NOTE: By submitting this form and registering with us, you are providing us with permission to store your personal data and the record of your registration. In addition, registration with the Medical Independent includes granting consent for the delivery of that additional professional content and targeted ads, and the cookies required to deliver same. View our Privacy Policy and Cookie Notice for further details.
Don't have an account? Register
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Irish Society for Rheumatology, Spring Meeting, Sligo Park Hotel, 10-11 April 2025
Despite major advances in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment over the past three decades, a significant minority of patients fail to respond to multiple disease-modifying therapies. These patients are often described as having ‘difficult-to-treat’, ‘treatment-resistant’, or ‘refractory’ RA.
Addressing how best to classify and manage this group – particularly when all conventional options have been exhausted – was the focus of a talk by Prof Dennis McGonagle, Professor of Investigative Rheumatology, University of Leeds, at the 2025 Irish Society for Rheumatology Spring Meeting.
His overview of refractory RA focused on two types of patients.
The first type are patients for whom multiple targeted therapies lack efficacy and who have persistent inflammatory pathology, “which we designate as persistent inflammatory refractory RA (PIRRA).”
The second are those with supposed refractory RA who have continued disease activity that is predominantly independent of objective evidence of inflammation, “which we designate as non-inflammatory refractory RA (NIRRA).”
These two types of disease are not mutually exclusive, but identifying those individuals with predominant PIRRA or NIRRA is important, as it informs distinct treatment and management approaches, Prof McGonagle stated.
He discussed various risk factors, such as obesity and smoking, and the findings from his own research on a cohort of 1,600 refractory RA patients.
When assessing possible refractory RA patients, he stressed the importance of taking a very careful detailed history, and determining if pain and other symptoms are “constant or intermittent”.
Looking to the future, Prof McGonagle cited refining combination therapies and working closer with other disciplines, such as haematology, to address all of the associated factors which are impacting the patient’s disease activity.
Further coverage of the ISR Spring Meeting is available at www.medicalindependent.ie/societies/isr/
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
This year’s College of Psychiatrists of Ireland Spring Conference featured a diverse and engaging array of...
The College of Psychiatrists of Ireland Spring Conference featured a number of fascinating parallel sessions that...
ADVERTISEMENT
The public-only consultant contract (POCC) has led to greater “flexibility” in some service delivery, according to...
There is a lot of publicity given to the Volkswagen Golf, which is celebrating 50 years...
As older doctors retire, a new generation has arrived with different professional and personal priorities. Around...
Catherine Reily examines the growing pressures in laboratory medicine and the potential solutions,with a special focus...
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
ADVERTISEMENT
Leave a Reply
You must be logged in to post a comment.