RhAPPcast

In this RhAPP journal club video module, Danielle Gatti-Palumbo, PharmD reviews the efficacy and safety of nanoencapsulated sirolimus plus pegadricase (NASP) in patients with uncontrolled gout, based on findings from the randomized, placebo-controlled Phase 3 DISSOLVE I and II trials. She explains how nanoencapsulated sirolimus is designed to reduce anti-drug antibody formation and support sustained serum urate lowering with pegadricase, addressing a key challenge in uricase-based gout treatment.This episode examines the study design, every-four-week dosing regimen, serum urate response, tophus resolution, tender joint counts, and health-related quality of life. Danielle discusses improved serum urate control compared with placebo, along with key safety considerations, including gout flares, stomatitis, infusion-related reactions, and anaphylaxis. She also evaluates the study’s strengths and limitations, including the 24-week analysis period and the absence of a direct comparison with pegloticase plus methotrexate.Designed for rheumatology advanced practice providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, pharmacists, and clinicians caring for patients with uncontrolled or tophaceous gout, this journal club provides a practical overview of an investigational urate-lowering therapy, its potential benefits, and important considerations when interpreting the clinical trial results. For more rheumatology education and clinical resources, visit RhAPP’s website, the RhAPP content rheum, or the RhAPP ACE app.

In this RhAPP FAQ video module, Jennifer Mylod, nurse practitioner at Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates in Phoenix, Arizona, explains the Total Improvement Score, or TIS, and how it is used to assess treatment response in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, including myositis and related autoimmune muscle diseases. This episode reviews how the ACR/EULAR Total Improvement Score serves as a composite outcome measure in inflammatory myopathy clinical trials and clinical practice by evaluating multiple disease domains, including muscle strength, physician global assessment, patient global assessment, physical function, muscle enzyme levels, and extramuscular disease activity affecting areas such as the lungs, skin, and joints. Jennifer discusses how TIS scores are interpreted, with more than 20 points indicating minimal improvement, more than 40 points indicating moderate improvement, and more than 60 points indicating major improvement.Designed for rheumatology advanced practice providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinicians caring for patients with inflammatory muscle disease, this FAQ highlights why TIS is valuable for measuring meaningful global response, tracking disease progression, and looking beyond CK levels or muscle strength alone. For more rheumatology education and clinical resources, visit RhAPP's website, the RhAPP content rheum, or the RhAPP ACE app.

In this RhAPP FAQ video module, Jennifer Mylod, nurse practitioner at Arizona Arthritis and Rheumatology Associates in Phoenix, Arizona, discusses how autoantibodies help guide diagnosis, prognosis, disease monitoring, and treatment decisions in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, including myositis, dermatomyositis, antisynthetase syndrome, and immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy. This episode highlights key myositis-specific and myositis-associated antibodies, including anti-MDA5, anti-TIF1-gamma, anti-Jo-1, anti-HMGCR, anti-SRP, and anti-Mi-2, and explains how these antibody profiles can help predict organ involvement, cancer risk, interstitial lung disease, disease severity, and expected treatment response. Designed for rheumatology advanced practice providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinicians caring for patients with autoimmune muscle disease, this FAQ offers practical insight into using antibody testing to personalize care and monitor disease progression in inflammatory myopathies. For more rheumatology education and clinical resources, visit RhAPP’s website, the RhAPP content rheum, or the RhAPP ACE app.

In this episode of RhAPPcast, the official podcast of Rheumatology Advanced Practice Providers, host Amanda Mixon, president of RhAPP, is joined by RhAPP board member Kyle George to explore The True Cost of Gout: Work, Wellness, and Daily Life. The discussion examines how uncontrolled gout extends beyond painful flares and swollen joints, affecting mobility, employment, productivity, independence, emotional well-being, relationships, family activities, and overall quality of life. Amanda and Kyle also address the often-overlooked burden placed on spouses, family members, and caregivers, along with the broader health concerns associated with hyperuricemia, including chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes. Clinicians will gain practical insights into gout management, patient education, medication adherence, flare prophylaxis, regular uric acid monitoring, and a treat-to-target approach aimed at maintaining uric acid below 6. The episode highlights the importance of setting clear treatment expectations, reinforcing the care plan at each visit, and helping patients understand that effective long-term gout control can reduce flares and restore daily function. Explore more rheumatology podcasts, clinical education, conference content, and resources through the RhAPP Content Rheum and the RhAPP ACE 2.0 mobile app.

In this FAQ video module, Jennifer Mylod, nurse practitioner with Arizona Arthritis Rheumatology Associates in Phoenix, Arizona, discusses key diagnostic considerations and limitations of antibody testing in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, including myositis, dermatomyositis, and other inflammatory muscle diseases. While myositis antibody panels can provide valuable information for diagnosis, prognosis, and disease classification, antibody testing has important limitations that clinicians must recognize. A negative myositis panel does not rule out inflammatory myopathy, as some patients may be seronegative, and false-positive results or variability between commercial laboratory assays can complicate interpretation. This educational review emphasizes that antibody results should never be interpreted in isolation, but instead should be evaluated alongside the patient’s clinical presentation, CK levels, MRI findings, EMG results, and muscle or skin biopsy findings. Jennifer also highlights that not all antibody panels include every known myositis-specific or myositis-associated antibody, making clinical judgment essential when evaluating suspected idiopathic inflammatory myopathy. Designed for rheumatology advanced practice providers, nurse practitioners, physician assistants, and clinicians caring for patients with autoimmune muscle disease, this FAQ provides practical guidance for improving diagnostic accuracy and understanding the role of antibody testing in myositis care. For more rheumatology education and clinical resources, visit RhAPP’s website, the RhAPP content rheum, or the RhAPP ACE app.