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5 Minutes With….Drs. Marcy B. Bolster and Brian F. Mandell, co-chairs of the 19th Annual Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases, a CME/CE conference
August 2026
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Welcome to MedscapeLIVE! Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases E-News. Don’t miss your chance to register and get the Early Bird discount for the best clinical rheumatology conference of 2026—The 19th Annual Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases conference.
In this inaugural E-News issue, Dr. Marcy B. Bolster and Dr. Brian F. Mandell, Co-Chairs of the Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases (PRD) conference, join us to discuss where the most guidance is needed in rheumatology and where to obtain it, use of newer therapeutic agents, and more.
Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases is your Critical CME/CE Source:
- Who? Rheumatologists, family practice physicians, internists, nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists.
- When? September 25-26, 2026
- Where? Bellagio Hotel Las Vegas
- Why? Earn 14 CME/CE credits in 8 educational sessions and 7 bonus presentations from renowned faculty and a comprehensive agenda on the latest rheumatic diseases advancements—from rheumatoid arthritis and lupus to vasculitis and spondylitis, and everything in between.
- How? Click here to register. View the Agenda here. Advance registration ends June 30!
Check out our Pulse section below, with articles from Medscape Medical News, Skin Therapy Letter, Journal of the American College of Cardiology, Knowable Magazine, and take the Medscape Medical Intelligence Quiz on Vitamin D and Rheumatoid Arthritis that can be found at the end of The Pulse.
Thank you to Dr. Bolster and Dr. Mandell for sharing their time and expertise. Please contact me at colleen@cmhadvisors.com with comments and/or suggestions! –Colleen Hutchinson
5 Minutes With….Dr. Marcy B. Bolster & Dr. Brian F. Mandell
Dr. Bolster is Professor of Medicine, Harvard School of Medicine; Director of the Rheumatology Fellowship Training Program, Massachusetts General Hospital. Dr. Mandell is Professor and Chairman, Department of Academic Medicine, Rheumatology and Immunologic Disease, Cleveland Clinic.
What do clinicians need the most guidance on now in rheumatology and how does the 2026 Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases provide direction?
Drs. Mandell and Bolster: The 19th annual Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases in Las Vegas will again focus on providing evidence-based guidance on the use of newer therapeutic agents, presented by experienced clinicians to clinicians. We ask our faculty to put clinical trial data in perspective with real world practical clinical use of these drugs. As always, there will be ample opportunity for formal and informal dialogue and interaction between our presenters and attendees from all backgrounds. The evidence-based approach provides immediate applicability to clinical practice.
What should attendees expect in Session 1: Rheumatoid Arthritis and Beyond?
Dr. Mandell: There will be discussions regarding choice of therapies in RA as well as the management of patients with JIA who have aged into adult rheumatology practices. The challenges of co-managing our patients with rheumatic diseases through their pregnancies will be discussed.
Can you tell us a pearl or two you will be sharing in Anabolic Agents in Osteoporosis: Window of Opportunity?
Dr. Bolster: Using an anabolic agent as the first agent in treating a patient who has osteoporosis can have a dramatic effect on increasing bone density. There is a window of opportunity in which an anabolic agent is used and must then be followed by an antiresorptive medication. Using the antiresorptive agent first does not however result in the dramatic increases in bone density. Attend this session to learn more about considerations for the order of prescribing bone health agents.
What can attendees walk away with that will help them in their immediate practice from the presentation Skin Complications and Managing RA Beyond the Joints?
Dr. Mandell: Dermatologic involvement is common and often complex in our patients with rheumatic disease, and we are also frequently asked to assist in providing immunosuppressive therapy for patients with severe primary dermatologic diseases. We will hear updates on blistering skin disease, newer drugs for treating lupus and dermatomyositis, and discussion on choosing between the many therapies available for patients with psoriatic arthritis based on the patient’s clinical phenotype.
How do you design an agenda to provide needed direction for so many clinicians beyond the rheumatologist (family practice, internists, nurse practitioners, nurses, physician assistants, and pharmacists)?
Drs. Mandell and Bolster: In putting together the agenda for each annual program, we draw on our personal experiences as active practicing, consulting rheumatologists - what type of patients are referred to us by rheumatologists and by primary care physicians, and nurse practitioners who are interested in rheumatic diseases. Most importantly we consider the follow-up questions posed to us by our referring clinicians, and suggestions for topics from attendees at last year’s conference. We also monitor the attendance at different sessions at the ACR annual meeting and the topics that are of the highest interest there. Realizing that not all can attend that annual meeting, we highlight those topics at Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases.
What are you looking forward to hearing about in Session 3: Lupus and More?
Dr. Mandell: We now have seemingly a plethora of therapeutic options to utilize in treating our patients with lupus; but along with these options come difficult decisions related to how and when to utilize these drugs in isolation and in combination with other therapies. Presentations will address these challenges in patients with and without nephritis.
Additionally, we’ll hear updates on diagnosis and treatment of inflammatory eye disease on treatment of fibromyalgia, which remains an extremely prevalent comorbidity in our patients with rheumatic diseases.
With additional experience with the newer agents for treating lupus nephritis, we will hear an evidence-based and expert approach to treating lupus nephritis.
Can you talk about scope of Session 5: Complexities in Rheumatic Diseases?
Dr. Bolster: There are many options to use to treat psoriatic arthritis. We’ll learn more about an expert strategic approach to medication management based on the different presentations of patients with psoriatic arthritis.
There will be a discussion of the use of autoantibodies to guide the clinician when there is uncertainty around the diagnosis of a systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases in a patient presenting with ILD. Additionally, the discussion will include an approach to treatment in patients where autoantibodies can provide guidance in situations of diagnostic uncertainty.
What are you looking forward to hearing about in Session 7: Vasculitis Challenges and More?
Dr. Bolster: I look forward to learning about the latest updates and use of a medication, inebilizumab, which is newly approved for use in IgG4-related disease. We’ll also learn about a practical approach to the outpatient evaluation of a patient with a suspected systemic vasculitis, including which lab tests to order for a comprehensive evaluation as well as guidance for an approach to imaging.
The Pulse
Medscape Medical News: mRNA Works Differently Than We Thought (and That’s Good)
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/mrna-works-differently-than-we-thought-and-s-good-2026a1000gzv
Knowable Magazine Article: A Revolutionary Cancer Treatment Could Transform Autoimmune Disease
Medscape CME: Addressing Unmet Needs in the Management of Sjögren's Disease: A Spotlight on Emerging Biologic Therapies
Medical Mentor Commentary: Polymyalgia Rheumatica: Key Symptoms and Treatment
https://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/1003338
Medscape MedBrief: Specific Risk Factors Make Difficult-to-Treat RA More Likely
JACC Review Article: Targeting Inflammation After Acute Myocardial Infarction
https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/1003200
Skin Therapy Letter: Prevention of Shingles in Dermatology Patients on Systemic Medications
https://www.medscape.com/s/viewarticle/994996
The 19th Perspectives in Rheumatic Diseases Conference
https://www.perspectivesinrheumaticdiseases.com
Medscape Medical News Conference News: Is Flare Prophylaxis Always Needed When Starting Urate-Lowering Therapy for Gout?
Medscape Medical Intelligence Quiz: Vitamin D and Rheumatoid Arthritis
https://www.mdedge.com/familymedicine/quiz/12262/rheumatology/vitamin-d-and-rheumatoid-arthritis
