The Lancet Rheumatology in conversation with

Епизоди

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  Mrinalini Dey on the association between health literacy and outcomes in people with inflammatory arthritis 21.07.2026 19мин

  In August’s episode, Dr Mrinalini Dey from the Centre for Rheumatic Diseases at King’s College London discusses her recent publication on the association between health literacy and outcomes in people with inflammatory arthritis in England. Health literacy—the ability to access, understand, evaluate, and use health information and services in ways that promote and maintain good health and wellbeing—is increasingly recognised as a key factor in promoting health and managing chronic diseases.The World Health Organization has identified health literacy as central to the prevention and control of non-communicable diseases, such as rheumatic and musculoskeletal conditions. As a potentially modifiable social determinant of health, health literacy can influence how patients experience and manage disease. Yet, its relationship with clinical outcomes, mental health, work participation, and broader social factors in inflammatory arthritis remains poorly understood. We discuss the findings from Dr Dey’s large, national cohort study, how we can improve health literacy disparities in patients, and what should be next on the research agenda to tackle this issue. Click here to read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(26)00081-0/fulltext
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  Enpatoran for Cutaneous or Systemic Lupus with Eric Morand 22.06.2026 17мин

  In today’s episode Professor Eric Morand discusses the results of Cohort A and Cohort B of the WILLOW trial which investigated the efficacy and safety of enpatoran, a novel, oral small molecule inhibitor of Toll-like receptors 7 and 8 (TLR 7/8) in patients with cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The interferon pathway has been implicated in both CLE and SLE pathogenesis, however, the mechanism through which interferon expression is induced in lupus remains unknown. Targeting TLR 7/8 is of particular interest, as they are key drivers of interferon activation. Enpatoran has previously shown efficacy in early phase 1 trials of patients with CLE and SLE, with improvements in SLEDAI-2K and reduction in IFN-gene signatures with good safety profiles. We also highlight the differences in study design and endpoints of each cohort, compare and contrast enpatoran to currently approved therapies for SLE, anifrolumab and deucravacitinib, and finally, outline what the next research priority should be for patients with CLE and SLE. Click here to read the full articles: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(25)00337-6/fulltext and https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(26)00463-0/fulltext
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  Tue Wenzel Kragstrup on GLP-1 and DPP-4 in the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatic disease 25.05.2026 15мин

  In this month’s podcast, we explore Associate Professor Kragstrup’s recent proof-of-concept study which reports glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) concentrations and dipeptidyl peptidase-4 (DPP-4) activity in paired plasma and synovial fluid from patients with rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis and discuss whether there may be potential for intra-articular GLP-1 receptor agonist injections in these patients? GLP-1 receptor agonists are gaining increasing attention in rheumatology due to their immunomodulatory and anti-inflammatory effects, highlighting their role as a potential therapeutic option for patients with rheumatic disease. Whether GLP-1 and DPP-4 (the key regulator of GLP-1) are present in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatic disease and to what extent remains to be seen. Understanding their interplay within the joint may provide more insight on whether GLP-1 receptor agonists could exert direct intra-articular effects in rheumatic disease. We also discuss limitations and barriers of investigating GLP-1 and DPP-4 and the next research priorities for determining the efficacy of GLP-1 receptor agonists in patients with rheumatic disease. Click here to read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(26)00074-3/fulltext
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  Dirk Foell on trends in paediatric rheumatology care across Europe 21.04.2026 16мин

  In this episode, Professor Dirk Foell from University Hospital Münster unpacks the findings from a recent Europe-wide survey examining trends in paediatric rheumatology care. Despite significant scientific advances, delivering consistent, high-quality care for children with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases remains a challenge. Drawing on Professor Foell's recent Viewpoint, we discuss variation in paediatric rheumatology training pathways, subspecialty accreditation, and professional recognition across Europe, and how these disparities can impact workforce development and clinical care. Click here to read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(25)00378-9/fulltext
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  Jon Lampa on patient-reported outcomes from the NORD-STAR trial 23.03.2026 15мин

