🔊 On behalf of SPARTAN, Dr. Abhijeet Danve and I co-led the *first* North American recommendations for referral of adults suspected of having Axial Spondyloarthritis to a Rheumatologist. Please share widely! acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/share/VTKIEP... @spartanrheum.bsky.social

I brought a bell from my (late) grandmother's collection to keep presenters on time at our Rheum Research Retreat today. We heard from 29 researchers about the incredible work being done in our section! @bu-bmc-rheum.bsky.social

North American Spine Society developed guidelines for coverage of SIJ Injections and RFA, including applications in spondyloarthritis. It was privilege to work on this project! Read the guidelines and provide feedback here: www.spine.org/Portals/0/as...

The 2026 ACR Axial Spondyloarthritis guideline summary is here! It has been a privilege to work on this project. rheumatology.org/axial-spondy...

The average person with axial spondyloarthritis has back pain without a diagnosis for *over 6 years*. This needs to change! Thanks to @spartanrheum.bsky.social and #PANLAR2026 for the opportunity to highlight this in the pre-congress symposium.

Funding rates for R01s decreased in 2025 for applicants from all career stages. grants.nih.gov/news-events/...

Scenes from CAThens @rheumcat.bsky.social

🐎I just learned of this interesting treatment possibility for #axSpA: HIPPOTHERAPY! A simulator mimics movement of a horse. This makes sense bc of the lumbar spine & hip mobility that riding requires. My relative with axSpA said "Should I start horsing around?!" www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10....

It is an honor to continue serving on the board of SPARTAN alongside this esteemed group. We met last week to discuss the direction of #spondyloarthritis research and the future looks bright!💡 @spartanrheum.bsky.social @nigil-haroon.bsky.social @rheumcat.bsky.social

🧵 New study alert! 💊 Does early TNF inhibitor (TNFi) therapy reduce chronic opioid use in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA)? 👉 We looked at real-world US data to find out. 📄 Arthritis Care & Research, 2025 🔗 acrjournals.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/... @rheumcat.bsky.social

Our paper looking at annual prescription rates of opioids 💊 vs NSAIDs 💊and TNF inhibitors 💉for people with axial spondyloarthritis in the US & UK is now out @acr-journals.bsky.social pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40977482/ @degirmenciberk2.bsky.social is preparing a visual abstract, so stay tuned

Trends in Opioid Prescriptions in Individuals with Axial Spondyloarthritis in the US and UK in the Last Two Decades: Analysis of Electronic Health Records and Insurance Claims Data - PubMed

Opioid prescriptions rates remained stable over time in the UK, while they slightly decreased in the US as TNFi uptake increased. These trends may reflect a US nationwide change in guidance for opioid...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

We at BU Rheum had the pleasure of learning from Drs. Divya Shankar and Mari-Lynn Drainone to speak today on Implementation Science. sites.bu.edu/ciis/ @bu-bmc-rheum.bsky.social

We found that adults with axSpA or PsA had ⬇️ odds of hip/knee replacement with use ofTNFi, non-TNFi biologics or DMARDs as compared to NSAIDs. Odds w/ JAK inhib was also lower but not statistically significant. Use this info in shared decision-making!

Rheum Cat@rheumcat.bsky.social · 12mo ago

New publication from @bu-bmc-rheum.bsky.social with IM resident Angela Achkar and senior mentor @spondymd.bsky.social:

Veterans I care for at VA Boston showed me so much love today with tasty treats! Incredible tomatoes, spaghetti & meatballs and homemade BBQ sauce! @vaboston.bsky.social

This is critically important to our understanding of SpA!

The Journal of Rheumatology @jrheumatol.bsky.social · last yr.

