Focus Rheums| ACR Convergence 2024 Previews

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

Articles by Natasha Yetman

Searching for a Cure for OA: RheumMadness 2022 Dog OA Scouting Report

Ohio State University Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Nina Couette, DO; Jesse Reisner, DO; & Sheryl Mascarenhas, MD, Fellowship Program Director  |  

Editor’s note: RheumMadness is the place for everyone crazy about rheumatology to connect, collaborate, compete and learn together. During RheumMadness, rheumatology concepts represent teams that compete against each other in a tournament, much like basketball teams do in the NCAA’s March Madness tournament. In a series for The Rheumatologist, readers will get a chance to…

A Unique Breed: RheumMadness 2022 Dalmatian Urate Scouting Report

University of Texas Southwestern Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Kubra Bugdayli, MD; Brett Capel, MD; Yusuf Chao, MD; Melissa DeFoe, MD; Daniel Emesiani, MD; Joad Eseddi, MD; Nagendra Pokala, MD; Komal Patel, MD; Bonnie Bermas, MD; Haidy Galous, MD; Andreas Reimold, MD; & Guillermo Andres Quiceno, MD  |  

Dalmatians have defects in the renal tubular reabsorption of filtered urate and the hepatic conversion of uric acid to allantoin that may provide unique insights into uric acid homeostasis, with implications for the treatment and management of gout.

Ancient Arthritis: RheumMadness 2022 Dinosaur SpA Scouting Report

Virginia Commonwealth University Rheumatology Fellowship Program: David Shoemaker, MD; Evan Dombrosky, MD; Nima Madanchi, MD; Abhishek Nandan, MD; & Huzaefah Syed, MD  |  

Spondyloarthropathy is an ancient form of arthritis shared by multiple orders and classes of the animal kingdom. Camarasaurus, a genus of quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaur, holds the record for the earliest known case of spondyloarthropathy—147 million years ago.

Standing on a Hidden Burden: The Oft-Overlooked Problem of Foot and Ankle Osteoarthritis

Regeneration: RheumMadness 2022 Axolotl Limbs Scouting Report

Wake Forest School of Medicine Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Khiem Vu, MD; Alyssa Strazanac, MD; John Herion, DO; & Rami Diab, MD  |  

Daily living, such as walking, jumping and going up stairs, can be difficult for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Research on the regenerative limbs of the axolotl and the human ankle provides insights into the potential of this process in humans and its implications for hip, knee and ankle OA.

An Oral Targeted Therapy: RheumMadness 2022 Pim Kinases Scouting Report

Residents from the RheumMadness Leadership Team: Michael Macklin, MD, PharmD; Ben Kellogg, MD; Lauren He, MD; & David Leverenz, MD  |  

According to research, Pim kinases contribute to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and may have the therapeutic potential for inhibition in patients with RA.

Targeting Disease-Causing Cells: RheumMadness 2022 Chimeric Antigen Receptor T Cells Scouting Report

Mass General Hospital Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Guy Katz, MD; Ian Cooley, MD; Duncan Moore, MD; Jacquelyn Nestor, MD, PhD; & Steven Witte, MD, PhD  |  

CD19 chimeric antigen receptor T (CAR-T) cell therapies may have the potential to treat rheumatic diseases in which current therapeutic options are limited, such as lupus, interstitial lung disease and systemic sclerosis.

Order in the Inflammatory Mess: RheumMadness 2022 Cytokine Networks Scouting Report

Rheumatology Leadership Team: David Leverenz, MD; Akrithi Udupa, MD; Guy Katz, MD; Lauren He, MD; Ben Kellog, MD; Michael Macklin, MD; Courtney Bair; Matthew Sparks, MD; & Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, MEd  |  

Research has identified and described a pro-inflammatory cytokine network shared by four rheumatic conditions that may be particularly active in patients with severe disease.

‘Nothing but NET[osis]’: RheumMadness 2022 Anti-NET Antibodies Scouting Report

The UNC Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Leah Bettner, MD; Shruti Chandramouli, MD; Christopher Overton, MD; Astia Allenzara, MD; Michael Cunningham, MD; & Luis Palomino, MD  |  

Neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) contribute to the pathogenesis of multiple autoimmune diseases. And research has shown that patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) have higher levels of circulating anti-NET antibodies than healthy controls, indicating a potential biomarker.

Risankizumab Effective Against Refractory Psoriatic Arthritis

Matthew Phelan  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Risankizumab, an inhibitor of interleukin (IL) 23, provides some relief for patients with active psoriatic arthritis (PsA) whose symptoms have responded poorly to standard treatments, according to 24-week results of a phase-3 trial. “Despite the range of available therapies for psoriatic arthritis, efficacious, well-tolerated therapeutic options are needed to treat the diverse…

Lab Study Suggests Zinc May Worsen Rheumatoid Arthritis

Marilynn Larkin  |  

NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Zinc supplementation may exacerbate rheumatoid arthritis (RA), new laboratory data suggest. In monocytes from patients with RA, researchers found high concentrations of intracellular zinc, which regulates immune responses by affecting signaling pathways, according to a report in Science Signaling.1 They also found increased expression of Zip8, a zinc-specific importer, in peripheral and…