Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

An official publication of the ACR and the ARP serving rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals

Synopsis: Single Cell Technologies & New Insights into SLE

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ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—The definition of cell type depends increasingly on a cell’s molecular features. On Friday, Nov. 6, 2020, Alex Kuo, PhD, senior scientist at Stanford University School of Medicine, Stanford, Calif., described six technologies that are relatively mature and can be used for rheumatic disease research: Rapidly developing single-cell RNA sequencing (scRNA-seq); Cellular indexing…

Upadacitinib Safety Similar to Other Jakinibs for RA

Lisa Rapaport  |  

(Reuters Health)—A once-daily 15 mg dose of upadacitinib for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has similar rates of malignancies, serious infections, major adverse cardiovascular events, and venous thromboembolic events as other Janus kinase inhibitors (jakinibs), results from phase 3 clinical trials suggest. Researchers examined data on treatment emergent adverse events among patients taking upadacitinib in five randomized…

A Close Look at Antibodies in RA

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ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—Recent research findings suggest rheumatologists need to take a closer look at two gold standard autoantibodies used to diagnose seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA)—rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), according to Caroline Grönwall, PhD, and Miriam Shelef, MD, PhD, who discussed Antibodies in RA: Beyond Citrullination & Back to Rheumatoid Factor at…

Lupus Nephritis: New Decade, New Approaches

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Experts say progress is being made on a variety of fronts in lupus nephritis. New data, for instance, shows that repeat biopsy beyond that used for diagnosis can help guide treatment and greatly reduce the flare rate. New treatments – including belimumab and the calcineurin inhibitors tacrolimus and voclosporin — have yielded improved response rates in LN…

Can We Predict & Prevent Pregnancy Complications in Patients with Lupus & APS?

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ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—New evidence, though derived from small numbers, suggest that treatment with the TNF-inhibitor certolizumab could help improve high-risk pregnancy outcomes in women with antiphospholipid syndrome (with or without systemic lupus erythematosus) and lupus anticoagulants, an expert said. In the Phase 2 IMPACT trial, which has already enrolled 27 women and is continuing to…

Racial Disparities in Rheumatology: RA, OA & Arthroplasty

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ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—Evidence shows that African Americans have a higher burden of osteoarthritis, with lower use of conventional medications, and are less adherent to the medications they take. They also get arthroplasty procedures less often, and when they do have the procedures, they report greater pain, worse function and lower satisfaction with them. In RA…

FAST Results for Febuxostat Safety in Patients with Gout

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ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—The results of a post-authorization study comparing the cardiovascular safety of febuxostat vs. allopurinol were presented in a late-breaking abstract session at the ACR’s fully virtual annual meeting on Monday, Nov. 9. Cardiologist Thomas MacDonald, MD, FRCP, MBChB, clinical professor (teaching and research) of molecular and clinical medicine, University of Dundee School of…

Lupus Immunology Trends Provide Insights for Rheumatologists

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ACR CONVERGENCE 2020—With an understanding of the key causes that are behind immune abnormalities in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatologists gain insights into this disease. During the ACR Convergence session Immunology Update—The Decade in Review: 10 Steps to SLE, Chandra Mohan, MD, PhD, Hugh Roy and Lillie Cranz Cullen Endowed Professor, University of Houston, provided…