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Introducing CAPES: A New, Multifaceted Education Series for Patients and Physicians!

GRAPPA has partnered with SPARTAN, SAA, and NPF to develop and present a series of webinars and podcasts for physicians and patients, to educate them on spondyloarthritis (SpA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

As a collective group of nonprofit organizations committed to improving research and understanding of our respective diseases, we’re excited to launch this unique, collaborative project, and we hope you’ll join us!

See the below list of upcoming modules and topics and access archived presentations. https://capes.performedia.com/

September 2022 – Module 2: Pain and Fatigue

Clinician Webinar: Understanding and Managing Pain and Fatigue in Spondyloarthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis

September 15, 2022: 7pm - 8:30pm EDT; 4pm - 5:30pm PDT

Join rheumatologists Philip Mease, MD, from the University of Washington and Seattle Rheumatology Associates, and Ernest Choy, MD, head of rheumatology and translational research at the Division of Infection and Immunity and Director of the Cardiff Regional Experimental Arthritis Treatment and Evaluation Center at Cardiff University School of Medicine, Wales (UK) to learn the latest information regarding the understanding and management of pain and fatigue.

This webinar will provide attendees with an understanding of disease mechanisms in pain and cover why fatigue is a core outcome in rheumatic diseases including SpA and PsA. The causes of fatigue and how to assess and treat fatigue will be covered. Patients Minionette “Mini” Wilson and Melissa Leeolou will provide insights into their experiences with these diseases and their management of pain and fatigue.

Accreditation Statement

This activity has been planned and implemented in accordance with the accreditation requirements and policies of the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) through the joint providership of the National Psoriasis Foundation and SPARTAN, Spondylitis Association of American and GRAPPA. The National Psoriasis Foundation is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Continuing Medical Education (ACCME) to provide continuing medical education for physicians.

Designation of Credit

The National Psoriasis Foundation designates this live activity for a maximum of 1.5 AMA PRA Category 1 CreditsTM. Physicians should only claim credit commensurate with the extent of their participation in the activity.

Patient Webinar: Understanding and Managing Pain and Fatigue in Spondyloarthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis

September 22, 2022: 7pm - 8:30pm EDT; 4pm - 5:30pm PDT

Join rheumatologists Philip Mease, MD, MACR and Ernest Choy, MD, FRCP as they discuss the latest scientific understanding of pain and fatigue in rheumatic diseases including SpA and PsA, and review the latest in management methods. In addition, they will discuss patient concerns about access to care, future health uncertainty, sleep quality, and more. The doctors will be joined by patients Minionette “Mini” Wilson and Melissa Leeolou as they discuss their experiences with SpA and PsA, their diagnoses, and their day-to-day management of pain and fatigue.

Module 2: Pain and Fatigue Faculty and Participants

Melissa Leeolou:

Melissa was diagnosed with psoriasis as a baby and psoriatic arthritis as a young adult. She is originally from New York but now lives in California where she is in her third year of medical school at Stanford Medical School. Melissa has been volunteering with the National Psoriasis Foundation (NPF) for almost 10 years.

Minionette Wilson:

Minionette, or “Mini” as she is known, is a Spondylitis Association of America support group co-leader in Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina. She has had psoriasis since she was a baby, but due to various healthcare hurdles did not receive proper diagnoses of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and PsA until her 40s/50s. Mini has struggled with pain and fatigue her whole life, with personal and career impacts. She has come up with dozens of “life hacks” that she shares with her support group members to perform daily functions while working around pain, fatigue, and range-of-motion challenges.

Ernest Choy, MD, FRCP:

Dr. Choy is head of rheumatology and translational research at the Division of Infection and Immunity and Director of the Cardiff Regional Experimental Arthritis Treatment and Evaluation (CREATE) Centre at Cardiff University School of Medicine, Cardiff, Wales, UK. He is also Honorary Consultant Rheumatologist at University Hospital of Wales and Clinical Lead of the Welsh Arthritis Research Network (WARN). Dr. Choy chaired the EULAR taskforce on developing recommendations for management and classification criteria for fibromyalgia in 2007 and is currently a member of the EULAR Quality of Care Committee. Dr. Choy has served as clinical expert to the National Institute for Clinical Excellence in the UK and many pharmaceutical companies. He has published widely on treatments for rheumatic diseases in major medical journals such as the New England Journal of Medicine and The Lancet.

