ACR on Air (American College of Rheumatology)

In this episode, we take a deep dive into the life of a researcher.  We’ve invited Dr. Jeffrey Sparks to share with us how he ended up as an R01 independent researcher. We’ll learn how the sausage is made, as they say, of a successful grant submission.  Jeff will share with us how he became interested in research, the skills he gained along the way, how mentors were necessary for his success, and he explains the alphabet soup of NIH grants.  He also discusses the 20 medals that he has hanging on the wall of his office. 

In this episode, Dr. Kim Steinbarger, PT, MHS, DHSc, Asst. Professor at Husson University, and Talitha Black, an occupational therapist at Children’s Hospital Los Angeles (CHLA), help us clarify some common misconceptions about exercise for people with rheumatic diseases. We’ll discuss tips and strategies to increase physical activity for people of all ages, explore who would benefit from physical or occupational therapy. We’ll discuss bracing, taping, and other strategies that people may use to reduce pain and improve function. 

In light of the current COVID-19 pandemic, the American College of Rheumatology has dedicated the next few episodes of ACR on Air to the challenges that have arisen, along with information about the available resources and guidance . The first episode in this special series focuses on drug shortages including hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) and chloroquine.

Sarcoidosis: What is it? Why does it occur? Are there any potential environmental triggers? Our guest, Dr. Adam Morgenthau, sheds light on these and more, including making the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, the need for imaging or biopsy and how it will distinguish between organ involvement and organ damage. And, perhaps just as important, we discuss when to treat it, including the various medications that can be effective for organ system manifestations. Finally, we conclude with a discussion on the latest research into Sarcoidosis patients, and their families, living with this disease. 

No matter what stage of your career you’re in, the Rheumatology Research Foundation can help and support your research endeavors. This week, we discuss many of the grants The Foundation offers, not just to medical students and early career investigators, but also to medical educators, community rheumatologists and fellowship programs. We’ve invited Dr. Ted Mikuls, MD, MSPH, the chair of the Scientific Advisory Council on the Board of Directors for the Rheumatology Research Foundation and Eryn Marchiolo, the Vice President of Mission at the Rheumatology Research Foundation to discuss what The Foundation is, how it goes about executing its mission for rheumatology research, what scientific topics it’s most interested in, plus how to apply for grants, their grant selection process and how you can get involved. 

April is just around the corner, and so is 2024’s State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium (SOTA)! This week, we welcome Dr. Sobia Hassan, Chair of the SOTA Planning Committee and Dr. Ibtissam Gad, Chair of the Fellows in Training subcommittee. We discuss the topics and speakers chosen for SOTA and how they were selected, some highlights including discussions on CAR T Cells, CPPD, and Check Point Inhibitors, what’s in store for our Fellows in Training and how you, our listeners, can get involved! If you’ve not yet registered, be sure to visit the ACR’s registration page for all the details you’ll need to plan your trip here: State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium

Welcome to "ACR Convergence on Air" (ACoA)! Our daily coverage of ACR Convergence 2023! First up: what is thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) and what is its significance for rheumatology? How does TMA present in clinic and what are the challenges in diagnosing it? Chief of the Division of Hematology and Medical Director of the Clinical Coagulation and the Platelet Antibody Laboratories at Duke University, Dr. Thomas Ortel, joins us on the show to explain this and more from his presentation here at Convergence 2023 

We are proud to present the highly anticipated “ACR 2024 Lupus Nephritis Guideline” with First Author and frequent guest, Dr. Lisa R. Sammaritano. A decade in the making, we reflect on the significant advancements in available therapies, the guideline’s holistic approach to managing Lupus Nephritis (LN) across all age groups, and include insights on combination therapies, minimizing glucocorticoid use and how to manage the full spectrum of patients with Lupus Nephritis. 

This week, Dr. Hausmann takes on Ultrasound in Rheumatology, exploring its use in the field and diagnosing diseases such as Inflammatory Arthritis, Crystaline Arthropathy and Vasculitis. Dr. Minna Kohler, Founder and Director of the Musculoskeletal Ultrasound Program at Massachusetts General Hospital, joins us as our guest. Dr. Kohler discusses how Ultrasound can help therapeutically, what it's like working in an MSK Ultrasound clinic, plus how one can become trained in the use of Ultrasound, what the patient experience is like, the controversies surrounding the use of Ultrasound in rheumatology and what the future holds for it in our field. 

If there was ever any evidence for the depth of complexity within our own brains, look no further than the placebos and their effects. Both a help and hinderance to the medical community, rheumatology clinicians and researchers can agree that when testing new treatments, the placebo effect is as powerful as it is disruptive. But what is it exactly? How does it work and for which symptoms? Are there symptoms to which this effect is ineffective? How can you diminish the effect? What is the “Nocebo Effect” and what ethics are involved when dealing with placebos? To answer these questions, we’ve invited Professor Ted Kaptchuk, director of the Harvard-wide Program in Placebo Studies and the Therapeutic Encounter (PiPS) at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center in Boston, Massachusetts to be our guest today and tell us all about placebos, their effects and why they work. 

Episode 4 is a continuation of our series focused on value-based care and how to measure quality of care. Our guest host, Dr. Vaneet Sandhu, will chat with Dr. Lisa Suter about quality measurement and improvement , and what that means for the rheumatology specialty.

