Jeffrey Sparks MD MMSc

Screening for rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: Current evidence and next steps needed for routine clinical use Interstitial lung disease (ILD), characterized by pulmonary fibrosis and/or inflammation, is a common and severe extra-articular manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). RA-ILD is associated with r...

Very happy to share our latest paper about the current state and next steps needed to make screening for ILD in some subgroups of patients with RA. Lots to weigh for pros and cons, and more research work in progress. Thanks to our team and Lauren O'Keeffe for leading

www.jrheum.org/content/earl...

Primary outcome assessments for the changes from baseline to 18 months in the FVC-%. (A) A line graph displays the least-squares mean (LSM) changes from baseline, at three-month intervals, for the FVC-% by treatment group. Estimates are based on a linear mixed-effect model evaluating the m-ITT population for the primary endpoint as detailed in Table 2 (see footnote). The number of subjects who had their FVC-% outcomes available, at each time point, are displayed beneath the x-axis. The LSM change from baseline at 18 months for the MMF+PLA arm was 2.24 (SEM 1.35) versus 2.09 (SEM 1.28) for MMF+PFD, resulting in a treatment difference of −0.14 (95% CI −3.57 to 3.28; P = 0.93). (B) Treatment differences in the frequency distribution of individual participant changes in FVC-% from baseline to 18 months are compared in a bidirectional histogram for the completers population

Randomized phase 2 trial of pirfenidone (PFD) or placebo along with MMF in SSc-ILD

ACR Open Rheumatology
doi.org/10.1002/acr2...

key findings ↓

ATTENTION all early investigators: FREE 2026 VERITY/Brigham Course in Rheum Clinical Research will be held in Boston on Apr 7-10, 2026

Hone your research/grant/career with Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard faculty. Funded by NIAMS

Apply here by Dec 16: www.verityresearch.org/verity-cours...

A Randomized Trial of Physical Therapy for Meniscal Tear and Knee Pain | NEJM Physical therapy is routinely recommended for knee pain attributed to a degenerative meniscal tear, but its efficacy has not been established. We randomly assigned participants 45 to 85 years of ag...

Excited to share the results of the TeMPO (Treatment of Meniscal Problems in Osteoarthritis) trial, published today in NEJM: www.nejm.org/doi/full/10....

A labor of love from the #BWH #oracore team, with partners in Buffalo, Pittsburgh, and Cleveland. 879 randomized with the COVID in the middle!

Associations of rheumatoid arthritis cases vs. non-rheumatoid arthritis comparators with abnormal findings on low-dose chest CT imaging performed for lung cancer screening

In a cohort of patients screened for lung cancer with low-dose CT, patients with rheumatoid arthritis had higher prevalence of 'positive screen', fibrotic lung changes, & bronchiectasis. About 1 in 4 had a positive screen; 1 in 20 had lung cancer

AC&R
doi.org/10.1002/acr....

#Medsky #Oncsky

In a cohort of pts receiving CAR T cell therapy for hematologic cancer, pre-existing autoimmune disease was not associated with increase in major toxicity. Findings offer reassurance for CAR T cell cancer treatment in pts with pre-existing autoimmunity

ACR Open Rheumatology
doi.org/10.1002/acr2...

Abs 2662 McDermott @jeffsparks.bsky.social

🔎 Target trial emulation to address the Q of whether guidelines like ACR and CHEST are appropriate for conditionally recommending RTX over other biologics for RA-ILD?

📊 Data source: Medicare
👨‍👨‍👦 Study pop: RA ILD

#ACR25

NEW RESEARCH—Risk factors for interstitial lung disease in early rheumatoid arthritis and external validation of screening strategies: a cross-sectional analysis of the prospective SAIL-RA cohort in the USA bit.ly/3L1F0t5 @jeffsparks.bsky.social

thanks to funder (NIH/NIAMS), participants, and staff across 5 sites in the US to make SAIL-RA possible!

Proportion of Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Improved, Stable, or Worsened Lung Function Over 1-Year: Results from a Multicenter, Prospective Cohort Study - ACR Meeting Abstracts Background/Purpose: Several lung diseases are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including interstitial lung disease (ILD) and emphysema. In RA-ILD baseline lung function and decline in lung f...

Also at #ACR25, we will present SAIL-RA longitudinal data on PFT changes over 1-year in early RA

acrabstracts.org/abstract/pro...

Disease activity, inflammation, and older age are associated with quantitative interstitial abnormalities in early RA: Results from a multicenter, prospective cohort study - ACR Meeting Abstracts Background/Purpose: Quantitative computed tomography (QCT) methods using machine learning have been developed to automatically quantify parenchymal lung features on chest CT imaging. QCT can detect su...

We will also present quantitative CT findings at #ACR25, a machine learning-derived method to detect parenchymal lung disease

acrabstracts.org/abstract/dis...

We also performed validation of proposed ILD screening strategies in early RA and displayed good performance using simple clinical factors such as age, sex, disease activity, and RF/CCP.

Excited to share the baseline results of our SAIL-RA cohort investigating lung health in early rheumatoid arthritis. Prevalence of ILD in early RA (median duration 8 months) was 11%. Strong associations with age and moderate/high RA activitity

linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S2665991325001584

FDA Approves Genentech’s Gazyva for the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis SOUTH SAN FRANCISCO, Calif., October 20, 2025--Genentech, a member of the Roche Group (SIX: RO, ROG; OTCQX: RHHBY), announced today that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved Gazyva...

