Episode 58: ASM Roundup - Day 1 with Dr Marinka Twilt

At the 2026 Canadian Rheumatology Association Annual Scientific Meeting in Halifax, Dr. Daniel Ennis and Dr. Janet Pope deliver a live, on-site roundup with Dr. Marinka Twilt, Program Committee Chair, capturing Day 1’s most impactful moments. The episode reveals a stark gap in pediatric rheumatology research: while adult trials are abundant, pediatric studies remain limited to case series and cohort data, with no industry-sponsored clinical trials. Dr. Twilt highlights the growing recognition of autoinflammatory diseases like PFAPA and SERV—conditions that often persist into adulthood—underscoring the need for better pediatric-adult collaboration. A standout moment comes from the two-year follow-up of the SELECT GCA trial, showing upadacitinib maintained 70% remission at year two, challenging the assumption that treatment can be safely stopped after one year. The keynote by Dr. Elizabeth Volkman delivers a paradigm-shifting message: childhood trauma is a significant, underrecognized risk factor for autoimmune disease onset and chronic pain syndromes in adulthood. She advocates for integrating trauma-informed care into rheumatology, urging clinicians to ask about life history and validate patient experiences—something that can be done with low-cost, accessible tools like breathing exercises and yoga.