Rheumatology nurses are better together
We will examine the pathophysiology of psoriatic arthritis, focusing on epidemiology, pathogenesis, and common presenting features of the disease. We’ll also review data reflecting the current diagnostic ability among rheumatology and dermatology providers.
We will look at the key components of the first several visits to a rheumatology practice for an individual with suspected or newly diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including the diagnostic and disease classification process as well as initial approaches to treatment for patients naïve to disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs.
We will examine how SLE patients experience a flare, the varying symptoms of flares, and the options for their treatment. We will also take a look at the questions that nurses and nurse practitioners can ask patients with SLE at every visit—both related and unrelated to disease flares—to help monitor and manage potentially disruptive changes in disease activity.
We’ll take a look at how the treatment landscape in SLE is evolving, why the development of new therapies has historically been so frustrating, and how new breakthroughs are giving hope to the latest generation of patients with SLE.
We will explore emerging standards for the care of pregnant women with RA, including the role of new drug labeling rules and pregnancy registries in developing a better understanding of pregnancy-related drug safety. We will also explore considerations for women who are breastfeeding as well as for male patients with RA who are making family planning decisions.
We will provide an introductory level description of the basic immunology and pathophysiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) that will allow rheumatology nurses and nurse practitioners to better understand and explain key concepts of SLE to their patients.
We will examine new insights into the pathophysiology of spondyloarthritis (SpA) that have led to changes in disease classification systems. This issue will also explore how the common underlying pathology of SpA subtypes leads to the diverse clinical manifestations.
We will explore recent systematic reviews that provide a snapshot of the current RA evidence base supporting different treatment options at each stage of disease. We will also look ahead to new therapies, including biosimilar agents, and discuss where these new treatments may fit into evolving best practices in the care of patients with RA.
We will explore trends in the management of 2 of the most common spondyloarthropathies: psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis. With the recent availability of new biologics and additional therapies on the horizon, this issue will examine how biologics and small molecule therapies are shaping the treatment of these disorders.
Making Sense of an Increasingly Complex Treatment Paradigm in RA Learning Objectives Discuss the clinical importance of strong vs. conditional recommendations included within the 2015 […]