Articles By Jack Cush, MD
Actemra FDA Approved for Systemic Sclerosis Interstitial Lung Disease
By Jack Cush, MD
05 March 2021
Genentech announced yesterday that the US Food and Drug Administration approved tocilizumab (Actemra) for the treatment of Systemic Sclerosis-associated Interstitial Lung Disease (SSc-ILD), specifically indicated for the slowing the rate of decline in pulmonary function in adults SSc-ILD.
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RheumNow Podcast – Pounds of Prevention (3.5.2021)
By Jack Cush, MD
04 March 2021
Dr. Jack Cush reviews and discusses nearly a dozen news reports and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Baricitinib Therapy in Covid-19 Pneumonia
By Jack Cush, MD
04 March 2021
The NEJM has published the results of the ACCT-2 Study, a double-blind, randomized, placebo-controlled trial evaluating baricitinib, an inhibitor of Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) and JAK2, plus remdesivir in hospitalized adults with Covid-19. The primary outcome was the time to recovery.
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Weight Loss to Avert Risk of Gout
By Jack Cush, MD
03 March 2021
Analysis of the NHANES population survey data shows weight gain during adulthood increases the risk of gout and that maintaining normal weight could reduce the overall gout risk by nearly 33%.
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Paucity of Effectiveness Research on Telemedicine in RA
By Jack Cush, MD
02 March 2021
A systematic review of telehealth in delivering equivalent care in RA patients demonstrates there is limited evidence that virtual RA care is equivalent to conventional face-to-face care. Despite current widespread use, there is a great need for credible well-designed research that will address comparable patient outcomes, implementation strategies and long‐term health system consequences.
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NEJM: Interleukin-6 Inhibition in Critically-Ill COVID-19
By Jack Cush, MD
01 March 2021
The pendulum and jury are wavering with regard to the benefits of interleukin-6 receptor antagonists in COVID-19; the current NEJM reports the results of a study favoring such biologic therapy in in critically ill COVID-19 patients.
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MAXIMISE Trial - Secukinumab Efficacy in Psoriatic Spondylitis Patients
By Jack Cush, MD
26 February 2021
The results of the novel MAXIMISE trial have been published, demonstrating that secukinumab significantly improved axial signs and symptoms in psoriatic arthritis patients with axial manifestations with inadequate NSAID response.
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RheumNow Podcast – Sweet Lies or Hard Truths? (2.26.2021)
By Jack Cush, MD
26 February 2021
Dr. Jack Cush reviews and discusses the news and Journal reports from the past week on RheumNow.com.
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Measureable Benefits to Treat-to-Target Management in RA
By Jack Cush, MD
24 February 2021
Desai and colleagues have published that when a learning collaborative group focused on a treat‐to‐target approach was compared to usual care, a modest but significant impact on implementation, treatment changes and patient outcomes in RA patients managed with a treat‐to‐target approach was seen.
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Higher Lupus Mortality Among Minority Populations
By Jack Cush, MD
23 February 2021
The February 19th MMWR reports that higher mortality rates in certain patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE); data based on recent San Francisco County statistics showing a four fold higher mortality among Asian and Hispanic/Latina females with SLE.
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