Video: Every Case Tells a Story| Webinar: ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice

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

Guidance

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Figure 2: High-resolution computed tomography showed evidence of interstitial lung disease.

High-resolution computed tomography shows evidence of ILD.

The ACR/CHEST ILD Guidelines in Practice, a video
In collaboration with the American College of Chest Physicians, the ACR released two new comprehensive guidelines aimed at improving the screening, monitoring, and treatment of patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) secondary to systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs). Recently, Sindhu R. Johnson, MD, PhD, professor of medicine at the University of Toronto, Canada, director of the Toronto Scleroderma Program and principal investigator for the guideline, and Elana J. Bernstein, MD, MSc, Florence Irving associate professor of medicine in the Division of Rheumatology at Columbia University, New York City, and co-first author, presented a webinar to talk about how the guidelines were developed and present some of the recommendations and their rationale: Watch the recording now!

 

Lively, Practical Training at Advocacy 101

Leslie Mertz, PhD  |  

Amid spirited discussions on drug pricing and insurance challenges, participants got hands-on experience advocating for current bills regulating prior authorization and pharmacy benefit managers.

A Look Inside the Advocate Experience at Advocates for Arthritis

Eric Dein, MD  |  

Eric Dein, MD, shared rheumatology perspectives with five congressional offices on Sept. 28 as part of the virtual Hill Day. Read his hour-by-hour account, including staffer education, legislative requests and prior authorization woes.

Guselkumab Promising in Patients with PsA

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Initial 24-week data from a study of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) show that treatment with guselkumab improved symptoms and resulted in a higher ACR20 response than placebo in patients who could not tolerate, or did not respond to, treatment with a tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi).

Nonserious Infection Rates with Biologics Used to Treat RA

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Bechman et al. set out to describe the frequency and predictors of nonserious infections and compare incidence rates across biologic DMARDs. They found all bDMARDs are associated with a greater risk of nonserious infection, with differences observed between agents. Although unmeasured confounding must be considered, the magnitude of effect is large.

Inspired by Healthcare Disparities to Advocate for Change

Leslie Mertz, PhD  |  

Seeing the challenges her rural patients faced in accessing specialty care, Amanda Schnell, MD, was inspired to make advocacy an integral part of her work at the University of Alabama at Birmingham.

Vasculitis Guidelines in Focus, Part 3: EGPA

Michael Putman, MD  |  

In this third article in the series, we talk with Philip Seo, MD, MHS, about eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).

HIPAA and PHI Cybersecurity Best Practices in the COVID-19 Era

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When the first SARS-CoV-2 case was recorded, it was difficult to appreciate the extent to which cybersecurity concerns, particularly in connection to the protection of patient healthcare data, would enter into main­stream consciousness. Although many practices and healthcare organizations have recently adopted additional measures to safeguard patients’ protected health information (PHI) through expanded cybersecurity monitoring,…

Minnesota Joins Dakotas to Form Growing Rheumatology Association

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A relatively new state association, the Rheumatology Association of Minnesota and the Dakotas (RA-MD), held its first meeting in 2016. Five years later, the association president, Jody Hargrove, MD, a board-certified rheumatologist with Arthritis and Rheumatology Consultants PA, Edina, Minn., says the group’s membership fluctuates between 80 and 100 rheumatology professionals. RA-MD has members from…