This month we’re giving you a preview of ACR Convergence 2020, the ACR’s annual meeting, which will be held Nov. 5 – 9 in an all-virtual environment. Our host chats with Dr. Vicki Shanmugam and Dr. Swamy Venuturupalli about the shift to a virtual event this year, what’s changing and staying the same, must attend sessions including special COVID-19 discussions and what participants can expect from this all-encompassing experience. 

This show is a special one and covers a topic that so many of you have been asking about! The American College of Rheumatology just released its guidance on the COVID-19 vaccine for patients with rheumatic diseases, and we have the lead author, Dr. Jeff Curtis, on with our host to discuss the research and recommendations.   

Throughout the show, you will hear Dr. Curtis the ACR’s recommendation that all patients with rheumatic diseases should get the vaccine and that it does not matter which one you get—just make sure your second dose is by the same brand. Bottom line: get whichever one is available to you as soon as you can get it.

They also discuss the process of developing the ACR guidance, the experts involved including epidemiologists, rheumatologists, and infectious disease clinicians; and how they plan to keep the document updated.

And finally, they discuss the safety and efficacy of the vaccines despite how rapidly they were developed, the low risk of disease flares, and the importance of ongoing research on this topic.

This is the episode you want to listen to NOW!

The special COVID-19 series continues with a discussion on how to keep your practice going during this pandemic. Our host chats with Dr. Chris Phillips, who runs a solo practice in Kentucky, and Dan Redinger, an ACR staffer who is keeping his eye on the federal government's COVID-19 stimulus package. Listen as they share best practices and tips for health care providers during this unprecedented time.

Dr. Hausmann, MD interviews our Convergence attendees on the floor of the San Diego Convention Center! Here's your Daily Round Up for Sunday, November 13th 2023

This month’s show focuses on advocacy in the rheumatology space. Our host chats with Lennie Shewmaker McDaniel, director of congressional affairs for the ACR; and Amanda Grimm Wiegrefe, the ACR’s director of regulatory affairs about advocacy wins and losses for 2020, the upcoming priorities for 2021, and how listeners can get involved.

This episode, our host talks with Dr. Sheila Angeles - Han, lead investigator on the JIA Uveitis guidelines. He also chats with Barbara Slusher, MSW, PA-C about how PAs/NPs help with the rheumatology workforce shortage.

The final 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting edition of Hot Topics is here. Dr. Suleman Bhana and Dr. Ali Duarte-Garcia chat with our host, Dr. Jon Hausmann, about the last few studies featured in press conferences at the meeting.

This week’s episode is another installment of our popular “Hot Topics” series, where we discuss “must read” studies recently published in one of ACR’s three peer-reviewed journals. Joining us is Dr. Vicki Shanmugam. Not just our guest today, but also the host of a new ACR podcast series, “ACR Journals on Air” scheduled to launch later this summer. Today, we’ll hear what we can expect from her new podcast, and we’ll talk about some of her favorite studies in the ACR’s journals right now. Enjoy! 

Join us this week as Jon meets with a truly influential woman in the medical field, Dr. Elizabeth Ang, being one of the first pediatric rheumatologists in the Southeast Asian region to receive pediatric rheumatology training and is the Co-Convenor of the Paediatric Rheumatology Special Interest Group of APLAR (Asia Pacific League of Associations for Rheumatology). Beyond this, and so that children with rheumatic disease in the region have the opportunity to be diagnosed and treated, Dr. Ang trains local doctors and shares her knowledge and experience with them in Cambodia, Vietnam, Indonesia and Myanmar. In this episode she and Dr. Hausmann discuss Singapore’s healthcare system, access to biologics, cultural barriers to treatment and much, much more. 

Dr. Sara McCoy, rheumatologist and Sjögren’s specialist, a “Sjögrensologist”, joins us this week for an in-depth look at Sjögren’s Disease. We address how the systemic nature of this disease can affect everything from the lungs to the kidneys, why traditional treatments may not always work, why a patient’s antibody profile may hold the key to their disease severity, the use of new biomarkers, the role of advanced diagnostics and ground-breaking developments in the use of stromal cells in treatment and so much more! 

Congratulations, you’ve completed your rheumatology fellowship! Armed with the knowledge, skills and passion for treating complex rheumatic disease you’re set to go off into the world and help those who need your set of skills most. So... How do you do that? Our next guest, Dr. Sunil Abraham joins us to unpack and demystify this next challenge in your career – from his experience. We discuss the various ways of practicing rheumatology, from academic to clinical, as well as the organizational models of hospital-based groups, community practices, and private practices and the financial risks and benefits of partnership!  

In this week’s episode, we’ve invited Dr. Irene Blanco, MD, MS, to the show for a discussion regarding healthcare disparities. What are healthcare disparities? What causes them? Are there any disparities specific to rheumatology? We examine the consequences, explore the impact of patient outcomes, and the challenges faced by communities and some solutions you and your practice can engage in.   

The ACR is back with a special 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting Hot Topics edition. Our host, Dr. Jon Hausmann, along with Drs. Suleman Bhana and Paul Sufka, discuss a few of the studies featured in the Annual Meeting press conferences.

