Articles By Michael Putman, MD, MSCI
Hard Conversations: DMARDs and Malignancy
Cancer is the most difficult DMARD risk to discuss with patients. Few warnings could scare people away from a drug faster than the words “may increase risk of cancer,” yet the risks (even when substantiated) have all been low and may be counterbalanced by the benefits of disease control.
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Best of 2022: Was this a Mistake? HCQ Dose Reductions per AAOS Guidelines
In the wake of the 2016 AAOS Guidelines, rheumatologists dutifully reduced the dose HCQ take by patients with SLE to some number south of 5mg/kg per day. Though I believe the ophthalmologists correctly interpreted a 2014 paper in JAMA Ophthalmology that quoted a much-higher rate of HCQ associated retinopathy than had previously been appreciated, they and subsequent guidelines published in the field of rheumatology lacked a critical piece of information: what actually happens when you do this?
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Was this a Mistake? HCQ Dose Reductions per AAOS Guidelines
In the wake of the 2016 AAOS Guidelines, rheumatologists dutifully reduced the dose HCQ take by patients with SLE to some number south of 5mg/kg per day. Though I believe the ophthalmologists correctly interpreted a 2014 paper in JAMA Ophthalmology that quoted a much-higher rate of HCQ associated retinopathy than had previously been appreciated, they and subsequent guidelines published in the field of rheumatology lacked a critical piece of information: what actually happens when you do this?
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ACR22: Polymyalgia Rheumatica in the Spotlight
One of the enduring legacies of ACR 2022 for me will be the emphasis on polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Despite being highly inflammatory and relatively common, a remarkable paucity of trials have been run in this space. Read on for a quick PMR-roundup from the meeting!
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Exciting Data for SLE: Plenaries from #ACR22
ACR Convergence 2022 promises to be another exciting year for research in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), with multiple plenary sessions devoted to therapeutic advancements. Here’s a quick rundown of what to expect!
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Rheum For Interpretation: Three Tips To Apply RCTs To Your Clinical Practice
At the 2019 meeting, almost 500 presentations discussed new randomized controlled trials. We are lucky to have so much research activity in our field, but applying an RCT to your daily practice can be challenging. Here are three tips to supercharge your critical appraisal!
Read ArticleWhen Classification And Diagnosis Diverge
Few rheumatologic diseases have diagnostic criteria, so clinicians often rely on classification criteria to diagnose patients in clinic. Because classification criteria were not designed to be used for these purposes, they have important limitations.
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