  As part of The Lancet Rheumatology’s special issue on public and patient involvement in rheumatology, in this month’s episode, Aisling talks to Professor Jon Lampa about his recent publication on the patient-reported outcomes from the NORD-STAR trial. The 2023 NORD-STAR trial was the first randomised trial to compare three different biological DMARDs, all in combination with methotrexate with active conventional treatment in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis. The study showed that aft...
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  Coziana Ciurtin on long-term outcomes of childhood-onset Sjögren’s disease 23.02.2026 35мин

  In this month’s episode we discuss childhood-onset Sjögren’s disease-a rare and under-researched rheumatic condition. Lack of robust clinical and immunological characterisation of this condition alongside assessment of its impact on quality of life has significantly hampered progress in the delivery of high-quality research and evidence-based recommendations for care. There are currently no studies following up children and young people with childhood-onset Sjögren's disease as t...
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  Fiona Pearce and Rachel Tattersall on HLH mortality rates in Europe 26.01.2026 34мин

  This months episode covers Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis, or HLH, a rare, life-threatening disorder characterised by dysregulated immune activity resulting in systemic inflammation, tissue damage and multiorgan failure which affects both children and adults. The annual prevalence of HLH in England is around 2 per million people in the adult population, with an overall 1-year survival rate of around 50% and similar rates have also been reported in other countries across the world. However...
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  John Isaacs and Josh Bennett on sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis 15.12.2025 19мин

  During this episode, Dr John Isaacs and Dr Josh Bennett from Newcastle University and the NIHR Newcastle Biomedical Research Centre, discuss sarcopenia - an age-related loss of muscle mass and strength. Sarcopenia is relatively common in rheumatoid arthritis, with a prevalence ranging from 4·5% to 44% of people with rheumatoid arthritis, depending on the definition of sarcopenia used. Rheumatoid sarcopenia increases the risk of fall, fractures, disability, and hospitalisation. Therefore, prev...
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  Dr Samuel Bitoun on machine learning to classify the focus score and Sjögren’s disease 17.11.2025 11мин

  This month's episode covers Sjögren’s disease—an autoimmune condition that primarily affects areas of the body that produce fluids, such as tears and saliva. The cause of the disease isn’t understood. Currently there are no licensed drugs to treat the disease, but phase 2 clinical trials have reported encouraging results, and phase 3 trials are underway. Dr Samuel Bitoun, from the University of Paris-Saclay and APHP, discusses how Sjögren’s disease is currently classified, the challenges of ...
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  Ryan Hum on synovial immunopathology in psoriatic arthritis 20.10.2025 26мин

  In today's episode, Sophie discusses psoriatic arthritis with Dr Ryan Hum from The University of Manchester. Psoriatic arthritis affects between 0.1% and 1% of the general population globally, and appears to be more prevalent in certain regions. It affects men and women equally and typically appears between the ages of 30 and 55 years. Psoriatic arthritis tends to be more common in people with psoriasis affecting around 20% of individuals, but estimates can depend on the inclusion criteria s...
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  Scott Uhlrich on personalised gait retraining for knee osteoarthritis 22.09.2025 16мин

  In this episode, we’re tackling a condition that affects over 374 million people worldwide—knee osteoarthritis (OA). As the most common site of OA, knee OA is a leading cause of disability and accounts for more than 12 million disability-adjusted life years globally. With prevalence rising steadily due to aging populations and increasing obesity rates, the burden of knee OA is projected to climb even further in the coming decades. We speak with the lead author of a new study published in The...
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  Mark Hancock on low back pain 18.08.2025 10мин

  In this episode, we'll be discussing an issue that affects millions of people globally - low back pain. We will find out why the burden of low back pain is so high, why current management is so ineffective, what we can do from a research and care perspective to improve outcomes for patients, and whether prevention is the way forward. We’ll also discuss a couple of papers that have been recently published in The Lancet Rheumatology looking at longer-term treatment options for low back pa...
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  Vibeke Strand on polymyalgia rheumatica 21.07.2025 11мин

