Living Rheum

For children with rheumatic diseases, early diagnosis, personalized care, and multidisciplinary collaboration are critical for optimal long-term management. Join Dr. John Bridges, Assistant Professor in the Division of Pediatric Rheumatology at the University of Alabama at Birmingham Heersink School of Medicine, as he explains how access, timing, and collaboration shape pediatric rheumatology care. Dr. Bridges presented on this topic at the 2025 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East conference.

Patients who are receiving immunotherapy for cancer sometimes develop significant autoimmune complications, which can be fatal. Join Dr. Laura Cappelli, Associate Professor of Medicine and Oncology at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, as she explains how multidisciplinary collaboration can help manage these rheumatic immune-related adverse events (irAEs). Dr. Cappelli also spoke about this topic at the 2025 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East conference.

Our approach to lupus management is accelerating, with emerging results on targeted therapies in skin and renal disease showing promise. Dr. Michelle Kahlenberg shares insights on emerging biologics, CAR-T innovations, and potential barriers in translating treatment breakthroughs into real-world patient care. Dr. Kahlenberg is the Giles Boles and Dorothy Mulkey Research Professor of Rheumatology and a Professor of Internal Medicine at Dermatology at the University of Michigan, and she spoke about this topic at the 2025 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology East conference.

Rheumatoid arthritis presents uniquely in every patient, which can make treatment decisions complex. As a result, it’s important to balance factors like symptom variations, patient concerns, and medical guidelines to find the right approach. Hear how risk-benefit discussions and evolving treatment strategies can shape care from Dr. Robin Dore, a board-certified rheumatologist and an Invited Lecturer at the University of California, Irvine in the Division of Rheumatology.

Despite the challenges of managing rheumatoid arthritis—especially for patients with difficult-to-treat cases or a history of cancer—clinical trials, updated guidelines, and data-driven decision-making are helping to shape the future of care. Dive deeper into how rheumatoid arthritis treatment is evolving with Dr. Robin Dore, board-certified rheumatologist and Invited Lecturer at the University of California, Irvine in the Division of Rheumatology.

With at least 4 percent of patients who experience COVID-19 developing long COVID, improving care for post-infectious chronic conditions is critical. By prioritizing research and education on the rheumatological effects of acute infections, we can address these patients’ unmet needs. Join Dr. Leonard Calabrese, Vice Chairman of the Department of Rheumatic and Immunologic Disease and Head of Clinical Immunology at the Cleveland Clinic Foundation, as he explains what we know so far about these conditions.

Chronic pain isn’t always caused by inflammation—in rheumatic conditions, nociplastic and neuropathic pain can both complicate treatment. Understanding these pain types is crucial to effective patient management. Dr. Philip Mease, Director of Rheumatology Research at Swedish Medical Center in Seattle and Clinical Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, explains the complexities behind each type of pain and key considerations for patient care.

Managing pain in chronic rheumatic conditions requires a comprehensive approach. Through education and innovative research, we can develop more effective ways to care for patients. Dr. Philip Mease, Director of Rheumatology Research at Swedish Medical Center and Clinical Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, gives a preview into the future of pain management.

In light of the opioid epidemic, the use of cannabis for therapeutic purposes is becoming of interest. But since there are other alternatives that are often more effective and have better safety profiles, it’s important to understand the evidence and guideline recommendations around these two treatment options. Here to share key considerations for using opioids and cannabis to treat patients living with chronic pain is Dr. Jason Busse, who presented a session on this exact topic at the 2024 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology.

Different clinical practice guidelines often have discrepancies from one another, making it a challenge for clinicians to determine which ones are more trustworthy. Here to break down the things clinicians should look for when sorting between guidelines that give discrepant recommendations is Dr. Jason Busse, who presented a session on this exact topic at the 2024 Congress of Clinical Rheumatology.