RheumRounds

🎙️ 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 women
• When to suspect ANA-negative lupus, and what else to test

🎯 Seronegativity doesn’t mean disease inactivity.

Autoimmunity is more than just labs — it’s about listening to the patient’s story.

🎧 Host: Dr. Aravind Palraj

🎓 Senior Resident, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology

📍 Madras Medical College, Chennai

📱 Follow on X: @Rheumat_Aravind

🎙️ 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 causes of RF positivity — from infections to Sjögren’s
• How to interpret RF alongside anti-CCP and clinical signs

🎯 RF is a clue — not a verdict.

Learn to use it wisely, and stop overdiagnosing RA.

🎧 Host: Dr. Aravind Palraj

🎓 Senior Resident, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology

📍 Madras Medical College, Chennai

📱 Follow on X: @Rheumat_Aravind

🎙️ 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
• Disease-specific pitfalls in RA, PsA, SLE, PMR, vasculitis, and fibromyalgia
• When to trust these markers — and when to ignore them

From sprinting CRPs to slow-moving ESRs, this episode helps you decode inflammation with clinical clarity.

🎯 Because in rheumatology, treating the number is easy. Treating the patient takes skill.

🎧 Host: Dr. Aravind Palraj

🎓 Senior Resident, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology

📍 Madras Medical College, Chennai

📱 Follow on X: @Rheumat_Aravind

🎙️ 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 doesn’t always correlate with disease activity

• The difference between inflammatory and non-inflammatory fatigue

• Practical strategies to evaluate and manage fatigue in RA, SLE, and Sjögren’s

🌟 Fatigue is real, disabling, and often dismissed. This episode reminds us that treating the disease doesn’t always mean treating the patient.

🎧 Host: Dr. Aravind Palraj

🎓 Senior Resident, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology

📍 Madras Medical College, Chennai

📱 Follow on X: @Rheumat_Aravind

🎙️ 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 routine part of CTD follow-up
• The limitations of serum creatinine and dipsticks
• How subtle proteinuria may be the first sign of a lupus flare

🩺 Whether you’re managing lupus, Sjögren’s, MCTD, or overlap syndromes — this 5-minute clinical pearl will sharpen your renal radar.

🎧 Host: Dr. Aravind Palraj

🎓 Senior Resident, Clinical Immunology & Rheumatology

📍 Madras Medical College, Chennai

📱 Follow on X: @Rheumat_Aravind

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, Chennai

🔗 Follow on X: @Rheumat_Aravind

🎧 Daily podcast on clinical clarity in rheumatology

#RheumRounds #MedTwitter #Rheumatology #Autoimmune #ANA

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 for daily clinical pearls in rheumatology

🔗 X (Twitter): @Rheumat_Aravind