Measuring the impact of steroid therapy on health-related quality of life in patients with rheumatic diseases: international development of a glucocorticoid treatment-specific patient-reported outcome measure.

OBJECTIVES: Glucocorticoids (GCs) ('steroids') are used to treat rheumatic diseases but adverse effects are common. We aimed to explore the impact of GC therapy on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), to inform the development of a treatment-specific patient-reported outcome measure (PROM) for use in clinical trials and practice. METHODS: Semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted with patients from the UK, USA and Australia, treated for a rheumatic condition with GCs in the last 2 years. Purposive sampling was used to select participants with a range of demographic and disease features. An initial conceptual framework informed interview prompts and cues. Interviews elicited GC-related physical and psychological symptoms and salient aspects of HRQoL in relation to GC therapy. Interview data were analysed inductively to develop initial individual themes and domains. Candidate questionnaire items were developed and refined. RESULTS: Sixty semi-structured qualitative interviews were conducted (UK n = 34, USA n = 10, Australia n = 16). The mean age was 58 years; 39/60 were female; and 18 rheumatic diseases were represented. Some 126 individual themes were identified and organized into six domains: physical symptoms; psychological symptoms; psychological impact of steroids; impact of steroids on participation; impact of steroids on relationships; and benefits of steroids. Candidate questionnaire items were tested and refined by piloting with patient research partners, iterative rounds of cognitive interviews and linguistic translatability assessment, informing a draft questionnaire. CONCLUSION: We describe an international qualitative study to develop candidate items for a treatment-specific PROM for patients with rheumatic diseases. A future survey will enable the validation of a final version of the PROM.

A single-center, open-label, randomized, parallel-group trial to pilot the effectiveness of a peer coach behavioral intervention versus an active control in reducing anxiety and depression in patients scheduled for total knee replacement.

BACKGROUND: Moving Well is a behavioral intervention for patients with knee osteoarthritis (KOA) scheduled for a total knee replacement (TKR). The objective of this intervention is to help patients with KOA mentally and physically prepare for and recover from TKR. METHODS: This is an open-label pilot randomized clinical trial that will test the feasibility and effectiveness of the Moving Well intervention compared to an attention control group, Staying Well, to reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression in patients with KOA undergoing TKR. The Moving Well intervention is guided by Social Cognitive Theory. During this 12-week intervention, participants will receive 7 weekly calls before surgery and 5 weekly calls after surgery from a peer coach. During these calls, participants will be coached to use principles of cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), stress reduction techniques, and will be assigned an online exercise program, and self-monitoring activities to complete on their own time throughout the program. Staying Well participants will receive weekly calls of similar duration from research staff to discuss a variety of health topics unrelated to TKR, CBT, or exercise. The primary outcome is the difference in levels of anxiety and/or depression between participants in the Moving Well and Staying Well groups 6 months after TKR. DISCUSSION: This study will pilot test the feasibility and effectiveness of Moving Well, a peer coach intervention, alongside principles of CBT and home exercise, to help patients with KOA mentally and physically prepare for and recover from TKR. TRIAL REGISTRATION: Clinicaltrials.gov. NCT05217420; Registered: January 31, 2022.

Healthcare disparities: patients' perspectives on barriers to joint replacement.

OBJECTIVE: Racial and ethnic disparities in arthroplasty utilization are evident, but the reasons are not known. We aimed to identify concerns that may contribute to barriers to arthroplasty from the patient's perspective. METHODS: We identified patients' concerns about arthroplasty by performing a mixed methods study. Themes identified during semi-structured interviews with Black and Hispanic patients with advanced symptomatic hip or knee arthritis were used to develop a questionnaire to quantify and prioritize their concerns. Multiple linear and logistic regression analyses were conducted to determine the association between race/ethnicity and the importance of each theme. Models were adjusted for sex, insurance, education, HOOS, JR/KOOS, JR, and discussion of joint replacement with a doctor. RESULTS: Interviews with eight participants reached saturation and provided five themes used to develop a survey answered by 738 (24%) participants; 75.5% White, 10.3% Black, 8.7% Hispanic, 3.9% Asian/Other. Responses were significantly different between groups (p < 0.05). Themes identified were "Trust in the surgeon" "Recovery", "Cost/Insurance", "Surgical outcome", and "Personal suitability/timing". Compared to Whites, Blacks were two-fold, Hispanics four-fold more likely to rate "Trust in the surgeon" as very/extremely important. Blacks were almost three times and Hispanics over six times more likely to rate "Recovery" as very/extremely important. CONCLUSION: We identified factors of importance to patients that may contribute to barriers to arthroplasty, with marked differences between Blacks, Hispanics, and Whites.

