In this episode, Dr. Kumar discusses concepts of time, flow and what they mean for the patient experience and the rheumatologist.
What Every Clinician Should Know about Ramadan & Intermittent Fasting
Intermittent fasting—defined as alternating between cycles of eating and going without food over a given period of time—has become popular with individuals seeking to lose weight or balance their lifestyle in recent years. During Ramadan (a period based on the Gregorian calendar that changes from year to year), able-bodied Muslims are obligated to observe a…
Can Reconsidering Our Relationship to Time Help Keep Us Present?
“I circled 30 minutes … but it feels more like five hours getting ready for work Monday to Friday and only 15 minutes in a hot bath on weekends,” my patient relayed to me. Greg (name changed, obviously) is an ambitious young professional who has axial spondyloarthritis. He’s also a really funny guy with a…
3 AC&R Study Summaries: Prescribing Patterns, PMR & Glucocorticoids, & Infection Screening
A Shift in Prescribing Patterns Safety issues prompt discontinuation of tofacitinib By Stephanie Song, MD, & Joshua F. Baker, MD, MSCE Why was this study done? The ORAL Surveillance study highlighted risks of cardiac events, thromboembolism (VTE) and malignancy associated with use of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi). We sought to determine the impact of safety…
The 2023 ARP President’s Awards
SAN DIEGO—During ACR Convergence 2023 in November, the ACR and the ARP honored a group of distinguished individuals who have made significant contributions to rheumatology research, education and patient care. This month, The Rheumatologist profiles the recipients of the ARP President’s Awards. The ARP president can choose to honor ACR/ARP members or teams performing outstanding…
ACR Image Competition 2023 Results, Part 3—People’s Choice Winner
For the 2023 Image Competition, the ACR sought images representing a diverse range of patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) or IIM mimics. Chronic Facial Ulcers in Anti-Melanoma-Differentiation-Associated Gene 5 (MDA-5) Antibody Amyopathic Dermatomyositis These images depict a 27-year-old patient who developed erythematous violaceous lesions over his upper chest, face and scalp over six months….
In Memoriam: Remembering Richard Brasington Jr., MD, FACP, MACR
On April 30, 2023, the world lost Richard Brasington Jr., MD, FACP, MACR, an illustrious clinical puzzle master who stopped at nothing to do right by his patients—and to ensure the next generation of rheumatologists would be properly trained. Dr. Brasington, a former associate editor of The Rheumatologist and emeritus professor of medicine at Washington…
In Memoriam: Robert W. Lightfoot Jr., MD
On Nov. 4, 2022, the world lost a learned professor, a dedicated doctor, an inquisitive scientist, an adept clinician and, above all, an epitome of Athena’s representation of Mentor in Homer’s Odyssey. Robert W. Lightfoot Jr., MD, had come a long way. Born in 1937, toward the end of the Great Depression, in Nashville, Tenn.,…
Duke University Names Dr. Megan Clowse to Lead Rheumatology Division
In October 2023, Megan E.B. Clowse, MD, MPH, a renowned expert in the field of rheumatology and immunology, was named the new chief of the Division of Rheumatology and Immunology at Duke University School of Medicine, Durham, N.C. Dr. Clowse, who serves as an associate professor of medicine in Duke’s Division of Rheumatology and Immunology…
When a JAK Inhibitor Fails
What Are the Therapeutic Alternatives When a Janus Kinase Inhibitor Fails to Work? SAN DIEGO—Treatment alternatives after Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor failure in real-life conditions were analyzed and presented at ACR Convergence 2023 by Pablo Francisco Muñoz Martínez, a rheumatologist at the Hospital Universitario y Politécnico La Fe, Sagunto, Spain.1 JAK inhibitors are newer, targeted…
Long-Term Voclosporin Treatment Looks Promising for Lupus Nephritis Patients
AURORA 2, a double-blind, phase 3 study, evaluated the long-term safety, tolerability and efficacy of voclosporin compared to placebo in patients with lupus nephritis receiving an additional two years of treatment following completion of the one-year AURORA 1 study. Patients enrolled in AURORA 2 continued to receive the same treatment randomly assigned in AURORA 1, in combination with mycophenolate mofetil and low-dose glucocorticoids. Saxena et al. propose that the rapid renal response achieved with voclosporin treatment has long-term benefits, supported by stable kidney function over the three-year treatment period.