HCPLive Podcasts

This past week, the American Society of Retina Specialists (ASRS) held its 40th Annual Meeting in New York City to discuss landmark data and the newest advancements in retina care. The HCPLive team was on-site at the Javits Center in Manhattan conducting interviews with expert retina specialists on topics including drugs for neovascular age-related macular degeneration and geographic atrophy, as well as landmark trials including the phase 3 TENAYA and LUCERNE. On this episode of DocTalk, we share the biggest highlights and the biggest news from our conversations at the meeting with 5 expert clinicians.

On Monday, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved ruxolitinib cream 1.5% for the treatment of nonsegmental vitiligo in adults and pediatric patients 12 years and older, making it both the first FDA-approved therapy for repigmentation and the only topical formulation of a JAK inhibitor approved in the United States.The groundbreaking approval was supported by phase 3 data from the TRue-V clinical trial program, which found that roughly 3 in 10 patients who were treated with ruxolitinib cream achieved ≥90% improvement on facial vitiligo regimentation after 52 weeks of treatment. David Rosmarin, MD, Vice Chair for Research and Education at Tufts Medical Center and leading investigator of the True-V program joined us on DocTalk to share his enthusiasm for the approval and speak on how ruxolitinib cream could offer hope to patients who can’t access or properly respond to standard treatments for vitiligo. “One of the challenges with treating vitiligo is that our big treatment is phototherapy, and that's really inconvenient and inaccessible for many; to have to come into an office for light treatments 2 to 3 times a week is really inconvenient, and sometimes prohibitive,” Rosmarin said “It can also be very costly if there are co-pays each time a patient needs phototherapy. So, having an option where patients can use, at home, a cream twice a day, and the convenience of that, is really important. The best ability is availability. If a patient can't access a treatment, it's no good.”

Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the co-treatment of pegloticase (Krystexxa) injection plus methotrexate (MTX) for uncontrolled gout, a decision bolstered by data from phase 4 of the MIRROR study.In that study, 71% of patients who were treated with this combination therapy achieved a complete response over the course of 6 months. Comparatively, only 38.5% of patients who received pelgoticase plus placebo achieved a complete response.In a then-recent statement, John Botson, MD, RPh, Rhuematology Director at Orthopedic Physicians Alaska stated that the medical community had been “actively engaged” in findings therapeutic options for uncontrolled gout via pelgoticase therapy.As one of the primary investigators of the MIRROR study, Botson was keenly aware of the implications of this new FDA decision, noting that this new co-treatment option could allow clinicians to “change outcomes for many uncontrolled gout patients, most of whom have no other treatment option."For this episode of DocTalk, Botson sat down with Associate Editor Giuliana Grossi and spoke of how combination therapy for gout has led to less infusion reactions and increased efficacy, as well as how clinicians have safely incorporated low dose methotrexate, and what he feels will be the future of gout research.“In the previous studies, about a quarter of the patients would have infusion reactions and lead to some of the side effects that came from getting the medication, and in this case we had 30.6% of the patients on the placebo who didn't take the methotrexate, and only 4.2% of the ones that got the combination,” Botson said. “So basically, there was a 90% or so improvement in safety and a doubling of the efficacy by using the combination. Those were huge, huge takeaways.”

Despite a bevy of biologics available for people struggling with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis (UC), not all patients are able to respond to or tolerate a vast majority of approved therapies.Fortunately, new data presented at Digestive Disease Week (DDW) 2022 suggests that ustekinumab (STELARA) could function as an alternative option to bio-failure and bio-naïve patients living with these inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD).Pooled data from four long-term phase 2 and 3 studies of bio-naïve IBD patients found that event rate per 100 patient-years for adverse events (AE), serious AEs, infection, malignancies, and more were similar and/or numerically lower for patients who received ustekinumab compared to those on placebo.Similar event rates were observed in five phase 2/3 IBD studies of bio-failure patients over a 5-year period.Additionally, new phase 2 data showed that participants treated with guselkumab who had inadequate responses to conventional therapies achieved high levels of clinical-biomarker response, endoscopic response, and clinical remission compared to those on placebo.For this episode of DocTalk, Assistant Managing Editor Kenny Walter spoke with Remo Panaccione, MD, Director of the IBD Clinic and Director of Gastroenterology Research at the University of Calgary, of the implications of the new ustekinumab and guselkumab data on long-term IBD care.

