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

Studies Probe Treating Rheumatoid Arthritis with Vagus Nerve Stimulation

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When rheumatologists think about rheumatoid arthritis (RA), they are apt to picture the synovium, contemplate such antibodies as rheumatoid factor and those to citrullinated proteins, and consider how this interplay of factors manifests in disease. What is not as commonly discussed is the role the autonomic nervous system plays in the pathogenesis and symptomatology of…

Case Report: Digital Ulcers & Weight Loss in a Pediatric Patient

Anusha Vuppala, MD, & Sarwat Umer, MD  |  

Juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) is a childhood form of inflammatory myopathy affecting children younger than 18 years. The diagnosis of JDM is based on characteristic clinical features of proximal muscle weakness, skin rash, elevated muscle enzymes, magnetic resonance imaging and muscle biopsy.1 Autoantibodies seen in patients with inflammatory myopathy are not only associated with particular phenotypes…

Rheumatology Care: Access & Affordability

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Presenters at the Access in Rheumatology meeting held in advance of the ACR’s State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium took a deep dive into the access challenges faced by rheumatology patients and discussed possible solutions. Treatment At least until 2026, prescription drug spending will exceed the U.S. gross domestic product (GDP) and health spending, said rheumatologist Colin C….

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How Immunosuppression May Affect COVID-19 Vaccine Response

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Although we can expect to learn much more, preliminary data are now available on the potential safety and effectiveness of COVID-19 vaccines in rheumatology patients. The picture is likely to be nuanced, with not all types of immuno­suppressive treatments having identical impacts on vaccine response. Rheumatologists should use caution in interpreting early reports, while continuing…

ACR Advocacy: 2021 Midyear Update

Elizabeth (Blair) Solow, MD  |  

Beginning in the late 1800s, Eliza Ruhamah Scidmore, U.S. diplomat and writer, spent 24 years advocating for sakura, or Japanese cherry trees, to be planted in Washington, D.C. After unsuccessfully petitioning every U.S. Army Superintendent of Public Buildings and Grounds for over two decades, she wrote a letter to First Lady Helen Herron Taft about…

A Unified Advocacy Voice for Rheumatology

David R. Karp, MD, PhD, & Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C  |  

One thing that became clear very quickly this past year was that the COVID-19 pandemic would change the way we deliver care to patients. What has not changed amid an evolving healthcare landscape is our driving focus to ensure our patients’ access to rheumatology care and the availability of state-of-the-art treatments. We know you share…

Racism As a Public Health Crisis

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On March 29, Brandon Elliot walked up to a 65-year-old Filipino American woman near Times Square and kicked her in the chest. Footage from the security camera of a nearby luxury apartment building recorded the attack: Elliot shoved her to the ground, and then repeatedly kicked and stomped on her, while shouting, “You don’t belong…

Images as Teaching Tools: A Call for Entries in 2021 ACR Image Competition

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As part of the ACR’s pledge to be a leader for inclusion and change for members, trainees, staff and rheumatology patients, the ACR is holding a special image competition in conjunction with ACR Convergence 2021 dedicated exclusively to images of rheumatic disease in skin of color. “We started discussing the lack of diversity in our…