RheumRounds

🎙 Episode 17 — Autoinflammatory Diseases: Beyond Autoimmunity In this in-depth episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj unpacks the world of autoinflammatory diseases—conditions driven by the innate immune system rather than by autoantibodies or autoreactive T cells. 🔑 What you’ll learn: How autoinflammation differs from autoimmunity Pathophysiology of inflammasomes, IL-1, and innate cytokines...

🎙 Episode 16 — Vasculitis: When Blood Vessels Become Targets In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind takes us through the fascinating and challenging world of vasculitis syndromes. What happens when the body’s own immune system launches an attack on blood vessels? How do we recognize the signs—rashes, neuropathy, organ ischemia—that point toward this diagnosis? And what are the principles of m...

Episode 15 — Description: 🩺 Scleroderma may start with cold fingers — but it’s much more than that. In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind breaks down the types, symptoms, antibodies, and treatment strategies for this multi-system autoimmune disease. Whether you’re a medical professional or just curious, this is your guide to decoding scleroderma. 🎧 Host: Dr. Aravind Palraj 🎓 Senior Reside...

🎙️ Episode 14 – Pulmonary Hypertension in Connective Tissue Diseases: A Silent Threat “Breathlessness in systemic sclerosis isn’t always lung fibrosis — sometimes it’s the right heart struggling.” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj explains how to detect and manage pulmonary hypertension in connective tissue diseases before it’s too late. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: Which C...

🎙️ Episode 13 – Macrophage Activation Syndrome: When the Immune System Turns Deadly “In rheumatology, missing MAS by a few hours can cost a life.” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj breaks down the complexities of Macrophage Activation Syndrome — a hyperinflammatory crisis that can complicate systemic JIA, lupus, and other rheumatic diseases. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: The...

🎙️ Episode 12 – Scleroderma Renal Crisis: When Blood Pressure Is the Killer “In systemic sclerosis, a sudden BP spike is never just hypertension.” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj explains how to recognize, prevent, and treat scleroderma renal crisis before irreversible kidney damage occurs. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: The high-risk patient profiles you must monitor close...

🎙️ Episode 11 – Pulmonary–Renal Syndrome: Treat First, Confirm Later “Two failing organs. One urgent decision.” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj explains how to recognize and act fast in Pulmonary–Renal Syndrome — one of the deadliest emergencies in rheumatology. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: The hallmark signs of PRS and how to spot them early Why you must start treatment...

🎙️ Episode 10 – Why Normal Creatinine Doesn’t Mean Normal Kidneys “The silent kidney damage you might be missing.” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj explains why creatinine can give a false sense of security, and how to detect early kidney involvement before it’s too late. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: Why creatinine is muscle-dependent, not just kidney-dependent The importa...

🎙️ Episode 9 – When to Suspect Vasculitis: Clues You Can’t Ignore “The patient’s symptoms don’t match a single system — is it vasculitis?” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj shares the skin signs, organ red flags, and diagnostic approach that can help you spot vasculitis before irreversible damage occurs. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: Why multi-system symptoms should raise a...

🎙️ Episode 8 – ANA Positive, But Nothing Else: What Should I Do? “Isolated ANA positivity: red flag or red herring?” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj unpacks one of the most misunderstood lab results in medicine — a positive ANA in an otherwise asymptomatic patient. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: What ANA really means — and how common it is in healthy people How to interpret...

🎙️ Episode 7 – Why Seronegative Doesn’t Mean Inactive “No antibodies? No inflammation? Think again.” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj takes on a common clinical myth — that autoimmune diseases can be ruled out by negative antibodies. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: Why seronegative RA is still erosive and disabling How HLA-B27-negative axial SpA can be missed — especially in...

🎙️ Episode 5 – When RF Is Positive, But It’s Not RA “Doctor, my Rheumatoid Factor is positive — do I have RA?” Not so fast. In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj unpacks the diagnostic and prognostic value of Rheumatoid Factor (RF) — and why a positive result often leads to confusion. 🧠 In just 7 minutes, you’ll learn: What RF actually measures (and why it’s not specific) Non-RA caus...

🎙️ Episode 5 – What’s the Real Value of ESR and CRP in Rheumatology? “CRP is down, but the patient isn’t better. Now what?” In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj breaks down the two most overused — and misunderstood — inflammatory markers in clinical practice: ESR and CRP. 🧠 In this 7-minute deep dive, you’ll learn: How ESR and CRP actually work — and why they often don’t match Disea...

🎙️ Episode 4 – Fatigue in Rheumatology: It’s Not Just the Inflammation “My CRP is normal, doctor. So why am I still exhausted?” In this powerful episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj dives deep into one of the most frustrating clinical realities — persistent fatigue in patients with autoimmune diseases, even when inflammation is controlled. 🧠 In this episode, you’ll learn: • Why fatigue does...

🎙️ Episode 3 – Urine is Cheap. Renal Failure Isn’t. In this episode, Dr. Aravind Palraj explores a test that’s often overlooked but can be lifesaving — the urine albumin-to-creatinine ratio (UACR). Renal involvement in connective tissue diseases is frequently silent — and by the time creatinine rises, significant damage may already be done. 🧠 In this episode, you’ll learn: Why UACR should be a ro...

In this episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj breaks down a common clinical trap: when to repeat ANA. 📌 Learn why ANA is a gatekeeper, not a tracker 📌 Understand when repeat testing causes more confusion than clarity 📌 Hear the 3 clinical rules to follow before you re-order that test 🎙️ Host: Dr. Aravind Palraj Senior Resident, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology Madras Medical College,...

In this debut episode of RheumRounds, Dr. Aravind Palraj shares a core clinical truth: “Don’t chase labs. Chase the story.” We unpack why positive ANA or RF without symptoms can mislead—and how clinical reasoning must guide testing, not the other way around. 🎯 Perfect for: Rheumatology residents, physicians, and students 🩺 Topic: Lab interpretation, ANA pitfalls, story-based diagnosis 🎙️ Follow...