(2026 CCHM On-Demand) Optimizing Medical Therapy Before & After Surgery for Rheumatic Patients: A Clinician's Guide

CME Credit Available:

This activity offers .75 1A AOA 

Note: ACOI reports credits to the AOA at the beginning of each month.

Learning Objectives:

In this session, you'll learn how to:

• Medication Management Is the Most Modifiable Risk Factor, majority of inflammatory arthritis patients are on DMARDs and biologics at time of surgery. Optimizing these agents — especially minimizing glucocorticoids — is the most accessible and impactful preoperative intervention. 
• Recognize Diagnosis-Specific Complication Patterns AS: pulmonary compromise from chest wall restriction → highest pneumonia risk. PsA: comorbidities and obesity drive adverse events, not disease activity. RA: infection remains the most concerning adverse event.
• Implement the Guideline Framework with Nuance ACR guideline recommendations are all conditional — no RCT data exist. Confounding by indication and publication bias limit certainty. Individualized, shared decision-making between rheumatologist, surgeon, and patient is paramount.

Conflict of Interest Disclosures: 

ACOI requires each planner and presenter to identify all conflicts of interest and mitigates risk of bias using a series of strategies for relevant conflicts. Unless otherwise noted below, the ACOI, ACOI staff and planners for this activity have no relevant financial relationships with ineligible companies to disclose.

Rubaiya Mallay, DO, FACOI, FACR, faculty for this activity, has no relevant relationships with ineligible companies to disclose. 

Release & Review Date: 

This activity is valid from July 31, 2026, until July 31, 2029.