Top in rheumatology: COVID-19 in patients with rheumatologic disease, RA guidelines
A speaker at the ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium reviewed risk factors for poor COVID-19 outcomes among patients with rheumatologic diseases, current therapeutic options and when and whom to vaccinate.
A recap of the presentation was the top story in rheumatology last week.
Another top story emphasized the need for physicians to apply clinical judgment when making recommendations based off guidelines. James R. O’Dell, MD, Stokes Shackleford Professor and chief of the division of rheumatology at the University of Nebraska and Omaha VA Medical Center, said that many guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis are conditional due to little or no data.
Read these and more top stories in rheumatology below:
'Fire hydrant' of COVID-19 data tasks clinicians with conflicting evidence, mixed results
Given the global deluge of data investigating COVID-19 in patients with rheumatic and immune-mediated diseases, clinicians continue to struggle with divergent evidence and recommendations, noted a speaker at the ACR State-of-the-Art Clinical Symposium. Read more.
As-yet unpublished RA guidelines exhibit 'puzzling' conditional recommendations
While many of the forthcoming American College of Rheumatology guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis capture the reality of clinical practice, some recommendations are “puzzling,” according to a speaker. Read more.
Early intervention key to curb COVID-related inflammatory disease among children
Clinicians and researchers continue to debate the etiology and treatment paradigms for the severe inflammatory syndrome that impacts some children with COVID-19. Read more.
NIH ends ACTT-4 enrollment: Difference 'unlikely' between baricitinib, dexamethasone
The NIH has closed enrollment to the fourth iteration of the Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial, indicating that neither treatment — baricitinib plus remdesivir or dexamethasone plus remdesivir — outperforms the other. Read more.
Shared decision-making, clinical judgment take priority where OA guidelines diverge
Shared decision-making and clinical judgment are key to effectively managing osteoarthritis patients, especially when sets of osteoarthritis guidelines disagree on the best course of action, according to Marc C. Hochberg, MD, MPH, head of the division of rheumatology and clinical immunology at the University of Maryland School of Medicine. Read more.