A study was able to quantify the transference of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors from mother to fetus during pregnancy. Overall, the researchers found low levels of transfer for the treatments studied.


University of Chicago Medicine: Lauren He, MD; & Cuoghi Edens, MD |
A study was able to quantify the transference of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors from mother to fetus during pregnancy. Overall, the researchers found low levels of transfer for the treatments studied.

Duke University Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Catherine Sims, MD; Sonali Bracken, MD, PhD; Megan Milne, MD; Nathaniel Harris, MD, PhD; Poorva Apte, MD; Lena Eder, MD; Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, Med; Megan Clowse, MD; & David Leverenz, MD |
Rheumatologists play a critical role in the reproductive health of their patients, but only half of rheumatologists currently ask their patients about reproductive health or family planning issues. A new guideline seeks to change that.

Medical University of South Carolina Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Sean Carter, MD; Jessica English, MD; Brad Collins, DO; Ana Tucker, MD; Jen Schmidt, MD; Whitney Elg-Salsman, DO; & Faye Hant, DO |
With both impressive sensitivity and specificity in capturing active large vessel vasculitis, a positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a potential tool for determining disease activity and predicting relapse in patients with large vessel vasculitis.

Cleveland Clinic Foundation Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Saja Almaaitah, MD; Shashank Cheemalavagu, MD; Rupal Shastri, MD; Perry Fuchs, MD; Melany Gonzalez Orta, MD; & James Vondenberg, DO |
As the capabilities of machine learning and artificial intelligence improve, rheumatologists have access to more data than ever, which may enable them to better predict which patients will respond to specific treatments, such as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors.

The Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Alisha Akinsete, MD; Malki Peskin, MD; & Jessica Perfetto, MD |
Machine learning is a tool that may help pediatric rheumatologists distinguish between different subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and predict treatment response.

Ohio State University Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Nina Couette, DO; Jesse Reisner, DO; & Sheryl Mascarenhas, MD, Fellowship Program Director |
Editor’s note: RheumMadness is the place for everyone crazy about rheumatology to connect, collaborate, compete and learn together. During RheumMadness, rheumatology concepts represent teams that compete against each other in a tournament, much like basketball teams do in the NCAA’s March Madness tournament. In a series for The Rheumatologist, readers will get a chance to…

University of Texas Southwestern Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Kubra Bugdayli, MD; Brett Capel, MD; Yusuf Chao, MD; Melissa DeFoe, MD; Daniel Emesiani, MD; Joad Eseddi, MD; Nagendra Pokala, MD; Komal Patel, MD; Bonnie Bermas, MD; Haidy Galous, MD; Andreas Reimold, MD; & Guillermo Andres Quiceno, MD |
Dalmatians have defects in the renal tubular reabsorption of filtered urate and the hepatic conversion of uric acid to allantoin that may provide unique insights into uric acid homeostasis, with implications for the treatment and management of gout.

Virginia Commonwealth University Rheumatology Fellowship Program: David Shoemaker, MD; Evan Dombrosky, MD; Nima Madanchi, MD; Abhishek Nandan, MD; & Huzaefah Syed, MD |
Spondyloarthropathy is an ancient form of arthritis shared by multiple orders and classes of the animal kingdom. Camarasaurus, a genus of quadrupedal, herbivorous dinosaur, holds the record for the earliest known case of spondyloarthropathy—147 million years ago.

Wake Forest School of Medicine Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Khiem Vu, MD; Alyssa Strazanac, MD; John Herion, DO; & Rami Diab, MD |
Daily living, such as walking, jumping and going up stairs, can be difficult for patients with osteoarthritis (OA). Research on the regenerative limbs of the axolotl and the human ankle provides insights into the potential of this process in humans and its implications for hip, knee and ankle OA.

The research presented at ACR Convergence 2021 had a broad scope. Below are details on three studies that addressed cardiovascular safety in treat-to-target strategies, phase 2 study results on the efficacy of tigulixostat and the impact of patient preference on treatment adherence. Take our quiz after you read this article. Treat to Target Abstract L06:…