At ACR Convergence 2021, a panel of experts — A. Darise Farris, PhD, Blake M. Warner, DDS, PhD, MPH, and Xavier Mariette, MD, PhD — explored the dynamics of the treatment of Sjögren’s syndrome, including epigenetic links between immune and salivary gland dysfunction and targeted therapy.

Cornelia M. Weyand, MD, PhD, explored the mechanisms and sequelae of aging immune systems during ACR Convergence 2021. For even the healthiest humans, the age-related risk of cancer, cardiovascular disease, infectious disease, and neurodegenerative disease comes back to one factor: older immune systems are less flexible, less responsive, and less effective.

Rinie Geenen, PhD, discussed pain management regimens in rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases, Christine Stamatos, DNP, ANP-C, discussed targeted pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic therapies for chronic pain, and Afton Hassett, PysD, outlined behavioral interventions as pain management.