If you’ve been keeping an eye on recent developments in ophthalmic care, then you’ll know that several new therapeutic agents that had been approved by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in recent months, including ranibizumab delivered via Port Delivery System (PDS) and faricimab, the latter of which became the first-of-its-kind intravitreal bispecific biologic therapy for both age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and diabetic macular edema. But the recent advancements in ophthalmology don’t stop there. As Veeral Sheth, MD, Director of Clinical Trials at University Retina would explain, there is so much going on in the world of eye care that it’s been “hard to keep track of all the work”.In this episode of DocTalk, Dr. Sheth sits down with Associate Editor Connor Iapoce to discuss the potential of gene therapy, developments in the wet- and dry-AMD spaces, new approaches in the management of pigment dispersion syndrome, and the benefits of home-based optical coherence tomography.

Earlier this month, dupilumab became the first and only biologic medicine approved by the US Food and Drug Administration for the treatment of atopic dermatitis in patients of all ages, from infancy through adulthood. The approval of dupilumab as an add-on maintenance therapy for children 6 months to 5 years with moderate to severe atopic dermatitis was described as “a tremendous advancement” by Mercades E. Gonzalez, MD, FAAD, pediatric dermatologist at Pediatric Dermatology of Miami. Gonzalez joined the DocTalk program to speak on the unmet need for therapies such as dupilumab for young children affected by AD, and the various psychological and mental burdens of the skin disease.

On June 13, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral baricitinib (Olumiant) tablets for the treatment of severe alopecia areata in adults, which marked the first approval of a systemic treatment for the disorder.The approval has excited patients and providers alike who struggled for decades to treat severe cases of this autoimmune disorder.For this episode of DocTalk, several key opinion leaders in the dermatology field sound off on the implications of this decision, as well as the versatility of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, and how this approval will aid providers in redefining alopecia areata as an autoimmune disorder rather than simply a cosmetic condition, which will help more patients receive proper care.Joining us on the podcast and in written form are the following dermatologists: Brett King, MD, PhD, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven Lisa Arkin, MD, member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health / American Family Children's Hospital. Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, Schweiger Dermatology Group and member of The Society for Pediatric Dermatology Brittany Craiglow, MD, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven

On June 13, the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved oral baricitinib (Olumiant) tablets for the treatment of severe alopecia areata in adults, which marked the first approval of a systemic treatment for the disorder.The approval has excited patients and providers alike who struggled for decades to treat severe cases of this autoimmune disorder.For this episode of DocTalk, several key opinion leaders in the dermatology field sound off on the implications of this decision, as well as the versatility of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, and how this approval will aid providers in redefining alopecia areata as an autoimmune disorder rather than simply a cosmetic condition, which will help more patients receive proper care.Joining us on the podcast, and in written form, are the following dermatologists:· Brett King, MD, PhD, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven· Lisa Arkin, MD, member of the Society for Pediatric Dermatology, University of Wisconsin School of Medicine & Public Health / American Family Children's Hospital.· Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, Schweiger Dermatology Group and member of The Society for Pediatric Dermatology · Brittany Craiglow, MD, Yale School of Medicine, New Haven

After presenting at the SLEEP 2022 annual meeting, Dr. Aric Prather explains the findings of his previous research demonstrated lack of sleep (6 hours or less) was associated with a 4 times higher risk of becoming sick after exposure to rhinovirus in an interview with HCPLive. Currently, Prather and his team at UCSF are working with a large naive population for a study that began in March 2021. They've been able to evaluate various aspects of health by following individuals through the COVID-19 vaccination and booster process. According to Prather, the aim is to identify psychological, behavioral, sleep, and biological predictors of who mounts and maintains protection.

In recognition of National Scleroderma Awareness Month, HCPLive spoke with several prominent dermatologists today who addressed some of the concerns and advancements related to the rare, multi-system disease. Scleroderma is often referred to as “morphea” by dermatologists, and the condition typically presents with the tightening and hardening of the skin. Depending on the region of the body, it can result in everything from swollen joints to lesions on the face, arms, and midsection. For this episode of DocTalk, Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, Schweiger Dermatology Group and member of The Society for Pediatric Dermatology , returned to the program to speak on the different variations of morphea in pediatric patients, and the communal approach that is required to treat the disease among dermatologists and other branches of medicine.

Mikkael Sekeres, MD, is no stranger to rare disease. In his own words, there are rare diseases and then there are very rare diseases. Sickle cell is a rare condition with an incidence rate of just over 100 per 100,000 people. Sekeres focuses much of his treatment on patients with bone marrow disorders like myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS) and acute myeloid leukemia (AML). These conditions have an incidence rate of approximately 5 per 100,000. In this episode he shares insight on treatment practices, clinical trial procedures and hurdles, as well as the importance of finding reliable sources for information.