Health research methodologist and clinical epidemiologist, Dr. Emily Sirotich, PhD is our guest this week who sheds light on a growing paradigm shift in medicine: patient participation in research. Once only considered to be the beneficiaries of research and care, Dr. Sirotich is here to discuss with us the evolving role patients and patient organizations have and how they are helping to lead the way in research. Through dispensing invaluable perspectives, experiences and insights to the conversation of care, the improvement of it and the advancement of the science involved, patient participation in research has proven to be a powerful resource in the investigation of treatment. 

This week we’ve invited Dr. Lauren Henderson of Boston Children’s Hospital to discuss what Macrophage Activation Syndrome (MAS) is, how to diagnose it and which medications are used to treat it. Dr. Henderson also explains her efforts to partner with healthcare professionals in other fields (who may use a different name for MAS) seeking to understand what treatments they use when confronted with MAS and to establish a formalized process in evaluating and treating these patients together. 

“Rheumatology For All” is an organization with a global mission: To increase access to rheumatology care in under-resourced regions. They aim to create self-sustaining rheumatology training programs by funding the education of local physicians to become rheumatologists and provide educational programs for local physicians. Much of the organization’s work is done in developing nations throughout Africa. Today, we have founding member and member of the board of directors, Dr. Michele Meltzer as our guest, to discuss their mission, how it began, where “Rheumatology For All” is going, and how you can get involved in the great need to expand rheumatic care to these under-served countries. 

Today, we’ve invited a clinical expert of spondyloarthritis, Dr. Maureen Dubreuil. In this episode, Dr. Dubreuil discusses how she evaluates and treats patients with this specific condition and shares with us tips and insights into how to diagnose and manage this disease. 

Kicking off a new series in conjunction with ARP, we’re spending time with professionals in the field of rheumatology that can, and do, much for our patients. Today, our focus centers on The Occupational Therapist. But how much do we know of our colleagues and their contributions toward our patients? What does an occupational therapist do, with our referrals in hand? We caught up with the founder of Arthritis Life and host of the Arthritis Life Podcast, Cheryl Crow, to answer that question and much more. Cheryl explains to us what happens at an OT visit, what sorts of patients should see an OT, how to manage pain from exercise as well as sharing with us her favorite life hacks and her own personal journey from patient to advocate. 

Award-winning researcher, Dr. Doruk Erkan joins us today with newly published classification criteria for Antiphospholipid Syndrome (APS). Dr. Erkan joins us today with those criteria and why he believes there is sufficient evidence to “Rethink APS”. 

In this episode we discuss how pain syndromes occur, what's happening in the brain, how to diagnose and explain these syndromes in our patients and (most importantly) how to help patients on the road to recovery. Our guest, Dr. Schubiner, has decades of experience in treating patients with these syndromes and uses randomized controlled studies to inform his approach. These studies have shown that a specific type of treatment leads to a nearly complete elimination of pain in a large majority of patients with chronic pain. 

• Psychophysiologic Disorders Association
  Non-profit professional organization and clearinghouse for information, lists of practitioners, bibliography of research articles, and an online training course
• The Tension Myositis Syndrome Wiki
  A peer-run support group organization for people looking for help with chronic pain, plus a list of practitioners, and online support groups
• UnlearnYourPain.com
  Six animated videos for educating patients on pain and the brain, plus lists of training programs, and other videos/lectures; and an online program for patients
• Stress Illness Recovery Practitioner’s Association
  A site in the UK with training & online programs

Books written by our colleagues for patients:

• John Sarno—The Mindbody Prescription, Healing Back Pain, The Divided Mind
• Alan Gordon—The Way Out, pain reprocessing therapy for patients
• Howard Schubiner—Unlearn Your Pain and Unlearn Your Anxiety and Depression; books for patients with self-guided recovery programs

Other books:

• David Hanscom—Back in Control and Should you have spine surgery?
• David Clarke—They can't find anything wrong
• David Schechter—Think away your pain
• Georgie Oldfield—The key to chronic pain recovery

Books for professionals:

• Lisa Feldman Barrett—How Emotions are Made; on predictive processing
• Schubiner and Allan Abbass—Hidden from View
• PPD Association—Clarke, Schubiner, Abbass, Clark-Smith—Textbook on psychophysiologic disorders

As 2024 ends, the ACR’s Government Affairs Committee looks ahead to the 119th Congress to address key issues in rheumatology. For our second annual legislative and policy update, we’re joined by Dr. Lennie McDaniel, head of ACR’s Washington DC office, and Dr. Christina Downey, Chair of the Government Affairs Committee, to share insights from their ACR Convergence 2024 session. Topics include Medicare cuts, physician payments, pharmacy benefit managers (PBMs), telemedicine reimbursement changes, and how you can advocate for better outcomes with the ACR. 

This episode is a special edition called Hot Topics where our host Dr. Jon Hausmann chats with Dr. Suleman Bhana and Dr. Paul Sufka about intriguing articles from ACR journals.

This week, the ACR is kicking off Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM), and we’ve got Dr. Shah who introduces the concept of self-management, which can help improve the control of rheumatic disease beyond medication and empower our patients to take active roles in the management of them. Dr. Shah also spends time highlighting resources available for self-management and addresses how the ACR is advocating for improved healthcare polices and patient support and what you can do to take part in that process! 

