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The Great Debate – Who Really Won?
My favorite session at ACR Convergence is often the “Great Debate.” The debate this year also evaluated one of my favorite topics – ultrasound in giant cell arteritis (GCA). More specifically, it asked the question of whether biopsy or ultrasound should be the preferred modality for diagnosing GCA.
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RheumNow’s expanded coverage of the #ACR25 annual meeting is sponsored by Bristol Myers Squibb, Novartis, and UCB. All coverage content is selected by RheumNow and its faculty.
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
Is AI Smarter than a Doctor?
Dr. Janet Pope reviews key takeaways from the session, "Artificial Intelligence in Medical Education: From Theory to Practice," at #ACR25.
https://t.co/F6KEYAWi75 https://t.co/m57asdLGrn
Dr. John Cush RheumNow ( View Tweet)
#1748 Higher air pollution, esp PM2.5, linked to ⬆️RA disease activity and more flares in >1000 Korean patients. Each rise in PM2.5 significantly boosted DAS28, CDAI & joint counts.
Does cleaner air mean calmer joints?
@RheumNow #ACR25
Mrinalini Dey DrMiniDey ( View Tweet)
There’s all sorts of products out there. Who knows, ‘Reuma King’ or ‘Contra Reumas’ might do something, but that’s probably all the fraudulent hidden dexamethasone inside…
Beware+++
#ACR25 FDA Update @RheumNow https://t.co/rco4wTXBjO
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
Making sense of machine learning. Key slides on Discriminative AI vs Generative AI. Liubov Arbeeva @RheumNow #ACR25 https://t.co/Xli1mSTVQf
Antoni Chan MD (Prof) synovialjoints ( View Tweet)
Dr. John Stone on IgG4RD
⬆️ common in males
⬆️internal organ involvement
🔸Mimics cancer
🔸Indolence makes it dangerous —-> organ complications
Diagnosis highly dependent on the rheumatologist based on clinical features, serologies, imaging & pathological data
#ACR25 @Rheumnow https://t.co/St4EbA7Dcj
sheila RHEUMarampa ( View Tweet)
US Electronic Health Record cohort 2000+pts
Incidence Heart Failure over 10 yrs 6.8%
HF asso w/
Older
Male
Lower eGFR
Hypertensive medication
Diabetes
TTMTS MTX, TNFi
Higher CRP
Probably surrogates for High Disease Activity...
How do we detect it?
Maybe not by using the https://t.co/s9SjEyk3WF
Links:
Aurelie Najm AurelieRheumo ( View Tweet)
@RheumNow Plus a heap more biosimilars have broken through in the US in the last year. It feels the biosimilar era is now here stateside, too.
#ACR25 FDA Update @RheumNow https://t.co/9RiyhbKXU4
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
@RheumNow Obinutuzumab for lupus nephritis was a very recent FDA addition two weeks ago, and we’ll play catch-up with the hematologists to get familiar with it, including its safety profile
#ACR25 FDA Update @RheumNow https://t.co/h6bf4roGzB
Links:
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
Perhaps it was my ignorance, but a FDA-approved therapy for fibromyalgia was not on my 2025 bingo card.
We’re not exactly overwhelmed with proven options for FM, the unmet need is so great, so the more, the better.
#ACR25 FDA session @RheumNow https://t.co/wwWijl3IyW
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
Cooper et al. FAERS based analysis of adverse events with avacopan.3658 patients on avacopan, 30 million overall. DILI seems to be the big concern, with Reporting Odds Ratio of >17. @RheumNow #ACR25 Abstr#2519 https://t.co/1LoDvRHkqa
Richard Conway RichardPAConway ( View Tweet)
@US_FDA rheumatology approvals, 2025
#ACR25 @RheumNow https://t.co/uVLWqBx45m
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
IgG4 - Rare but Rx
Several studies #ACR25 @ACRheum were presented
Outcome measures
Rx
#steroids
#CD19 mAb #Inebilizumab
👍+RCT reduction of flares
BTKi
#Rilzabrutinib
#Zanubrutinib
#JAKi
+RCT of #tofacitinib +steroids vs pred
@ACRheum @RheumNow #ACR25
1163 LB02 0239 1172 https://t.co/xC3wgaN9bk
Janet Pope Janetbirdope ( View Tweet)
Sjögren’s, decoded by Ab -->ESSDAI domains:
• anti-SSA → glandular
• anti-Ro52 / SCL70 → biologic activity
• anti-nucleosome → pulmonary
• anti-histone → pulmonary + cutaneous
Distinct serologic–ESSDAI patterns may guide monitoring and management
@RheumNow #ACR25 A#2295
Jiha Lee JihaRheum ( View Tweet)
#ACR25 Abstr#LB14 Deep blood & tissue depletion are not just confined to CAR-T. Exploratory analysis of REGENCY showed Obinutuzumab induced near-complete depletion & significantly reduced plasma in kidney tissue vs PBO @RheumNow https://t.co/r1danWBM7D
Md Yuzaiful Md Yusof Yuz6Yusof ( View Tweet)
In PsA, a predictive model using routine labs (NLR, LMR, ESR, C3, baseline DAPSA) identified TNFi responders with 100% sensitivity and 0.861 AUC. Supports biomarker-driven personalization of PsA treatment. Abstract#2371 @RheumNow #ACR25 https://t.co/lojQFfWsJi
Antoni Chan MD (Prof) synovialjoints ( View Tweet)
Agrawal et al. Case study of tofacitinib + bDMARDs in refractory IA. 7 SpA, 2 RA, 1 JIA. Effective and safe. @RheumNow #ACR25 Abstr#2338 https://t.co/Y0B3W4csJX
Richard Conway RichardPAConway ( View Tweet)
In RA, “strong bones” can give false reassurance.
Pts with higher baseline BMD had faster bone loss, often tied to GC use and less osteoporosis treatment. Undermanagement, not biology, may drive decline.
@RheumNow #ACR25 Abstract#2244 https://t.co/N421ESAUy9
Jiha Lee JihaRheum ( View Tweet)
After melanoma, should RA patients stop DMARDs?
These VA data (n=644) showed no mortality signal, and trending to survival benefit with b/tsDMARDs
Provisos over methotrexate, invasive disease etc, but don’t hold off treating the RA because of melanoma
#ACR25 ABST2237 @RheumNow https://t.co/l9n1V6YVln
David Liew drdavidliew ( View Tweet)