Last week, the US Food and Drug Administration approved tapinarof cream, 1% (VTAMA) for the treatment of plaque psoriasis of all severities in adult patients, ushering in the first and only FDA-approved steroid-free topical medication in its class.Remarkably, it had been 25 years since a novel chemical entity had been introduced into psoriasis care from a brand-new mechanism of action, and from the data gathered from the phase 3 PSOARING 1 and 2 trials as well as the long term extension (LTE) study, it couldn’t have come at a better time.Pivotal phase 3 data showed treatment with tapinarof cream led to statistically significant improvements in Physician Global Assessment (PGA) score of “clear” or “almost clear” with a minimum 2-grade improvement compared with vehicle treatment from baseline to week 12.Better yet, the median duration of clear or almost clear skin was approximately 4 months after cessation of treatment with tapinarof cream, which was detailed in the phase 3 LTE study for patients who achieved clear skin (PGA 0) during PSOARING 1 or 2.“I think the patients that participated and had exposure to the product for up to a year, were indicating that to us that (tapinarof cream) was easy to use, it was extremely well tolerated, it had remarkable impact on their disease, and the fact that they can discontinue therapy for an extended period of time is absolutely incredible,” said Philip Brown, MD, JD, Chief Medical Officer at Dermavant Sciences.For this episode of DocTalk, Brown and Chief Executive Officer Todd Zavodnick joined the program to speak to the implications of the FDA decision, and how tapinarof cream is set to revolutionize psoriasis management.

In recent years, the acknowledgement of cardiac involvement in patients with sarcoidosis has become increasingly important. Thanks to advanced screening techniques, new research has suggested that approximately 2-5% of patients with sarcoidosis also struggle with cardiac sarcoidosis.However, the practice of adding echocardiography and ambulatory ECG to standard screening with the intention of identifying cardiac sarcoidosis has been deemed controversial by some researchers.Additionally, previous analyses of various screening approaches have been limited by small patient numbers, selection bias, and inconsistent use of echocardiographic parameters such as global longitudinal strain.“Advanced screening techniques suggests that around a quarter of people with sarcoidosis could have evidence of cardiac sarcoidosis, and so you can see right away that there's a discrepancy between what you can find with an advanced imaging technique,” said Dan Culver, DO, Chair of the Department of Pulmonary Medicine at the Cleveland Clinic. “This raises the question of how much should you look, when do you look and in whom should you look to try to find cardiac sarcoidosis? And this gets us to the original question of how you screen for cardiac sarcoidosis.”In this episode of DocTalk, Culver spoke on how patients develop cardiac sarcoidosis and why periodic screening could prove beneficial for patients with sarcoidosis. He also touched on preliminary data of a recent interim analysis regarding the addition of baseline echocardiography and ambulatory ECG in routine screening in patients without obvious cardiac sarcoidosis.

Benjamin Nowell, PhD, and Stuart Silverman, MD, FACP, FACR, discuss the recent publication of a new review article, “Cannabis for rheumatic disease pain: A review of current literature.” Investigators discovered that progress in understanding cannabis-based therapies for treating the pain associated with rheumatic disease is hindered due to a lack of standardization of clinical research and current barriers to conducting such research due to federal and state regulations. Nowell is the Director of Patient-Centered Research at CreakyJoints and principal investigator of the ArthritisPower Research Registry. Silverman is a rheumatologist and Clinical Professor of Medicine at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center and UCLA School of Medicine, as well as a faculty member of the UCLA Cannabis Research Initiative.

Beyond vaccination, what are some methods for treating COVID-19 in both inpatient and outpatient settings? In the 2 years since the beginning of the pandemic, the strategies for protecting people from this deadly virus have certainly evolved, yet questions remain regarding COVID-19 therapeutics and their availability in certain communities and during times of scarcity.For this episode of DocTalk, Tara Vijayan, MD, MPH, who is a member of the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine, offered insights into the mechanisms of several COVID-19 treatments, as well as the primary outcomes of these treatments in clinical trials and how they influence prioritization.This conversation was based off her session, “Navigating Novel COVID-19 Therapeutics in Times of Scarcity and Beyond,” which was presented at Pri-Med West 2022 in Anaheim, California.Though she is confident with certain aspects of COVID-19 care, she is also focused on improving upon treatment from “an equity standpoint, an ethical standpoint, and an evidence standpoint”.

Today's episode features Selena S. Li, MD, a Massachusetts General Hospital surgery resident, who recently traveled overseas with a volunteer medical group to provide treatments and care to refugees escaping the Russian invasion.For more clinical news and expert interviews, visit us at HCPLive.com.To learn more about donating to or volunteering with Medical Volunteers International, click here.