In this episode, Dr. Hausmann and his guests, Dr. Colin Edgerton, chair of the ACR's committee on rheumatologic care and Dr. Angus Worthing, chair of the ACR's government affairs committee, take listeners on a journey into value-based care and how it impacts the rheumatology profession.

This week, we invited Dr. Paul Dellaripa to discuss why patients and providers should be concerned regarding increases in heat, pollution, and allergens and how they may negatively impact people with rheumatic diseases. We discuss how environmental factors could contribute to the development of autoimmunity in people who were otherwise previously healthy and how these factors may also cause exacerbations of a patient's underlying rheumatic disease. Most importantly, we discuss what role we can assume at home, as professionals and as educators to our patients and medical trainees. 

Join us this week for an insightful and encouraging discussion with Drs. Mandal and Grant, the founders of The Rheumatology Access Expansion Initiative (RAE). RAE is a project designed to support the Navajo Nation, an underserved community with respect to rheumatic disease. Our guests explain how leveraging the established educational model, Extension for Community Healthcare Outcomes (ECHO), was used to remotely train PCPs among the Navajo in the diagnosis and evidence-based treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 

ACR Convergence 2023 begins this Saturday! Dr. Hausmann gets on the mic for this short preview to unveil all of the exciting new things you'll hear, all week long, on our podcast! Be sure to wake up with Jon this Saturday morning, and every morning, during this year's Convergence!

Bone health may not be first on the mind when discussing rheumatology, however, Dr. Marcy Bolster believes it plays a vital role in caring for ‘the whole patient’. As such, Dr. Bolster’s innovative contributions to the field of Osteoporosis cannot be overstated. She joins us today to discuss the role of the rheumatologist in helping to prevent or treat Osteoporosis, how often it’s under-recognized, plus the services she created to help identify, diagnose and treat the condition among patients.  

The ACR is back with another special 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting Hot Topics edition. Our host, Dr. Jon Hausmann, is joined by guest hosts Dr. Suleman Bhana and Dr. Ali Duarte-Garcia to discuss more of the studies featured in the Annual Meeting press conferences.

In this episode of ACR on Air, we reach the final installment of our vasculitis guideline miniseries. Dr. Hausmann is once again joined by Dr. Sharon Chung, lead author of the 2021 ACR/VF guidelines for managing systemic vasculitis, to discuss Polyarteritis Nodosa (PAN). Dr. Chung weighs in on CTA over MRA for abdominal vascular imaging, and blind biopsy. Dr. Hausmann and Dr. Chung examine various patient scenarios for PAN symptoms and why they would meet the criteria for data testing. 

In this special Hot Topics episode, our host and guests discuss more of the studies featured in the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting press conferences.

When a patient is diagnosed with cancer, treatments that force the immune system into overdrive are given in hopes that it will recognize the cancer and destroy it. Unfortunately, this can mean that various Immune Related Adverse Events (IRAEs) can occur. In rheumatology, our treatments are meant to tame an overactive immune system, creating a unique dilemma. Joining us today is Dr. Laura Cappelli, MD, MHS. Dr. Cappelli explains what these IRAEs really are, how they commonly occur, what risk factors exist in their development, the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to treatment and much, much more. 

Gout, despite being one of the most well-known and recognizable rheumatic diseases, still has large populations of people struggling with its management, as they do not receive urate-lowering treatment, even when they qualify. Of those who receive this treatment, only a small percentage reach their target urate goal. To shed some light on this, we’ve invited Dr. Nicola Dalbeth, a Specialist Rheumatologist, who leads research on the mechanisms, impact and treatment of gout. Dr. Dalbeth is also a principal investigator of trials for novel therapeutic agents and treatment strategies in gout and in 2020, was also a member of the core oversight committee for the ACR Gout Management Guidelines. We discuss treatment efficacy, the disparities, myths and barriers to them, diagnosis, and strategies regarding management of gout. 

Join us this week for a very special episode, that is just as much a personal story as it is an educational discussion. Dr. Jon Hausmann discusses a vasculitis disease that affects cartilage, particularly around the ears, nose, joints, eyes and throat, known as Relapsing Polychondritis (RP). Our guest, board certified in internal medicine, critical care, infectious diseases, and rheumatology, is Dr. Marcela Ferrada. Dr. Ferrada is an expert in the research, diagnosis and clinical treatment of RP and is a world-renowned leader in its subject. Dr. Ferrada also lives with the disease, as she was diagnosed with RP in 2015. Her inspiring story of hard work and dedication through adversity truly sets the stage for this educational and informative episode about a very rare disease: Relapsing Polychondritis 

We are LIVE from the San Diego Convention Center with Dr. Snow, Dr. Bulbin, and Dr. Phillips, fresh from their presentation at Convergence 2023 regarding the recruitment and retention of our rheumatology workforce!  

Dr. Hausmann, MD interviews our Convergence attendees on the floor of the San Diego Convention Center! Here's your Daily Round Up for Sunday, November 12th 2023

It’s been seven months since the ACR released its COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance for Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases, and we continue to learn more about navigating COVID-19 in rheumatology patients. Some real-world data has become available on patient outcomes. The FDA has issued an EUA for 3rd doses of an available mRNA vaccine in certain immunocompromised patients. Antibody testing continues to be heavily debated. And monoclonal antibody treatment has received an EUA to be used as a prophylaxis measure in patients at high risk for developing severe COVID-19. Dr. Jeff Curtis, Chair of the ACR COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance Task Force, joins us to discuss these developments, updated task force recommendations, and more.

