Talking Rheumatology Research

In this episode, recorded live at BSR25, Professor Robert J Moots joins Professor Ernest Choy to discuss their article reporting on a randomized, controlled, head-to-head clinical trial comparing the two most frequently used biologics in active refractory Behçet’s. Listen now to hear the findings and what this means for future clinical practice!   Further reading:   You can read this article [ htt...

How can we identify modifiable risk factors and new therapeutic targets in polymyalgia rheumatica? In this episode, recorded live at BSR25, Prof Ernest Choy and Dr Steven Zhao discuss Steven's genome-wide meta-analysis and Mendelian randomisation study. They cover the key findings, which include some novel loci and potential therapeutic targets for PMR, as well as the hallmarks of a good Mend...

How can we improve time from symptom onset to axSpA diagnosis? In this episode, Dr Fabian Proft talks to Dr Antoni Chan about his fantastic work to reduce time to diagnosis in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) using an integrated referral and education system. They discuss the importance of a multi-pronged approach to education, as well as how clinicians might start improving time to axSpA diagnosis...

Should there be distinct definitions for difficult-to-treat and complex-to-manage psoriatic arthritis? In this episode of Talking Rheumatology Research, Dr Fabian Proft and Dr Andre Ribeiro join Dr Ai Lyn Tan to discuss their work to define difficult-to-treat psoriatic arthritis, as part of GRAPPA's wider D2T-PsA project.  Find out more:  Deciphering difficult-to-treat psoriatic arthritis (D2...

Dr. Vanessa Quick joins Dr. Ernest Choy to discuss her recent article on the impact of qwTCZ cessation on GCA patients.  Looking at relapse rates and key risk factors, this discussion highlights the need for improving access to care and treatment for GCA patients, including increasing disease awareness, faster referral to specialised care, better access to diagnostic tools, and a multidisciplinary...

Peter Boyd and Ingrid de Groot join Dr. Latika Gupta to explore the value of patient involvement in Rheumatology research. Reflecting on their lived experience, Peter and Ingrid discuss their proudest moments, and identify areas in the patient and physician partnership that they hope to improve in the future. Thanks for listening to Talking Rheumatology Research! Join the conversation on X using #...

Recorded at #BSR24, Richard P Beesley joins Dr Ai Lyn Tan to discuss his recent article, which measured the level of community awareness in the UK that children and young people can develop arthritis. Listen now to hear about what you can do to help raise awareness of childhood arthritis, and why this is so important. You can read this article [ https://doi.org/10.1093/rap/rkad099 ] in Rheumatolog...

In this fascinating episode recorded at #BSR24, Dr Melanie Sloan joins Prof Ernest Choy to discuss the latest results from the INSPIRE study, which seeks to understand neuropsychiatric symptom prevalence and impact in people with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARDs).  Dr Melanie Sloan is a researcher in the Department of Public Health and Primary Care at the University of Cambridge. Her...

Dr Jason E Liebowitz joins Dr Marwan Bukhari to discuss the metaverse and how the field of rheumatology can utilise virtual and augmented reality to improve the lives of patients. Listen now to hear about the current technological developments and what this means for future clinical practice!  You can read this article [ https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/kead534 ] in Rheumatology. Thanks for li...

Professor Doron Rimar joins Dr Cristiana Sieiro Santos to discuss their article, which retrospectively compares the outcomes of SSc patients who underwent AHSCT to patients who met the eligibility criteria for AHSCT but received upfront combination therapy with MMF and rituximab. Listen now to hear the findings and what this means for future clinical practice!  You can read this article [ https://...

What is the leaky pipeline and how do we address it? Prof Christina Duftner (University of Innsbruck) and Prof Isabella Grabner (Vienna University of Economics and Business) join Dr Latika Gupta to discuss the diminishing proportion of women in higher ranking and leadership roles within rheumatology. Want to read more? Here's your further reading list: 1. Read Christina and Isabella's fu...

We're delighted to announce Prof Ernest Choy (University of Cardiff) as the incoming Editor-in-Chief of Rheumatology . In this episode, recorded at ACR23, Ernest tells us about his plans for the journal and the type of research he's keen to see.  Ernest will take the reins from Dr Marwan Bukhari (Royal Lancaster Infirmary), who finishes his highly productive term as Editor-in-Chief in Fe...

What happens when children and young people with JIA stop biologic therapies for remission? Dr Lianne Kearsley-Fleet and Dr Coziana Ciurtin join Dr Herman Tam to discuss their analysis of the UK JIA Biologics Register. Lianne is an epidemiologist and lead analyst of the UK JIA Biologics Register, based at the University of Manchester. Coziana is a consultant rheumatologist based at University Coll...