When it comes to allergies, the number of affected individuals in the United States alone is staggering. Approximately 20 million adults and 6 million children in the US are affected by seasonal allergies, and roughly 32 million Americans struggle with a myriad of food allergies.Seasonal allergies have been front-of-mind for many Americans, especially with the Spring season in full effect.The struggles people with seasonal allergies face have no doubt worsened with the introduction of longer and more severe pollen seasons, as well concerning levels of air pollution recorded across the country that were detailed in the latest State of the Air Report by the American Lung Association.In this wide-ranging interview for DocTalk, Christine Rauscher, MD, member of the Allegheny Health Network and Assistant Professor of Medicine at Drexel University, offered an overview of some of the most common allergies in the US as well as what could be done to prevent severe allergic reactions among adult and pediatric populations.

The newly approved ophthalmic drug faricimab (Vabysmo) has already made waves by being the first of its drug class to be approved for both diabetic macular edema (DME) and neovascular age-related degeneration (nAMD). A new phase 4 clinical trial from Genentech seeks to expand on the efficacy of the drug in patients with DME from underrepresented populations. The efficacy and safety of faricimab will be assessed in patients from African American, Hispanic, Latin American, and Indigenous communities throughout the Elevatum trial, which Matthew Cunningham, MD, of the Florida Retina Institute, believes to be the first industry-sponsored assessment regarding representation in DME trials. For this episode of DocTalk, Cunningham sits down with managing editor Kevin Kunzmann to speak to the issue of representation in DME and other ophthalmology trials, and how DME disproportionately affects underrepresented populations. Furthermore, Cunningham details the burdens that patients from underrepresented communities face with trial inclusion standards.

In this hallmark episode, we discuss a condition that has only been documented in 70 cases worldwide. Dr. Amelle Shilligton is a clinical geneticist at Cincinnati Children's Hospital Medical Center. In this conversation, Ashley and Jacob Wiley share the story of how they rushed their 15 month old daughter Aislynn to that hospital, and Dr. Shillington explains how she eventually solved the mystery of Aislynn's diagnosis of TANGO2-related metabolic encephalopathy and arrhythmias. The rare genetic disorder is caused by variants in the TANGO2 gene and those with it can experience episodes of acute illness called metabolic crises.

When addressing psoriatic disease, it is important to consider how it uniquely affects people with skin of color. People from different racial and ethnic groups often struggle with psoriatic disease due to delays in diagnosis, misdiagnosis, and limited access to diagnostic testing and treatment. Furthermore, the lack of access to care and treatment has resulted in biologic use being 69% lower in patients with skin of color compared to white patients. All of these factors stem from a lack of understanding from providers as to how conditions such as psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis affect Black, Hispanic, Asian, and Indigenous communities. Recently, Janssen Pharmaceuticals announced Determi-Nation, a program created to increase the number of dermatology residents from underrepresented minority groups by over 50% by 2027. Lynn McKinley-Grant, MD, FAAD, Associate Professor of Dermatology at Howard University College of Medicine and former President of the Skin of Color Society and Determi-Nation member will be offering her indispensable knowledge on psoriatic disease in skin of color to bolster this multi-year commitment. But her passion for accurate clinical assessments of psoriatic disease in people of color is very much rooted in the present and what can be improved upon now to ensure a more inclusive future for patients with skin of color and psoriasis. In this episode of DocTalk, McKinley-Grant speaks on psoriatic disease presents itself in skin of color, improving upon diversity in clinical trials, how scientific literature on psoriatic disease continues to evolve, the lack of exposure to skin of color some providers may have based on their location, and much more.

Last week, a new investigation confirmed a higher prevalence of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) in pediatric patients than previously thought.The data was part of the ongoing observational study called TARGET-NASH, which included participants with NAFLD and/or alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH).The study, which included 660 pediatric patients, cited an increase in liver disease following evaluation of alanine aminotransferase.Notably, pediatric patients with greater than 250 U/L ATL had an eight-fold greater risk of developing cirrhosis.For this episode of DocTalk, Miriam Vos, MD, MSPH, Department of Pediatrics, School of Medicine, Emory University, sat down with assistant managing editor Kenny Walter to discuss the data from TARGET-NASH as well as the implications of NAFLD in pediatric patients.

