RheumMadness Rheumatology Podcast – Details, episodes & analysis

In this episode, we present the second part of our conversation with the authors of the scouting reports for the teams in the T'd Up T-cells region of RheumMadness 2025: the Innovation Invitational.  Plus, we highlight Q&As from theMednet.org about the T'd Up T-Cells teams AND record an interview with Dr. Bill St. Clair, the first author of the phase 2 dazodalibep study.  It's a long episode because there's so much content!

Links to the Q&As from theMednet.org discussed in this episode:

• What is your approach to managing sicca symptoms in patients not responding or not tolerating conservative measures, pilocarpine, and cevimeline?
• What is your approach to immunomodulatory treatment in patients with Sjogren’s syndrome who have active serologies (i.e. elevated ESR, hypergammaglobulinemia, hypocomplementemia) but minimal symptoms?
• What is your approach to monitoring patients referred for high titer +RF and +CCP but without active symptoms of inflammatory arthritis?
• What factors drive you to prioritize T vs B cell inhibition when choosing therapies for patients with refractory SLE?

To learn more about RheumMadness:
https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness/

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https://lists.duke.edu/sympa/subscribe/rheummadness

Find us on social media:
Bluesky: @rheummadness.bsky.social
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X: Follow #RheumMadness


Intro/outro music: Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we dive in to the T'd Up T-cells region of RheumMadness 2025: the Innovation Invitational.  This is the first of a two-part conversation with the authors of the scouting reports for the teams in this region.  Check back next week to hear the rest of the conversation!

To find the scouting reports and base articles discussed in this episode, head over to the scouting reports page of our website here:
https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness/bracket-and-scouting-reports/

To learn more about RheumMadness:
https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness/

Find us on social media:
Bluesky: @rheummadness.bsky.social
Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/rheummadness/
X: Follow #RheumMadness


Intro/outro music: Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In RheumMadness 2023, EVERYONE can apply to write a scouting report about ANY TEAM that they think is worthy of the title.

Learn how to apply here:
https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness/

If you'd like to write a scouting report but don't have a group to write one with, please email us at David.Leverenz@Duke.edu

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we reflect on RheumMadness 2022 with members of our leadership team and a Blue Ribbon Panel member (Belinda Birnbaum).

RheumMadness 2022 Post-Survey:
https://duke.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_cMjmiMoQNP0XKGW

Learn more about Vote-ER, a non-partisan organization that helps patients register to vote.
https://vot-er.org/
 
RheumMadness Website:
https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness

Podcast Hosts: 

• David Leverenz, Assistant Professor at Duke
• Belinda Birnbaum, Blue Ribbon Panelist and rheumatologist at the Bryn Mawr Medical Specialists Association in Bryn Mawr, Pennsylvania. 
• Guy Katz, rheumatology fellow at MGH, leadership team member
• Lauren He, internal medicine resident at U Chicago, leadership team member
• Ben Kellog, internal medicine resident at Duke, leadership team member

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we recap the first two rounds of RheumMadness 2022. We are joined by a Blue Ribbon Panelist (Iman Qaiser) who shares what it's been like to be on the panel. 

Hosts: 

• David Leverenz, Assistant Professor at Duke
• Iman Qaiser, Blue Ribbon Panelist and rheumatology fellow at LSU Health Shreveport
• Guy Katz, rheumatology fellow at MGH
• Michael Macklin, internal medicine resident at UPMC
• Ben Kellog, internal medicine resident at Duke

Subscribe to our newsletter at our website: https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

Everything you need to know about the RheumMadness tournament.

Find the scouting reports and submit a bracket here:
https://www.tourneytopia.com/rheummadness/tournament

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we discuss the teams in the People region of the RheumMadness 2022 Tournament. Our DEI discussion topic is disparities in reproductive health care in rheumatology.

Hosts: David Leverenz (Assistant Professor at Duke), Lauren He (resident at the University of Chicago), Cuoghi Edens (Assistant Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at the University of Chicago), Catherine Sims (Fellow at Duke), and Stacy Bagrova (Fellow at USF).

Subscribe to our newsletter at our website: https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness

Articles on disparities in reproductive health care in rheumatology:
Kaplowitz ET, Ferguson S, Guerra M, et al. Contribution of Socioeconomic Status to Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes Among Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2018;70(2):230-235. doi:10.1002/acr.23263

Clowse ME, Grotegut C. Racial and Ethnic Disparities in the Pregnancies of Women With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2016;68(10):1567-1572. doi:10.1002/acr.22847

Scouting Reports:
Reproductive Health Guide, written by the Duke University Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Catherine Sims, MD; Sonali Bracken, MD, PhD; Megan Milne, MD; Nathaniel Harris, MD, PhD; Poorva Apte, MD; Lena Eder, MD; Lisa Criscione-Schreiber, MD, Med; Megan Clowse, MD; & David Leverenz, MD

TNFi in Cord Blood, written by Lauren He, MD & Cuoghi Edens, MD from the University of Chicago School of Medicine

Increasing positive ANA, written by Lauren He, MD; Ana B. Arevalo, MD; & Kichul Ko, MD from the University of Chicago School of Medicine

False positive MRI in Axial Spondyloarthritis, written by the University of South Florida Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Anastasiya (Stacy) Bagrova, MD; Shreya Gor, MD; Joanne Valeriano-Marcet, MD; Larry Young, MD; & John Carter, MD

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we discuss the teams in the Machines region of the RheumMadness 2022 Tournament. Our DEI discussion topic is disparities in pediatric rheumatology.