Moderator, Philip Mease, MD, MACR:

Dr. Mease is Director of Rheumatology Research at the Swedish Medical Center and Providence St. Joseph Health and Clinical Professor at the University of Washington School of Medicine, Seattle, WA. He is a founder, past president, and now co-chair of GRAPPA’s Education Committee. His clinical practice is based at Seattle Rheumatology Associates. Dr. Mease earned his undergraduate and medical degrees at Stanford University, Stanford, CA, and completed his residency in internal medicine and a fellowship in rheumatology at the University of Washington School of Medicine. He has written more than 500 journal articles.

July 2022 – Module 1: Juvenile SpA and PsA

Clinician Programs: Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA) and Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis (JPsA) Webinar and Podcast

Watch our clinician-focused webinar, "Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA) and Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis (JPsA)" presented by Dax Rumsey, MD, MSc, FRCP(C); Pamela Weiss, MD, MSCE; and Matthew Stoll, MD, PhD, MSCS. As the first of four topics covered in CAPES (Clinician and Patient Education Series), this webinar discusses the spectrum and classification of JSpA and JPsA, imaging pitfalls, the latest treatments, and disease management.

Watch the recording: https://capes.performedia.com/

Patient Programs: Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA) and Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis (JPsA) Webinar and Podcast

Watch our patient-focused webinar, "Juvenile Spondyloarthritis (JSpA) and Juvenile Psoriatic Arthritis (JPsA)." In this recording, experts discuss the spectrum of JSpA and JPsA, genetic risk factors, symptoms, and the appearances of the diseases. In addition, we provide tips on managing these diseases, including the roles of medication, nutrition, and exercise as part of a comprehensive treatment plan. You’ll hear from patients and their families as they share their journeys, including challenges, successes, and hopes. Your registration will provide you with access to a portal that includes this presentation, as well as the on-demand recording, other program materials, resources, and more!

Watch the recording: https://capes.performedia.com/

The GRAPPA Annual Meeting and Trainee Symposium 2022 in Brooklyn, New York was a great success.

With over 205 people attending in person, 186 people joining virtually, and 27 countries represented, we had great involve

ment and participation.

Thank you to all who contributed to this event.

Recordings of plenary sessions and workshops are available here for on-demand viewing.

Simply click on the session you would like to view and select the Watch Now button.

Remember to visit the online poster tour!

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Congratulations to our Pilot Research Grant Awardees 2022

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In collaboration with Medscape, GRAPPA is proud to share:

The Psoriasis to Psoriatic Arthritis Continuum: A Case-Based Discussionis.

This activity is intended for rheumatologists, dermatologists, and primary care physicians.

The goal of this activity is that learners will be better able to manage patients with psoriasis, including assessment and treatment continuation.

Upon completion of this activity, participants will:

Demonstrate improved performance associated with
- Evaluating plaque psoriasis (PsO) severity using objective and subjective assessments
- Assessing joint involvement in patients with PsO
- Selecting evidence-based treatments for psoriatic disease

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Congratulations to the following Trainees for being selected to present their abstracts at the GRAPPA Annual Meeting and Trainee Symposium 2022.

ORAL PRESENTATIONS
David Simon	Advanced neural networks for classification of MRI in psoriatic arthritis, seronegative, and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.
Celia Michielsens	Treat-to-target dose reduction and withdrawal strategy of TNF inhibitors in Psoriatic Arthritis and Axial Spondyloarthritis: a randomized controlled non-inferiority trial.
Gizem Ayan	Development of a Biologic Treatment Decision Algorithm According to Peripheral T-Helper Cell Profile Using Cytokine Secretion Assay: A proof of concept study.
Andre Ribeiro	Challenges in the Management of Psoriatic Arthritis in Latin America: a systematic review.
Devis Benfaremo	Screening for the Early Identification of Psoriatic Arthritis with Axial Involvement (axPsA) in A Cohort of Italian Patients Affected by Psoriasis (ATTRACT): Preliminary Results of a Cross-Sectional Study.
POSTER-ONLY PRESENTATIONS
Selinde Snoeckhenkemans	Early achievement of minimal disease activity in psoriatic arthritis is associated with long-term improvements in quality of life.
Lara Ceolin	Correlation among gender, genital psoriasis and sexual function in patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.
Francesco Bellinato	Risk of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease in patients with chronic plaque psoriasis: an updated systematic review and meta-analysis of observational studies.
Mariana dos Santos Pereira	Evaluation of liver fibrosis using transient elastography in patients with psoriasis treated with methotrexate.
Keith Colaco	Derivation and Internal Validation of a Disease-specific Cardiovascular Risk Prediction Model for Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis and Psoriasis.
Alla Ishchenko	Comorbidities In Early Psoriatic Arthritis: Prospective METAPSA Cohort.
Filippo Fagni	Multispectral optoacoustic tomography for the non-invasive metabolic profiling of inflammation in synovitis and enthesitis.
Jenna Yousif	An investigator-initiated trial of a polymeric emulsion of halobetasol propionate and tazarotene in the treatment of palmoplantar psoriasis.
Jonathan Koptyev	Incidence of COVID-19 hospitalization in patients with psoriasis taking systemic immunomodulators.
Thanos Vassilopoulos	Biologic and Targeted Synthetic Therapies in Psoriatic Arthritis and the Risk of Opportunistic Infections.
Hanna Johnsson	Immunoglobulins Are Upregulated In Psoriatic Arthritis Skin Lesions But Not In Psoriasis Skin Lesions.
Marlene Sousa	What does worsening in DAPSA disease activity categories mean for patients with psoriatic arthritis? An analysis of 222 patients.
Janne Bolt	Increased neutrophil frequency in lymph nodes of patients with psoriatic arthritis.
Mayara Barros	Prevalence of scalp psoriasis and its possible association with joint involvement: a retrospective study of 1218 cases.
Augustina Alfaror	Adherence to GRAPPA 2015 Treatment Recommendations According to the Presences of Comorbidities in Patients with Psoriatic Arthritis.
Henriette Käding	Clinical and imaging-based characterization of a prospective cohort of patients with axial psoriatic arthritis (axial PsA). GESPIC-axial PsA: Results of an interim analysis. (ONLINE POSTER ONLY)
Julia Schally	Validation of the Disease Activity Index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) with a quick quantitative C-reactive protein assay (Q-DAPSA) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA): A prospective multicenter cross-sectional study. (ONLINE POSTER ONLY)