Today, the American Lung Association released the 23rd annual “State of the Air” report, which detailed the nationwide exposure to ozone and particle pollution in the United States in 2022. The new report revealed that approximately 9 million more people were affected by particle pollution since last year’s report, with more reported days with “very unhealthy” and “hazardous” air quality than ever published in the 2-decade history of the “State of the Air”. The “State of the Air” report functions as a “report card” of sorts, one that tracks and grades exposure to levels of short-term spikes in particle pollution across the country. Additionally, the report is defined by 2 grades for particle pollution including “short-term” and “year-round”. Regarding short-term pollution, the 2022 report found that roughly 63.2 million people lived in counties with an “F” grade for unhealthy spikes in particle pollution, with 4 of the top 4 most polluted cities located in California. Additionally, more than 20.3 million people were reported to live in 1 of 21 counties where year-round particle pollution levels were worse than the national air quality limit, with all of the top 5 most polluted cities being located in California. The report also noted that 122.3 million people reside in counties with failing grades for ozone pollution. Despite being 860,000 fewer people than last year’s report, the numbers remain alarming. Once again, the “State of the Air” report detailed the staggering affect of climate change on air quality in the US. For this episode of DocTalk, Managing Editor Kevin Kunzmann spoke with Stephanie Lovinsky-Desir, MD, MS, Volunteer Medical Spokesperson for the American Lung Association, who further elucidated the data found in the report. As a pediatric pulmonologist, Lovinsky-Desir details the notable burden that air pollution has on children. She also speaks to the associations between air quality and cardiovascular disease, the influence of Clean Air Act on better air quality, informing patients on how to avoid certain pollutants, and what can be done to reduce carbon footprints on both personal and communal levels. “Ultimately, I think the goal is for clean, healthy air, and I think we all as Americans deserve to breathe clean, healthy air,” Lovinsky-Desir said. “So advocating for that on multiple levels, and making sure that we are partnering with the people who are most likely contributing to the emissions, I think is going to be the key. It's a multi-pronged approach. It's not just one specific group that is responsible for making this change.”

Last summer, Derm Discussions host Brad Glick, DO, invited Brett King, MD, PhD, Yale School of Medicine, to the program to discuss an emerging class of dermatology therapy known as Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors.At the time, small molecule drugs such as upadacitinib (Rinvoq) were approved for the treatment of conditions like rheumatoid arthritis and ulcerative colitis.Since then, updacacitinib and abrocitinib (Cibinqo) have been approved for use in patients with atopic dermatitis, a skin condition that affects up to 7.3% of adults in the United States alone.Janus kinase inhibitors modulate the activity of multiple cytokine drivers of atopic dermatitis, and are supported by a variety of positive clinical trial results.Dr. Glick welcomed Dr. King back to Derm Discussions to provide insight into the role JAK inhibitors play in the ever-growing armamentarium against atopic dermatitis.

An estimated 2 million patients in the United States have vitiligo, which is a dermatologic condition defined by depigmentation of the skin.Though there is currently no cure, recent medical advancements have helped patients and providers alike gain a broader perspective on the skin condition. Likewise, prominent cultural figures with vitiligo have also contributed addressing the stigma surrounding the disease.Despite this, vitiligo is still considered by many to be solely a cosmetic condition, though it is very much a medical condition as well. Sarah Asch, MD, FAAP, FAAD, Society of Pediatric Dermatology , Teledermatology Committee Chair, spoke of how the public perception of vitiligo has evolved in recent years, as well as how vitiligo affects adults and pediatric patients differently and the myriad of promising new therapies that are currently being explored.

Last week, the Alliance for Sleep committee announced new data from the largest sleep-based survey in the US, which found that 70% of people with trouble sleeping due to insomnia were “desperate to find a solution”. Insomnia affects approximately 25 million adults in the US, and is partially responsible for the roughly $7 billion spent annually on products or sleep aids such as blackout curtains, eye masks, and white noise machines. Findings from Wake Up America: The Night & Day Impact of Insomnia survey put in to sharp focus the complications of insomnia, which includ a notable lack of discussions being had among patients and providers regarding sleep health. According to the survey, only 66% of primary care physicians reported frequently asking about sleep during routine visits, and only 27% of patients with trouble sleeping reported that their doctors asked about their sleep during every visit. Co-chair of The Alliance for Sleep committee Dr. Ruth Benca spoke of how the survey results could provide Americans with wake up call regarding insomnia prevalence and improve upon the conversations between patients and healthcare providers.

Dr. Benjamin Nowell and David Curtis chat about the the recent press release that CreakyJoints published addressing updates to their ArthritisPower interface in order to improve the user’s experience, including incorporating patient perspectives. They discuss how the changes will help both patients and rheumatologists alike, recent research, and what we have to look forward to in the near future. Dr. Nowell is Director of Patient-Centered Research at the Global Healthy Living Foundation and principal investigator of ArthritisPower and David is the Director of Technology and Data Service at the Global Healthy Living Foundation.

