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…
String of Pearls: Lessons in Rheumatoid Arthritis
PHILADELPHIA—William “Bill” R. Palmer, MD, MACR, was the first board-certified rheumatologist in Omaha, Neb., where he spent his entire 43-year clinical career and established himself as a great clinician, mentor and educator. Although Dr. Palmer passed away from metastatic thyroid cancer in August 2021, his memory lives on through his physician colleagues and at ACR…
To Treat or Not to Treat? The Great Debate on Treatment of Subclinical Rheumatoid Arthritis
PHILADELPHIA—One of the great advancements in the field of rheumatology in recent years has been the increased understanding of various stages of disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including what is termed subclinical rheumatoid arthritis. However, questions remain regarding whether to treat patients with subclinical disease and whether treatment of these patients has implications in preventing…
Clinical Rheumatology Year in Review—2022
In this overview of clinical updates in rheumatology in the last year, high-impact studies were discussed, including the GLORIA, ORAL Surveillance and MIRROR trials.
Difficult-to-Treat RA Definition & Management Considerations
D espite an expanding armamentarium of disease-modifying treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), some patients with RA remain symptomatic.1 Current treatment guidelines from both the ACR and the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommend treat-to-target strategies to achieve remission or low disease activity, and patients want to feel better.2,3 So how can we best…
Biologic or Conventional Therapy for Early RA?
A study has shown that in untreated patients with early RA, treatment with methotrexate combined with the biologic therapies abatacept or certolizumab-pegol resulted in greater CDAI remission rates than active conventional therapy with prednisolone, sulfasalazine or hydroxychloroquine.
Predicting the Future: Prognostication in Rheumatoid Arthritis
A EULAR 2022 abstract session looked at several studies that seek to increase understanding of RA pathogenesis & identify patients at risk for disease progression.
Not Your Average Case: Difficult-to-Treat Rheumatoid Arthritis
Dr. Jacob van Laar took a deep dive into the what defines difficult-to-treat rheumatoid arthritis & how to approach these patients during EULAR 2022.
Researchers Should Use ACR/EULAR Definition of RA Remission in Clinical Studies
Clinical trials in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) should use the new ACR/EULAR remission definition rather than the Disease Activity Score-28-CRP, which does not sufficiently reflect patient outcomes, according to an ACR/EULAR committee.
Remission Definitions in RA: Common Questions & Implications for Clinical Practice
A recent editorial provides new insights by reexamining the definitions of remission for rheumatoid arthritis and outlining concerns with the use of specific metrics for remission in clinical trials.