In 1937, the Turkish physician Hulusi Behçet described a number of patients with relapsing aphthous ulcers in the mouth and over the genitalia, as well as hypopyon iritis. Since that time, the eponymous condition, known as Behçet’s disease, has been recognized as a multisystem vasculitis that can present with myriad other signs and symptoms. Although…
For the 2023 Image Competition, the ACR sought images representing a diverse range of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) or IIM mimics. The images selected as Best Overall by the judges this year come from North America. Systemic Light Chain (AL) Amyloidosis Masquerading as Inflammatory Myositis These images depict an 81-year-old man who presented…
I couldn’t help but roll my eyes. I was at a mandatory “training session” on patient communication for all clinicians at my institution. There, I was being coached on how to properly talk to patients. In theory, this isn’t a bad thing—we all need more education on how to facilitate inclusive and equitable conversations with…
SAN DIEGO—The Autoimmunity Centers of Excellence (ACE) are a cooperative group funded by the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases (NIAID) that conduct basic and clinical research on autoimmune diseases.1 ACEs focus on treatment and prevention strategies that induce immune tolerance or modulate the immune system. The goal is to facilitate collaboration across clinicians…
SAN DIEGO—The Accelerating Medicines Partnership (AMP) is a public-private collaboration involving the National Institutes of Health (NIH), the U.S. Food & Drug Administration (FDA), multiple biopharmaceutical and life science companies, and nonprofit organizations, all joined together with the goal of transforming diagnosis and treatments for a multitude of diseases. One such condition that has been…
SAN DIEGO—The inflammatory myopathies are a heterogeneous group of conditions that, although discovered decades ago, continue to challenge rheumatologists in terms of their myriad clinical presentations. In Flexing Strong Science on Weak Muscles: Genetics, Genomics and Autoantibodies in Myositis, two speakers provided exceptionally helpful insights into these conditions, using novel tools for analysis. 6 Types…
SAN DIEGO—Gout has sometimes been called the disease of kings, not only because of the fact that purine-rich foods were long affordable only to wealthier individuals, but also because the disease has been around since the monarchies that existed centuries ago. However, with groundbreaking research leading to a better understanding of gout, we can now…
SAN DIEGO—At ACR Convergence 2023, panelists presented information concerning several policy issues that affect rheumatologists & their patients, including abortion access & the WHO’s Essential Medicine List.
SAN DIEGO—At ACR Convergence 2023, panelists provided guidance for reducing disparities and improving health equity for patients who are negatively impacted by social determinants of health.
SAN DIEGO—At ACR Convergence 2023, Plenary Session 2, April M. Jorge, MD, shared data concerning the potential cardio- and renal-protective benefits of sodium-glucose co-transporter-2 inhibitors in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and lupus nephritis.