As diabetes care continues to evolve, especially in regard to insulin therapies, so too must the conversations being had between patients and doctors. Fortunately, a recent webinar titled “Institutional Perspectives in Diabetes: New Advances in Insulin Therapy for the Management of Type 2 Diabetes” hosted a myriad of thoughtful discussions regarding the importance of insulin therapies for diabetes care. As a certified diabetes care and education specialist and a dietitian, Cheryl Marco, RDN, LDN, CDCES at the Division of Endocrinology at Thomas Jefferson University, offered unique and valued insights into how patients with diabetes could implement insulin therapy and healthy dietary practices into their medical regimen. In an interview with associate editor Giuliana Gross, Dr. Marco spoke of how her presentation, “Patient Communication and Education”, addressed psychological insulin resistance, hypoglycemia management, dietary changes that patients could make to establish a healthier life with diabetes, and continuous glucose sensors.

April is Rosacea Awareness Month! While the cause of rosacea is still unknown, what is known is that it is estimated to affect up to 16 million people in the United States alone. Additionally, a recent survey by the National Rosacea Society indicated that 47% of affect patients were unaware of the disorder prior to their diagnosis, and 95% stated that they knew very little about the signs and symptoms of rosacea. This Friday, HCPLive will be hosting a variety of discussions and new investigations regarding rosacea in an effort to raise awareness of the condition. For this episode of DocTalk, Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, of the Schweiger Dermatology Group provides information on how doctors diagnose rosace, variations of rosacea, what treatments are currently available, and current trends in research regarding the condition.

Coming live from the American Academy of Dermatology (AAD) 2022 Meeting in Boston, managing editor Kevin Kunzmann sits down with investigators from University of Perelman School of Medicine to discuss new data showing disparities in psoriasis diagnoses by race, and how dermatologists can become more confident in identifying new cases.

For Autoimmune Disease Awareness Month, Joe Ahearn, MD, discusses relapsing polychondritis from a clinical perspective with Michael Linn, an advocate and the Vice Chair of the Relapsing Polychondritis Foundation. The team shares an exciting announcement about the partnership they've formed.

Representation of different racial and ethnic groups in clinical trials has been an ongoing concern across all clinical fields, and pediatrics is no exception.A recent study from Emory University School of Medicine found that the number of pediatric clinical trials that reported participant race and ethnicity had increased from 2011 to 2020. However, participant race and ethnicity were still underreported.Lead study author Chris A. Rees, MD, MPH, Division of Pediatric Emergency Medicine at Emory University, spoke of how addressing issues of representation could improve upon disparities in health care not only in the pediatric space but across all fields.“Overall, as a field, it’s time that we start moving more towards solutions,” said Rees. “In our mind, this was an actionable way to include representation.”

In recent years, the subject of misinformation has pervaded many of our conversations regarding world news, politics and more. But how might it affect dermatology care, especially in the realm of social media? A recent study from the University of California found that among 439 acne-related posts to the social media platform in April 2020, only 17 of the top posts came from dermatologists. The remaining posts were generated from “influencers” with no clinical background. Influencers often received a greater average of “likes” despite dermatologists having a comparable number of followers, and often promoted skin care products that investigators noted were untested or showed no benefit of treating acne. Despite this- or perhaps because of this- there are dermatologists such as Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, Schweiger Dermatology Group, who have amassed a large following and continue to use Instagram to speak to clinically-relevant, properly research skin care methods. Lal spoke to how he has used the social media platform to host a variety of conversations regarding dermatology care and broaden his reach for patients who might not always have all the appropriate resources.

How has sleep medicine changed in recent years, and what does the future hold? These are questions that are being asked this week at the World Sleep 2022 congress in Rome, Italy, and new data presented at the conference by Avadel Pharmaceuticals could provide a answers for patients struggling from narcolepsy. A new post-hoc analyses for the sodium oxybate FT218 found that the therapy improved daytime sleepiness, sleep quality, and refreshing nature of sleep in patients with narcolepsy. It’s safety and efficacy was well established in the ongoing RESTORE study and the REST-ON trial, with participants receiving therapy for more than 18 months in the former. In an interview with HCPLive, Michael J. Thorpy, MD, director of the Sleep-Wake Disorders Center at Montefiore and professor of neurology at Albert Einstein College of Medicine, spoke of the implications of FT218 data in the realm of narcolepsy research and how pediatric patients with narcolepsy could benefit from the therapy in future trials.

On this month’s episode, Soumya D. Chakravarty, MD, PhD, discusses the growing body of clinical evidence evaluating joint efficacy, safety and patient-reported outcomes in patients with psoriatic arthritis receiving guselkumab.

