Performance-based tests and patient-reported outcome measures should be used in conjunction for the most comprehensive assessment of patient function and changes in function over time. Experts including Christine A. Pellegrini, PhD, discussed the advantages and shortcoming of these tools.

Dana Orange, MD, will discuss the disconnect she has observed between the level of pain and the amount of inflammation seen in the joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Additional topics include calcium signaling in neuropathic pain and novel peptide Kv1.3 channel blockers.

New to the ACR Convergence lineup, the online game platform Kahoot! will challenge attendees’ knowledge of caring for young patients with rheumatic disease. The trivia-style competition will take place in real time during the session and requires a device that can connect to the internet.

Takanori Sasaki, MD, PhD

Much of what is known about antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in children has been extrapolated from adult studies. Kimberly Morishita, MD, will outline ongoing research looking at organ-specific outcomes in pediatric patients with this disease.

Investigators are working to reprogram immune cells, specifically T-cells and antigen-presenting cells, at the site of disease to enhance their immunoregulatory potential. Nisarg Shah, PhD, will share progress on this front.

James Kirkland, MD, MSc, PhD, and other panelists will explain how inflammaging — chronic, low-grade, aging-related inflammation — is linked to age-related disorders, immune dysfunction, and autoimmunity-mediated disorders.

As part of this discussion on how different imaging tools influence diagnosis and classification, Nicola Dalbeth, MD, will outline the 2023 EULAR recommendations on imaging in diagnosis and management of crystal-induced arthropathies in clinical practice.