In this episode, we explore a potential paradigm shift in the treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis. For years, pharmacologic interventions have been the cornerstone of management, but now a groundbreaking approach is emerging. John Tesser, principal investigator in a pioneering study, discusses the use of an implantable device that stimulates the vagus nerve. By tapping into the body’s nervous system to reduce inflammation, this novel approach offers a promising alternative to traditional drug treatments. Tune in to learn how this innovative technology could reshape the future of Rheumatoid Arthritis care. 

This week, we have the distinct privilege to interview Dr. Dan Kaster, “The Father of Autio inflammatory Diseases”. His discoveries have taught us a great deal about how the immune system works, both in health and disease. His work has contributed to finding effective treatments for conditions that previously caused significant suffering and early death. Discussions around the many autoinflammatory diseases for which he is famous are had in this episode, but we dive deeper, asking about the keys to his success as an investigator as well. Dr. Kastner shares with us formative experiences as a medical student, skills he’s acquired solving the myriad of challenges he’s faced and the global collaborations he’s forged over his long and legendary career.     

ACR on Air is back for Season 2 with a very important topic for the rheumatology specialty. Listen as our host chats with Dr. Lisa Sammaritano and Dr. Ware Branch about reproductive health for patients with rheumatic diseases.

By now, you likely have heard about CAR-T Cell therapy, but what exactly is it? Today, we dive headlong into this topic with Dr. Max Konig. We cover how this therapy works, how CAR-T Cells are made and administered to patients. We discuss the risks associated with this type of therapy, the side effects and their management. Lastly, we’ll discuss the rheumatic diseases amenable to CAR-T therapy, those that are not, the costs and ethics involved and what the future may hold for it in rheumatology. Enjoy! 

Our annual preview episode for Convergence is here, and we have AMPC (Annual Meeting Planning Committee) Chair, Dr. Greg Gardner as our guest! Dr. Gardner walks us through this meeting’s focus and strategies, which are designed to make ACR24 even more engaging, delivering cutting edge science, more networking opportunities, improved educational experiences and new initiatives to better the lives of our patients. We’ll discuss how Convergence has adapted to a post-pandemic era, get a glimpse of “must attend” sessions, and even hear about the new networking lounge and some insider tips to make the most of your stay in Washington D.C. 

To know where you’re going, you need to understand where you’ve been. This week, we asked Adam J. Brown, MD, the host of the Rheumination’s podcast, to share with us how understanding the evolution of rheumatology informs his clinical observations. Dr. Brown brings us to the founding of rheumatology and covers the major milestones, discoveries, the ground-breaking pioneers and how this bold legacy has shaped the current state of our field. 

ACR Convergence 2023 is very nearly here, and with it only being a few weeks away, it’s also time for our annual preview episode! What’s new this year? What returning favorites are coming back? What can we expect from the San Diego Convention Center? Jon talks to our AMPC Chair, Dr. Sharon Kolasinski once more to tease this year’s meeting, which in many ways builds on your feedback from last year as well. While listening, why not explore our Full Schedule or even Register Today! Enjoy the show and we’ll see you in November! 

As we continue to highlight sessions from Convergence 2024, we came upon this talk we think you should not miss: Emerging Threats in Rheumatology: Chronic Chikungunya Arthritis and Syphilis Mimicking Rheumatic Diseases. Session presenters, Dr. Jose Kennedy Amaral Pereira and Dr. Daniela DiMarco help us explore the world of emerging threats in rheumatology: specifically, Chikungunya Arthritis and Syphilis. These two experts share insights with us to help diagnose and manage those with these devastating infections and highlight for us how important it is for rheumatologists to remain on high alert for these infections, which can be easily mistaken for more common rheumatic disorders! 

In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals have found themselves in an unprecedented situation where the rise of telehealth has been key to treating their patients. In this episode of ACR on Air, our host will speak with two ACR experts, Dr. Jay Mehta and Antanya Chung, about telehealth best practices.

As the year winds down and a new year is about to begin, looking back sometimes forces us to look ahead. Last month’s Convergence 2023 offered an opportunity to do just that: Look Ahead! We’ve invited the two speakers from the “The Clinical Year in Preview” session, Joan Bathon, MD and Jill Buyon, MD to discuss with us the latest abstracts that are expected to make the biggest waves in the coming year, as they relate to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). We discuss a variety of abstracts that include the use of AI, steroid use, hydroxychloroquine dosing, preventing the development of RA in lupus, pregnancy in lupus dosing for methotrexate and much, much more. 

Is there a future for AI (Artificial Intelligence) in Rheumatology? Technologies such as Chat GPT and Google’s Gemini are already reshaping the landscape of medicine. In this discussion, we explore its current impact, particularly in disease diagnosis within fields like radiology. We also delve into its potential: AI's promise to revolutionize personalized medicine, enhancing how patients manage rheumatic diseases, and its role in advancing remote patient monitoring. Additionally, we address critical limitations, including concerns around privacy, security, and ethical considerations, particularly in the context of employing large language models. 

