Systemic autoimmune diseases   

Questions discussed in this category



Do you taper one DMARD as you uptitrate another versus do you stop the first DMARD and quickly uptitrate another one?

I have a patient with recently diagnosed primary biliary cholangitis/cirrhosis (PBC) with SSc. Her laboratory values are within normal limits, but end...

When do you switch to steroid-sparing medications? What steroid-sparing therapies do you prefer?

Do you frequently order liver biopsies for these patients?This question is part of a collaboration with RheumMadness and is specifically in reference ...

Will you still favor starting with steroids and traditional immunosuppressive agents, move IVIG earlier in your treatment strategy, or start with IVIG...

Do you do blood work? Or do you rely on review of systems?

Do you typically start the patient on hydroxychloroquine?  What work-up do you perform?

What recommendations do you provide if there is concern that the patient is beginning to flare? Have you prescribed any of the new JAK inhibitors?


Papers discussed in this category


N Engl J Med, 2022 Oct 06

The British journal of dermatology, 2019-11

Frontiers in immunology, 2019

J Am Acad Dermatol, 2020 Sep 04

Rheumatology (Oxford),

Arthritis care & research, 2014-08

Intern Med J, 2022 Mar 16

Support Care Cancer, 2019 Dec 13

Lupus, 2017 May 08

Ann Afr Med, 2020 Jul-Sep

Arch Dermatol, 2006 Mar

Clin Rev Allergy Immunol, 2010 Apr

Lupus, 2020 Mar 19

The New England journal of medicine, 1993-12-30

Arthritis & rheumatology (Hoboken, N.J.), 2023 Jul 24