Articles By Jack Cush, MD
Population-Based TB Risk and Prevention with RA and Biologics
In a retrospective cohort comparison study, 42,180 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were compared 1:4 with 168,000 normal controls to examine the incidence of new tuberculosis in Taiwan. The RA population included those receiving csDMARDs (36,162), etanercept (3,577), adalimumab (1,67
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“Doctors Don’t Get Sick”
We physicians are clearly better at defining “too sick to work” in our patients than we are for ourselves. After pondering this ill issue, I’ve come up with some wisdom, goofiness and facts.
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Methotrexate Toxicity Quantified
Methotrexate (MTX) is a highly favored drug in rheumatology. Yet it has numerous nuisance side effects that may limit its use or patient acceptance.
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March 2016 Top Social Media News
In March 2016, RheumNow published 82 social media “tweets” regarding news, research and teaching points that impact the rheumatology community. These feeds had a reach (impressions) of 86,400 with, 76 mentions, and over 2700 visits to learn on RheumNow.com.
Read ArticleRheumNow Week in Review - 8 April 2016
Dr. Jack Cush reviews the rheumatology highlights from the news, media, and journals from this past week:
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Altering the Microbiome May Benefit Lupus Patients
Previous research has suggested a potential role for gut dysbiosis and alterations Th17 and regulatory T (Treg), along with IL-17, IL-22, and IL-23, in the pathogenesis of SLE. Lopez and colleagues from Spain have studied the gut microbiome of l
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Statin Side Effects Are For Real
The GAUSS-3 trial, recently published in JAMA, examined cholesterol-lowering interventions in patients with a high LDL (>120 mg/dl) and a history of statin intolerance to 2 or more statins.
Read ArticleIntraarticular Wnt Inhibitor Therapy Effective in Knee Osteoarthritis
At the 2016 World Congress on Osteoarthritis (OARSI) meeting last week, first line results of a novel intraarticular inhibitor of the Wnt pathway (SM04690) in knee osteoarthritis were presented.
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Choosing ANA Tests Wisely - Education Fosters Smarter Use
It is estimated that 21% of laboratory tests are requested inappropriately. Researchers have explored the impact of educational programs for rheumatologists working at three rheumatology departments in secondary and tertiary care centers in The Netherlands.
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Tofacitinib Efficacy Revealed in OPAL Study
Pfizer has issued a press release of its preliminary results from the OPAL study that examined the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib 5 mg and 10 mg twice daily (BID) in adults active psoriatic arthritis (PsA).
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