Articles By Kathryn H. Dao, M.D.
Day 2 Report - ACR Plenaries: Changing the Practice of Rheumatology
Over the years of navigating the annual meeting, I found the sessions with the most impact to my practice were the Plenary Sessions. During these sessions, the latest research is presented, new ideas are floated, and old myths debunked. Here are the top ACR2023 Plenary abstracts I found impactful for my practice.
Read Article
The Heart of Lupus
Few people are aware of the EULAR recommendations for cardiovascular risk management in SLE published in 2022. The recommendations had 4 overarching principles: increase awareness of elevated cardiovascular risk, need for regular cardiovascular screening, assess and manage modifiable risk factors, and patient education. During ACR 2023 Convergence, several abstracts were presented evaluating the prevalence of CV disease and exploring new tools to predict CV disease.
Read Article
Assessing Cardiovascular Risks: The Responsibility of the Rheumatologist
In 2016, EULAR posted recommendations for the management of cardiovascular risks in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and other inflammatory joint diseases. Three overarching principles emerged, but one caught my attention: “the rheumatologist is responsible for CV disease risk management.” It leaves no room for interpretation.
Read Article
An Opportunity to Say Yes
Often, I am asked why I get to do all the fun stuff in rheumatology like blogging, traveling, meeting and interviewing interesting people, and collaborating in cool projects. How do I get those opportunities? Why am I involved in so many things? The answer: because I say, “Yes!”
Read Article
TNR: Private Practice & Academia
In this session, our panelists addressed the big questions of: "How do I choose between private practice and academia?" and "How do I advance in my career?".
Read Article
My Life in the Gray Zone
For someone who grew up in a family of engineers, where logic and definitive answers were absolute, I live comfortably in the gray zone of uncertainty.
Read Article
Doctor’s Contracts: Pitfalls and Traps
I have signed a few employment contracts in my career. Signing a legal document always makes me nervous. Did I forget to add something, was there something in the fine print I missed, should I have clarified a clause, what happens if I break a clause or cannot fulfill the contract obligations? I spoke with Andrea Liberatore, JD, to navigate these questions and explain what to look for in a contract.
Read Article
The Origin Story of RheumNow’s Campaign: Women in Rheumatology--The XX Factor
Origin stories have captivated me ever since my childhood spent reading Greek Mythology and Marvel comic books. Superheroes have different powers and personalities.
Read Article
Best of 2022: Emerging Therapeutics for Lupus
Impressive data on novel treatment for SLE were presented at the EULAR22 Congress. A disease that is difficult to study due to its pleomorphic presentation, unpredictable disease course, and high mortality rates, SLE is considered the dragon of all autoimmune diseases. Here are highlights of four exciting abstracts presented at the meeting with emerging therapeutics designed to slay the beast.
Read Article
Best of 2022: Freeze Tag
A beloved childhood game I enjoyed was Freeze Tag. Players would run to avoid being tagged by the person who was “It”. If you were tagged, you had to “freeze” in your spot until someone was brave enough to come un-tag you. The game ends when everyone is frozen or if people quit. For over 2 years, I have been living in a real-life “Freeze Tag” game and able to dodge COVID19, until now. Sitting in my room symptomatic and frozen in isolation, I ruminated about my patients who had COVID19 and their experiences. I wanted to share with you three stories of three variants.
Read Article