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A new study reveals that Black patients with rheumatoid arthritis were less likely to be prescribed a biologic treatment and more likely to use glucocorticoids, which carry a risk of serious long-term side effects. This study highlights ongoing racial disparities in the care of patients with rheumatic disease. Details of the study was shared at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting.

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A new study reveals that many older men who experience a fracture are still underdiagnosed with and undertreated for osteoporosis. Details of the study was presented at ACR Convergence, the American College Rheumatology’s annual meeting.

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New research presented at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, shows that use of warfarin, a vitamin K drug widely prescribed to prevent blood clots, is associated with a significantly greater risk of knee and hip replacements in patients with osteoarthritis.

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A new study presented at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, shows that after three months of treatment with oral methotrexate, adults with primary knee osteoarthritis (OA) had significant improvements in physical function and inflammation, a sign that this inexpensive, generic pill may be an important intervention for knee OA.

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New research shows that adults with systemic lupus erythematosus, who receive trimethoprim-sulfamethoxazole (TMP-SMX) are at high risk for adverse reactions to the drug, particularly if they are also positive for anti-Smith (anti-Sm) antibodies. Details of the study was presented at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting.

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New research shows that corticosteroid injections for knee OA treatment do not hasten a patient’s progression to a total knee replacement when compared with hyaluronic acid injections. Details of this study was presented at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting.

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New research presented at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, discovers that use of hydroxychloroquine does not cause any significant differences in QTc length or prolonged QTc in people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) or systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

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New research presented at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, shows that expanded use of telemedicine during COVID-19 improved cancellation rates, no-shows and completed medical visits for rheumatology ambulatory clinics in one large Ohio health system.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) will preview its 2020 Guideline for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) at ACR Convergence, the ACR’s annual meeting. The comprehensive, clinical recommendations for pharmacologic treatment of RA includes important updates to the previous guideline released in 2015.

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New research at ACR Convergence, the American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, reveals that people of color with rheumatic disease have worse health outcomes from COVID-19 infection, are more likely to be hospitalized to treat their coronavirus infection, and are more likely to require invasive ventilator treatment.

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Eleven provider and patient organizations have joined the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) to petition UnitedHealthcare (UHC) to cancel plans to implement a proposed copay accumulator initiative that would require physicians to share details about their patients’ usage of copay assistance programs. The initiative would prevent funds from assistance programs from being applied towards patients’ annual deductible and out-of-pocket maximums. The groups warn that this would jeopardize patient access to medically necessary therapies by increasing the financial burden of care and lead to an increase in treatment abandonment.

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In comments submitted to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) applauded the agency for continuing to recognize the value of rheumatology, by affirming changes to E/M reimbursement to better reflect the work and expertise needed to treat complex patient populations.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) was recently awarded a $7M grant to reduce inequities in symptom recognition, care and disease management of systemic lupus erythematosus (lupus). The grant, which will be led by the ACR’s Collaborative Initiatives (COIN) department, begins on Sept. 30.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) will hold its first virtual Advocates for Arthritis event on Tuesday, Sept. 15, where more than 120 rheumatologists, rheumatology health professionals, and patient advocates will meet with lawmakers via video to discuss the healthcare challenges they are facing in the midst of COVID-19.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and Simple Tasks™ will recognize the fifth annual Rheumatic Disease Awareness Month (RDAM) this September with an awareness campaign that focuses on amplifying patient voices and experiences.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the Association for Rheumatology Professionals (ARP) welcomes members of the press to write about research presented at ACR Convergence 2020, the ACR’s annual meeting

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In keeping with global efforts to stem the spread of SARS-CoV-2 (COVID-19), the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) will take its annual, face-to-face meeting virtual. ACR Convergence will take place online Nov. 5 – 9.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) today applauded the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for taking steps to appropriately value cognitive care and expand telehealth access in its CY 2021 Physician Fee Schedule (PFS) Proposed Rule.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released an official position statement supporting the role of telemedicine as a tool with the potential to increase access and improve care for patients with rheumatic diseases. It also highlights the significant barriers and opportunities presented to patients and rheumatology professionals.

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In virtual meetings with lawmakers and on Twitter tomorrow, physician and health professional leaders from the American College of Rheumatology are sounding the alarm about the economic impact of COVID-19 on rheumatology practices and the urgent need for targeted relief to help specialty practices remain solvent and continue to serve patients.

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Today, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) released the 2020 Guideline for the Management of Gout.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) has released an official position statement concerning prior authorization for the approval of prescription medications, highlighting the significant burdens it creates for patients and rheumatology professionals. This process can result in a significant delay of care or treatments, treatment abandonment and potential harm to patients.

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This is the first, evidence-based guideline related to the management of reproductive health issues for all patients with rheumatic diseases. With 131 recommendations, the guideline offers general precepts that provide a foundation for its recommendations and good practice statements.

