The window of opportunity concept in RA shifted our focus to trying to treat disease earlier and more aggressively to improve long term outcomes. A natural development of this was to reconsider the possibility of therapeutic interventions aimed at the prevention of rheumatoid arthritis.

Of the many exciting advancements for patients with psoriatic arthritis at ACR Convergence, one upcoming therapy stood out: the dual IL-17A/F inhibitor bimekizumab. Nearly two dozen bimekizumab abstracts will be featured at this year’s meeting and it recently received authorization in Europe and the U.S. for psoriasis. That makes this the year I plan to figure out where this drug will be useful for my patients with PsA. 

In clinical practice, pulmonary manifestations of rheumatic medical diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA) are typically not screened for upon diagnosis of a rheumatic disease in patients without any signs or symptoms suggestive of pulmonary involvement.

For over 70 years, glucocorticoids, (GC) have been a part of standard therapy in SLE. They are classically used to not only induce remission or treat an acute flare, but also as maintenance therapy. They are a valuable 'friend' if used wisely, and can become a 'foe' if used excessively.