Even with currently available treatment modalities, ESRD is a common complication of Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) occurring in approximately 25% of patients. Transplantation frequently used for ESRD but has not been applied widely in GPA.

Clinical trials remain a challenge in SLE and a number of outcome measures have been used with varying success.

Two abstracts in this session sought to address novel ways to assess responses in SLE trials.

A high proportion of GPA patients receive pneumocystis prophylaxis, usually with TMP-SMX (Bactrim), and drug interactions are always a concern.  

Prof Weyland started by explaining that giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu Arteritis (TA) are granulomatous forms of arteritis.

The pathogenesis between microscopic gut inflammation leading to the development of Crohn’s disease and sacroiliitis has been poorly understood. Dr. Debusschere, et al sought to understand this important link between IBD and axial SpA.

There are two things I learned in rheumatology fellowship.

1. Never burn any bridges because everyone in rheumatology knows each other

2. Rheumatologists like their food

Check out this compilation of our ACR Day 1 videocasts merged into one 59 minute podcast !

https://soundcloud.com/rheumnow/rheumnow-acr-2017-san-diego-day-1

We know that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the leading cause of death in RA and that traditional risk factors do not fully account for increased risk.

From Dr. Michelle Petri’s lecture on Antiphospholipid Syndrome Updates at ACR17 Review Course on Saturday, I learned that there is now a new class of diseases called the complementopathies.  This was the first time I heard of this term; how many patients did I misdiagnose who really had this and what are the ICD10 codes?!

Professor Rosenbaum is well known for his expertise in rheumatic eye disease and he gave a great summary of how to approach your patient having a red eye.

Prof Robert Inman gave a great summary of the state of the art in reactive arthritis (ReA).

With the increasing use of biologic therapies to treat rheumatic disease has come an awareness of a small but real risk of developing de novo autoimmune disease.

Poster 318 presented at the ACR on Sunday morning caught attention of many, highlighting updates in phase 3 active controlled study of romosozumab vs alendronate in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis with high risk of fracture.

The ACR Review Course was superb once again from top to bottom, from Blue Fingers to Practical Treatment of RA. Every year I wonder if I should skip it, but each year I go. And I have never regretted it. Here are my take-home messages and “pearls” from the ACR Review Course.

Responding to criticisms that the 10 year maintenance of certification exam is expensive, time-consuming, and not reflective of clinical practice, the American Board of Internal Medicine recently issued changes to their requirements, allowing more options for physicians to recertify.

AbbVie announced that data from 38 abstracts of HUMIRA® (adalimumab) and the company's portfolio of investigational immunology medicines will be presented at the 2017 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/Association for Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) Annual Meeting, November 3-8, in S

Eli Lilly and Company (NYSE: LLY) announced that it will present new data for baricitinib and Taltz® (ixekizumab) at the American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/Association of Rheumatology Health Professionals (ARHP) annual meeting taking place Nov. 3-8, 2017, in San Diego, Calif.