Articles By Sheila Reyes, MD

Just Can’t Get Enough of Hydroxychloroquine
When it comes to hydroxychloroquine dosing, issues on efficacy, toxicity and therapeutic thresholds may affect the optimal use of this important drug. Following are three abstracts presented during the meeting that address these topics.
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Gender Differences in Axial Spondyloarthritis
Rheumatic conditions such as SLE and RA exhibit female predominance. In contrast, increasing evidence suggests that gender differences occur in axial spondyloarthritis in terms of time to diagnosis, clinical manifestations, treatment outcomes and quality of life.
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Repetitive Testing of Anti-dsDNA Antibodies May Predict Flares in SLE
In abstract #0327 presented during the poster session on Saturday, Dr. Ai Li Yeo and colleagues investigated the usefulness of serial anti-dsDNA testing in predicting flares among SLE patients who have persistently positive anti-dsDNA titers.
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Predictors of Remission and Low Disease Activity in SLE
A treat-to-target strategy has been shown to improve clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatic diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis including systemic lupus erythematosus. The goal of treatment in SLE is aimed at remission or low disease activity.
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Identifying Gaps in axSpA: Lessons from European Map of Axial Spondyloarthritis (EMAS)
Despite the increasing scientific knowledge on axSpAs, a substantial gap still remains. Delay in diagnosis continues to pose a threat in the early identification of patients and those already on treatment may deal with additional issues such as work productivity or quality of life.
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Tofacitinib for Ankylosing Spondylitis
Investigations on the efficacy and safety of JAK inhibitors as a therapeutic option in the management of AS are increasing.
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Systemic Sclerosis and Physical Therapy
Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a chronic fibrosing disease currently with no available cure.
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LLDAS: Predicting Pregnancy Outcomes
Pregnancy in SLE is a high risk situation and active disease can lead to fetal loss, pre-term birth, IUGR and neonatal lupus syndromes. In a study by Dr. Michelle Petri and colleagues, they evaluated whether the LLDAS at the start of pregnancy was predictive of pregnancy outcome.
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Secukinumab in Psoriatic Arthritis Patients with Axial Disease
Results of the MAXIMISE trial show that Secukinumab provided clinical improvement and reduction in inflammatory MRI lesions in patients with psoriatic arthritis and axial disease through week 52.
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