Vanessa Caceres is a freelance medical writer and editor based in Florida. She has a BA in journalism and psychology and a Master's degree in teaching English as a second language/bilingual education. She writes regularly for ophthalmology and rheumatology physician publications, as well as other specialties.
A recently developed frailty index may be a valuable way to quantify vulnerability in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), according to a study published in Arthritis & Rheumatology.1 When evaluating SLE, physicians consider a patient’s disease activity, organ damage and health-related quality of life. The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC)/ACR Damage Index (SDI)… [Read More]
A panel of rheumatologists will provide updates on MACRA’s quality measure requirements and the ACR’s progress in quality measurement in rheumatology in a session at ACR Convergence 2020.... [Read More]
Attendees at the ACR Convergence session will learn about key regulatory issues affecting rheumatology and how to add their voices to strengthen the ACR’s advocacy efforts.... [Read More]
A 2019 study demonstrated the benefit of a newer drug class, PCSK9 inhibitors, to help lower cholesterol in patients with statin-associated immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy…... [Read More]
Legislative staff talk about working during the pandemic and how they are connecting with constituents.... [Read More]
Bharat Kumar, MD, Advocacy 101 coordinator and Government Affairs Committee member, describes the virtual program designed to educate and empower rheumatology fellows in training, program directors and ARP members to advocate for issues that affect rheumatology practices and patients in advance of the Advocates for Arthritis that will take place virtually in September.... [Read More]
In a multicenter, prospective, open-label study, ustekinumab therapy was effective in treating oral ulcers resistant to colchicine in patients with Behçet’s disease, according to study author David Saadoun, MD, PhD, Department of Internal Medicine and Clinical Immunology, Sorbonne University, Paris, and fellow researchers.1 Researchers focused on the topic because oral ulcers are often disabling, have… [Read More]
As chair, Dr. Douglas White hopes to find ways to diversify the ACR’s revenue streams and increase transparency around how the organization spends member dues.... [Read More]
Karen Onel, MD, new chair of ACR’s Committee on Ethics & Conflict of Interest, brings a longstanding interest in issues related to ethics and consent.... [Read More]
With multiple healthcare policy issues currently in play, Dr. Solow believes making rheumatologists’ voices heard is crucial to the specialty’s success.... [Read More]