SAN DIEGO—As part of a Nov. 14 session on lupus nephritis at ACR Convergence 2023, Simone Appenzeller, MD, PhD, shared perspectives on the importance of biopsy to inform its diagnosis, prognosis and treatment, with an emphasis on childhood disease. Prompt diagnosis and treatment of lupus nephritis is perhaps even more important for children than for…
Tissue Evaluation: Understanding Rheumatoid Arthritis Inside & Out
At the 17th Annual Advances in the Diagnosis and Treatment of the Rheumatic Diseases meeting, Clifton Bingham, MD, delves into research into rheumatoid arthritis at the cellular level.
New Video Shows How to Perform a Lip Biopsy to Diagnose Sjögren’s Syndrome
Labial salivary gland biopsy (i.e., lip biopsy) is a useful tool to help diagnose Sjögren’s syndrome in suspected patients, but most rheumatologists are not trained to perform the minimally invasive procedure. A new, 40-minute training video and slide presentation with step-by-step instructions may help them fill that critical skill gap. Two rheumatologists collaborated to create…
Transbronchial Lung Cryobiopsy a Valid Diagnostic Option in Interstitial Lung Disease
NEW YORK (Reuters Health)—Transbronchial lung cryobiopsy (TBLC) and surgical lung biopsy (SLB) had a high level of agreement for diagnosing interstitial lung disease in the first comparative study. “These data suggest that TBLC, when done by an experienced proceduralist, is a valid first-line minimally invasive diagnostic tool for patients with interstitial lung disease deemed to…
Case Illustrates the Difficulty Diagnosing Granulomatosis with Polyangiitis
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) was first described in the British Medical Journal in 1897 by Scottish otolaryngologist Peter McBride.1 GPA is a relatively rare, systemic necrotizing vasculitis that can make diagnosis challenging. The incidence has been estimated anywhere between two and 12 cases per million.2 GPA mainly affects adults between the ages of 45 and…
Liquid Biopsy Provides Insights into Lupus
Microparticles in the blood of SLE patients may be a source of extracellular HMGB1, which is involved in immune response. Researchers found that analysis may be able to determine if the patient is producing dead, dying and activated cells that are important for SLE pathogenesis…
EULAR 2014: Ultrasound Use Important for Rheumatology
Experts offer insight into ultrasound for joint counts in rheumatoid arthritis, synovial biopsies, Sjögren’s syndrome