For many years glucocorticoids were the mainstay of our treatment of granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA). The paradigm shifted with cyclophosphamide and then again with rituximab, and we used less steroids, but we still used lots. Avacopan teased the demise of steroids, but in the trial they, and now we, still use them. Glucocorticoids are our old trusty friend, our comfort blanket. But no more! Good riddance to the medication with the highest long-term adverse event burden that we use. Long-term glucocorticoids in GPA should now be a rarity. The reason for such exuberance is the TAPIR study presented by Dr. Peter Merkel at Saturday’s opening plenary session.
All News
Article
Antoni Chan MD (Prof)
Tweet
Global meta-analysis of 61 studies shows TB Preventive treatment (TPT)
- Reduces active TB risk in rheumatic disease patients by 29% (RR: 0.71, CI: 0.57–0.87)
- Best outcomes in high TB-burden countries (RR: 0.51) and with isoniazid for >9 months (RR: 0.52).
- Dual screening… https://t.co/4P1982ngvL
sheila
Tweet
Gender differences in axSpA extend to dse activity assessment tools.
PREDICT-SpA:
🔶️BASDAI score performed better in women.
🔶️ ASDAS-CRP homogenous performance on both genders.
Consider BASDAI for assessing dse activity in women?
@RheumNow #ACR24 abs571
@rheumarhyme https://t.co/rKJXn2EPXa
👴🏼 Ageing & RMDs at #ACR24
🧠 14 factors associated with dementia
❗️Justin Levenson tells us that if we could address all of these, we could reduce dementia risk by 45%!
@RheumNow https://t.co/SgC5KMohXy
Bella Mehta
Tweet
Study on #AI-augmented remote care for SLE:
- Combined biometric, self-reported, and NLP-extracted data
- Moderate to strong correlations with physician global assessment
- Potential to improve remote disease management - but now very accurate for now
#ACR24 abst#0635 @RheumNow
Gabriela Martinez Zayas, MD
Tweet
This abstract reports that patients with ESRD 2/2 to GPA have a higher risk of vertebral fractures compared to individuals with ESRD without GPA. Even low dose steroids (pred 5mg) taken during the first year of HD conferred an increase risk or facture! #ACR24 @RheumNow https://t.co/4xM3XTCHSH
Antoni Chan MD (Prof)
Tweet
2024 Clinical Practice Guideline for Chronic Nonbacterial Osteitis (CNO) in adults from Leiden University Medical Center. This includes a consensus definition, diagnosis, and treatment approach with multidisciplinary care and imaging. Key recommendations highlight the use of… https://t.co/iK6ZFAu0M6
This poster makes me happy for so many reasons 😆
Aggressive & descriptive title? ☑️
Pretty chloropleth map? ☑️
Dunks on hamfisted EMR tools trying to replace patient-physician interactions? ☑️
@RheumNow #ACR24 Abstr#0668 ThereAreNoShortcuts https://t.co/IXYaHAi15q
Antoni Chan MD (Prof)
Tweet
A study from the EuroSpA collaboration validates new BASDAI cut-offs for disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis based in ASDAS: <1.4 for remission, <2.8 for low activity, and >5.9 for very high activity. This research enhances our understanding of disease states and their… https://t.co/OkPiTwSHz6 https://t.co/NjIDeme9dm
Ok so trivial tweet here but I just love the name of this outcome measure... "LFA-REAL" 😄😆
Serious topic though; PRO's are huge in SLE research!
@RheumNow #ACR24 Abstr#0626 https://t.co/w34zTNjSbH
Antoni Chan MD (Prof)
Tweet
The use of ultrasound in clinically suspect arthralgia can complement MRI early diagnosis of RA. Abstr#228 Gupta A @RheumNow #ACR24 https://t.co/rpVqZKeMXE
🌟 Join us for the Aging Strong session at #ACR24!
We are thrilled to have Dr Cynthia Boyd, division director of Geriatrics at Hopkins, visit us to discuss how to manage multicomplexity in older rheumatic patients.
#GeriRheum @RheumNow
@cynthiaboyd16 @UnaMakris https://t.co/QZpOmdgzOR
sheila
Tweet
Using #MachineLearning for predicting flares in axSpA @DiegoBenavent et al, data from METEOR-SpA registry showed the ff predictors of flares thru the reduced logistic regression model:
🔅lower ASDAS
🔅enthesitis
🔅prior flares
🔅longer treatment duration
@RheumNow #ACR24 abs559 https://t.co/wyIo9gnKVJ
Richard Conway
Tweet
Harkins @DrTrishHarkins et al. People with PMR exhibit an accelerated physical aging phenotype at baseline. High rates of frailty (41%), pre-frailty (28%), cognitive impairment (74%!), sarcopenia (23%), osteoporosis (21%) @RheumNow #ACR24 Abstr#0740 https://t.co/4ZT8VtGi1W https://t.co/xBQ5CLlb5A
Caoilfhionn Connolly
Tweet
#0588
🔬 Sex Differences in PsA
➡️n=1405, pooled RCT data
♀️49%: Milder PsO (PASI 7.8 v 11.5), higher BMI, longer PsA duration,⬆️ fatigue/pain vs ♂️
♀️worse QoL/functional impairment
♂️More dactylitis (45% v 37%)
🩺 Sex-specific factors matter in PsA
#ACR24 @RheumNow
Caoilfhionn Connolly
Tweet
#0589
🔬Time to Response in PsA Domains: Secukinumab
➡️Post-hoc analyses, n=1366
🔑Median time (wks) to MCID 👇
🔴Systemic inflammation <2
🔴MSK: ~4 wks (enthesitis~12)
🔴Fatigue~7–8
🔴PASI75~8–12; nails ~24
🩺 Rapid MSK & QoL benefits precede skin/nail
#ACR24 @RheumNow https://t.co/WfqkryA1CC
Eric Dein
Tweet
Medical cannabis in the USA today
Variation in state practice on recreational/medical/decriminalization
16S18 @BharatKumarMD
#ACR24 @RheumNow https://t.co/9Ex3lge6KO
Akhil Sood MD
Tweet
Can multidisciplinary clinics improve quality of care for PsA?
Abstract 0596: Multidisciplinary care in PsA associated with ↓ time to first biologic, ↑ dermatology & nurse visits, and better CV risk assessment. #ACR24 @RheumNow https://t.co/2OnUR6te63
Richard Conway
Tweet
Harkins @DrTrishHarkins et al. Serum disease activity markers in PMR. ROC analysis for active vs remission - fibrinogen (1.000), ESR (0.986), Haptoglobin (0.976), CRP (0.986), ALP (0.854). @RheumNow #ACR24 Abstr#0741 https://t.co/f8cX68Ov9Y https://t.co/zp5c7aQwxr
Older adults with RA receive less DMARDs, the standard of care. Dr. Bruno Fautrel shows TOC tolerance in older adults is comparable to younger patients. Let's treat the patient, not their age! #ACR24 @RheumNow ABST#0516 https://t.co/054RWGh3a7