Introducing GRAPPA's New Executive Director

We are happy to announce the hiring of GRAPPA’s new executive director, Judi Pickell, due to Sharon Andrews’ retirement at the end of this year. Judi is a skilled nonprofit organization manager with years of professional executive director experience. The executive committee is impressed with her related background in non-profit work and believe that her experience and energy will guide GRAPPA as this organization continues to grow.

Judi lives in Utah. She started training virtually with Sharon this week. We are confident the transition will be smooth. Her new email address is: [email protected].

Finally, on behalf of all the GRAPPA family, we would like to thank Sharon for her incredible years of service to the GRAPPA organisation which are now sadly coming to an end. We wish Sharon every happiness and success in her retirement.

Thank you to all who attended the recent GRAPPA Adjacent to ACR meeting. The on-demand video can be found here https://youtu.be/2qSxSagvgxw. Click here for the agenda.

Save the Dates:
GRAPPA Adjacent to AAD 2022

GRAPPA Adjacent to AAD will be held on Sunday, March 27, 2022, from 5:30 - 7:20 pm EST in Boston. An in person meeting is currently planned
Registration and an agenda are forthcoming.

Hold the date: GRAPPA 2022 Annual Meeting & Trainee Symposium, Brooklyn, New York, July 14-16, 2022

2021 Virtual Annual Meeting & Trainee Symposium

The on-demand videos of all sessions from the 2021 Annual Meeting & Trainee Symposium are now available on this website. Find the links under the "Events" tab and "Annual Meeting and Trainee Symposium."

COVID-19 Vaccines and Psoriatic Disease

Do you have questions about the new COVID-19 vaccines for people with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis? Click here to read a joint guidance statement from IFPA and GRAPPA.

GRAPPA COVID-19 Guidance Statement

This guidance was prepared by rheumatologists, dermatologists and patient members of GRAPPA to provide guidance to persons with psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis during the current COVID-19 pandemic, in particular to those taking immunosuppressant medicines. Click here to read entire statement.

GRAPPA’s “A Patient’s Guide to Treatments for Psoriatic Arthritis”

This guide is now available free for download. Written in lay language, it explains current treatments for psoriatic disease. Health care professionals are encouraged to provide it to their patients. The guide was written by members of GRAPPA’s patient research partner team, with support from GRAPPA’s treatment recommendations group. Printing instructions are supplied in a separate pdf. To download, please click on this icon:

GRAPPA Mission

GRAPPA (Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis) is organized exclusively for non-profit, educational, and scientific purposes, specifically to facilitate sharing of information related to psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis, networking among different medical disciplines that see psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis patients, and to enhance research, diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

The GRAPPA app!

The GRAPPA app, available in Apple and Android formats, is free to download from the Apple store and the Google Play Store. Designed to be used by physicians, this app includes various calculators. Languages include: English, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese (standard and Brazilian), Russian, German, Arabic, Chinese (simplified, Hong Kong and Taiwan), Japanese, Hebrew and Swedish.

The app is free to download to all, both GRAPPA members and non-members. Here are the links:

Google Play and the Google Play logo are trademarks of Google LLC.