Your patients are seeing you regularly, and things are going well. What else could they possibly need? In this week’s episode, we discussed the support a patient organization can contribute between visits to your office and the type of support they provide patients, such as navigating the pitfalls of insurance coverage, managing the complexities of school, work, family, relationships with a chronic rheumatic disease, group support and much, much more. Our guest is Monique Gore-Massy, a distinguished and awarded global lupus advocate, diversity equity & inclusion champion, patient experience researcher, patient opinion leader consultant, motivational speaker, writer, strategist and, a patient with lupus. Her inspiring story and all the ways you can leverage these organizations for your patients are coming up in this next episode of “ACR on Air”. 

Today we’re talking about implicit bias with Dr Arin Reeves. What bias is, how it permeates our lives, how it can negatively impact our workforce, and its impact on clinical research and patient care. Most importantly, we discuss what we can do about our implicit biases to prevent them from causing damage. 

When should we choose rituximab over cyclophosphamide? What role can avacopan play as an adjunct therapy? When is plasma exchange a viable option? How can we effectively navigate steroid tapering? These are just a few of the critical questions we’ll explore with our next guest, Dr. Tanaz Kermani, founder and director of the Vasculitis Program at UCLA, a dedicated clinician and active researcher. Join us as we delve into these topics and address the challenges of diagnosing and managing patients with vasculitis. 

This week, our guest is Assoc. Prof. Of Medicine in Rheumatology at Loma Linda Univ. And board certified from the American Board of Lifestyle Medicine and Chair of ACR’s Government Affairs Committee, Dr. Christina Downey. Dr. Downey discusses and shares with us how to counsel and provide small and practical steps for patients to improve their wellness as well as tips on staying healthy while juggling clinical practice, administrative responsibilities and family life. We’ll learn all about empathy: what it is, how to get it and why you want it. And finally, Dr. Downey shares with us her work in advocacy for her patients and what motivates her to continue that work and fighting burnout 

This week, Dr. Alfred Kim joins Dr. Hausmann for a reflective episode, highlighting memorable moments and key learning takeaways from ACR Convergence 2022, in our final episode of the year. Have a happy and healthy new year. 

ACR Convergence 2022 is almost here, and with that, new trials, new medications and new results. We’re preparing a very HOT episode for you, to be released along with the opening ceremony at ACR Convergence 2022, this Saturday, November 12th. In this preview of Saturday’s full episode, we’ve invited host of “ACR Journals on Air” Dr. Vicki Shanmugam, to briefly discuss all the exciting science that is just a few days away! 

Founder of Attune Health and Associate Clinical Professor of Medicine at The David Geffen School of Medicine at UCLA, Dr. Swamy Venuturupalli is our guest today! We discuss innovative tech solutions designed to keep you, the clinician, working smarter, not harder. Dr. Venuturupalli explains some of his favorite tech adoptions in his practice, such as use of VR, AI, social media, and other software designed to increase efficiency and productivity in a field desperately searching for more hands to heal and assist an ever-growing patient load. 

• Tough Choices: Exploring Medication Decision-Making During Pregnancy and Lactation Among Women With Inflammatory Arthritis. ACR Open Rheumatology. 
• Improving Knowledge of Lactation Compatibility of Antirheumatic Medications Among Providers Who Care for Patients With Rheumatic Disease. ACR Open Rheumatology. 
• Improved Pregnancy Outcome in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis Who Followed an Ideal Clinical Pathway. ACR Arthritis Care & Research. 

So, what are we talking about today? A topic that comes up often between providers and patients—alternative and integrative therapies to help treat rheumatic conditions.  Dr. Chenchen Wang joins the show to talk about a few of the popular therapies available for common conditions, address a few myths, and offer insight on how rheumatologists can support patients interested in these alternative options.  

While we are taking time to discuss this popular topic, the host, Dr. Wang nor the ACR are suggesting that patients with rheumatic conditions forgo traditional treatment plans recommended by trained rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals. Patients should continue to see their rheumatologist for updates or additions to their treatment plan. 

This week we discuss what a biosimilar is, why they’re causing such controversy and why they’ve taken seven years, since the FDA approved Amgevita, to come to market. We review the evidence behind the safety and efficacy of these drugs, the data from switching from a bio-originator to a biosimilar, and how the approval of the drugs may lower the health care costs and improve access to these medications. 

As physicians, ethical challenges are a certainty for us. Some can be spotted easily and avoided, but what do we do when the choices are not obvious, and a path isn’t clear? We must trust our tools to fashion a way forward. Today, we discuss some of today’s most relevant moral dilemmas with the Chair of the ACR Ethics Committee, Dr. Kelly Weselman. We’ll touch on the balance between patient autonomy and medical recommendations, navigating the complexities of access to care and treatment costs, and managing conflicts of interest. At the bottom of the show, we explore the evolving ethical landscape that is influenced by technological advancements and the increasing availability of information. 

Today’s episode is all about mental health for today’s healthcare professionals with our guest, Dr. Hanna Zembrzuska. She is a psychiatrist and rheumatologist and is a clinical assistant professor at The University of Iowa, holding appointments in the depts of internal medicine and psychiatry. We discuss everything from what burnout is, strategies to prevent/overcome it, the importance of having a sense of control within your medical practice and how to establish boundaries to coaching and support groups for physicians, as well as tips and tricks to maintain your mental health during busy clinic days. We then dive into how depression and anxiety can cause physical pain with rheumatic disease. 

