PHILADELPHIA—“My symptoms started in the final year of medical school, and at that stage I believed I was strong enough to fight my condition,” said Shung Ming Chiu, MD, in a poster presentation at ACR Convergence 2022. “Later, I realized that it’s not [about] fighting [but] rather accepting it and adapting to the new normal….
PHILADELPHIA—Treat to target (T2T) is a common phrase in rheumatology these days—and a welcome one.1 Many of us are familiar with what T2T means in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but we may be less sure of its meaning in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). At ACR Convergence 2022, Alexis Ogdie, MD, associate professor of medicine and epidemiology, University of…
PHILADELPHIA—The term autoinflammatory syndrome was coined by Daniel L. Kastner, MD, PhD, National Institutes of Health (NIH), Bethesda, Md., not long after he discovered that mutations in the gene MEFV, which codes for the protein pyrin, are responsible for familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).1 Early on, the term was meant to signify monogenic conditions in which…
PHILADELPHIA—At the second Plenary Session of ACR Convergence on Sunday, Nov. 13, speakers shared compelling efficacy and safety results from two phase 2 trials: remibrutinib for Sjögren’s syndrome and deucravacitinib for moderate to severe systemic lupus erythematosus. Remibrutinib in Phase 2 Sjögren’s Syndrome Trial Thomas Dörner, MD, a professor of rheumatology and clinical immunology for…
PHILADELPHIA—Approximately 60 research abstracts on gout were accepted for presentation at ACR Convergence 2022, including two plenary abstract presentations. It is exciting to see a wealth of research on gout being undertaken worldwide. Here, we highlight important points from seven of these studies. 1. Abstract 1810: Frequency and Patterns of Opioid Use in the Management…
PHILADELPHIA—Abraham Verghese, MD, best-selling author and infectious disease specialist, told a packed hall at the opening ceremony of ACR Convergence that he didn’t need to look far to find heroes not much different from the protagonists he has written about in his novels, which blend medical mystery with the passions and tragedies of human existence….
PHILADELPHIA—Approximately 100 research abstracts on axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) were accepted for presentation at ACR Convergence 2022. It is exciting to see a wealth of research on axSpA being undertaken worldwide. Here, we highlight important points from 10 of these studies. 1. Abstract 0378: Prevalence of Axial Spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in Patients Treated for Chronic Back Pain…
PHILADELPHIA—At the first Plenary Session of ACR Convergence 2022, on Saturday, Nov. 12, speakers shared key research findings on the efficacy and safety of methotrexate as a co-therapy with pegloticase in refractory gout, the effectiveness of rituximab and cyclophosphamide in connective tissue disease associated-interstitial lung disease and the value of remote education for primary care…
Key successes for the rheumatology community secured by the ACR’s delegation include passage of the ACR’s resolution addressing pharmacy benefit administrators, advances in policies to protect rheumatologists and patients in the post-Dobbs landscape and retention of the rheumatology’s representation in the AMA House of Delegates.
In his new role as the 86th president of the ACR, Douglas White, MD, PhD, is excited about the opportunities to serve and energize the organization and members in the coming year.