNow.com
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Adrenal Dysfunction after Steroids in PMR and GCA Patients
JAMA has published a study of PMR and GCA patients who stopped glucocorticoid (GC) therapy and noted a low (1.2%) risk of GC-induced adrenal insufficiency after planned cessation.
GC are widespreadly and chronically used in rheumatology, often with the
World Changers (3.14.2025)
Dr Jack Cush and his podcast friends are out to change the world. Here is his weekly review of the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.
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Glucocorticoid Toxicity Index
Dr. John Stone has led the effort to develop the GTI - glucocorticoid toxicity index. In this review article he acknowledges the need and benefit of steroids, but details a novel means to identify and limit the untoward effects of glucorticoids (GC).
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2024 Rheumatology Year in Review
2024 was a year of surprising new growth in technology, with the expansion of new therapeutic options for many patients and clinicians. While these many advances offer new hope, they are countered by disappointments and gapping unmet needs in rheumatology. Below is my top 10 list
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A Case of IgA Vasculitis Presenting as Duodenal Perforation
Presentation by Dr. Audrey Liu, at the Rheumatology Winter Clinical Symposia - Feb 2025
https://t.co/kZWgy1S0Wh https://t.co/9mJAzVRVpl
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
A Review of Relapsing Polychondritis
A current review in the Journal of Thoracic Disease on relapsing polychondritis (RP), suggests that while this rare disorder may have an uncertain pathogenesis, its diagnosis and therapeutical management has improved.
This review focuses on key features, with damage to
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AbbVie Receives Positive CHMP Opinion for Upadacitinib (RINVOQ®) for the Treatment of Adults with Giant Cell Arteritis https://t.co/WP8JGpHc6p https://t.co/x9m870mCJ4
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Retrospect. study of 77 RA pts w/ +ANCA (age 62 yrs, 79%F. 65% RF+. 45% p-ANCA+; 42% MPO+. Diagnoses included: AAV (29%); GPA (45%), MPA (36 %); EGPA (5%). Renal (41%) & upper Resp (36%) were most freq. Pts w/ RA+AAV had more RF, MPO+, nodules, inflam eye Dz… https://t.co/NTvAhZY2y8 https://t.co/IAkWHtcTCo
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Opioid Deaths are Down (2.28.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news and journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com. Opioid deaths are down, IL-33 levels are up and Weight loss is in the news again this week!
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Livedoid vasculopathy (LV) is a rare chronic microvascular thrombosis dz w/ hypercoagulability and inflammation. Lit Search found 15 articles, 41 LV pts Rx w/ biologics & JAK inhib. 88% w/ positive responses & pain relief. TNFi were most used, then JAK inhibitors… https://t.co/3ugGdUlYcI https://t.co/0aXRKRi5RA
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
EGPA in 2025
Eosinophilic Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis (EGPA), the artist formerly known as Churg-Strauss syndrome, remains somewhat of a rogue agent among the vasculitides.
https://t.co/4ofjQRYsMH https://t.co/PoVhaQ9QiZ
Links:
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Valentine RNL 2025 Review (2.14.2025)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews highlights from RheumNow Live 2025 held in Dallas, TX on Feb. 8-9, 2025.
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EGPA in 2025
Formerly classified as an ANCA-associated vasculitis, EGPA is both most commonly ANCA negative and clinically different to the other two ANCA-associated vasculitis conditions, GPA and MPA. The management of EGPA has frequently fallen into the trap of being copied from its more common and well-
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Dr Rhee @RennieRhee mimics of medium/large vessel vasculitis. Increase in cross-sectional imaging use has increased the number of these we get referred. Segmental arterial mediolysis also pops up a fair bit. @RheumNow #RNL2025 https://t.co/yozRGE9Ncl
Richard Conway @RichardPAConway( View Tweet )
#RNL2025 @RheumNow
Dermatomyositis is VASCULAR disease
-IVIG may help DM by blocking complement deposition on endomysial capillaries
-CK levels not reliable
Pruritus common in up to 86% of DM patients
Dr. Charles-Schoeman, UCLA
Eric Dein @ericdeinmd( View Tweet )
Outcomes of Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C)
A nationwide cohort study of patients with multisystem inflammatory syndrome in children (MIS-C), a life-threatening complication of COVID-19 infection, showed that many had severe disease during the acute phase, but most recovered quickly and had a reassuring midterm prognosis.
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BACHELOR Trial - Baricitinib in Early Polymyalgia Rheumatica
Lancet reports a French study demonstrating the efficacy of baricitinib in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).
RheumThoughts: Overlap Syndrome with ILD
How would you manage a patient with Overlap (anti-synthetase) syndrome, ILD, polyarthritis and myositis?
https://t.co/4RyV1zkphe https://t.co/qTZ4JYlJmW
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
Systematic review of 208 pts w/ IgG4–related disease & pachymeningitis - mean age 52 yrs; 2/3 male. HA & cranial nerve dysfunctions were most common Sxs. nearly half had systemic Dz. Abnl imaging of cavernous sinus and middle fossa. Incr. IgG4 in 65% w/ CSF pleocytosis in 52%… https://t.co/0TberfIXsH https://t.co/6k5QgGTnkw
Dr. John Cush @RheumNow( View Tweet )
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