Not all Low Dz Activity RA pts do the same. COREVITAS study of 6,856 RA pts w/ baseline CDAI 0-10. Comparing very low LDA (2.8-6: ~19.6%) vs high LDA >6-10 (31%);latter were twice as likely to have CDAI moderate Dz activity at 1 and 2 years buff.ly/ZOnCD2R

https://acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/acr.80177

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In early RA, initial b/tsDMARDs are better than MTX. Metanalysis of 29 RCTs (13387 pts), Vs MTX alone, initial b/tsDMARDs + MTX signif incr DAS28 remission 2 6 mos (RR 1.62) & 12 mos (RR 1.54). Benefits greater w/ higher baseline Dz, seropositivity buff.ly/nT6TXUz

On this week's podcast, Dr. Jack Cush reviews the news: Steroids are easy to start and hard to stop; hold the MTX but not the biologic or JAK; weighing in on avacopan; and age-old messages for older patients. 🎧 Read + listen: buff.ly/aB3in5H and subscribe wherever you get your podcasts.

Don't Hold the Biologic or JAK with COVID-19 Vaccination A randomized clinical trial in inflammatory arthritis arthritis shows that temporarily holding biologic or Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor therapy at the time of COVID-19 vaccination is not warranted. buff.ly/cJ97fs3

Predicting and Preventing PsA PsA is often underdiagnosed in those with PsO, leading to diagnostic delays and undertreatment. This cohort study suggests that PsO patients exhibit predictors that can better inform dermatologists and rheumatologists. buff.ly/UqiMWGV

Funny! Dr. Glaucomflecken explains the REPLENISH trial -secukinumab for the treatment of polymyalgia rheumatica buff.ly/ZjNfDyo

Retrospective Kuwait registry study of 2629 RA pts- 2326 (88.5%) w/ early (EORA) vs 303 (11.5%) late(LORA). LORA had more age related comorb. Dz (2 vs. 0.9), similar DAS28/CDA, but signif higher ESR (41 vs 33). T2T applies regardless of age!! buff.ly/RS4sd4h

Frontiers | Late-onset versus young-onset rheumatoid arthritis: comorbidities, disease activity, and treatment patterns in a nationwide real-world registry from Kuwait

ObjectivesLate-onset rheumatoid arthritis (LORA) may differ clinically from young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA), but real-world data from the Middle East...

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Retrospective cohort study of 387 ANCA-assoc. vasculitis pts Rx w/ GC +/- avacopan (AVA 52 vs 335 not Rx AVA). AVA use assoc w/ signif less severe infx (adj HR 0.22), & less pred use - but no diff in relapse risk was observed. buff.ly/LOillNw

Reduced severe infection risk with avacopan in ANCA-associated vasculitis: a multicentre REVEAL cohort with time-varying exposure modelling

AbstractObjectives. To evaluate the association between avacopan (AVA) use and recurrent relapse and severe infection in patients with ANCA-associated vasc

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FDA has approved rembrutinib (Rhapsido - BTK inhibitor from Novartis)as 1st Rx for adults with dermographism not controlled by H1 antihistamines (expanding its use beyond chronic spontaneous urticaria) buff.ly/xNfuSlh

Novartis Rhapsido® (remibrutinib) receives FDA approval as first treatment for symptomatic dermographism (SD), expanding its use beyond chronic spontaneous urticaria (CSU)

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Giant Cell Arteritis market size was valued approximately $960 million USD in 2023 - read for interesting drug developments in GCA arena buff.ly/E7cSZ9d

Giant Cell Arteritis Market Set for Significant Growth Through 2034 Driven by Advancing Therapies, Rising Diagnosed Cases, and Expanding Treatment Landscape | DelveInsight – Rajasthan News Paper

(Albany, New York) – October 07, 2026 – DelveInsight’s “Giant Cell Arteritis Market Insights, Epidemiology, and Market Forecast-2034′′ report offers an in-depth understanding of the Giant Cell…

