ACR BEYOND LIVE—A moonshot concept in rheumatology has long been centered on the question of whether autoimmune disease can be cured. A less frequently posed inquiry, albeit equally important, is: Can the onset of autoimmune disease be prevented in the first place? At the 2020 ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium, Kevin Deane, MD, PhD, associate professor…
(Reuters Health)—Patients hospitalized for a hip fracture are less likely to experience a subsequent fracture-related hospitalization if they start anti-osteoporosis medication sooner, a Taiwanese study suggests.1 Researchers examined data on 77,930 patients aged 50 years and older hospitalized for hip fractures, including 9,986 people prescribed anti-osteoporosis medications within one year of the index fracture. Compared…
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—People with rheumatic diseases should continue their medicines, monitor their health and avoid stress when possible during the current coronavirus pandemic, according to a group of rheumatologists in South Korea.1 Because rheumatic diseases are linked with chronic inflammation and abnormal immune functions, patients may be at a greater risk for COVID-19 infection,…
In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the ACR has dedicated a few episodes of the ACR on Air podcast to the challenges that have arisen, along with information about the available resources and guidance. The first episode in this special series looks at drug shortages surrounding hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and its initial uses to treat…
The ACR has been working on many levels to assist the rheumatology community during the COVID-19 pandemic, and we are focusing our efforts on areas critical for rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals, practices and patients. Because the pandemic poses many clinical and economic challenges, the ACR will continue to monitor this fast-paced, ever-changing situation and provide…
Rheumatologists in community-based practices work closely with patients, which allows them to notice trends and nuances researchers may not. Unfortunately, few opportunities exist for rheumatologists to test their observations through research, in addition to taking care of patients. Limited funding, time constraints and competition from larger academic medical centers are some of the barriers that…
In 2018, Gerson Bernhard, MD, FACP, MACR, received a call from a primary care physician at a rural clinic in Florida who was treating patients with varying degrees of arthritis. One patient’s case was more complex than the others. Dr. Bernhard guided the doctor through the patient’s history, reviewed lab results, referred related studies, expanded…
Keith Sullivan, MD, Receives Lifetime Achievement Award Mentorship, collaboration and a quest for cure shine through as major themes in the distinguished career of Keith M. Sullivan, MD, the James B. Wyngaarden Professor of Medicine, Duke University Medical Center, Durham, N.C. On Friday, Feb. 21, those themes dominated his acceptance speech when he received a…
My first-ever medical mission trip, after 37 years of medical practice, was to Teleman, Alta Verapaz, Guatemala. Prior to the trip, my excitement as an adult-trained rheumatologist was balanced against my apprehension about witnessing new diseases, caring for children and practicing in an austere environment with limited medical resources. As directed by the travel clinic,…
As president of the Georgia Society of Rheumatology (GSR), Wambui Machua, MD, a rheumatologist with Piedmont Physicians Rheumatology, Atlanta, oversees a membership of 90 rheumatologists, six orthopedists, two nurses, 85 physician assistants and 27 fellows and residents. According to Dr. Machua, the GSR, founded in 1967, continues to pursue its original mission of providing educational…