I vividly recollect asking my physics professor for a letter of recommendation. I sat in the front row of his lectures and visited his office hours most weeks in the semester. He turned me down because he was “too busy.” I was devastated—and panicked about asking my next choice for letter writer. On the plus…
Spam, spam, advertisement, spam … wait wait, what’s this? A small envelope, addressed from Maine. I wonder what this is about? Usually, when I get an envelope this size, it’s a letter from someone trying to sell me something or complain about something I have no control over. So imagine my surprise when I found…
Through the development of position statements that lay out the ACR’s official stance on issues related to the management of rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions, the Committee on Rheumatologic Care helps outline policies that affect the practice of rheumatology and the wellbeing and care of patients.
An ACR Convergence 2022 session provided practical updates on ways to best protect pediatric & adult patients with rheumatic disease from COVID-19.
Because rheumatology is a complex cognitive specialty, rheumatologists and rheumatology professionals often see patients repeatedly for acute and chronic problems. Although that may lead to close relationships with patients, it may also make the specialty more prone to burnout, says Peter Y. Hahn, MD, MBA, CEO of University of Michigan Health-West, Wyoming, Mich. “It can…
Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a type of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) associated small vessel vasculitis that typically affects the kidneys, lungs and sinuses.1 Due to an overlap in signs and symptoms, GPA may initially be difficult to distinguish from IgG4-related disease, another condition that can affect multiple tissues and has variable presentations. Further complicating…
Resolution of GAVE After aHSCT for Progressive Systemic Sclerosis A 30-year-old man with RNA polymerase III (Pol III)-positive, diffuse, progressive systemic sclerosis had a persistent microcytic anemia with a hemoglobin level of 8 g/dL and evidence of gastric antral ventral ectasia (GAVE) on gastroscopy. He underwent autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (aHSCT). After six months,…
The Mark Cuban Cost Plus Drug Co. (CPD) launched in January 2022 to distribute and home deliver prescribed generic medications to consumers. The Texas-based business seeks to reduce the prices of generic drugs by leapfrogging financial negotiators and going straight to drug companies for supply, according to a news release.1 “It’s crazy that medications are…
Neuro-rheumatology is a fast-growing field. Better testing and imaging have increased recognition of once-infrequent diagnoses, such as neuro-sarcoidosis and amyloid beta-related angiitis. Concurrently, the rapid expansion of immunotherapy options to treat cancer and their untoward neurological side effects have increased the frequency of referrals to both neurologists and rheumatologists. Identifying and treating neurologic manifestations of…
Over the past decade, a number of pilot studies have provided proof of concept for the use of vagus nerve stimulation (VNS) to treat rheumatic conditions. The studies represent an expansion of this treatment approach into rheumatology, building on years of scientific inquiry into the mechanisms of VNS on disease states that led to preclinical…
As ACR Open Rheumatology (ACROR) enters its fifth year, its founding editors in chief are looking back on the journal’s accomplishments and forward to ushering in a new era, beginning with a search for their successors. Patricia Katz, PhD, professor of medicine and health policy at the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF), and Edward…
“What are you up to this weekend?” “Flying to Guam.” “What? Why?” “I promised an entire island I’d be their doctor.” In fall 2021, Jonathon Thorp, MD, phoned a friend. A passionate internist, he was bound and determined to bring a rheumatologist to Guam. Unlike most primary care providers (PCPs), he was willing to prescribe…
A recent meeting of the National Council of Insurance Legislators (NCOIL) featured discussions of many topics important to ACR members, including pharmacy benefit manager legislation, biomarker testing and transparency in the healthcare market.
In January, Cecilia Pilar Chung, MD, MPH, began her new appointment as director of the Division of Rheumatology at the University of Miami. Previously, Dr. Chung was an associate professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University, Nashville, Tenn., for more than 10 years. At Vanderbilt, Dr. Chung built a strong research portfolio, focusing on the comparative…
Sarilumab is now FDA approved to treat adults with polymyalgia rheumatica who have had an inadequate response to glucocorticoids or who cannot tolerate a glucocorticoid taper. This new indication is based on results from the multicenter, phase 3 SAPHYR trial.