Responding to and Driving Change in Rheumatology: Report from the 12th International Immunology Summit 2021

AbstractThe coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has accelerated changes to rheumatology daily clinical practice. The main goal of the 12th International Immunology Summit, held 25 –26 June, 2021 (virtual meeting), was to provide direction for these active changes rather than undergoing change reactively in order to improve patient outcomes. This review describes and explores the concept of change in rheumatology clinical practice based on presentations from the Immunology S ummit. Many of the changes to rheumatology practice brought about by the COVID-19 pandemic may be considered as having a positive impact on disease management and may help with the long-term development of more patient-focused treatment. Rheumatologists can contribute key knowledge regarding the use of immunosuppressive agents in the context of the pandemic, and according to the European League Against Rheumatism, they should be involved in any multidisciplinary COVID-19 guideline committees. New technologies, including telemedicine and artificial intelligence, represent an opportunity for phy sicians to individualise patient treatment and improve disease management. Despite major advances in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, the efficacy of available disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) remains suboptimal and data regarding serological biomarkers are limited. Synovial tissu e biomarkers, such as CD68+ macrophages, have shown promise in elucidating pathogenesis and targeting treatm...
Source: Rheumatology and Therapy - Category: Rheumatology Source Type: research