December 2025 to March 2026
Author: Ana Rebollo
Combining Three Peripheral Blood Biomarkers to Stratify Rheumatoid Arthritis–Associated Interstitial Lung Disease Risk
Coziahr et al. in a large multicenter cohort of more than 2,000 US veterans with rheumatoid arthritis, developed and validated a three‑analyte blood score (MUC5B rs35705950 genotype, plasma MMP‑7, and serum anti‑MAA antibodies) to stratify the risk of RA‑associated interstitial lung disease. Higher scores are linked to substantially increased odds of prevalent ILD and higher hazard of incident ILD after adjustment for clinical risk factors and smoking. While test performance does not yet justify routine population‑wide screening, the work illustrates the potential of multi‑biomarker panels to identify RA subgroups at particularly high pulmonary risk
Clinical Practice Guideline for Evaluation and Management of Peripheral Nervous System Manifestations in Sjögren’s Disease
Debo et al. presented a consensus clinical practice guideline for evaluating and managing peripheral nervous system manifestations in Sjögren’s disease, covering small‑fiber neuropathy, sensory neuronopathy, cranial neuropathies, plexopathies and other patterns. The document defines minimum neurological history and examination, the role of neurophysiology, skin biopsy and neuroimaging, and criteria to start immunotherapy (corticosteroids, IVIg, rituximab) versus symptomatic treatment. Multidisciplinary rheumatology–neurology algorithms, standardizes terminology, and highlights research priorities were proposed, providing a much‑needed framework for a frequently under‑recognized but highly disabling Sjögren’s phenotype
Reproductive Health Counseling in Rheumatology: Gaps, Barriers, and Patient Impact
Marcy D et al. examined how often, and under what circumstances, patients of childbearing potential with rheumatic disease receive reproductive health counseling in rheumatology settings. Survey and clinical data showed that many patients report little or no discussion of contraception, pregnancy planning and medication teratogenicity despite guideline recommendations. Counseling frequency varied by provider and practice characteristics, and patients perceived important unmet needs around clear, proactive guidance. Identified barriers include time constraints, role uncertainty between specialties and provider discomfort, underscoring the need for structured workflows and training to deliver consistent, high‑quality reproductive counseling.
Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor–Related Myositis and Associated Triad Overlap Syndrome
Rubino S et al. studied a retrospective study of 29,296 US veterans treated with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) from 2011-2022 identified 68 cases (0.2%) of ICI-induced myositis—23 with triad syndrome (myocarditis, myasthenia gravis, myositis) and 45 isolated. Median survival was 2.5 months (95% CI 1.7-18.5) for triad, versus 20.4 months (6.2-60) for isolated and 12.6 months (12.3-12.8) without myositis. Six-month mortality reached 60% (triad), 30.2% (isolated), and 31.5% (no myositis). While triad syndrome drove high early mortality, trends converged after six months.
Impact of Dual Rheumatoid Factor and Anticitrullinated Protein Antibody Seropositive in Rheumatoid Arthritis
Brooks et al. enrolled 1,373 incident RA patients;37% were dual RF/ACPA-positive, 13% ACPA-only, 12% RF-only, and 38% seronegative. The highest proportion of radiographic erosions before or within one year of RA incidence was seen in the dual-seropositive group (31%) and the lowest in the ACPA-only group (13%). Flares occurred in 69% of dual-seropositive and 51% of ACPA-only patients within the first year. RF-only seropositivity was associated with higher mortality than dual seronegativity (aHR 2.18, 95% CI 1.47–3.24)
Ana Isabel Rebollo Giménez
Ana is interested in pediatric rheumatology. She completed a two-year specialized training at a European center of excellence in pediatric rheumatology, the Istituto Giannina Gaslini. She currently works at the Hospital General Universitario Gregorio Marañón.
She is particularly focused on research in the fields of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis, Juvenile Dermatomyositis, and pediatric musculoskeletal ultrasound. She is the coordinator of ERNA-SER (Working Group on Rheumatic Diseases of Children and Adolescents) of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology, an active member of EMERGE and part of the EMEUNET Newsletter sub-committee.