Articles By Jack Cush, MD
Best of 2018: Ustekinumab May be Effective in Lupus
Ronald F van Vollenhoven and colleagues have reported in Lancet that ustekinumab (UST), an interleukin-12 and -23 inhibitor, when added to usual therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients, was shown to be superior to placebo at improving clinical efficacy and laboratory param
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Best of 2018: Unproven But Profitable Stem Cell Clinics
Stem cell clinics are popular and proliferating as they are largely a cash business and fall outside of FDA regulatory control. In lieu of scientific proof, most advocates use patient testimonials and the placebo effect to back up their claims.
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Mourning the Loss of NIAMS Director Stephen Katz, MD, PhD
The following tribute to the late Dr. Steven Katz appeared on the NIH website.
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RheumNow Podcast – Rheumatologist Salaries (12.21.18)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news from RheumNow for the week ending 12/21/18.
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Zolendronate Protects Against Fracture in Osteopenia
The NEJM reports that the use of zoledronate significantly reduces the risk of nonvertebral or vertebral fragility fractures in women with osteopenia.
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Nailfold Videocapillaroscopy in Dermatomyositis
A study of nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC) in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) finds abnormalities in more than half of patients suggesting this could be a useful clinical tool in diagnosing and managing patients with IIM.
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H2H: Ixekizumab vs. Adalimumab in Psoriatic Arthritis
Lilly has issued an advanced press release on its SPIRIT-H2H trial, wherein ixekizumab (Taltz) was shown to be more effective than than adalimumab (Humira) in a 24 week psoriatic arthritis study.
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Rising Physician Exclusion from Medicare and Medicaid
JAMA Network Open has published that an increasing number of physicians are being excluded from Medicare and other forms of public insurance.
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RheumNow Podcast – Vasculitis and Strange Bedfellows (12.14.18)
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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CDC Top 15 Most Common Opioid Overdose Drugs
The Dec. 12 issue of the National Vital Statistics Reports from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that the most commonly abused drugs causing drug overdose deaths (between 2011-2016) include fentanyl, heroin, oxycodone, and cocaine.
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