Dr Andrew Östör joins Dr Marwan Bukhari to discuss their article, chosen as the June Editor's Choice article, which evaluates the 52-week efficacy and safety of risankizumab 150 mg in patients with active PsA who had previous inadequate response/intolerance to one or two biologic therapies (Bio-IR) or one or more conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARD-IR). Listen now to hear the findings and...

Anika Hoque joins Dr Michael Backhouse to discuss their recent article, which examines the construct validity of the RA foot disease activity index in relationship to musculoskeletal ultrasonography and clinical examination. Listen now to hear the findings, and what this means for future clinical practice and the impact on RA patients at risk for poor functional and radiological outcomes. You can...

Can patients with rheumatoid arthritis examine their own joints?   Dr David Liew talks to Dr Charlotte Sharp and Karen Staniland about their work to create a video teaching patients how to self-examine tender and swollen joints.  Charlotte is now a consultant rheumatologist based in Manchester and has an interest in applied health research. Karen is the patient and public involvement lead for the...

How can we best diagnose septic arthritis in the acute care setting? Dr Pallavi Shamdasani joins Prof Rene Westhovens to discuss the utility of synovial aspiration and intra-operative synovial fluid and tissue culture for the accurate diagnosis of septic arthritis. Dr Shamdasani is a dual trained rheumatologist and obstetric medicine physician based in Melbourne, Australia. Her paper was a winning...

What is the relationship between COVID-19 vaccination and disease flares in patients with inflammatory arthritis (IA)? Dr Shivani Gor and Dr Sung-Hee Kim join Dr Mwidimi Ndosi to discuss their retrospective study, which used C-reactive protein as a marker to determine the proportion of IA patients who had a flare within four weeks of receiving a vaccination for COVID-19.  Dr Gor and Dr Kim are cur...

What evidence is there for effective transitional care in young people with chronic pain, and what should ideal transitional care look like? Dr Lauren Huckerby joins Dr Diederik De Cock to discuss her recent systematic review - one of the winning papers from the 2023 Rheumatology Advances in Practice Trainee Publishing Programme. Dr Huckerby is a paediatric and adolescent rheumatology registrar at...

Can we classify the clinical phenotype of systemic sclerosis by autoantibodies? Dr Cristiana Sieiro Santos joins Dr Anastasia Madenidou to discuss her recent article - one of the winning papers from the 2023 Rheumatology Advances in Practice Trainee Publishing Programme. Dr Sieiro Santos is currently a rheumatology trainee at Complejo Asistencial Universitario de León, Spain, and is working on her...

Dr Aladdin J Mohammad joins Dr Marwan Bukhari to discuss their article, chosen as the August Editor's Choice article, which determines the incidence rate, predictors and outcome of stroke in a population-based cohort of individuals with ANCA-associated vasculitis.  Listen now to hear the findings and what this means for future clinical practice!  You can read this article [ https://doi.org/10...

How can you differentiate between cocaine-induced and ANCA-associated vasculitis? Dr Sander van Leuven joins Dr David Liew to discuss a recent case series analysis from centres in Birmingham and London. Sander is a consultant rheumatologist in Nejmegen, the Netherlands. He previously trained in London, where he conducted a 15-year retrospective study of cocaine-associated pseudovasculitis. Want to...

Dr Ioannis Parodis and Dr Elena Nikiphorou join Dr Eunice Co to discuss their findings in the COVAD study of the safety and tolerance of vaccines against SARS-CoV-2 infection in systemic lupus erythematosus.  Listen now to hear the results of a study involving 9462 participants and 106 investigators in 94 countries!   You can read this article [ https://doi.org/10.1093/rheumatology/keac661 ] in Rh...

Dr Ilfita Sahbudin joins Dr Marwan Bukhari to discuss the value of ultrasound-defined tenosynovitis and synovitis in the prediction of persistent arthritis in an inception cohort of DMARD-naive patients with early arthritis. Listen now to hear the results of a study involving one hundred and fifty DMARD-naïve patients and the implications for future clinical practice! You can read this article [ h...

Do real-world data demonstrate that secukinumab is safe and effective for use in ankylosing spondylitis? Dr Adeola Ajibade joins Dr Ai Lyn Tan to discuss her recent paper - a multicentre, retrospective record-based review of the efficacy and safety of secukinumab in patients with ankylosing spondylitis across centres in the UK. Dr Ajibade is currently a specialist grade doctor at Taunton & Som...