Outcomes of COVID-19 and Factors Associated With Its Severity Among Hospitalized Patients With and Without Systemic Rheumatic Disease During the First Wave of the Pandemic in New York City.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Conflicting data exist regarding whether patients with systemic rheumatic disease (SRD) experience more severe outcomes related to COVID-19. Using data from adult patients hospitalized with COVID-19 in New York City during the first wave of the pandemic, we evaluated whether patients with SRD were at an increased risk for severe outcomes. METHODS: We conducted a medical records review study including patients aged ≥18 years with confirmed SARS-CoV-2 infection hospitalized at 3 NewYork-Presbyterian sites, March 3-May 15, 2020. Inverse probability of treatment weighting was applied to a multivariable logistic regression model to assess the association between SRD status and the composite of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit admission, or death. RESULTS: Of 3710 patients hospitalized with COVID-19 (mean [SD] age, 63.7 [17.0] years; 41% female, 29% White, and 34% Hispanic/Latinx), 92 (2.5%) had SRD. Patients with SRD had similar age and body mass index but were more likely to be female, ever smokers, and White or Black, compared with those without SRD. A higher proportion of patients with versus without SRD had hypertension and pulmonary disease, and used hydroxychloroquine, corticosteroids, and immunomodulatory/immunosuppressive medications before admission. In the weighted multivariable analysis, patients with SRD had an odds ratio of 1.24 (95% confidence interval, 1.10-1.41; p < 0.01) for the composite of mechanical ventilation, intensive care unit admission, or death, compared with patients without SRD. CONCLUSIONS: During the initial peak of the pandemic in New York City, patients with versus without SRD hospitalized with COVID-19 had a 24% increased likelihood of having severe COVID-19 after multivariable adjustment.

Racial, ethnic, and healthcare disparities in rheumatoid arthritis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: This review highlights the available data describing racial and ethnic health disparities among patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the United States from an epidemiological, disease activity, and wider socioeconomic standpoint. RECENT FINDINGS: Despite centralized government initiatives to include more underrepresentative minority populations into research, many of the studies that examined rheumatoid arthritis still fail to include sizeable cohorts of races or ethnic groups other than whites. Evidence is slowly mounting that individual, provider, and system-level barriers exist and contribute to unequal care that leads to poorer outcomes amongst patients with rheumatoid arthritis. As rheumatoid arthritis is a progressive disease, early treatment is crucial to delay functional decline - a narrow window for many minority patients who are disproportionality affected by disability. SUMMARY: To combat the inequality that exists amongst rheumatoid arthritis patients we must focus on why discrepancies exist on every level, system, physician, patient, and illness. Further research is needed to tease the complex interplay between race, social economic status, medical access, and outcomes to explain the disparities found in rheumatoid arthritis.

The role of immunomodulatory medications in the treatment of COVID-19.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Given the role of inflammation in severe forms of COVID-19, glucocorticoids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have been assessed as potential COVID-19 therapies. RECENT FINDINGS: Randomized controlled trials (RCTs) have shown that glucocorticoids reduce mortality in severe COVID-19. RCTs of DMARDs have shown mixed results varying on intervention and inclusion criteria. DMARDs, including colchicine or biologic agents, may improve COVID-19 outcomes in specific patient populations. SUMMARY: Glucocorticoids are an effective treatment for the management of severe COVID-19. Further studies are needed to better define the patient populations who could benefit from DMARD use, as well as provide guidance regarding the timing of these interventions.

