Working to improve the gold standard for diagnostic testing Lindsay Lally, MD
Arthur Yee, MD, PhD
Assistant Attending Rheumatologist, Hospital for Special Surgery Assistant Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College
Assistant Attending Physician, Hospital for Special Surgery Assistant Professor of Medicine, Weill Cornell Medical College
Rheumatology — and the first prospective study targeting this important molecule in newly diagnosed PMR — Dr. Lally reported that IL-6 blockade with the biologic drug tocilizumab resulted in all subjects reaching the trial’s primary end-point of relapse-free remission off glucocorticoids at 6 months. “The most exciting finding of this study was that the use of tocilizumab dramatically decreased the dose and duration of corticosteroid treatment in PMR. Most of the morbidity from PMR is related to corticosteroid toxicity, and with this strategy, we may be able to prevent many dreaded complications in our patients.” Moreover, Dr. Lally’s group is engaged in translational studies exploring specific treatment- and disease- related gene signatures in PMR, findings that could further help clinicians customize care to the individual patient. Similar to Dr. Lally’s focus on improving the understanding, diagnosis and management of vasculitis, Dr. Arthur Yee has a particular interest in another rare rheumatologic disease: sarcoidosis.
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Division of Rheumatology
The care of patients with sarcoidosis has historically fallen under the auspices of other subspecialists. However, given its systemic nature and its potential to involve any organ, Dr. Yee has advocated for a prominent role for rheumatologists. As he recently wrote in a 2016 article in Best Practice & Research in Clinical Rheumatology, “with increased appreciation of the systemic nature of this disorder and the availability of more therapeutic options, it is clear that a multidisciplinary approach, with the rheumatologist as a key component, can offer more optimal care.” After joining the faculty at HSS, Dr. Yee pioneered the use of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) monoclonal antibodies for the treatment of sarcoidosis. These medications, originally developed for rheumatologic disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), have since become widely accepted therapeutic options. Ironically, Dr. Yee’s current interests now include trying to identify select patients who might be able to safely discontinue all medications after treatment with TNF antagonists, promoting the intriguing possibility that sustained true remissions of sarcoidosis can be achieved in some cases through the use of these agents.
Clinical Care