Being born female increases risk of autoimmune disease four-fold compared to males. Montserrat C. Anguera, PhD, opened a session on research indicating flaws in the mechanism that protects females from overexposure to their own X chromosomes are the cause.

Prescribing a medication to stimulate weight loss is a convenient option for patients, but clinicians must also account for factors such as cost and the long-term welfare of their patients. Stephen Messier, PhD, and Martin Englund, MD, PhD, weighed the merits of these therapeutic philosophies.

Incomplete renal response, prolonged time to renal response, renal flares, steroid toxicity, tolerability and adherence, and the lack of data in the pediatric population complicate the management of young patients with severe lupus nephritis, said Stacy Ardoin, MD.

Experts including Troy Torgerson, MD, PhD, shared insights for optimal genetic testing strategies in the era of inborn errors of immunity, as well as challenges they hope to overcome in the future.

Eyal Muscal, MD, MS, will review clinical features and novel biomarkers of pediatric primary angiitis of the central nervous system in a session that will explore the diagnostic schema and treatment regimens that can support clinicians in recognizing and treating the disease more efficiently.

Jennifer Anolik, MD, PhD, will discuss the latest findings on rheumatoid arthritis pathogenesis and progression obtained via detailed characterization of patient-derived synovial tissue samples in this State-of-the-Art lecture.

Osteoarthritis is the most widespread form of rheumatic disease without a cure. Experts from North America and Europe, including Rikke Helene Moe, PhD, of Norway, will discuss the interprofessional approaches used in different countries to care for patients living with the disease.

Experts, including patient advocate Eileen Davidson, will explain how the patient’s perspective is fundamental to making advances in the field, whether it’s understanding practical issues that patients grapple with daily or providing a different interpretation of data.