Rheumatology INFO

17/09/2026

American College of Rheumatology Guideline 2025 for the Treatment of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE)

Key Principles of SLE Management

Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) → recommended routinely for most patients unless contraindicated.

Minimize glucocorticoid exposure → aim for maintenance prednisone ≤5 mg/day, and ideally discontinue when possible.

Introduce steroid-sparing therapy early → conventional immunosuppressants and/or biologic therapies when indicated.

Treat-to-target approach → aim for remission or low disease activity.

Regular monitoring → assess disease activity, treatment toxicity, adherence, and development of organ involvement.

Organ-specific treatment → escalate therapy according to the severity and type of organ involvement.

10/09/2026

🦴 SPINE CONDITIONS CAN LOOK SIMILAR, BUT THEY’RE NOT THE SAME!
From spondylitis to spondylolisthesis, understanding the differences can help you assess symptoms more confidently and choose the right clinical approach. 🧠💪
Swipe through these 5 common spinal conditions and save this post for your next revision! 📚

👉 Which one do you want a detailed breakdown of next?



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30/08/2026

“Just find a dermatologist.” Easy, right? 👀

Not always. Finding a dermatologist who understands psoriasis and your individual needs can take some searching. That’s why we’re breaking down the questions, misconceptions, and everyday experiences that come with living with psoriatic disease.

Head to our Psoriasis Action Month hub to explore more. 🔗psoriasis.org/psoriasis-action-month/

29/08/2026

A historic shift in IgG4-related disease.

In 2025, inebilizumab became the first FDA-approved treatment for adults with IgG4-RD.

In the MITIGATE trial:

• Disease flare: 10% vs 60% with placebo
• 87% relative reduction in flare risk
• HR 0.13; P

29/08/2026

🌿Sjögren’s & The Vagus Nerve

🔶The hidden communication highway between your brain, body & immune system

🔷The Vagus Nerve is one of the body's longest nerves. Think of it as a two-way communication highway running between the brain and many organs, including the heart, lungs and digestive tract.

⚜️What does the Vagus Nerve actually do?

🔶The Vagus Nerve is a major part of the Parasympathetic Nervous System, the system involved in “rest and digest.”

💠It helps regulate things we don't consciously have to think about, including:

♻️Heart rate
♻️Blood pressure
♻️Digestion and gut movement
♻️Swallowing
♻️Certain glandular secretions
♻️Breathing-related regulation
♻️Communication between the nervous and immune systems

✴️The Autonomic Nervous system helps maintain the body's internal balance, called homeostasis.

⚜️So where does Sjögren's come in?

🔶Research has found evidence of Autonomic Nervous System dysfunction in some people with Sjögren's, affecting both Sympathetic and Parasympathetic functions, which can potentially create a fascinating overlap of symptoms.

💠For example, autonomic dysfunction in Sjögren's has been associated with:

🚩Orthostatic intolerance or dizziness when standing
🚩Blood-pressure regulation problems
🚩Heart-rate abnormalities
🚩Gastrointestinal disturbances
🚩Altered stomach emptying
🚩Constipation or other bowel problems
🚩Bladder dysfunction
🚩Sweating abnormalities
🚩Secretory/glandular problems
🚩Fatigue

✴️A 2026 clinical practice guideline specifically recognizes Autonomic Nervous-system neuropathies as a Peripheral Nervous-system manifestation of Sjögren's disease.

✳️The REALLY fascinating part is that the Vagus Nerve isn't only about digestion and heart rate, it also participates in communication between the nervous system and immune system.

✴️One pathway researchers study is called the cholinergic anti-inflammatory pathway.
In very simple terms:
Immune system ↔ Vagus Nerve ↔ Brain ↔ Organs

✳️The immune system can send signals through pathways involving the Vagus Nerve, while vagal signaling can influence inflammatory responses.

✴️That doesn't mean the Vagus Nerve causes Sjögren's, it means there is a fascinating biological conversation happening between the nervous system and immune system, and researchers are investigating how that conversation may relate to Sjögren's symptoms.

⚜️Fatigue Connection

🔶Autonomic dysfunction has been associated with fatigue in Sjögren's, and researchers have even investigated non-invasive Vagus Nerve stimulation as a potential treatment approach.

🔷In one small study, 15 people with primary Sjögren's received non-invasive Vagus Nerve stimulation for 28 days. Most reported improvement in physical fatigue, and several inflammatory markers decreased. But this was a small exploratory study and not proof that Vagus Nerve stimulation is an established Sjögren's treatment.

💛Sjögren's may involve much more than the glands.

💙For some people, the disease can involve the Peripheral Nerves and Autonomic Nervous system, potentially affecting how the body regulates functions that normally happen automatically.

💛So when someone with Sjögren's says:

🔺“My heart races when I stand.”
🔺“My digestion seems to have slowed down.”
🔺“I get dizzy.”
🔺My bladder is behaving strangely.”
🔺“I sweat differently.”
🔺“I'm exhausted even when I've rested.”

💙It may be worth considering whether autonomic dysfunction could be part of the picture, rather than automatically assuming every symptom is simply “fatigue” or unrelated.

⚜️Gentle Ways to Support Your Nervous System

☘️ Slow your breathing — gentle breathing with a longer, comfortable exhale.
☘️ Move gently — walking, stretching or other activity that your body tolerates.
☘️Give your body recovery time — rest isn't laziness, your nervous system needs recovery too.
☘️Use your voice gently — humming or singing may influence autonomic activity, but we won't claim it treats Sjögren's.
☘️Create moments of calmness— reducing sensory and emotional overload can help your nervous system settle.

29/08/2026

https://www.linkedin.com/safety/go/?url=https%3A%2F%2Flnkd%2Ein%2FeBJdD3aY&urlhash=inXr&mt=ZvrJrO-Zmlvux6l5CA7u3BoYvPYbsEMZS5c5Nk8etX1iCSjsFP8hrIJvM32IZ4LEmGVbReEGqqqznLCOa6yNlBDvX7jNx_CoVQ9abz3iu2uo4CO0bHZnbt9TtQ&isSdui=true

17/08/2026

Methotrexate pneumonitis is real—but it is not the same as chronic RA-associated ILD.

Stable RA-ILD does not automatically mean stopping methotrexate. New fever, dry cough or breathlessness, however, demands urgent evaluation and exclusion of infection.

Know the difference.

17/08/2026

risk-stratification-is-key-when-managing-SLE

Risk stratification is key when managing pregnancy in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). A new cohort study of 441 singleton pregnancies demonstrates that not all antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) profiles confer the same level of risk. Key findings: 🔹 17.9% of pregnancies were aPL-positive. 🔹 ...

17/08/2026

🔬 Rheumatoid Factor: From Diagnostic Marker to Pathogenic Amplifier For decades, rheumatoid factor (RF) has been viewed mainly as a diagnostic marker of rheumatoid arthritis. That interpretation may be too simplistic 🫢 Natural RF is most plausibly a polyclonal, low-affinity IgM response that m...

12/08/2026