Articles By Jack Cush, MD
STING/IFN Activation Promotes ANCA-Associated Vasculitis Progression
Research presented in the Journal of Experimental Medicine shows that ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) may be propagated by pathogenic mechanisms triggering cGAS/STING/IRF3-dependent IFN-I release.
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Autoimmune Disease Augments Cardiovascular Risk
A large UK database study suggests that young adults with autoimmune diseases have an associated increased risk for cardiovascular disease.
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RheumNow Podcast –Rainbow Rheumatology (8.27.2022)
Dr. Jack Cush delivers this weeks rheumatology "weather report" with the best and least of news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com “Climate is what we expect, weather is what we get.” – Mark Twain
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Olokizumab, another IL-6 Inhibitor for RA
This week's NEJM has published the efficacy results of a large phase 3 trial of olokizumab, a humanized monoclonal antibody that directly targets IL-6 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. This is in contrast to two other marketed IL-6 inhibitors (sarilumab, tocilizumab) that bind to the IL-6 receptor.
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Hyaluronic Acid Knee Injections Equivalent to Placebo
In the United States, where over $300 million is spent annually on intraarticular hyaluronic acid injections, yet another study shows such therapy to be no better than placebo.
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Bullous Systemic Lupus Erythematosus
Bullous systemic lupus erythematosus (BSLE) is a rare blistering cutaneous manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). As goes SLE, bullous disease typically affects women, especially those of African descent.
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Record Use of Marijuana and Hallucinogens in Young Adults
The NY Times reports that a recent survey of drug use indicates that daily consumption of marijuana among young adults nearly doubled in the last decade. This is coupled with growing mainstream acceptance of cannabis and hallucinogenic compounds.
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Bidirectional Association Between Depression and Rheumatoid Arthritis
A recent meta-analysis suggests a bidirectional association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and depression. Finding RA patients with depression yields an 80% increased mortality risk. Anti-cytokine therapies represents a potential alternative for the treatment of depression.
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Axial Psoriatic Arthritis and Ankylosing Spondylitis with Psoriasis
A cohort analysis from Toronto suggests that axial psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is distinctly different from axial ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with psoriasis.
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What to do with "no-shows"
A current Medscape article on patient "no shows" in private medical practice examines the cause and approach to the problem. The most common reason for no shows is lack of knowledge about the scheduled appointment. Here are other common causes of no-shows, and how to address the problem.
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