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Agenx announced it will discontinue its phase 3 UNITY study -efgartigimod SC in adults with mod-to-severe Sjögren's dz, based on not meeting clinESSDAIwk 48 & rec from DSMB. ""Sjögren's Disease is one of the most heterogeneous and complicated diseases in immunology.." buff.ly/ZsX3rsX

argenx Provides Update on Phase 3 UNITY Study of Efgartigimod SC in Sjögren's Disease | KBJR/CBS3

October 8, 2026, 7:00 AM CET

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A pooled meta-analyses shows that exercise reduced pain versus control immediately after the intervention (SMD −0.59; 95% CI −0.65 to −0.53; P<0.001). The benefit held across musculoskeletal, inflammatory, neurologic and cancer pain, and for every modality tested. buff.ly/AgH9aox

Study of 64 Stills related #MAS pts (55 sJIA; 9 AOSD). All Rx GCs; 75% anakinra, 52% ciclosporin. Complete remission in 7, partial Rem in 64%; GCs tapered in 78% in median 40d. MAS recurred in 31%; 11% died; 1-year survival probability 93.75% buff.ly/LRpqGRr

https://acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.70326?af=R

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Retrospective real world avacopan (AVCP) safety data from UK vasculitis center looked at AAV pts (RTX or CTX) rx w/ AVCP (n 133) or not AVCP (n 458). @1 yr AVCP had nonsignif incr in ALT >2xULN (15.8% v 11.4%) or >3xULN (11.3% v 6.3%; P 0.064) No diff AP, Bili, Hy's law signals buff.ly/jJ3KFkU

43 Bx-provenGCA in Black Caribbeans - incidence rate 1.76/100K pY w/ 4 fold incr betw 1993 & 2014. Mean Age 76; F:M ratio 4.4. Initial Sxs HA (65%), jaw claud (33%), scalp tender (37%), anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (26%) & PMR (33%). Mean survival was 13 yrs buff.ly/G3h4AXB

Giant cell arteritis in Black Caribbean patients: incidence, clinical features and outcomes of a 31-year population-based study of biopsy-proven cases in Martinique - Arthritis Research & Therapy

Background Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) is poorly known in Black patients. Our objective was to describe the incidence and characteristics of GCA in the Black Caribbean population of Martinique.…

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QD Clinic: How Weight Loss Changes the Course of Knee OA buff.ly/W1jHofr

UK study 46 adult PsA pts w/ BMI ≥25 showed use of digital wt. & Dz app (vs no app) improved weight loss (− 1.55 vs − 0.18 kg), dz activity by CPDAI (p < 0.001), esp w/ arthritis (p 0.017) & enthesitis (p  0.034) domains. Weight loss correlated w/ dz activity improvement. buff.ly/yNcUXTe

Gro Health digital app facilitates weight loss and reduces disease activity in psoriatic arthritis - BMC Rheumatology

Background Obesity is common in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and is associated with higher disease activity, poorer treatment response, and increased cardiometabolic risk. Digital lifestyle…

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Remission – Believe it or Not (10.2.2026) Dr, Jack Cush reviews the news and journal articles from the past week on RheumNow. buff.ly/4SAuvqP

T-cell engager blinatumomab (CD3xCD19 TCE) was used for Deep B-cell depletion in 15 resistant RA pts (MDR-RA). @wk 12 9/15 CDAI LDA, 3/15 CDAI remission. Synovial B cells were depleted (4 of 5 biopsies) but not in lymph nodes. Later, 14/15 flared. No ICANs, 3/15 w/ CRS (gr 1) buff.ly/OUB8fgN

Low-dose blinatumomab in multidrug-resistant rheumatoid arthritis—a case series

T-cell engagers (TCEs) are well-established treatments in haematology; strategies in autoimmune diseases are evolving. As an alternative to high-dose protocols optimising depletion, lower-dose…

