@THEE Ashira Blazer MD
@ashira-md.bsky.social
Academic rheumatologist 👩🏾⚕️| UMB| Lupus specialist | SLE in the African diaspora | NMQF Top 40 Under 40 | She/Her/Hers | IG: Ashira_MD| Posts are my own
As SNAP benefits are delayed, please consider donating to your local food banks. Instantcart will allow you to send a donation to a local food bank right from your phone. It is easy and a great way to support our communities in these difficult times.
November 3, 2025 at 2:29 PM
As SNAP benefits are delayed, please consider donating to your local food banks. Instantcart will allow you to send a donation to a local food bank right from your phone. It is easy and a great way to support our communities in these difficult times.
It’s my favorite time of year! The American College of Rheumatology #ACR25 meeting is just a few days away and I am celebrating with my 5th year of Immunology nails! What do you think about this year’s neutrophil netosis? Which year is your favorite?
October 21, 2025 at 7:36 PM
It’s my favorite time of year! The American College of Rheumatology #ACR25 meeting is just a few days away and I am celebrating with my 5th year of Immunology nails! What do you think about this year’s neutrophil netosis? Which year is your favorite?
🗣️ No more standing steroids in lupus! 🗣️ An important post by Lupus Refernence, Laurent Arnaud details recently published work showing even 6mg/day of GCs increase chronic comorbidities. We have too many targeted therapies to stick with steroids! What is your favorite treat to target approach? #sle
February 28, 2025 at 6:42 PM
🗣️ No more standing steroids in lupus! 🗣️ An important post by Lupus Refernence, Laurent Arnaud details recently published work showing even 6mg/day of GCs increase chronic comorbidities. We have too many targeted therapies to stick with steroids! What is your favorite treat to target approach? #sle
Hubby and I got our updated COVID-19 💉 to protect our baby.
👉🏾 The elderly, infants, and immunocompromised are high risk for COVID-19
👉🏾 The updated 💉 are the best protection
👉🏾 ACOG recommends pregnant women get vaccinated
👉🏾 Baby is protected for up to 6mo!
Get your 💉 free with most insurances
👉🏾 The elderly, infants, and immunocompromised are high risk for COVID-19
👉🏾 The updated 💉 are the best protection
👉🏾 ACOG recommends pregnant women get vaccinated
👉🏾 Baby is protected for up to 6mo!
Get your 💉 free with most insurances
December 29, 2024 at 11:53 PM
Hubby and I got our updated COVID-19 💉 to protect our baby.
👉🏾 The elderly, infants, and immunocompromised are high risk for COVID-19
👉🏾 The updated 💉 are the best protection
👉🏾 ACOG recommends pregnant women get vaccinated
👉🏾 Baby is protected for up to 6mo!
Get your 💉 free with most insurances
👉🏾 The elderly, infants, and immunocompromised are high risk for COVID-19
👉🏾 The updated 💉 are the best protection
👉🏾 ACOG recommends pregnant women get vaccinated
👉🏾 Baby is protected for up to 6mo!
Get your 💉 free with most insurances
Why is preventing kidney flares so important in #SLE? Each flare reduces kidney function. This new baseline slowly declines further with age. Patients with repeated flares are more likely to go on to kidney failure.
December 12, 2024 at 1:16 AM
Why is preventing kidney flares so important in #SLE? Each flare reduces kidney function. This new baseline slowly declines further with age. Patients with repeated flares are more likely to go on to kidney failure.
Disease modification in #SLE means 1. preventing flares 2. Reducing steroids and 3. Reducing organ damage over time. Steroids temporarily reduce disease activity, but they do not prevent future flares and contribute to damage. Compare to biologic therapies that protect patients over the life course.
December 6, 2024 at 9:37 PM
Disease modification in #SLE means 1. preventing flares 2. Reducing steroids and 3. Reducing organ damage over time. Steroids temporarily reduce disease activity, but they do not prevent future flares and contribute to damage. Compare to biologic therapies that protect patients over the life course.