This month, our host takes a look back on the telemedicine journey many health care providers and patients navigated in 2020. Dr. Christine Peoples and Dr. Aruni Jayatilleke join as guests sharing their experiences and tips on digitally treating patients with rheumatic diseases.

During “The Great Debate” at ACR Convergence 2020, the question: “Should JAK inhibitors be started before TNF inhibitors in people with rheumatoid arthritis who failed methotrexate?” was asked. However, in 2021, results from the oral surveillance trial showed an increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events in cancers among patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking tofacitinib as compared to those on TNF inhibitors. These findings led to the FDA updating their black box warning on JAK inhibitors. Today, we’ve invited one of the speakers on the great debate, Dr. Vibeke Strand, to speak on her position on JAK inhibitors given these new results and shed some more light on the subject. 

Join us this week for an in-depth discussion on IgG4-Related Disease with one of the premiere researchers in the field, Dr. John Stone. On this episode, Dr. Stone reviews the disease clinical presentation as well as its symptoms, how to make the diagnosis, treatment options, the role of IgG4 and what happens inside the body. Later, we discuss Dr. Stone’s research along with his personal journey in the field. 

Excited for ACR Convergence 2022? So are we! This week Jon catches up with AMPC Chair, Dr. Sharon Kolasinski! It's been two years since we’ve gathered physically, and when we meet up at The Philadelphia Convention Center, you won’t be disappointed. Dr. Kolasinski dives into this year’s program, new features at Convergence and even the delicious dining to be had in this historic city of brotherly love. See you soon! 

The weekend of Convergence 2023 continues! Dr. Sindhu Johnson presented the new 2023 ACR Interstitial Lung Disease Guidelines (which can be found here ) and joins us today as its first author. Learn all about the recommendations, monitoring, how to approach treatment and when to change it as well as what gaps were noticed that inspired the new guidelines and the intent of the guidelines going forward. Enjoy, and we’ll see you tomorrow for another great episode at Convergence! 

Our eyes: reflections of the soul, can say more than lips without need of translation and give us a glimpse into stories only a journey can record. Our next guest knows this all too well as he’s made a career of looking at rheumatic disease through a different lens. Quite literally. Join us this week for an illuminating discussion with Dr. James T. Rosenbaum, MD, rheumatologist and author of over 650 peer-reviewed manuscripts. Dr. Rosenbaum is credited as being both one of the world’s most impactful uveitis scientists for the years 2013 to 2023 and the only practicing rheumatologist to have headed a department of ophthalmology. Dr. Rosenbaum helps us put uveitis into focus this week as we discuss what it is, how he treats it, how to determine if those with it have other rheumatic conditions, and which patients with rheumatic disease should seek additional treatment with an ophthalmologist. 

Dr. Pui Y. Lee, a pediatric rheumatologist, leading researcher and clinician, joins us today to lend his insights on Deficiency of Adenosine Deaminase 2 or “DADA 2”. What is this disease and how common is it? What is the underlying pathophysiology, the role of genetic screening and the most useful diagnostic tools? We’ll also cover treatment options for DADA 2, the prognosis most patients face, plus the future of research for this condition. 

Dr. Hausmann interviews the first author of the 2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for the Prevention and Treatment of Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis Guideline Summary , Mary Beth Humphrey, MD, PhD this week. We discuss what glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis (GIOP) is and why it's important for people with rheumatic diseases, the need for an updated guideline, how adult and pediatric patients should be screened, risk categorization and much, much more 

This week we discuss a pressing issue facing healthcare in the United States: The shortage of rheumatologists nationwide. With millions of American suffering from rheumatic diseases, the demand for specialized care has never been greater. Meanwhile, the supply of rheumatologists has not kept pace with this demand. Leaving many patients struggling to access the care they need. Today, we are joined by Dr. Daniel Battafarano, co-chair of the ACR Workforce Study, whose aim was to understand this very topic. We explore the root causes of this shortage, its impact on patient care and potential solutions for addressing this critical issue. 

Dr. Hausmann, MD interviews our Convergence attendees on the floor of the San Diego Convention Center! Here's your Daily Round Up for Sunday, November 13th 2023

Expert researcher and clinician, Dr. Elana Bernstein, is our guest this week as we dive into lung disease brought on by Systemic Sclerosis (SS). We discuss symptoms, diagnosis, how systemic sclerosis affects the lungs, including pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease. Dr. Bernstein, who has dedicated her career to improving patient outcomes in systemic sclerosis, explains her approach to screening for lung disease, plus the latest research and questions that need to be answered. 

In this week’s episode, we discuss the "ACR’s 2022 Guideline Summary for Vaccinations in Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases" with lead author Dr. Anne Bass, Attending Physician in the Division of Rheumatology at Hospital for Special Surgery and a Professor of Clinical Medicine at Weill Cornell Medicine. During our conversation we consider the importance of guidelines for vaccines, the impact certain drugs like rituximab and methotrexate have on vaccinations, cover some vaccine highlights within the guidelines, how these guidelines can aid in navigation with insurance companies and much, much more. 

This month’s show features a guest author discussing, Dr. Yusuf Yazici, discussing his team’s efforts to create a drug treatment for osteoarthritis. The study was published in the American College of Rheumatology’s journal, Arthritis & Rheumatology.