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Metanalysis of IVIG in scleroderma (11 studies, 363 pts) showed IVIG to be safe; signif improvement in skin by mRSS (SMD −0.59; p 0.0019) & GI Dz (SMD −0.73; p 0.0012; I2 = 0%). W/ inflam myopathy signif reduction in CK (SMD −0.53; p<0.001) buff.ly/aEfUIjg

Biogen announced the 52 week OL results of AMETHYST Phase 2/3 RCT of litifilimab in 93 #CLE pts. Betw wk 24 & 52, pts improved w/ clear skin (27.2%; CLA IGA 0-1) & 29% CLASI-70 (dz activity) buff.ly/Yr5dcLR

Biogen’s Litifilimab Demonstrates Rapid and Durable Efficacy in New 52-Week Phase 2 Data from Ongoing Phase 2/3 AMETHYST Study, Reinforcing Its Potential as a First-in-Class Therapy for Cutaneous Lupus Erythematosus | Biogen

The Investor Relations website contains information about Biogen's business for stockholders, potential investors, and financial analysts.

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Using national survey data of adults (62-85 yrs) saw no change in Rx Med (84% vs 85%) or dietary supplement (66% vs 67%) use betw 2015-2016 & 2021-2013. But OTC declined (60% vs 55%; P = .04). Polypharmacy signif incr. Drug-drug interactions declined buff.ly/5YWVnML

Polypharmacy and Drug-Drug Interactions Among Older Adults

This study uses a nationally representative sample to estimate changes in the use and concurrent use of prescription and over-the-counter (OTC) medications and dietary supplements among older adults…

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Danish national study (2003-2024) of 51,401 #PMR pts (24K PCPs, 27K secondary MDs): PMR incidence = 112/100K. PMR decr 53% in primary care & incr 30% in secondary care (overall 12% decline). GCA rate was 5.4/1,000 PYs. 28% & 22% were still on PDN after 5 & 10 yrs buff.ly/AVRhGpZ

https://acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/art.70337

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Multicenter retrosp study 2865 #RA pts (dz duration 2 yrs) starting b/tsDMARDs (TNFi, IL-6i, RTX, ABA, JAKi) - 50% were on steroids (GC). At 3 & 6 mos, only 26% & 37% D/C GC. GC D/C more w/ JAKi (24 v 17%). Predictors on NON-D/C: Chronic GC, HTN, TNFi, RTX, ABA (vs JAKi) buff.ly/qBO0NKf

https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0049017226001733?dgcid=rss_sd_all

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Italian retrospective study of 36 difficult #GCA pts (89% relapsed; 72% prev TCZ) showed Clinical remission 85%, 81%, & 83% at 3, 6, & 12 mos. GC-free remission increased to 15%, 28%, & 40% at 3, 6, & 12 mos. GCs d/c in 43%. (Prev ph III RCT - SEC failed to meet its endpoint) buff.ly/RLUcQ24

Serum Abs against IL-1 recept antagonist (aIL-1Ra) were studied in 46 adult-onset Still’s Dz (AOSD not on anakinra) pts & found signif. higher in AOSD vs controls (p=0.003); but levels did not differ between active vs inactive AOSD buff.ly/2Hu0F9y

"No person has the right to rain on your dreams." - Martin Luther King, Jr.

Upadacitinib is now approved in European Union to treat active polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (pJIA) ages > 2yrs for those not responding to 1+ DMARDs. In the USA, UPA is approved for pJIA & juvenile PsA buff.ly/5zhbQmj

DERM on RheumNow PODCAST (September 2026) The Derm on RheumNow podcast is a review of recent citations and content curated for dermatologists – addressing Psoriasis, PsA, CLE, calcinosis, CTD skin disorders. dermatology drugs, biologics, and JAK inhibitors. buff.ly/8ZtbzQZ

The GLP-1 Opportunity Cost in Rheumatology There is no doubt it is an incredibly exciting time to be tackling obesity-related diseases, like many rheumatic diseases appear to be, to some extent. buff.ly/tXsf524