The Patients' Perspective of Important Glucocorticoid Effects: A Nominal Group Study Among Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Myositis.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: The objective of this cohort study was to understand the positive and negative effects of glucocorticoids (GCs) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and myositis from the patients' perspective with the aim of developing a patient-reported outcome measure. METHODS: Included patients were asked to participate in 1 of 5 nominal groups where demographic information and a quality-of-life questionnaire were collected. Patients were asked 2 open-ended questions on (1) benefits and (2) harms related to GC use. We used the Nominal Group Technique, a highly structured consensus method in which responses are generated, shared, and ranked. Descriptive statistics were used to summarize the results. Nominal group sessions took place from April to May 2019. RESULTS: Of 206 patients who were approached, 21 patients participated, 17 with systemic lupus erythematosus and 4 with myositis, predominantly women with more than 10 years of steroid use. The domains ranked highest for GC benefits were disease control (55 votes), fast onset of action (30 votes), increased energy (10 votes), and pain relief (10 votes). The highest-ranked negative effects were bone loss (38 votes) and weight gain (16 votes); psychological effects and damaged internal organs each received 12 votes. CONCLUSIONS: The top-ranked GC effects-both benefits and harms-among patients with systemic rheumatic disease are consistent with the top domains associated with GC use reported with other inflammatory diseases. This study informs the development of a comprehensive patient-reported outcome measure that can be used across inflammatory diseases.

Validation of the Hip Disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score and Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score Pain and Function Subscales for Use in Total Hip Replacement and Total Knee Replacement Clinical Trials.

BACKGROUND: Total hip replacement (THR)/total knee replacement (TKR) studies do not uniformly measure patient centered domains, pain, and function. We aim to validate existing measures of pain and function within subscales of standard instruments to facilitate measurement. METHODS: We evaluated baseline and 2-year pain and function for THR and TKR using Hip disability and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (HOOS)/Knee Injury and Osteoarthritis Outcome Score (KOOS), with primary unilateral TKR (4796) and THR (4801). Construct validity was assessed by correlating HOOS/KOOS pain and activities of daily living (ADL), function quality of life (QOL), and satisfaction using Spearman correlation coefficients. Patient relevant thresholds for change in pain and function were anchored to improvement in QOL; minimally clinically important difference (MCID) corresponded to "a little improvement" and a really important difference (RID) to a "moderate improvement." Pain and ADL function scores were compared by quartiles using Kruskal-Wallis. RESULTS: Two-year HOOS/KOOS pain and ADL function correlated with health-related QOL (KOOS pain and Short Form 12 Physical Component Scale ρ = 0.54; function ρ = 0.63). Comparing QOL by pain and function quartiles, the highest levels of pain relief and function were associated with the most improved QOL. MCID for pain was estimated at ≥20, and the RID ≥29; MCID for function ≥14, and the RID ≥23. The measures were responsive to change with large effect sizes (≥1.8). CONCLUSION: We confirm that HOOS/KOOS pain and ADL function subscales are valid measures of critical patient centered domains after THR/TKR, and achievable thresholds anchored to improved QOL. Cost-free availability and brevity makes them feasible, to be used in a core measurement set in total joint replacement trials.

Living in immigrant communities does not impact total knee arthroplasty outcomes: experience from a high-volume center in the United States.

BACKGROUND: Community characteristics such as poverty affect total knee arthroplasty (TKA) outcomes. However, it is unknown whether other community factors such as immigrant proportion (IP) also affect outcomes. Our objective was to determine the association of neighborhood IP on preoperative (pre-op) and 2-year postoperative (post-op) Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) pain and function after elective TKA. METHODS: Patients in a high volume institutional TKA registry between May 2007 and February 2011 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographics, pre-op and 2-year post-op WOMAC pain and function scores, and geocodable addresses were obtained. Patient-level variables were linked to US Census Bureau census tract data. The effect of patient and neighborhood-level factors on WOMAC scores were analyzed using linear mixed effects models. RESULTS: 3898 TKA patients were analyzed. Pre-op and 2-year post-op WOMAC pain and function scores were between 2.75-4.88 WOMAC points worse in neighborhoods with a high IP (≥ 40%) compared to low IP (< 10%). In multivariable analyses, these differences were not statistically significant. Women had worse pre-op and 2-year post-op WOMAC scores (all p ≤ 0.04), but this difference was not influenced by neighborhood IP (all pinteraction NS). CONCLUSIONS: Patients living in high (≥40%) IP neighborhoods do not have worse pre-op or 2-year post-op pain and function outcomes after TKA compared to those living in low (< 10%) IP neighborhoods. Although sex differences favoring males are notable, these differences are not associated with IP. High neighborhood IP do not appear to affect outcomes after TKA.

