ACR Convergence 2021—The Pediatric Rheumatology Year in Review began with a fascinating talk by Mara Becker, MD, MSCE, a professor of Pediatrics and vice chair of faculty at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C. Dr. Becker began by describing her search strategy to select high-yield clinical science publications in pediatric rheumatology from the past…
ACR CONVERGENCE 2021—Hematologic abnormalities are common in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), whether due to SLE itself or something else. As rheumatology professionals, we are routinely challenged by the management of cytopenias in our SLE patients. At the ACR’s annual meeting in 2021, two hematologists shared expert advice regarding common hematologic manifestations of SLE. Michael B….
ACR Convergence 2021—The Great Debate at the meeting sparked a thoughtful discussion on the future of lupus nephritis treatment strategies, with experts saying clinicians should be open to new ways of approaching patient care. In the past year, approvals of the monoclonal antibody belimumab and the calcineurin inhibitor voclosporin for use in lupus nephritis (when…
A special article in the December issue of Arthritis & Rheumatology summarizes the current understanding of the cardiac toxicity of HCQ and CQ.
ACR Convergence 2021—The past year has been an exciting time for researchers and clinicians focused on the topic of connective tissue disease-associated interstitial lung disease (CTD-ILD), with advances in our understanding of these disorders and newly approved medications for their treatment. At the ACR Convergence 2021 annual Review Course, Kristin Highland, MD, MSCR, director of…
ACR Convergence 2021—The recent Boxed Warning requirement applied to three Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, cautioning doctors and patients about several major risks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, came only after rigorous data collection and careful consideration of the risks and the benefits, U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA) officials said in November at ACR Convergence…
Predicting a patient’s disease course is difficult, especially in SLE. A recent study examined the link between a patient’s 2019 EULAR/ACR SLE Classification Criteria score at diagnosis to subsequent disease severity, finding a score of 20 or more may predict a more severe disease course.
An update on the state of RA management was presented by Dr. Bryant England, a co-author of the 2021 ACR Guideline on the Management of Rheumatoid Arthrits, during the Review Course held during ACR Convergence 2021.
New concepts in autoimmunity & immunology are being discovered daily in research being conducted to understand the SARS-CoV-2 virus and its implications for rheumatology & all fields of medicine. Here are some insights shared by experts during day 1 of the Basic and Clinical Research Conference.
Experts compare using ultrasound and dual-energy computed tomography (DECT) scan when diagnosing likely gout patients, and discuss the latest insights into the intersection between gout and cardiovascular disease.