The American College of Rheumatology’s annual meeting, ACR Convergence 2024, is set to take place from November 14 to 19 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center in Washington, DC. This event will bring together top experts in the field to share the latest advancements in rheumatology.

To secure your spot at this prestigious event, we encourage you to register promptly by clicking here. By doing so, you can book accommodations, access travel information, plan your schedule, and ensure your attendance at educational and networking functions before they reach full capacity.

ACR24 will showcase important sessions dedicated to gout, highlighting topics such as distinguishing between inflammatory and structural components in enthesis evaluation, advancements in achieving remission in gout, and more. We are thrilled to delve into these gout-focused sessions, meticulously arranged in chronological order for your ease of access.

Global Summit: Global Meet the Experts – Gout and Crystalline Arthropathies

  • Date/Time: Thursday, November 14, 2024 @ 9:05 AM
  • Location: Virtual
  • Description: The Global Meet the Experts session, a component of the Global Summit, is a continuous virtual educational series designed for a worldwide audience of rheumatologists and rheumatology health professionals. This session will feature three cases of crystal arthropathies from various regions, highlighting the complex aspects of diagnosis and treatment. These cases were carefully chosen following a call for submissions from around the globe. A dynamic discussion among three prominent international experts in the field will be moderated. Audience engagement is highly encouraged and warmly welcomed.

Gout/SpA: Demystifying Crystals vs. Inflammatory Arthritis in the Ankle and Foot

  • Date/Time: Friday, November 15, 2024 @ 7:30 AM
  • Location: Marriott Marquis, Liberty Salon IJK
  • Description: This session will cover the sonographic features of gout, calcific arthropathy, and other inflammatory arthropathies in the ankle and foot. Participants will learn how to differentiate between the inflammatory and structural components when evaluating the enthesis. Also, aimed to enhance your understanding of these conditions and improve your diagnostic skills in musculoskeletal ultrasound.

It’s Not Just Joint Pain: Demystifying Difficult, Often Neglected Symptoms of Rheumatic Diseases

  • Date/Time: Saturday, November 16, 2024 @ 9:00 AM
  • Location: Room 146
  • Description: Numerous patients suffering from rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases frequently express concerns regarding fatigue, cognitive dysfunction, sleep disturbances, mental health issues, and common comorbidities, all of which significantly impact their quality of life. Research indicates that these symptoms can lead to unfavorable disease outcomes. Unfortunately, there is a lack of guidance and information available to both rheumatology professionals and patients. Recent guidelines emphasize the need for an integrative approach to address these symptoms across a wide range of rheumatic diseases. However, not all patients have access to the necessary resources to understand, self-manage, and navigate these debilitating symptoms, which are often overlooked. The purpose of this session is to assist a multidisciplinary team of healthcare professionals in comprehending and addressing the complex symptoms associated with rheumatic diseases. The session will also explore effective management strategies across various supportive specialties. One of the primary objectives is to initiate a dialogue between patients and rheumatology professionals regarding symptoms that are frequently ignored or misunderstood. Attendees will gain insight into a variety of symptoms beyond pain and will explore personalized treatments and self-management techniques that can positively influence disease outcomes.

Novel Indications for Hypoglycemic Agents in Rheumatic Diseases: Sodium-Glucose Cotransporter-2 Inhibitors and Glucagon-Like Peptide 1 Receptor Agonists

  • Date/Time: Saturday, November 16, 2024 @ 9:00 AM
  • Location: Ballroom B
  • Description: In the general population, the use of two new classes of novel oral hypoglycemic agents, originally developed for the treatment of type II diabetes, is demonstrating a growing number of strong off-target beneficial effects. Sodium-glucose cotransporter-2 inhibitors (SGLT2i) and glucagon-like peptide 1 receptor agonists (GLP-1) are widely utilized for type II diabetes and weight reduction. Recent research has shown that these medications not only help in managing diabetes and weight but also have positive effects on cardiovascular health and the prevention of chronic kidney disease. The emerging evidence suggests that SGLT2i and GLP-1 can reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease and slow down the progression of chronic kidney disease. These findings have significant implications for the treatment of type II diabetes, obesity, and the prevention of cardiovascular and renal diseases. Additionally, there is growing interest in the potential central nervous system effects of these medications, particularly in relation to their analgesic properties and the efficacy of GLP-1 in the treatment of arthritis.

Harnessing the Power of AI in Rheumatology Without Getting Burned

  • Date/Time: Saturday, November 16, 2024 @ 9:30 AM
  • Location: Ballroom A
  • Description: This informative session will delve into the intersection of artificial intelligence (AI) and rheumatology, exploring the transformative potential that AI holds in the diagnosis, treatment, and management of rheumatic diseases. Attendees will gain a comprehensive overview of various practical applications of AI, with an emphasis on its revolutionary impact on healthcare within the rheumatological domain.

Into the Weeds: Bringing the Science of Cannabis to the Rheumatology Patient

  • Date/Time: Saturday, November 16, 2024 @ 10:30 AM
  • Location: Room 150AB
  • Description: This session will delve into the scientific aspects of medical cannabis and its various applications in patient care. Specifically, we will explore the endocannabinoid system and the pathophysiological effects of cannabis as both an analgesic and immune-modulatory drug, with a special emphasis on its role in treating rheumatic diseases. Additionally, we will address regulatory concerns and examine long-term safety data related to medical cannabis. It is important to acknowledge the limitations in the available data so that patients can receive accurate counseling. Furthermore, we will highlight the importance of understanding medical cannabis from the patient’s perspective and provide guidance on how to effectively discuss this topic with patients.

Of Kings and Men: Education and Remission in Gout

  • Date/Time: Monday, November 18, 2024 @ 9:00 AM
  • Location: Ballroom A
  • Description: This session will focus on strategies for educating patients about their disease and will review the progress towards achieving remission in gout. The goal is to provide physicians with the necessary guidance to better manage their patients’ conditions.

Gout, Gout, Get Ready for a Bout: Here Come New Mechanisms to Knock You Out

  • Date/Time: Monday, November 18, 2024 @ 3:00 PM
  • Location: Room 143ABC
  • Description: Gout is a condition in which hyperuricemia leads to the deposition of urate crystals, triggering inflammation through the NLRP3 inflammasome and interleukin-1β (IL-1β)-mediated arthritis. As such, a comprehensive approach to treating gouty arthritis is essential. Clonal hematopoiesis of indeterminate potential (CHIP) is an age-related condition that increases the risk of hematologic cancers and cardiovascular disease. Due to its connection with IL-1β, CHIP is being studied as a potential risk factor for gout. Additionally, there is a growing interest in understanding the role of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) in resolving inflammation in gout. This session explores emerging areas of the molecular mechanisms underlying gout pathogenesis and the mechanisms involved in suppressing inflammation. Dr. Pradeep Natarajan from Harvard will discuss the evolving evidence of CHIP’s role in gout pathogenesis, Dr. Martin Herrmann from the University of Erlangen-Nurnberg will shed light on whether NET-borne elastase can prevent inflammatory relapse in gout, and Dr. Khaled Elsaid from Chapman University will provide an overview of recent advancements in novel mechanisms for suppressing inflammation in gout.

ACR Convergence 2024 guarantees to offer comprehensive discussions on the most recent advancements in rheumatology, equipping attendees with valuable insights and knowledge that will undoubtedly enhance their practice. We highly recommend clicking here to explore all the sessions that ACR24 has to offer. We eagerly anticipate your presence at what promises to be an enlightening and captivating conference experience.

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