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Providers are concerned the mandate adds an additional layer of red tape that will delay patient care, reduce the ability of providers to ensure therapies have been properly handled and safely stored, inflate patient out-of-pocket costs, and result in an increase of drug waste.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) welcomes members of the press to write about rheumatology research presented at the State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium (SOTA) in New Orleans on March 27-29.

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Today, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation (AF), released the 2019 ACR/AF Guideline for the Management of Osteoarthritis of the Hand, Hip and Knee.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) welcomes members of the press to write about rheumatology research presented at the Winter Rheumatology Symposium in Snowmass Village, CO on January 25 -31, 2020.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) released the 2019 ACR/EULAR Classification Criteria for IgG4-Related Disease. It is the first criteria developed specifically for this recently recognized disease.

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According to new research findings presented this week at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, use of gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in shoulders of patients with polymyalgia rheumatica may contribute to more accurate diagnosis and prediction of recurrence. Gadolinium-enhanced MRI displayed capsulitis, rotator cuff tendinitis and focal osteitis in shoulders that was relatively specific to patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (Abstract #1161).

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According to new research findings presented this week at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, supportive laboratory assays to diagnose lupus, specifically the antinuclear antibody (ANA) test, are less often offered in developing nations due to a relative lack of resources.

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Research presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting found that a six-week treatment with low-dose oral prednisolone substantially improves pain and decreases signs of inflammation in patients with painful hand osteoarthritis.

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A new study found that very few serious infections were seen in children born to mothers with chronic inflammatory diseases who used non-TNFi biologics or tofacitinib during pregnancy compared to children not exposed to these drugs and children exposed to TNFi biologics in utero. These findings are being presented this week at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting (Abstract #1901).

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According to new research findings presented this week at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, a treatment strategy guided by ultrasound information use does not appear to provide better treatment decisions in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

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A new study found that patients with Down syndrome arthropathy continue to have an approximate year-long delay in diagnosis from the onset of their symptoms, and that optimal therapy for this condition remains unclear (Abstract # 2722).

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New research findings presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting found that annual spending on biologic DMARDS (biologics) by U.S. public programs and beneficiaries nearly doubled from 2012 to 2016.

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A new study finds that children with Down syndrome are at an increased risk of an associated form of arthritis.

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A new study found that cancer patients with a pre-existing autoimmune disease receiving immune checkpoint inhibitors as treatment are likely to experience a flare.

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According to new research findings presented this week at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, both patients with rheumatoid arthritis whose disease onset occurred at an older age and those whose disease onset occurred earlier in life have similar improvements in clinical disease at 48 weeks after starting biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, as well as similar drug maintenance and adverse events discontinuation rates.

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According to new research findings presented this week at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, the live zoster virus vaccine is safe for people who are currently receiving tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) biologic therapies for various indications.

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New research findings presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting discovered that hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) significantly reduces the recurrence rate of congenital heart block in subsequent pregnancies of women with anti-SSA/ Ro antibodies, regardless of their health status.

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New research presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting suggests that opioids contribute no measurable benefit to quality of life or depression for patients with osteoarthritis (OA).

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According to new research findings presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, adenosine deaminase 2 (ADA2) in the peripheral blood is a sensitive, specific biomarker for macrophage activation syndrome, a potentially life-threatening complication of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (systemic JIA)

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In a new study presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, researchers found that the age of psoriasis onset determines whether arthritis or psoriasis starts first in people with psoriatic arthritis. Additionally, they found that pustular psoriasis is associated with arthritis onset two years earlier than the intercept interval; and there is an increased delay for nail involvement, plaque psoriasis or family history of psoriasis from psoriasis to arthritis by approximately two years for each characteristic.(Abstract #2854).

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According to new research findings presented at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, methotrexate did not demonstrate superior efficacy over placebo for pain relief and function evolution at three and 12 months in patients with erosive hand osteoarthritis, but did significantly reduce the progression of joint damage over placebo and seems to facilitate bone remodeling in these patients

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is previewing draft recommendations from an updated treatment guideline for managing patients with gout during the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR), in partnership with the Arthritis Foundation (AF), is previewing draft recommendations from an updated treatment guideline for managing patients with hand, hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) during two sessions at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) is previewing draft recommendations from an updated treatment guideline for managing patients with gout during the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting in Atlanta.

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The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) announced the 2019 recipients of its Master of the ACR designation, Awards of Distinction, and Distinguished Fellow Award honors during the opening lecture of the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting.

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New, late-breaking research discovered that there are significant associations between anti-citrullinated protein bodies (ACPA), a characteristic biomarker for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and industrial emissions of fine particles matter and sulfur dioxide.

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According to new research findings presented this week at the 2019 ACR/ARP Annual Meeting, there is a profound ongoing need for additional medications to control the signs and symptoms of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), despite the availability of several approved biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (biologics) (Abstract #1813).