The CDC proposed new clinical practice guidelines for prescribing opioids for pain management. These guidelines are not yet official as the government has opened the docket to obtain comments from the public regarding the proposed guidelines.While the purpose of the guideline is to serve as a clinical tool for providers, the recommendations are voluntary. The CDC emphasized that they are intended as flexible standards of care and should not replace clinical judgment or individualized, patient-centered care.The new clinical practice guideline, CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids–United States, 2022, expands on the previous one, CDC Guideline for Prescribing Opioids for Chronic Pain–United States, 2016, by including updated, evidence-based recommendations for clinicians.The original guideline had a nationwide impact. Cindy Steinberg, National Director of Policy and Advocacy for the US Pain Foundation explains the changes and updates made to these proposed recommendations and how the process works.Now that the recommendations are open on the Federal Register, public comments can be submitted for 60 days through April 11, 2022. After the comments are reviewed by the agency, a finalized version can be expected by the end of 2022.

Today is International Women’s Day, a global holiday officially recognized by the United Nations in 1975 with historical significance reaching as far back as the early 1900s.It’s a day that celebrates the cultural, political, and socioeconomic accomplishments of women worldwide. For this episode of , DocTalk will be celebrating women in the healthcare system with Dr. Heather Brandling-Bennett Dr. Brandling-Bennett is the Society of Pediatric Dermatology’s VP of Education & Career Development, as well as an Associate Professor at University of Washington and at Seattle Children’s Hospital.In this conversation, she spoke of some of the advancements made by women in health care and what could be done to further support women in the workforce through proper compensation, promotions, and further recognition.

Sarcoidosis is a systemic inflammatory disease of unknown origin that is categorized by the formulation of granulomas in various parts of the body including the lungs, skin, heart, and brain.Though the disease does not always require medication, careful monitoring and management is always recommended as it may present in fatigue, pain, small fiber neuropathy and other comorbidities.Sarcoidosis is reported to affect roughly 30,000 patients yearly with a majority of those cases originating from the African American community. The disease is 3 times more common in African Americans patients compared White patients, and presents more frequently in African American women.Ogugua Obi, MD, MPH, MSc, Director of the Sarcoidosis Center of Excellence at ECU, Assistant Professor at ECU, and member of the Scientific Advisory Board of the Foundation of Sarcoidosis Research (SAP), spoke of the disparities associated with the disease, the challenges patients face, and how sarcoidosis – the “great mimicker” as some clinicians have described it- can be differentiated from other diseases.

Our first episode back features Karen Kozarsky, PhD, an expert on gene therapy and adrenomyeloneuropathy (AMN). She has an in-depth discussion with our new host Giuliana Grossi about what the future might hold for AMN treatment.

At HCPLive, we’ve had the incredible privilege of speaking with doctors from a variety of different clinical fields as well as different cultural, racial, and ethnic backgrounds. Without their dedication, insights, and generosity, the health care system and the world at large would be at a loss. Even publications such as our own benefit from their work in a myriad of ways. In this episode of DocTalk, we offer listeners a glimpse of some of the most memorable and insightful interviews regarding skin of color, health inequities, and how clinical fields such as dermatology and rheumatology can improve care for Black and Brown patients and physicians alike. This episode’s featured segments include: Raj Chovatiya, MD, PhD, on diversifying clinical trials and other studies Karan Lal, DO, MS, FAAD, on scientific literature dedicated to skin of color Megha Shankar, MD, on avoiding labeling certain skin types as normal/abnormal Ehizogie Edigin, MD, on the prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus flares in African Americans Titilope Fasipe, MD, PhD, on acknowledging deficiencies in sickle-cell care in Black patients

Rheumatology Network interviewed Terence Rooney, MD, to discuss the findings of a Network Meta-Analysis that examined the efficacy of guselkumab (TREMFYA) for skin clearance and joint improvements in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Across all areas of study in health care and especially in recent years, African American patients and physicians have experienced racial inequity regarding telemedicine practices across the US. However, a new pilot trial from the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania suggested subtle modifications in the methods of virtually engaging with Black patients that could be used to better communicate with populations affected by these inequities.Data from the trial showed that Black patients with cardiovascular disease covered under Medicaid and Medicare insurance are significantly more likely to share blood pressure measures with a clinician through text messages as opposed to a healthcare system online portal.Jennifer Lewy, MD, MPH, Director of the Penn Women’s Cardiovascular Center, spoke of the motives behind this trial as well as the uptake and acceptability of a text-based model for at-home blood pressure monitoring when compared to online virtual patient portals among Black patients with Medicaid or Medicare.

