Issue 2
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Rheumatology’s perseverance during a pandemic will lead to a new era for the field, ACR president says
During the ACR Convergence 2020 Opening Session on Thursday, ACR President Ellen M. Gravallese, MD, talked about how the specialty’s response during the pandemic has provided great hope and will help rheumatology become an even more essential specialty.
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Diversity resides at the core of medical excellence
Diversity is a driver of excellence in medicine, says Marc A. Nivet, EdD, MBA, but for it to be operationalized, a reboot of mindset and an upgrade in systems, structures, and policies are required.
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Research explores role of cytokine inhibition in treatment of a spectrum of diseases
The axis of interleukin-23 (IL-23) and interleukin-17 (IL-17), which is central to the pathogenesis of spondyloarthritis, will be part of the focus of an ACR Convergence 2020 session.
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Drug holiday may be an option for osteoporosis patients
Not all osteoporosis patients are good candidates for a drug holiday. But for some patients, a holiday reduces the risk of rare side effects along with the burdens of paying for and taking osteoporosis medications.
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Hench Memorial Lecture to focus on the history of biologics in rheumatology
Many patients have seen biologics turn RA, psoriasis, lupus, and other familiar disorders into manageable chronic conditions with occasional flares. But the path from research to treatment is neither swift nor direct.
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Rheumatologists have critical role in care for children with CNS dysfunction
Rheumatologists at some point may be asked to consult and evaluate children with central nervous system (CNS) dysfunction related to anautoinflammatory disease, and a session at ACR Convergence 2020 will help rheumatologists learn how to offer needed support.
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Sasha Bernatsky, MD, PhD: Retinal toxicity of SLE patients on hydroxychloroquine
MEET THE POSTER PRESENTER: In SLE, HCQ greatly reduces lupus flares, but long term, this drug may cause irreversible retinal damage leading to vison loss, and there is no treatment for HCQ retinal toxicity other than discontinuing the drug to prevent further damage.
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Daniel Wallace, MD: Efficacy and safety of evobrutinib in SLE
MEET THE POSTER PRESENTER: This global Phase IIb, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled study evaluated the efficacy, dose response, and safety of evobrutinib compared with placebo in adult patients with active autoantibody-positive SLE who received standard of care therapy.
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Elise van Mulligen, MSc: TARA trial tapering cost-utility analysis
MEET THE POSTER PRESENTER: This is the first randomized controlled trial which included a cost-utility analysis on two active, gradual tapering strategies.
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Peter Lipsky, MD: Pharmacodynamic effects of iberdomide in active SLE
MEET THE POSTER PRESENTER: Iberdomide is a small molecule, high-affinity ligand of cereblon that has immunomodulatory properties and is currently in development for the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and multiple myeloma.