Exclusive: ACR Convergence 2024| Focus Rheums

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

Research Rheum

The Basic Science of the Annual Scientific Meeting

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The ACR/ARHP Annual Scientific Meeting is the premier event for specialists in the field of rheumatology. At this year’s meeting, basic researchers will have multiple opportunities to increase their knowledge, and there will be something for every interest.

Within Our Reach: Collaborating to Find a Cure for RA

David R. Karp, MD, PhD  |  

Research is critically important to find cures and accelerate patient care for the millions who suffer from arthritis and rheumatic disease. Despite its prevalence in the population and recent treatment advances, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains an incurable disease and receives disproportionately less research funding from federal sources than most other autoimmune diseases. This is precisely why the ACR Research and Education Foundation (REF) launched Within Our Reach: Finding a Cure for Rheumatoid Arthritis to directly invest in the types of innovative research not being done elsewhere in the country.

REF President: Annual Giving Is the Foundation of Our Core Awards

E. William St.Clair, MD  |  

Annual giving is a fundraising component of the ACR Research and Education Foundation’s (REF’s) comprehensive development plan—the other main sources being the Industry Roundtable and planned giving, otherwise known as The Legacy Society. What has always struck me about annual giving is the munificence of our donors. When it comes to annual giving, most donors are ACR members whose spirit of generosity makes it possible for the REF to fulfill its mission of advancing research and training to improve the health of people with rheumatic diseases.

Recent Study Improves Understanding of Preclinical Rheumatoid Arthritis

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A study recently published in Arthritis Care & Research (AC&R) reveals a novel approach for the study of preclinical rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The investigators conducting the study sought to determine if these RA-related biomarkers could also be found in healthy subjects in order to investigate relationships between genetic and environmental factors and the presence of these biomarkers. Their goal is to study how these biomarkers evolve.

When Lupus Research is a Family Affair

Cynthia Aranow, MD, Meggan Mackay, MD,Peter Gregersen, MD, and Betty Diamond, MD  |  

Following sisters of SLE patients may shed light on risk factors and progression of the disease

State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium Sessions Available Through SessionSelect

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Did a busy practice prevent you from getting to Chicago in April for the ACR’s 2010 State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium? Still want the latest news and education in rheumatology? Or, did you attend the meeting and want to revisit some of your favorite sessions? Nineteen general-session presentations from the symposium are now available on ACR’s SessionSelect, allowing you to tailor your learning experience to your educational needs without leaving your home or office, saving time and money.

Health Professional Careers in Rheumatology Research

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Robert McLean, DSc, MPH, is an assistant research scientist at the Hebrew SeniorLife Institute for Aging Research in Boston, and his primary research interests lie in the epidemiology of osteoporosis and related fractures. After working in epidemiology for over 10 years, Dr. McLean recently established himself as an independent investigator without significant prior research experience, thanks to the help of an REF research award designed specifically for early career investigators.

Within Our Reach–Funded Study Finds Increased Depression Risk Among Some RA Patients

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A study recently published in Arthritis & Rheumatism found that a cohort of patients from multiethnic backgrounds who all had rheumatoid arthritis (RA) had nearly double the rate of depressive symptoms compared with middle-class white patients with RA.1 The study also examined predictors of depression, and concluded that physical disability—not acute disease activity—is the principal predictor of depression in patients with RA.