Obinituzumab aka ‘Obi’ is now FDA approved for lupus nephritis

finance.yahoo.com/news/fda-app...

#lupus

🆕 Collaboration with RheumNow 🔵
3-Part Series on Interstitial Lung Disease

Part 2: Diagnosis & Subtypes of #ILD
👩🏻‍⚕️ What to look for on Physical Exam
🧪 Serologic Testing & Diagnostic Workup
🫁 Differentiating ILD Subtypes on Imaging

#RheumSky #PulmSky #MedSky #InterstitialLungDisease

Happy to have compiled this review on the role of the intestinal mucosa in RA and SpA with my friends @kknoop.bsky.social‬, Joyce, Mario, and Kentaro.

We challenge the "leaky gut" hypothesis and why we shouldn't use that term that oversimplifies how our microbiome shapes immunity.

Alu expression in dermatomyositis muscle tissue
doi.org/10.1002/art....

Characterizing a cohort of patients with SpA spectrum disorders initially presenting as PMR
doi.org/10.1002/art....

Patients with RA-associated lung disease at increased risk of serious infection
doi.org/10.1002/art....

↓

and NIAMS!

Fibroblasts in immune responses, inflammatory diseases and therapeutic implications Nature Reviews Rheumatology, Published online: 14 May 2025; doi:10.1038/s41584-025-01259-0This Review provides a comprehensive overview of fibroblast biology in rheumatoid arthritis and other chronic inflammatory diseases. The authors discuss insights into fibroblast behaviour and pathogenicity from single-cell and functional studies and describe how these findings have informed efforts to therapeutically target fibroblasts.

New content online:

ICYMI in our May issue—Survival in patients with rheumatoid #arthritis and recently diagnosed early-stage colorectal, lung, or prostate #cancer receiving TNF inhibitors bit.ly/3Q9Or8N

Plus, linked Comment by @jeffsparks.bsky.social & @nasingh.bsky.social bit.ly/42XQnsw
#Medsky #Rheumsky

EULAR/ACR risk stratification criteria (after simplification) for individuals with arthralgia at risk for rheumatoid arthritis, to be used in presence or absence of imaging

Figure 2. Predicted risks (graph) and test characteristics and predictive values for several score cutoffs (table) for the risk stratification criteria with- out or with imaging. Predicted risks for the sum scores obtained in Table 4. Test characteristics and predictive values for several cutoffs of risk scores are shown; an extensive list of cutoffs with test characteristics and data on the percentage of persons with these cutoffs is presented in Supplemental Table S8. The area under the curve of the criteria without imaging is 0.80 and with MRI data is 0.85. MRI, magnetic resonance imaging; NPV, negative predictive value; PPV, positive predictive value; RA, rheumatoid arthritis; Sens, sensitivity; Spec, specificity

EULAR/American College of Rheumatology Risk Stratification Criteria for Development of Rheumatoid Arthritis in the Risk Stage of Arthralgia

doi.org/10.1002/art....

Published simultaneously in Annals of Rheumatic Diseases

#Medsky #Rheumsky

⏰ It’s Today! 3:15, Charter 3

🗣️ BSR SARD-ILD Guidelines working group!

👋🏽 me - management
👋🏽 Muhammad Nisar - monitoring
👋🏽 Nazia Chaudari - screening

🪑 Clive Kelly @cliveryton

Come join us!! #ILD 🫁 🖐️!!
#BSR2025

Thank you to the #NephMadness Selection Committee members who helped us develop the teams in each region:

- @jordybc.bsky.social
- Mehmet Sever
- @thenestor.bsky.social
- @jeffsparks.bsky.social
- Mariana Murea
- @lawdishu.bsky.social
- Swee-Ling Levea
- Babak Orandi
- Susan Samuel

#NephMadness 2025 Champion: CAR-T for Autoimmune Diseases Here is is, fellow nephrons, as voted on by the Blue Ribbon Panel: your 2025 NephMadness champion! Check out the Final Standings and share your reactions with #NephMadness! Many thanks to Krithika …

#NephMadness 2025 Champion: CAR-T for Autoimmune Diseases

bit.ly/NM25Champ

@nephrosparks.bsky.social @annaburgner.bsky.social @kidneywars.bsky.social @jrkott27.bsky.social @catochita.bsky.social

The final results of #RheumMadness 2025 are out!

Read more about the panel's choices on our website, plus our list of thank you-s to all our collaborators who make this possible!
sites.duke.edu/rheummadness/

Thank you all for another great year!

Research Article

Serum Biomarkers of Pulmonary Damage and Risk for Progression of Rheumatoid Arthritis–Associated Interstitial Lung Disease

📖 www.jrheum.org/cgi/content/...
@jeffsparks.bsky.social

#biologicalmarkers #rheumatoidarthritis #interstitiallungdisease

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SGCAPS - RheumMadness Team: Ultrasound Avengers / Halo Heroes Base article: Sebastian A, van der Geest KSM, Tomelleri A, Macchioni P, Klinowski G, Salvarani C, Prieto-Peña D, Conticini E, Khurshid M, Dagna L, Brouwer E, Da...

Only 1.5 days left to submit your #RheumMadness bracket!

Next up on our countdown: SGCAPS + MSKUS prediction tool for #giantcellarteritis, by fellows from MCW.

Read it here:
sites.duke.edu/rheummadness...

Tolvaptan for hyponatremia was the first paper I ever summarized during journal club as a medical student! @nephrosparks.bsky.social