Association of hyperlipidaemia, inflammation and serological status and coronary heart disease among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: data from the National Veterans Health Administration.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association of serum lipids, inflammation and seropositivity on coronary heart disease (CHD) and stroke in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: The incidence of hospitalised myocardial infarction (MI) or stroke was calculated in a cohort of patients with RA receiving care within the national Veterans Health Administration from 1998 to 2011. Cox proportional hazard models were used to examine the association between these outcomes and low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), C reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) as time-varying variables, divided into quintiles. RESULTS: There were 37,568 patients with RA in the cohort with mean age of 63 years (SD 12.1); 90% were men. There was a no clear association between LDL-C and CHD/stroke. Compared with lower HDL-C (<34 mg/dL), higher HDL-C (≥54 mg/dL) was inversely associated with MI (hazard ratio (HR)=0.68, 95% CI 0.55 to 0.85) and stroke (HR=0.69, 95% CI 0.50 to 0.96). Higher CRP >2.17 mg/dL (vs CRP <0.26 mg/dL) was associated with increased risk (HR=2.43, 95% CI 1.77 to 3.33) for MI and 2.02 (95% CI 1.32 to 3.08) for stroke. ESR >47 mm/h compared with <8 mm/h had an HR 1.87 (95% CI 1.39 to 2.52) for MI and 2.00 (95% CI 1.26 to 3.18) for stroke. The association between MI was significant for RA seropositivity (HR=1.23, 95% CI 1.03 to 1.48). CONCLUSIONS: In this predominantly older male RA cohort, there was no clear association between LDL-C and CHD, whereas higher HDL-C was inversely associated with MI and stroke. CRP and ESR were similarly associated with increase MI risk and stroke, reflecting the prominent role of inflammation in CHD risk in RA.

Changes in lipoproteins associated with methotrexate or combination therapy in early rheumatoid arthritis: results from the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis trial.

OBJECTIVE: To study changes in lipid profiles at 24 weeks among patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) participating in the Treatment of Early RA (TEAR) trial and randomized to receive methotrexate (MTX) plus etanercept, triple therapy (MTX plus sulfasalazine plus hydroxychloroquine), or aggressively titrated MTX monotherapy. METHODS: This TEAR substudy included 459 participants with biologic specimens. Serum levels of total cholesterol, low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, and high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol were measured at 0 and 24 weeks. RESULTS: At 24 weeks, there were statistically significant increases in mean cholesterol levels in the MTX plus etanercept, triple therapy, and MTX monotherapy arms. The observed increases were 31.4 mg/dl, 28.7 mg/dl, and 30 mg/dl in LDL cholesterol, 19.3 mg/dl, 22.3 mg/dl, and 20.6 mg/dl in HDL cholesterol, and 56.8 mg/dl, 53 mg/dl, and 57.3 mg/dl in total cholesterol (P < 0.0001 versus baseline for each comparison). There was a statistically significant decrease in the ratio of total cholesterol to HDL cholesterol at 24 weeks in all 3 treatment groups versus baseline. There was no difference in any lipid changes between the 3 treatment arms. After multivariable adjustment, change in C-reactive protein, but not the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints, was associated with change in LDL cholesterol (P = 0.03) and total cholesterol (P = 0.01). Baseline glucocorticoid use was associated with changes in HDL cholesterol (P = 0.03) and total cholesterol (P = 0.02). CONCLUSION: Levels of total cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, and HDL cholesterol increased comparably shortly after initiation of MTX plus etanercept, triple therapy, and MTX monotherapy among patients with early RA with active disease participating in a clinical trial. The clinical relevance of short-term changes in traditional lipids on cardiovascular outcomes remains to be determined.

A Novel Approach for Mixed-Methods Research Using Large Language Models: A Report Using Patients' Perspectives on Barriers to Arthroplasty.

OBJECTIVE: Mixed-methods research is valuable in health care to gain insights into patient perceptions. However, analyzing textual data from interviews can be time-consuming and require multiple analysts for investigator triangulation. This study aims to explore a novel approach to investigator triangulation in mixed-methods research by employing a large language model (LLM) for analyzing data from patient interviews. METHODS: This study compared the thematic analysis and survey generation performed by human investigators and ChatGPT-4, which uses GPT-4 as its backbone model, using data from an existing study that explored patient perceptions of barriers to arthroplasty. The human- and ChatGPT-4-generated themes and surveys were compared and evaluated based on their representation of salient themes from a predetermined topic guide. RESULTS: ChatGPT-4 generated analogous dominant themes and a comprehensive corresponding survey as the human investigators but in significantly less time. The survey questions generated by ChatGPT-4 were less precise than those developed by human investigators. The mixed-methods flowchart proposes integrating LLMs and human investigators as a supplementary tool for the preliminary thematic analysis of qualitative data and survey generation. CONCLUSION: By utilizing a combination of LLMs and human investigators through investigator triangulation, researchers may be able to conduct more efficient mixed-methods research to better understand patient perspectives. Ethical and qualitative implications of using LLMs should be considered.