Panorama Enhancing Genetic Studies on Rheumatic Diseases in Latin America: The IARGE-RD Initiative 📖 doi.org/10.3899/jrhe... #geneticresearch #rheumaticdiseases #latinamerica #caribbean

The SPARTAN Review Course is on! Dr. Aki Nakamura presented on the pathogenesis of axial spondyloarthritis, highlighting new science around HLA-B27, arthritogenic peptides and mechanisms of disease independent of HLA-B27. deptmed.queensu.ca/index.php/pe...

💫As part of our T32 lecture series @bu-bmc-rheum.bsky.social welcomed Drs. Sarah Bagley (GIM) and Vanessa Xanthakis (Preventive Med) to discuss LIFE HACKS FOR BUSY RESEARCHERS. Highlights here. Do you have any tips to share? www.bumc.bu.edu/rheumatology...

Today we learned from osteoporosis expert Dr. Alan Malabanan about management of patients at very high risk for fracture. @alanmalabanan.bsky.social www.bumc.bu.edu/medicine/pro...

🌏The 7th Annual Global Spondyloarthritis Summit is May 2nd & 3rd! Enjoy interactive activities, rooms, networking, gamification, exercise and yoga classes, poster hall, exhibit hall, swag bags, social media wall and more. spondyloarthritissummit2025.vfairs.com

Editor's Picks Spotlight Disparities in Time to Diagnosis of Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis with Drs. Renato Ferrandiz-Espadin, Jean W. Liew and Maureen Dubreuil @renatoferrandiz.bsky.social @rheumcat.bsky.social @spondymd.bsky.social 📖 doi.org/10.3899/jrhe... 📽️ youtu.be/jXAe-dlbxsc

Editor's Picks Spotlight: Disparities in Time to Diagnosis of r-axSpA

YouTube video by The Journal of Rheumatology

youtu.be

💡 We recently had the pleasure of learning from my colleague, Dr. Monica Crespo-Bosque, who discussed Treatment of Arthritis in Lupus. www.bumc.bu.edu/camed/profil...

Congrats to Deepak Kumar sites.bu.edu/kumarlab/ who found that earlier PT and >12 sessions were associated with lower risk of future intra-articular therapy use in people w/ knee OA. doi.org/10.1002/art....

Excited to share our latest publication on demographic & geographic diversity in axial spondyloarthritis drug trials! We analyzed 59 trials (16,000+ participants) since 2000. Big thanks to the team @wissamghusn.bsky.social @spondymd.bsky.social @joergermann pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/40089303/

Diversity in Axial Spondyloarthritis Drug Trials: Enrollment by Sex, Race, Ethnicity, and Geographic Region - PubMed

The enrollment of women in axSpA drug trials largely reflects disease demographics. Race and ethnicity reporting has improved over time. While participation of Asian, American Indian/Alaska Native and...

pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov

We found that diagnostic delay in axial spondyloarthritis was 21% longer (7 months) among people with a social need, using an accelerated failure time model. @jrheumatol.bsky.social @renatoferrandiz.bsky.social www.jrheum.org/content/52/4...

Disparities in Time to Diagnosis of Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis

Objective Radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) has a 7-year average diagnostic delay. Although the effects of sex or gender on time to diagnosis have been evaluated, the role of social deter...

jrheum.org

We had the pleasure of learning from Dr. Robert John Fontana today about liver injury related to DMARDs and other rheum meds #rheumsky www.michiganmedicine.org/profile/3966...

Robert J. Fontana

michiganmedicine.org

Our study was covered by Healio: TNFi were associated with 29% lower odds of fracture relative to NSAIDs in axSpA! www.healio.com/news/rheumat...

TNF inhibitors may reduce fracture risk 29% vs NSAIDs in axial spondyloarthritis

TNF inhibitors for the treatment of axial spondyloarthritis may decrease the risk for hip or spine fracture by as much as 29% compared with NSAIDs, according to data published in Arthritis & Rheum...

healio.com

I just came across *3 messages* I sent myself in the middle of the night with additional thoughts on a sick person I recently cared for. #Rheumsky

Access to timely health information is critical for emergency care. #MedSky #EMSky #EMedSky