Avoiding real and apparent conflicts of interest is a fundamental principle of guideline development, but what should we do when every thought leader is conflicted? An example of this conundrum in rheumatology has been the ACR’s ongoing effort to establish guidelines for the management of lupus nephritis, which has been stymied by the fact that…
The ACR recently released its first guideline focused on vaccination in adult and pediatric patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases.1 The guideline recommends modifications to certain vaccine and medication schedules to increase immunogenicity and ensure patient safety, while encouraging providers not to miss vaccination opportunities. The Need Patients with rheumatic conditions who are on immunosuppressive…
PHILADELPHIA—It is often the case that a holistic approach to the management of autoimmune disease is what patients are looking for and may indeed provide optimal care for these patients. At ACR Convergence 2022, the session titled ACR Guideline for Physical, Psychosocial, Mind-Body and Nutritional Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Integrative Approach to Treatment sought…
PHILADELPHIA—The treatment of rheumatic diseases is often a double-edged sword: immunosuppressive regimens can be very effective in reducing disease activity, but the cost of such treatments may be seen in the form of increased risk of infection. At ACR Convergence 2022, the session titled ACR Guidelines for Vaccination in Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases…
ATLANTA—The ACR released a summary of its updated guideline for the Prevention and Treatment of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis in September. Many patients take glucocorticoids for a variety of inflammatory conditions, and anyone who is taking glucocorticoid medications and has other risk factors for osteoporosis increases their risk of developing glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis. New osteoporosis medications and new…
In 2021, the ACR—in concert with the Vasculitis Foundation (VF)—released four new vasculitis guidelines, one each on: 1) anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis, 2) giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis, 3) polyarteritis nodosa and 4) Kawasaki disease. The guideline development process is complex. For the vasculitis guidelines, this process kicked off in June…
The 2017 recommendations are updated to reflect changes in medical literature, as well as to include newly approved drugs.
On Feb. 2, 2022, the ACR released a revised version of its COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance Summary (version 5, revised). A full paper was originally published online in Arthritis & Rheumatology (A&R) on March 17, 2021, and version 5 has been submitted to A&R for publication. Updates include: Recommendations differentiating supplemental and booster doses, including…
The 2020 ACR Guideline for the Management of Gout is intended to provide guidance for the management of patients with gout, and includes recommendations on the indications for and optimal use of urate-lowering therapy (ULT), treatment of gout flares, and lifestyle and other medication recommendations.1 The guideline includes 42 recommendations, of which 16 are strong….
Gout affects more than 9.2 million adults in the U.S. and is the most common form of inflammatory arthritis. This condition and its complications are painful and potentially disabling with varying risk factors. It is characterized by symptoms that are usually sudden, with intense episodes of painful swelling in one or more joints, most often…