In early February, the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) announced an updated version of its COVID-19 Vaccine Clinical Guidance for Patients with Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases. This update - the fifth of its kind- featured support for booster and supplemental doses in addition to recommendations regarding the timing of the injection as well as immunomodulatory medication use. Revisions were also made regarding pre- and post-exposure prophylaxis with monoclonal antibody treatment, which are still supported by the guidance despite some limitations being issued by the US Food and Drug Administration. In a statement made on the day of the announcement, Jeffrey Curtis, MD, MS, MPH, Chair of the ACR COVID-19 Vaccine Guidance Task Force, said that “There is now more nuance with supplemental and booster dose recommendations that should prompt us to ask patients not only whether they have been vaccinated, but with what, how many times, and how recently.” Curtis recently sat down with HCPLive to speak of the main updates included in the newest version of the guidance and the implications of these changes for patients with rheumatic disease.

In this episode of DocTalk, we interview Janae Sharp, founder of the Sharp index, on some of these larger, slightly philosophical questions surrounding physician burnout, including how to measure and define success, as well as the deeper layers of stigma that must be addressed as part of the process.

Though sickle cell disease had been present in Africa for over 5000 years, it was first “discovered” in 1910 when a dental student named Walter Clement Noel became the first patient to be formally diagnosed. From there, more would be uncovered about the disease in the decades following his diagnosis, such as how it disproportionately affects patients of African descent.According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, about 1 in every 13 Black infants in the US are born with the trait for sickle cell disease. Additionally, diagnosis and screening for sickle cell are still lacking in lesser-resourced regions of Africa and the US alike.Ifeyinwa “Ify” Osunkwo, MD, director of Sickle Cell Disease Enterprise at the Levine Cancer Institute and Professor of Medicine and Pediatrics at Atrium Health, spoke of advancements in the field of sickle cell disease including chronic disease-managing therapies, and how physicians unfamiliar with the disease could collaborate with hematologists to provide the best care for those affected by sickle cell.

In late January, a team of investigators from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported findings from the Vaccine Adverse Event Reporting System (VAERS) indicating a significantly low risk of myocarditis following vaccination with either available messenger RNA (mRNA) vaccine for COVID-19 in persons aged 24 years and younger.Cases of the inflammatory heart event occurred 1626 times after an mRNA vaccine dose in US patients from December 2020 to August 2021.Though the prevalence of myocarditis was deemed significantly low (.0000046%), it is something that Dr. Matthew E. Oster,MD, MPH, of the CDC and the Emory University School of Medicine says is worth taking note of. Dr. Oster spoke of how the CDC is monitoring these events, as well as the risks to cardiac health that patients who aren’t vaccinated against COVID-19 face.

Today marks the fourth-ever National Women Physicians Day, an event that that is intended to pay respect to women physicians across the country. It’s held each year on Elizabeth Blackwell's birthday, who was the first female medical doctor in the United States. Though much has changed since then, there are still fewer female doctors nationally than male doctors, an issue often caused by gender inequalities.Dr. Marcia Klein-Patel, Chair of the Alleghany Health Network’s Women’s Institute, spoke of gender biases in the medical field, representation issues for women and minority groups in both professional and clinical areas, and what could be done to raise awareness and create a more inclusive and fair medical community.

Last week, Janssen announced results from a network meta-analysis (NMA) that showed that the biologic therapy guselkumab ranked highest for overall level of skin clearance. The NMA involved 33 phase 3 randomized clinical trials and 15 different targeted therapies including risakinumab and more.Philip J. Mease, MD, director of rheumatology research at the Swedish Rheumatology Research Group, spoke of how the biologic distinguished itself from other targeted therapies in the network meta-analyses, and how these kinds of analyses could aid physicians in treating patients affected by psoriasis.

Prior to the COVID-19 pandemic, the subject of physician burnout was likely not considered or completely understood by large swaths of the American public. Despite this, burnout has been an issue that has plagued physicians for decades prior to the pandemic, and the consequences of it are far-reaching.In an interview for the latest installment of Crisis Point with Connor Iapoce, Dr. Lakshmana Swamy detailed the history and complications of burnout and how the mental, physical, and emotional complications associated with it worsened with the COVID-19 pandemic.Dr. Swamy described burnout as chronic work-related stress brought on by 3 key dimensions including emotional exhaustion, a lack of personal accomplishment, and depersonalization.He spoke on how these dimensions were affected by the ongoing pandemic, and how physicians are coping with the onslaught on misinformation, distrust, and complications with the healthcare system.