  In this episode Professor Vibeke Strand discusses polymyalgia rheumatica (or PMR), a common inflammatory rheumatic disease that significantly impairs patients’ quality of life, causing fatigue, pain, and physical disability, especially in relapsing cases that often require long-term glucocorticoid treatment. However, these treatments come with considerable side effects, and many patients do not respond to treatment. We also cover her recent publication, which explores the patient reported out...
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  Xue Li on access to biologics in the Asia-Pacific region 20.06.2025 19мин

  This is a joint podcast between The Lancet Rheumatology and The Lancet Regional Health - Western Pacific with Prof Xue Li. Biologics have become a mainstay of treatment in Rheumatology in Western populations, but in many parts of Asia, especially lower-and-middle-income countries, there remains substantial inequity in access due to differences in availability and affordability. In this episode, we explore the factors that may have delayed the popularisation of biologics in Asia, any recent p...
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  Sinisa Savic on treatment outcomes in VEXAS syndrome 16.06.2025 12мин

  In this podcast, Professor Savic talks about his recent publication that looks at treatment outcomes in patients with VEXAS syndrome, as well as what clinicians should look out for in patients (red flags), and future priorities for research. VEXAS syndrome (short for Vacuoles, E1 enzyme, X-linked, autoinflammatory, somatic syndrome) was first described in 2020. It’s a rare, and often-life threatening, inflammatory condition primarily affecting men. It's caused by a mutation in the UBA1 gene,...
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  Fabian Müller and Melanie Hagen on a newly discovered toxicity of CD-19 targeting CAR T-cell therapy 03.06.2025 20мин

  This is the third and final episode of our mini-series on cell-based therapies in rheumatology, with Professor Fabian Müller and Dr Melanie Hagen from the Erlangen University, Germany. We discuss their recently published a study on a newly discovered toxicity of CD-19 targeting CAR T-cell therapy in patients with autoimmune disease, as well as the recent successes of CAR T-cell therapy, ideal patient selection, and future directions. Read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/l...
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  Dominique Farge on allogeneic umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells for systemic lupus erythematosus 25.04.2025 26мин

  This is the second episode of a mini series on cell-based therapies in rheumatology, with Prof. Dominique Farge discussing the use of allogeneic umbilical cord-derived mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) as treatment for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We cover the limited options currently available for people with severe or refractory SLE, the complexities in using MSCs, Prof. Farge's recent study results, and how these results fit in with the evidence available, as well as the futur...
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  Rebecca Marsh and Grant Schulert on allogeneic HSCT for children with refractory sJIA and associated lung disease 24.03.2025 18мин

  The first episode of a mini series on cell-based therapies in rheumatology, with Prof Rebecca Marsh and Grant Schulert discussing the use of allogeneic haematopoietic stem-cell transplantation for children with refractory systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and associated lung disease. Read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(24)00275-3/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_icw_podcast_generic_lanrhe Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at...
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  Bryant England on advanced therapies in US veterans with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease 24.02.2025 8мин

  Dr Bryant England discusses the use of TNF-inhibitor versus non-TNF inhibitor biological or targeted synthetic DMARDs for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis-associated ILD, and the effects on survival and respiratory hospitalisation outcomes. Read the full article: https://www.thelancet.com/journals/lanrhe/article/PIIS2665-9913(24)00265-0/fulltext?dgcid=buzzsprout_icw_podcast_generic_lanrhe Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://insta...
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  Brooke Conley and Ivan Lin on the development of arthritis educational resources for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples in Australia 27.01.2025 18мин

  Dr Brooke Conley and Associate Professor Ivan Lin discuss their recent study on integrating evidence from lived experience of Aboriginal people and clinical practice guidelines to develop arthritis educational resources. Continue this conversation on social! Follow us today at... https://thelancet.bsky.social/ https://instagram.com/thelancetgroup https://facebook.com/thelancetmedicaljournal https://linkedIn.com/company/the-lancet https://youtube.com/thelancettv