SPARTAN News—Fall 2023

Volume 9 Issue 3

Dear Lisa,

In late September, the Spondylitis Association of America (SAA), in collaboration with the National Institutes of Health (NIH), hosted the Spondyloarthritis Unmet Research Needs Conference IV at the NIH campus in Bethesda, MD. The meeting continued the tradition of excellence seen in previous conferences held in 1998, 2006 and 2017. Kudos to the conference co-chairs, Bob Colbert and Kristi Kuhn, and the members of the organizing committee. Entering the NIH campus as a guest is a little cumbersome (think airport-style security measures) but the conference experience was definitely worth it. Read more about the content of the five scientific sessions below. The roster of speakers featured both SpA researchers and non-SpA experts, and there was ample time for Q&A. Overall, it was a highly informative meeting and a great example of thoughtful conference planning. The logical next step is to turn the identified knowledge gaps into research initiatives, a task where SPARTAN can undoubtedly play a pivotal role. Expect this to be a focus of discussion at the 2024 SPARTAN Annual Meeting.

In just a few days, many of us will gather at ACR Convergence in San Diego. I am glad that poster sessions are making their return this year and look forward to the oral abstract sessions. A noteworthy first for our organization will be the SPARTAN Member Forum at ACR Convergence. I strongly encourage all SPARTAN members to join the discussion and learn about the ongoing work on modifying the axial SpA classification criteria. This is a “members only” event but ASAS members are invited to join. All are welcome to the annual SPARTAN/GRAPPA/ASAS educational symposium on axial SpA and psoriatic arthritis. Please consider sharing the information about this popular event with your trainees.

I look forward to meeting you in San Diego.

Best regards,

Joerg Ermann, MD

Chair, SPARTAN Board of Directors

SPARTAN Member Forum at ACR Convergence

We hope all SPARTAN members attending ACR Convergence will join us in San Diego for our first member forum.

Time: Sunday 11/12/23, 12:15 to 1:45 pm

Location: San Diego Marriott Gaslamp Quarter, Presidio Room

Topic: Update on CLASSIC and implications for axSpA classification criteria

The 2009 ASAS classification criteria failed to meet the pre-specified performance targets of sensitivity ≥75% and specificity ≥90%. Analyses are currently being conducted to determine modifications to the 2009 criteria and/or a formula for classification criteria that applies weightings to SpA features which reflect the strength of their contribution to diagnosis that will attain the 75%/90% performance targets. Join the SPARTAN and ASAS study leadership to learn more about the progress being made.

Lunch will be available starting at 12:00. Please register.

SPARTAN Member Forum Registration

SPARTAN GRAPPA ASAS Symposium Registration

SpA Sessions at ACR Convergence

REVIEW COURSE

7:30 AM – 2:30 PM PT

Exhibit Hall AB

SpA Update: Radiographic and Non-Radiographic axSpA

Alexis Ogdie, MD MSCE

University of Pennsylvania

SPONDYLOARTHRITIS SESSIONS

Pearls & Pitfalls in Diagnosing Non-Radiographic Axial Spondyloarthritis

Sunday, November 12, 2023

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PT

Location: Room 24A-D

Lianne Gensler, MD

University of California San Francisco

Mark Hwang, MD

McGovern Medical School at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston

Alexis Ogdie, MD MSCE

University of Pennsylvania

Spondyloarthropathy: Comparing Adult and Pediatric Diseases

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

9:00 AM – 10:00 AM PT

Location: Room 7A-B

Pamela Weiss, MD MSCE

Children's Hospital of Philadelphia

Walter P. Maksymowych, MD

University of Alberta

Hemalatha Srinivasalu, MD, MBBS

Children's National Hospital

ORAL ABSTRACTS

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Treatment I: PsA

Sunday, November 12, 2023

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes I: AxSpA

Sunday, November 12, 2023

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes II: Psoriatic Arthritis

Monday, November 13, 2023

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Treatment II: PsA

Monday, November 13, 2023

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Basic Science

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

2:00 PM – 3:30 PM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Treatment III: AxSpA

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

4:00 PM – 5:30 PM PT

POSTERS

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes Poster I: PsA

Sunday, November 12, 2023

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Treatment: AxSpA Poster I

Sunday, November 12, 2023

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Poster Tour: Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes

Sunday, November 12, 2023

9:00 AM – 9:45 AM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes Poster Tour

Monday, November 13, 2023

9:00 AM – 9:45 AM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes Poster II: Imaging & AS

Monday, November 13, 2023

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Treatment Poster II: SpA

Monday, November 13, 2023

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Diagnosis, Manifestations, & Outcomes Poster III: SpA

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Spondyloarthritis Including Psoriatic Arthritis – Treatment: SpA Poster III

Tuesday, November 14, 2023

9:00 AM – 11:00 AM PT

Spondyloarthritis Unmet Research Needs Conference Highlights

During the first day, three sessions were held: Endotypes, Pain and Imaging. During the endotype session, Dr. Kristi Kuhn MD, PhD (Colorado) first defined endotypes- phenotypes with distinct pathobiological pathways. The invited panel- Drs. Kevin Deane MD, PhD (Colorado), Laura Donlin PhD (HSS) and Chris Ritchlin MD, MPH (Rochester) gave examples how endotypes are currently being defined and discovered in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), RA synovial biopsy, and psoriasis-spectrum disease, respectively. The second session addressed pain- with Drs. Alexis Ogdie MD, MSCE, Yvonne Lee (MD, MSSc (Northwestern) and Anne-Marie Malfait MD, PhD (Rush) showing the spectrum of AxSpA pain and potential mechanisms. The last session of the day addressed Imaging. Dr. Lianne Gensler MD (UCSF), led the session by laying out current SpA imaging and the invited panel of Drs. Dennis Poddbunny MD, PhD (Charite) Lennart Jans MD, PhD (Ghent) and Sharmila Majumdar, PhD (UCSF) reviewing their recent artificial intelligence (AI) projects in SpA imaging and commenting on the potential utilization of AI-assisted in the identification and interpretation of SpA imaging in clinical practice. The first day concluded with an Abstract Poster session that spanned from bench to implementation science projects being conducted across North America.

The second day covered two additional important topics: health disparities and therapeutics. Dr. Maureen Dubreuil MD, MSc (Boston) led the disparities session with pointing out the potential SpA disparities in diagnosis, treatment and research. The invited panel of Drs. Elizabeth Ferucci, MD, MPH (Alaska Native Tribal Health), Hani El-Gabalwy MD, (Manitoba), Sarfaraz Hasni MD (NIH/NIAMS) and Edith Williams PhD, MS (Rochester) spoke about their experiences in health disparities research through engaging their local communities in earnest and unique ways. The final session, therapeutics, led by Dr. Pamela Weiss (MD, MSCE (Penn/CHoP) had an invited panel that addressed emerging therapies, pragmatic clinical trial designs and complementary, alternative medicine by Drs. George Schett MD (Freidrich-Alexander), Laura Coates MBChB, MRCP, PhD (Oxford) and Chenchen Wang (Tufts), respectively.

..... Mark Hwang, MD

SPARTAN welcomes our newest members

Brett Sohn, Associate Member and Stephanie Sinnappan, Trainee member

Save the Dates

ASAS Workshop January 12-13, 2024 | Barcelona

Spondyloarthritis Review Course May 16, 2024 | Cleveland

SPARTAN Annual Meeting May 17-18, 2024 | Cleveland

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SPARTAN is a network of health care professionals in North America who are dedicated to research, awareness and treatment of spondyloarthritis. SPARTAN is funded through educational grants from companies with an interest in this area of medicine.