Lay Health Worker Interventions in Rheumatology: A Scoping Review.

OBJECTIVE: To determine next steps for lay health worker (LHW) intervention research, specifically in patients with rheumatic musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs), there is a need to establish what strategies have been effective for chronic disease management thus far. The goal of this scoping review is to collate the literature of LHW interventions for adults with RMDs to inform next steps for LHW research. METHODS: A comprehensive literature search was performed in the following databases from inception to September 2021: Ovid Medline, Ovid Embase, CINAHL, PsycINFO, and The Cochrane Library. Studies retrieved were then screened for eligibility against predefined inclusion and exclusion criteria. RESULTS: Twenty-two articles were eligible and included in this review. The most common RMDs studied, not mutually exclusive, were osteoarthritis (n = 13), rheumatoid arthritis (n = 9), and unspecified or other RMD (n = 14). Most studies had a homogenous patient population, enrolling White, non-Hispanic, or Latina women over the age of 60 (n = 13). Eight studies observed statistically significant results in the intervention arm compared with the control. Only one of these studies exhibited sustained treatment effects past one year. CONCLUSION: There are not enough data to conclude if LHW interventions have a positive, null, or negative effect on patients with RMDs. Future LHW interventions should specify a priori hypotheses, be powered to detect statistical significance for primary outcomes, employ a theoretical framework, include an active control, describe training protocols for LHWs, and increase minority representation to establish the effectiveness of LHWs for patients with RMDs.

Training of Peer Coaches to Assist Individuals with Knee Osteoarthritis Prepare and Recover From Total Knee Replacement.

OBJECTIVE: The objective of this study is to outline the training of peer coaches in the Moving Well intervention, which was designed to reduce anxiety, depression, and pain catastrophizing in patients before and after total knee replacement (TKR). METHODS: Selected peer coaches had a history of knee osteoarthritis (KOA), a TKR of 12 months or more before training, and were 60 or older. Training was primarily conducted virtually, with a later addition of one in-person session. Training centered on developing skills in motivational interviewing (MoI), encompassing techniques like open-ended questions, affirmations, reflective listening, and summarization. It also covered the MoI processes of engagement, focus, evocation, and planning. Coaches were required to discuss at least 90% of session-specific topics, which were monitored using checklists for each certification, and to complete individual MoI training, which was not graded. The evaluation of peer coach training involved surveys and a focus group. RESULTS: Three women and two men, averaging 75 years in age, completed the peer coach training for the Moving Well intervention. An in-person training session was added to address technology and MoI skill concerns, greatly enhancing their grasp of MoI skills and their ability to guide others through the program effectively. Peer coaches stressed the importance of live feedback, in-person training, and incorporating personal experiences into the program content during their training. CONCLUSION: To effectively train older adults as peer coaches for the Moving Well intervention, flexibility in learning formats, personalized guidance, peer support, and regular evaluations were essential in building the necessary MoI competencies to guide research participants in the program.

Newest clinical trial results with antitumor necrosis factor and nonantitumor necrosis factor biologics for rheumatoid arthritis.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: To highlight recent evidence from the clinical trials of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and non anti-TNF biologics for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) focused on comparative clinical efficacy including safety outcomes and medication discontinuation. RECENT FINDINGS: Patients with RA are sometimes able to attain low disease activity or remission since the introduction of biologic therapy for RA. Biologics like anti-TNF, anti-interleukin-6 (IL-6), anti-CD20 and those that modulate T-cell co-stimulation have consistently shown good efficacy in patients with RA. Preliminary data from comparative efficacy studies to evaluate the potential differences between anti-TNF and non anti-TNF biologics have shown little differences among these. There is ongoing work in comparative efficacy to answer this question further. SUMMARY: Biologic therapy in RA has significantly changed the course of RA in the last decade. Recently published clinical trials have been focused on comparative efficacy, cardiovascular safety of biologics and potential anti-TNF therapy discontinuation in patients with RA.