It’s Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month, RDAM for short, and in this episode, we’re talking with Dr. Kanika Monga about a few of the 100+ rheumatic diseases, the 54 million Americans with a rheumatic condition and the results of a nationwide patient survey. RDAM is hosted every September by the American College of Rheumatology and its Simple Tasks™ awareness campaign.

In this episode, our guest, Dr. Daniel Solomon, takes us on a journey through the life cycle of a manuscript and getting publishing. With more than 400 published articles under his belt, Dr. Solomon offers key tips on writing and submitting your work, how to promote your research, spotting predatory journals and more. He also shares valuable insight on publishing trends he’s seen over the past 25 years.

What are Inborn Errors of Immunity (IEI) and what should be done if you suspect them? Dr. Bharat Kumar, clinical rheumatologist and allergy immunologist, joins us to lend his insights on what they are, how to identify them in our patients, the challenges in diagnosing them, and how they manifest in a clinical setting. Dr. Kumar also explains how IEI’s are caused, their overlap with rheumatic diseases and recent advancements in treatments. 

Today, in this episode, we’ll discuss the new “2021 Guideline for the Management of Kawasaki Disease”, the mysterious triggers that cause KD, the use of therapies such as IVIG, steroids, infliximab, anakinra, and compare multisystem inflammatory disease in children, or MIS-C (a condition very similar to Kawasaki Disease that is triggered by SARS COV-2). Joining us today is Dr. Mark Gorelik, lead Author of the “2021 Guideline for the Management of Kawasaki Disease”. He’s an assistant professor of pediatrics at the Columbia University Vagelos College of Physicians and Surgeons, is a pediatric rheumatologist, an allergist and immunologist. His research focuses on vasculitis, including Kawasaki disease, and on immune dysregulation.   

We welcome Dr. Christina Downey back onto our show, this time LIVE from Convergence 2023! You may remember Dr. Downey from Episode 46: Empathy and Wellness , but today she comes to us in another capacity: in her continuing role as Chair of the ACR’s Government Affairs Committee! Listen in as she discusses what our collective voice in Washington has done for our patients in 2023, what are the current issues rheumatology faces “on The Hill” and lastly, what you can do to be heard! Learn more about the ACR's efforts in advocacy at: rheumatology.org/about-acr-advocacy and get involved at: rheumatology.org/get-involved 

This week we invited Dr. Stacy Ardoin, pediatric and adult rheumatologist, to discuss all the challenges of ushering children into adult care and (more importantly) how to facilitate the transition. Dr. Ardoin led the American College of Rheumatology’s participation in the American College of Physicians Pediatric to Adult Care Transition Toolkit Project and has published several research studies and reviews on the topic. Today, she offers her advice, processes at her own practice, and resources for both patient and parents to help your pediatric patient successfully navigate this critical period in their care. 

In this episode of ACR on Air we begin the first entry in our Vasculitis miniseries with Dr. Sharon Chung, where we take a detailed examination of the 2021 ACR/VF guidelines for managing systemic vasculitis. In part one of the series Dr. Chung will discuss the importance and creation of the guidelines along with the impact the author's hope to achieve. We then dive into the recommendations for ANCA-associated vasculitis, including: GPA, EGPA and MPA. We'll address controversial questions for treatment and the impacts that arise for COVID-19 vaccinations.

If you're a healthcare provider or a storytelling enthusiast, you'll enjoy this episode featuring Dr. Jason Liebowitz. A practicing rheumatologist and accomplished writer, Dr. Liebowitz discusses his journey toward becoming a physician-writer, how writing helps him process his experiences, and the art of storytelling in medicine, especially for a wider audience in today’s complex healthcare landscape. 

This week we welcome Dr. Alfred Kim to our show as we discuss B-Cell depleting therapies and how patients on these drugs may be more susceptible to COVID-19. During which, Dr. Kim takes us back to the beginning of the pandemic and how he and his patients initially managed the rituximab infusions, how and why people on this drug may be at increased risk of severe disease, the importance of vaccinations, and why they may not work for this patient population. Finally, we finish with Dr. Kim sharing with us important information on how to mitigate the risk of COVID-19 among people taking b-cell depleting therapies, now that there are new therapies for COVID-19 pre-exposure prophylaxis.  

In this episode of ACR on Air, we continue into part two of our Vasculitis miniseries with Dr. Sharon Chung, lead author of the 2021 ACR/VF guidelines for managing systemic vasculitis. Dr. Chung addresses how the guidelines were developed, the use of use temporal artery biopsy, and the on-going challenges with treating Takayasu’s arteritis. She also highlights the success of non-invasive ultrasound techniques in Europe for diagnosing Giant Cell Arteritis (GCA) and discusses the treatment approaches for GCA. 

Join us this week as we welcome American College of Rheumatology Master, Dr. Herbert S. Baraf who is the founder and, up until his retirement this year, managing partner of “Arthritis & Rheumatism Associates” (one of the largest private rheumatology practices in America). Today, Dr. Baraf shares with us why he went into private practice, the risks and benefits of doing so, and his invaluable lifetime experience for those looking to enter and those within private practice. Currently, Dr. Baraf is a Special Volunteer at National Institue of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases. He holds appts as Clinical Professor of Medicine at George Washington University and is an Associate Clinical Professor at The University of Maryland