In this episode, we review the Arthritis & Rheumatology manuscript, “Diagnosis and Treatment of Castleman Disease,” with Drs. Luke Chen and David Fajgenbaum. The discussion (which provides an essential, up-to-date overview of a rare but critical disease) highlights the clinical subtypes of Castleman Disease, its overlap with autoimmune and autoinflammatory syndromes, and current diagnostic and treatment strategies. Dr. Chen offers a hematologist’s perspective on disease classification, pathology, and practical management tips, while Dr. Fajgenbaum shares insights from his personal experience as a patient and his work advancing research through the Castleman Disease Collaborative Network and Every Cure.

In this episode of ACR Journals on Air, host Dr. Vicki Shanmugam speaks with Dr. Alain Sanchez-Rodriguez about a new study from the Lupus Midwest Network (LUMEN), published in Arthritis Care & Research. They explore how patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) experience delays and disparities in care, the types of physicians involved in diagnosis, and what the data reveals about access to specialized treatment. Dr. Sanchez-Rodriguez also shares his research journey and insights on improving equity in rheumatology.

This episode explores the ARChiVe Registry, a longitudinal database for pediatric vasculitis, with guest Dr. Sam, a pediatric rheumatologist and bioinformatician. The discussion covers the registry’s design, patient selection, and key outcomes, including remission rates, hospitalization, and damage scores (pVDI) across treatment strategies. Dr. Sam highlights how these findings inform clinical practice and discusses the challenges of observational data. The episode also touches on his unique background in social pediatrics and health informatics, emphasizing the evolving role of clinicians as both diagnosticians and data stewards in rheumatology research.