Hosts: David Leverenz (Assistant Professor at Duke), Malki Peskin (pediatric rheumatology fellow at Montefiore), Sean Carter (fellow at MUSC), Perry Fuchs (fellow at Cleveland Clinic), Akrithi Garren (Assistant Professor at Georgetown/Medstar), Lisa Criscione-Schreiber (Professor at Duke)

Subscribe to our newsletter at our website: https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness

Reference article on disparities in pediatric rheumatology: Akinsete AM, Woo JMP, Rubinstein TB. Disparities in Pediatric Rheumatic Diseases. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2022;48(1):183-198. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2021.09.014

Scouting Reports:
Artificial Intelligence: JIA Subtypes, written by the Children’s Hospital at Montefiore Pediatric Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Alisha Akinsete, MD; Malki Peskin, MD; & Jessica Perfetto, MD

Artificial Intelligence: TNFi Response, written by the Cleveland Clinic Foundation Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Saja Almaaitah, MD; Shashank Cheemalavagu, MD; Rupal Shastri, MD; Perry Fuchs, MD; Melany Gonzalez Orta, MD; & James Vondenberg,

DECT in Gout, written by the MedStar Georgetown Washington Hospital Center: Leen Al Saleh, MD; Ajita Acharya, MD; Elena Obreja, MD; & Akrithi U. Garren, MD

PET in LVV, written by the Medical University of South Carolina Rheumatology Fellowship Program: Sean Carter, MD; Jessica English, MD; Brad Collins, DO; Ana Tucker, MD; Jen Schmidt, MD; Whitney Elg-Salsman, DO; & Faye Hant, DO

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we discuss the teams in the Animal House region of the 2022 RheumMadness Tournament. Our DEI discussion topic is disparities in osteoarthritis and gout.

Hosts: David Leverenz (Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke), Ben Kellog (resident at Duke), Melissa Defoe (fellow at UTSW), Nagendra Pokala (fellow at UTSW), Evan Dombrosky (fellow at VCU), Khiem Vu (fellow at Wake Forest), and Jesse Reisner (fellow at Ohio State).

Learn more about RheumMadness by visiting our website: https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness

References:
Axolotl Limb scouting report by the fellows at Wake Forest Fellowship Program

Dinosaur SpA scouting report by the fellows at Virginia Commonwealth University Fellowship Program

Dalmatian Urate scouting report by the fellows at UT Southwestern Fellowship Program

Dog Osteoarthritis scouting report by the fellows at Ohio State Fellowship Program

Article on disparities in osteoarthritis: Usiskin I, Misra D. Racial Disparities in Elective Total Joint Arthroplasty for Osteoarthritis [published online ahead of print, 2022 Jan 5]. ACR Open Rheumatol. 2022;10.1002/acr2.11399. doi:10.1002/acr2.11399

Article on disparities in gout: Guillén AG, Te Karu L, Singh JA, Dalbeth N. Gender and Ethnic Inequities in Gout Burden and Management. Rheum Dis Clin North Am. 2020;46(4):693-703. doi:10.1016/j.rdc.2020.07.008

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/

In this episode, we discuss the teams in the Cells region of the 2022 RheumMadness Tournament. Our DEI discussion topic is increasing diversity in rheumatology clinical trials.

Hosts: David Leverenz (Assistant Professor of Medicine at Duke), Guy Katz (Fellow at MGH), Michael Macklin (Resident at UPMC), Michael Cunningham (Fellow at UNC)

Learn more about RheumMadness by visiting our website: https://sites.duke.edu/rheummadness

References:
Anti-NET antibodies: Zuo Y, Yalavarthi S, Gockman K, et al. Anti-Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Antibodies and Impaired Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Degradation in Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2020;72(12):2130-2135. doi:10.1002/art.41460

Cytokine networks: Simon Q, Grasseau A, Boudigou M, et al. A Proinflammatory Cytokine Network Profile in Th1/Type 1 Effector B Cells Delineates a Common Group of Patients in Four Systemic Autoimmune Diseases. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021;73(8):1550-1561. doi:10.1002/art.41697

CAR-T cells (1): Mougiakakos D, Krönke G, Völkl S, et al. CD19-Targeted CAR T Cells in Refractory Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. N Engl J Med. 2021;385(6):567-569. doi:10.1056/NEJMc2107725

CAR-T cells (2): Orvain C, Boulch M, Bousso P, Allanore Y, Avouac J. Is There a Place for Chimeric Antigen Receptor-T Cells in the Treatment of Chronic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases?. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021;73(11):1954-1965. doi:10.1002/art.41812

Pim kinases: Maney NJ, Lemos H, Barron-Millar B, et al. Pim Kinases as Therapeutic Targets in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis. Arthritis Rheumatol. 2021;73(10):1820-1830. doi:10.1002/art.41744

SLE clinical trial diversity: Falasinnu T, Chaichian Y, Bass MB, Simard JF. The Representation of Gender and Race/Ethnic Groups in Randomized Clinical Trials of Individuals with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus. Curr Rheumatol Rep. 2018;20(4):20. Published 2018 Mar 17. doi:10.1007/s11926-018-0728-2

RA clinical trial diversity: Strait A, Castillo F, Choden S, et al. Demographic Characteristics of Participants in Rheumatoid Arthritis Randomized Clinical Trials: A Systematic Review. JAMA Netw Open. 2019;2(11):e1914745. Published 2019 Nov 1. doi:10.1001/jamanetworkopen.2019.14745

Critical race theory and SLE trial enrollment: Sneed RS, Mason M, Williams JN, et al. Using Critical Race Theory to Understand Trial Participation Among Black Individuals With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Qualitative Study of Patients and Caregivers. Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken). 2021;73(10):1387-1395. doi:10.1002/acr.24635

Intro and Outro music:
Cheery Monday by Kevin MacLeod
Link: https://incompetech.filmmusic.io/song/3495-cheery-monday
License: http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/