Each year, the Pediatric track at ACR Convergence aims to spark learning and discussion about subjects that range from reviews of foundational knowledge to cutting-edge advancements in pediatric rheumatology. The wide-ranging program in 2025 will tackle clinical challenges, emerging therapies, and updates on disease management, as well as basic and translational science. The Pediatric Team for the Annual Meeting Planning Committee (AMPC) utilizes a variety of session designs to engage participants in interactive learning that can impact care beyond ACR Convergence, as well as provide organic opportunities for networking to connect attendees with leading experts and peers.
“The Pediatric track offers a mix of basic and clinical science sessions, including case-based interactive learning and expert panel discussions,” explained Susan Shenoi, MD, MS, Professor at the University of Washington, Seattle, and Chair of the AMPC’s Pediatric Team. “These sessions are designed to appeal to diverse audiences, including clinicians, researchers, and allied health professionals.”
Sessions such as Joint Ventures: Unraveling the Rheum-Gut Axis Through Interactive Pediatric Cases, 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, October 26; Beneath the Surface: Expert Medical and Surgical Approaches to Difficult Cases in Juvenile Localized Scleroderma, 8:30 a.m. on Monday, October 27; and Eyes on the Spine: Therapeutic Decisions for Pediatric Sacroiliitis Through the Life Span, 4 p.m. on Tuesday, October 28, will build on the popularity of last year’s interactive sessions, in addition to returning favorites like Engage and Solve: Pediatric Rheumatology Kahoot! Game, featuring the topics of juvenile myositis and vasculitis, 9 a.m. on Tuesday, and the Pediatric Thieves Market, 2:30 p.m. on Tuesday.
“These interactive sessions actively engage attendees with real-world scenarios and collaborative problem-solving,” Dr. Shenoi said.
She also highlighted this year’s lineup of basic and translational science, showcasing groundbreaking research with direct clinical relevance to pediatric rheumatology. At 10:30 a.m. on Sunday, Trisomy 21 and Immune Dysregulation: Bridging Research and Clinical Practice will explore recent discoveries in immune profiling and pharmacologic interventions for patients with trisomy 21, who have increased susceptibility to infections, malignancies, and autoimmune diseases. Endothelial Insights: Mechanisms and Biomarkers of Vasculopathy in Juvenile Dermatomyositis, 2:30 p.m. on Sunday, and The Cytokine Language of Still’s Disease and MAS, 2:30 p.m. on Monday, offer deep dives into unique disease mechanisms and potential biomarkers.
The Great Debate session is becoming a mainstay for pediatric rheumatology at ACR Convergence. This year’s debate, scheduled for 1 p.m. on Monday, will address a longstanding and controversial topic in pediatric rheumatology: the use of corticosteroids in the treatment of pediatric patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).
“While corticosteroids are effective in managing SLE flares, their long-term use poses risks such as growth retardation, osteoporosis, and increased infection rates,” Dr. Shenoi explained. “Attendees will gain insights into perspectives advocating for minimizing steroid use versus maintaining them as a cornerstone of SLE treatment. The speakers will discuss available data on SLE definitions of low disease activity and disease remission and debate the benefits and timeframe for continuing versus discontinuing corticosteroids.”
At 4 p.m. on Sunday, Championing Change for Children and Young Adults with Rheumatic Diseases: Legislative and Policy Update, will examine the impact of public policies, such as Medicaid reimbursement cuts, on patient care and clinical practice. Attendees will hear from the parent of a pediatric patient for perspective on the impact of healthcare policy and learn practical strategies for engaging with Congress, federal agencies, and payers to support patients and their families.
Dr. Shenoi also noted two sessions offering key updates in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: Toward a Cure for Childhood Arthritis, 10 a.m. on Monday, and Charting the Path Forward: 2024 DRAFT Updates to ACR JIA Guidelines, 1 p.m. on Tuesday. During the former, attendees will learn about the role of data science and eHealth in transforming care and examine real-world examples of impactful innovations to inspire collaborative efforts that revolutionize arthritis care and pave the way toward a cure. The guidelines session will introduce draft updates to the ACR JIA treatment guidelines, incorporating new evidence and expert consensus since the last published 2019 and 2021 ACR JIA guidelines.
The complete list of ACR Convergence 2025 Pediatric track sessions can be found in the online program.
Additional Pediatric Track Sessions
Sunday, October 26
- Go CAR-Ting and Beyond for Kids: State of the Art of Pediatric Cell-Based Therapies, 9–10 a.m.
- Pediatric Year in Review, 1–2:30 p.m.
Monday, October 27
- FIRED UP: Immune Dysregulation in the Central Nervous System, 8:30–9:30 a.m.
- Charting the Course for Next Generation Pediatric Lupus Therapies, 4–5 p.m.
Tuesday, October 28
- Closing the Divide: Current Inequalities and Strategies to Achieving Equity, 8–9 a.m.
- Promoting Comparative Effectiveness Research in Pediatric Rheumatology: The Challenges of Making Consensus Treatment Plans Work, 10–11:30 a.m.
- Cracking the Code: Overcoming the Challenges in Kawasaki Disease Treatment, 4–5 p.m.
Wednesday, October 29
- Pediatric Rheumatology FDA Updates, 8:30–9 a.m.