Winter 2014 (Volume 24, Number 4)
News from SOAR:
Atlantic Update 2014
By John Hanly, MD, FRCPC
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An enthusiastic group of rheumatologists with representation from all three Maritime provinces gathered for the 31st annual meeting of the Society of Atlantic Rheumatologists (SOAR) on June 20-22, 2014 at Shaw’s Inn and cottages in Brackley Beach, Prince Edward Island. This annual get-together was characterized by the usual intoxicating mix of renewing personal and professional friendships, updating scientific knowledge and, for some, that never-ending pursuit of trying to improve their golf game. Success was achieved on the first two fronts and two out of three is certainly not bad.
Dr. Marie Hudson presenting an update on scleroderma.
This year’s guest speakers were an all-Canadian team. Dr. John Esdaile from the University of British Columbia gave the inaugural David Hawkins lecture in rheumatology with the provocative title, “There is No Such Thing As Co-morbidity from Arthritis – Only Complications.” On the following day he updated the group on the pathogenesis and outcome of osteoarthritis (OA) with the question, “Is OA as boring as we think?” Dr. Marie Hudson from McGill University provided two excellent presentations; her first was an update on “Scleroderma in 2014: Recent Advances and Future Challenges,” followed by an introduction to a new national database “The Canadian Inflammatory Myopathy Study – The Role of Registries for Rare Diseases.” To complete the scientific program, SOAR members presented data on PET/CT scanning in giant-cell arteritis (Dr. Elana Murphy), Outcome of Lupus Nephritis in an Inception Cohort (Dr. John Hanly), Choosing Wisely Recommendations (Dr. Sylvie Ouellette), and Models of Care: Arthritis Alliance Update (Dr. Jamie Henderson).
Dr. Hanly presenting a plaque to Dr. John Esdaile upon delivering the inaugural David Hawkins Lecture in Rheumatology.
At the end of this two-day meeting, SOAR members left with a renewed enthusiasm for applying their newly acquired information in the care of their patients, confident in the knowledge that SOAR is in good shape as it begins its fourth decade.
John Hanly, MD, FRCPC
Professor of Medicine and Pathology
Director of Research and CME
Division of Rheumatology,
Department of Medicine
Capital Health and Dalhousie University
President,
Society of Atlantic Rheumatologists
Halifax, Nova Scotia |
