ACR Journals On Air

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Swati Mehta and Dr. Lee Schulman Shapiro about their study examining early- and late-onset scleroderma renal crisis using data from three patient cohorts. They discuss key clinical findings, including important differences related to sex, autoantibodies, presentation, dialysis outcomes, and long-term prognosis, as well as the implications for patient care. The conversation also explores the personal journeys of both guests—from Dr. Mehta's path from northern India to a career at the intersection of nephrology and rheumatology, to Dr. Shapiro's reflections on nearly five decades in clinical practice and life after retirement.

In this episode, we speak with Dr. Nirali Shah about the growing role of artificial intelligence in healthcare and rehabilitation. Drawing from her recent scoping review, Dr. Shah discusses the evidence behind AI-driven health apps for education, exercise, gait retraining, clinical decision support, remote patient monitoring, and pain management. The conversation also explores the challenges, risks, and ethical considerations surrounding AI in clinical care, as well as the future relationship between digital health tools and healthcare professionals.

In this episode, we explore the emerging role of biomarkers in rheumatoid arthritis–associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) with Dr. Brent Luedders, discussing how prior ILD research laid the foundation for his latest multi-cohort study. He walks us through the study design, including the use of VA and non-VA cohorts, the biomarker panel that was tested, and the key findings related to prevalent and incident RA-ILD, ROC analyses, and disease risk over time. We also discuss the study's limitations, the future of biomarkers in RA-ILD care, and Dr. Luedders' personal journey into rheumatology, research, and medical education. 
Performance of an Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis-Derived Multibiomarker Panel for Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

In this episode, Drs. Nilasha Ghosh and Anne Bass discuss immune-related adverse events from immune checkpoint inhibitors, focusing on psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. They review early clinical recognition, epidemiology, and findings from a multicenter observational study evaluating apremilast, including patient characteristics, outcomes, and key limitations. The conversation also highlights insights from the HSS Checkpoint Inhibitor–Associated Arthritis Registry, the need for greater precision in rheumatology, and practical perspectives on mentorship and career development for emerging clinician–scientists. 
Use of Apremilast for the Treatment of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis

In this episode, Dr. Katie McMenamin and Dr. Josh Baker discuss their research on the genetic drivers of pain in rheumatoid arthritis, drawing on data from the FORWARD and VARA cohorts. They explore how genetic risk scores relate to pain and disease activity, and what these findings mean for patient care, remission, and future clinical trials. The conversation also highlights key study limitations, along with reflections on the research process and advice for trainees pursuing careers in rheumatology.  
Development and External Validation of a Genetic Risk Score for Pain in Rheumatoid Arthritis