Expert Interviews

December 21, 2020

Puja Khanna MD, MPH, associate professor of medicine at the University of Michigan, discusses a presentation she gave at the American College of Rheumatology Convergence 2020 on reducing the immunogenicity of pegloticase and improving its efficacy.

December 04, 2020

In today's interview, our focus is on patient perspectives. During the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting last month, Juana Mata shared her story of a life living with lupus. Getting an accurate diagnosis wasn't easy, but eventually she found a doctor and treatment that's working for her. In today's interview, Kim Gorgens, a psychologist and Rheumatology Network board member interviews Juana and her sister, Estela, who describe turning a lupus diagnosis into a positive force for change through advocacy. The sisters have created a non-profit group called Looms for Lupus in which they embrace art therapy to relieve stress.

December 03, 2020

In rheumatoid arthritis, physician scientists are beginning to zero in on personalized medicine. In this interview, Dr. Leslie R. Harrold, chief scientific officer of Corrona, and a University of Massachusetts associate professor, summarizes a study she recently presented at ACR 2020 in which she describes biomarkers and patient characteristics she and her team have identified as taking us one step closer to precision medicine.

November 25, 2020

In today's issue of Rheumatology Network, we introduce The Concoff Method, a new column by Andrew Concoff, M.D., a rheumatologist who serves as executive vice president and chief value medical officer of United Rheumatology. Over the course of the next year, Dr. Concoff will publish columns that address sports medicine, value in rheumatology and managing a medical practice in the era of COVID-19. In this inaugural issue of the column, he covers the interface between sports medicine and rheumatology.

November 25, 2020

In this interview, Jeffrey Curtis, M.D., of the University of Alabama at Birmingham, addresses osteoporosis in men. It's more common than physicians may realize. "It is often misconstrued as a disease that mainly, if not only, effects Caucasian women, which is not the case,” he said.

November 25, 2020

Dr. Christopher Parker, a rheumatologist with The Austin Diagnostic Clinic in Austin, Texas, reviews the following case of a women with rheumatoid arthritis interested in receiving a JAK inhibitor.

November 20, 2020

The annual direct costs for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are estimated to range from $12,509-$36,053. A late diagnosis costs even more and one in 10 new RA cases are usually diagnosed late. In this presentation, Kathryn Johnson, RPh, of CVS Health breaks down the numbers.

November 20, 2020

Roy M. Fleischmann, M.D., clinical professor of medicine at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, assess a case of a 53-year-old woman with rheumatoid arthritis.

November 18, 2020

Osteoporosis therapeutic treatments should always be individualized, says Felicia Cosman, M.D., an endocrinologist with Columbia University College of Physicians and Surgeons in New York. Dr. Cosman is the author of a study recently presented at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting in which she shared results from a study that explored treatment sequences with romosozumab before or after antiresorptive medication.

November 18, 2020

Diane Marr, rheumatology fellow at Stanford Healthcare and Clinics, recently presented a study at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology in which she and her team examine the risk of osteopenia and osteoporosis in systemic sclerosis patients.

November 13, 2020

At this year's annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, there were a number of studies presented on different treatments for lupus. It's an exciting time in lupus research says Dr. Richard Furie, chief of rheumatology at Northwell Health in New York. In today's one on one interview, he breaks down some of the lupus studies presented at the meeting

November 08, 2020

In a study presented at the annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology, UK researchers showcase a study in which artificial intelligence was successfully used to identify ACPA positivity and CRP of greater than 12.3 mg/L to identify rheumatoid arthritis patients more likely to respond to sarilumab.

November 06, 2020

This week marks the start of the 2020 annual meeting of the American College of Rheumatology. Some of the studies we're covering include new therapies for lupus nephritis. Belimumab was shown recently to improve renal outcomes in lupus nephritis patients when added to standard of care. It will likely emerge as a significant treatment option, says Dr. Fotios Koumpouras, fellowship program director for rheumatology at Yale School of Medicine and a Rheumatology Network board member. Dr. Koumpouras breaks down his highlights in this interview.

November 05, 2020

Barriers to care for lupus patients has been well-document over the years. And, now, a consortium called the Addressing Lupus Pillars for Health Advancement (ALPHA) Project, has come up with a roadmap designed to resolve barriers to care.

November 05, 2020

A survey of 9,004 patients with rheumatic disease―both autoimmune-related and non-autoimmune―shows that patients may need continued medication counseling through the duration of the pandemic, finds a study due to be presented on Friday at the American College of Rheumatology.

November 04, 2020

Rheumatoid arthritis patients overwhelmingly embraced the idea of collecting patient reported outcomes by smartwatch, shows a study due to be presented on Monday in a presentation to be given at the American College of Rheumatology annual meeting.

October 31, 2020

Psychosocial factors, such as support, depression, coping, and optimism are associated with pain, function, and satisfaction two years after total knee arthroplasty, shows a study from MD Anderson Cancer Center.

October 30, 2020

For kidney transplant patients with gout, the use of anti-inflammatory drugs and urate-lowering therapies typically used to prevent flares and slow the progression disease, are associated with the risk of adverse events. In this interview, Dr. Abdul Abdellatif describes a clinical trial that shows pegloticase may be suitable for transplant patients with gout.

October 30, 2020

The American College of Rheumatology has launched a project designed to resolve inequities in care for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, a condition that is two or three times more common among ethnic minorities. In this interview, S. Sam Lim, M.D., MPH, chair of ACR’s Collaborative Initiatives Special Committee, tells us more about the project.

October 27, 2020

From COVID-19 presentations to emerging new therapies for chronic kidney disease, Dr. Bradley Marder, medical director of nephrology with Horizon Therapeutics, offers his take on the most memorable moments from the American Society for Nephrology/Kidney Week annual meeting which wrapped this week.