Frailty and emergency department utilisation in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus ≤65 years of age: an administrative claims data analysis of Medicaid beneficiaries.

OBJECTIVE: Frailty is a risk factor for adverse health in adults with SLE, including those <65 years. Emergency department (ED) utilisation is high in adults with SLE, but to our knowledge, whether frailty is associated with ED use is unknown. In a large administrative claims dataset, we assessed risk of ED utilisation among frail adults with SLE ≤65 years of age relative to non-frail adults ≤65 years of age with SLE. METHODS: Using the MarketScan Medicaid subset from 2011 to 2015, we identified beneficiaries 18-65 years with SLE (≥3 SLE International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision codes ≥30 days apart). Comparators without a systemic rheumatic disease (SRD) were matched 4:1 on age and gender. Frailty status in 2011 was determined using two claims-based frailty indices (CFIs). We compared risk of recurrent ED utilisation among frail and non-frail beneficiaries with SLE using an extension of the Cox proportional hazard model for recurrent events data. RESULTS: Of 2262 beneficiaries with SLE and 9048 non-SRD comparators, 28.8% and 11.6% were frail, respectively, according to both CFIs. Compared with non-frail beneficiaries with SLE, frail beneficiaries with SLE had significantly higher hazard of recurrent ED use (HR 1.75, 95% CI 1.48 to 2.08). CONCLUSION: Frailty increased hazard of recurrent ED visits in frail adults ≤65 years of age with SLE relative to comparable non-frail adults with SLE. Frailty is a potential target for efforts to improve quality of care in SLE.

Virtual training of rheumatoid arthritis peer coaches in motivational interviewing skills and concepts of cardiovascular disease.

Background: Peer coaching interventions are effective in helping individuals with chronic conditions understand their disease. Most peer coach training programs occur in person, which has become an obstacle during the COVID pandemic. We describe our experiences with virtual training for future peer coach interventions. Methods: Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) between 40 and 75 years of age were recruited and interviewed by the research team. We conducted seven virtual training sessions focused on four main points: Listen, Discuss, Practice, and Certify. The peer coaches provided feedback throughout the program, which was used to refine the training and intervention. A post-training focus group assessed satisfaction with the training program and intervention development process. Results: Four peer coaches (3 women, 1 man) were trained, including 2 Black and 2 White individuals with advanced degrees. Their ages ranged from 52 to 57, and their RA duration ranged from 5 to 15 years. An iterative process with the coaches and researchers resulted in a nine-week training program. Peer coaches reported satisfaction, confidence, and a preference for the virtual training format. Conclusion: This virtual peer coach training program was feasible and acceptable for coaches with advanced degrees during the global COVID-19 pandemic. Our approach represents an opportunity to adapt training that has been traditionally done in person. By doing so, our approach facilitates the recruitment and training of a diverse group of coaches and promotes sustainability.

2022 American College of Rheumatology Guideline for Exercise, Rehabilitation, Diet, and Additional Integrative Interventions for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop initial American College of Rheumatology (ACR) guidelines on the use of exercise, rehabilitation, diet, and additional interventions in conjunction with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) as part of an integrative management approach for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: An interprofessional guideline development group constructed clinically relevant Population, Intervention, Comparator, and Outcome (PICO) questions. A literature review team then completed a systematic literature review and applied the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development and Evaluation (GRADE) approach to rate the certainty of evidence. An interprofessional Voting Panel (n = 20 participants) that included 3 individuals with RA achieved consensus on the direction (for or against) and strength (strong or conditional) of recommendations. RESULTS: The Voting Panel achieved consensus on 28 recommendations for the use of integrative interventions in conjunction with DMARDs for the management of RA. Consistent engagement in exercise received a strong recommendation. Of 27 conditional recommendations, 4 pertained to exercise, 13 to rehabilitation, 3 to diet, and 7 to additional integrative interventions. These recommendations are specific to RA management, recognizing that other medical indications and general health benefits may exist for many of these interventions. CONCLUSION: This guideline provides initial ACR recommendations on integrative interventions for the management of RA to accompany DMARD treatments. The broad range of interventions included in these recommendations illustrates the importance of an interprofessional, team-based approach to RA management. The conditional nature of most recommendations requires clinicians to engage persons with RA in shared decision-making when applying these recommendations.