Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a major health burden in Asia Pacific affecting the quality of life of patients and consuming healthcare resources. According to recent estimates from the World Health Organization‐International League Against Rheumatism‐Community Oriented Program for Control of Rheumatic Diseases, prevalence is around 0.3%‐0.5%. Management guidelines have helped to improve treatment across this diverse region. To gain better insight into current real‐world management applications in view of these guidelines, virtual meetings were conducted in mid‐2020 to explore perspectives of rheumatologists and patients, as well as discuss the impact of coronavirus disease 2019 on RA management. Patients and rheumatologists from Hong Kong, Malaysia, Singapore, the Philippines, Thailand, India, Pakistan, and Taiwan were included, representing a diverse mix of healthcare systems, wealth, ethnicity and culture. Despite many countries having prospered in recent years, similar challenges in RA diagnosis and treatment were identified. The daily impact and patient experience of RA were also similar across countries, marked by “silent” pain and disability, and universal misunderstanding of the disease. Late diagnosis and treatment, and barriers to access to appropriate treatment, remain problematic. The experience shared by Taiwan offers a glimmer of hope, however, wherein patient advocacy groups have succeeded in being included in policy‐making decisions and securing access to advanced treatment. Real‐world solutions that pay heed to the unique local needs and diversity of Asia Pacific are required to improve RA management, which will take time. In the interim, help can be sought from the trained, non‐rheumatologist community to reduce some of the disease burden.

Patient: Female, 46Final Diagnosis: CMV gastroparesis and radiculopathySymptoms: Nausea • paraplegia • urinary retention • vomitingMedication: —Clinical Procedure: Lumbar punctureSpecialty: Infectious DiseasesObjective:Unusual clinical courseBackground:Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection has been well described as an opportunistic infection of patients with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV). To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of a patient with AIDS and lumbosacral polyradiculopathy, associated with gastroparesis resulting from CMV infection.Case Report:A 46-year-old Hispanic woman with a history of HIV for 10 years was admitted to our hospital for nausea, vomiting, urinary retention, and generalized weakness. Bilateral lower extremity examination revealed flaccid paraplegia, decreased sensations from the groin downwards, bilateral lower extremity areflexia, and absent plantar reflexes, with enlarged urinary bladder. CMV was detected in CSF by PCR, and cervical and lumbar magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) revealed intense nodular leptomeningeal enhancement from the lower thoracic cord and extending along the conus medullaris/filum terminalis and nerve roots. Gastric emptying scintigraphy revealed severe delayed gastric emptying time. Ganciclovir was initiated and her neurological symptoms and gastrological symptoms gradually improved. Over 8 weeks, nausea and vomiting resolved and the patient was able to walk before being discharged from the hospital.Conclusions:Polyradiculopathy and gastroparesis can result from CMV infection in AIDS patients. Whether the mechanism is secondary to viral infection or immune systems remains unclear. It is important for physicians to be aware of this uncommon presentation in the antiretroviral therapy (ART) era. CMV treatment should be initiated immediately once diagnosis is confirmed.

We report a 55-year-old female with seropositive rheumatoid arthritis for 10 years who developed large mediastinal and hilar adenopathy while receiving etanercept therapy. Chest high resolution computed tomography (HRCT) showed mediastinal lymph nodes with size of 2.3 × 3.1 centimeters. Right paratracheal lymph node biopsy showed nonnecrotizing epithelioid granulomata. All infectious studies of pulmonary lymph node tissues were negative. Etanercept was discontinued. Follow-up HRCT 6 months later showed resolution of mediastinal lymph nodes. This report should increase awareness of pulmonary sarcoidosis development in patient treated with tumor necrosis factor-alpha blocking agent, etanercept.