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This educational symposium was opened by Prof Ernest Choy, who introduced the concept of precision medicine and highlighted the importance of integrating current research with clinical experience to guide treatment decisions. He also highlighted the growing recognition of precision medicine within rheumatology. Prof Eric Ruderman then explored current medical views around the use of glucocorticoids (GCs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), revealing how uncertainty over the true risk/benefit ratio of these agents means that their impact as part of patient care must be further studied. Next, Prof Cem Gabay reviewed the evidence from clinical trials, registries, and real-world studies supporting biologic monotherapy as a treatment strategy in patients for whom methotrexate (MTX) is inappropriate. Prof Georg Schett then considered how current biomarker research might influence patient care in the future, especially with respect to assessing disease course and treatment responses in RA. Finally, Prof Choy presented a series of patient case studies, featuring practical issues faced by rheumatologists in the clinic, and drew upon the themes of the preceding presentations to highlight the value of a precision medicine approach to RA. Following closing remarks from Prof Choy, a lively discussion session enabled the audience to ask the expert panel about the wider clinical implications of their views. The pivotal role of IL-6 in RA5 was explored in a video at the beginning of the session, which highlighted the importance of further research in this area (available to view here) |