This surprised me, but maybe it shouldn’t have. Most rheumatologists in the audience got it wrong believing that race is a combo of biologic and social factors. Race is a social construct! Answer B
November 23, 2024 at 2:10 PM
This surprised me, but maybe it shouldn’t have. Most rheumatologists in the audience got it wrong believing that race is a combo of biologic and social factors. Race is a social construct! Answer B
🗣️ Social screening is time-effective and improves outcomes 🗣️
👉🏾 in a pilot program at BW, social needs among lupus patients were common
👉🏾 Screening took 3 minutes or less
👉🏾 Community resource specialists helped mitigate social needs
👉🏾 in a pilot program at BW, social needs among lupus patients were common
👉🏾 Screening took 3 minutes or less
👉🏾 Community resource specialists helped mitigate social needs
November 23, 2024 at 2:08 PM
🗣️ Social screening is time-effective and improves outcomes 🗣️
👉🏾 in a pilot program at BW, social needs among lupus patients were common
👉🏾 Screening took 3 minutes or less
👉🏾 Community resource specialists helped mitigate social needs
👉🏾 in a pilot program at BW, social needs among lupus patients were common
👉🏾 Screening took 3 minutes or less
👉🏾 Community resource specialists helped mitigate social needs
🗣️ Care Navigators improve lupus outcomes 🗣️
👉🏾 Among 67 psychosocially complex lupus patients, access to care navigators:
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary ED visits by 50%
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary hospital admissions by 63%
👉🏾 Among 67 psychosocially complex lupus patients, access to care navigators:
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary ED visits by 50%
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary hospital admissions by 63%
November 23, 2024 at 2:07 PM
🗣️ Care Navigators improve lupus outcomes 🗣️
👉🏾 Among 67 psychosocially complex lupus patients, access to care navigators:
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary ED visits by 50%
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary hospital admissions by 63%
👉🏾 Among 67 psychosocially complex lupus patients, access to care navigators:
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary ED visits by 50%
👉🏾 Decreased unnecessary hospital admissions by 63%
🗣️ intersectionality: Racism and Poverty Together Predict Poor Care🗣️
Among impoverished lupus patients receiving Medicaid
👉🏾 All non-White patients were more likely to receive chronic, high dose steroids than White patients
👉🏾 This difference remained even when considering lupus activity
Among impoverished lupus patients receiving Medicaid
👉🏾 All non-White patients were more likely to receive chronic, high dose steroids than White patients
👉🏾 This difference remained even when considering lupus activity
November 23, 2024 at 2:07 PM
🗣️ intersectionality: Racism and Poverty Together Predict Poor Care🗣️
Among impoverished lupus patients receiving Medicaid
👉🏾 All non-White patients were more likely to receive chronic, high dose steroids than White patients
👉🏾 This difference remained even when considering lupus activity
Among impoverished lupus patients receiving Medicaid
👉🏾 All non-White patients were more likely to receive chronic, high dose steroids than White patients
👉🏾 This difference remained even when considering lupus activity
🗣️ Poverty decreases lupus care quality🗣️
👉🏾 Among low income people with lupus nephritis on Medicaid only
👉🏾 23% received immunosuppressants
👉🏾 44% received an ACE/ARB
👉🏾 36% received antimalarials
Worse for those with recurrent ED visits and better for those with outpatient rheumatologists
👉🏾 Among low income people with lupus nephritis on Medicaid only
👉🏾 23% received immunosuppressants
👉🏾 44% received an ACE/ARB
👉🏾 36% received antimalarials
Worse for those with recurrent ED visits and better for those with outpatient rheumatologists
November 23, 2024 at 2:06 PM
🗣️ Poverty decreases lupus care quality🗣️
👉🏾 Among low income people with lupus nephritis on Medicaid only
👉🏾 23% received immunosuppressants
👉🏾 44% received an ACE/ARB
👉🏾 36% received antimalarials
Worse for those with recurrent ED visits and better for those with outpatient rheumatologists
👉🏾 Among low income people with lupus nephritis on Medicaid only
👉🏾 23% received immunosuppressants
👉🏾 44% received an ACE/ARB
👉🏾 36% received antimalarials
Worse for those with recurrent ED visits and better for those with outpatient rheumatologists
🗣️ The data are stacking up 🗣️
Multiple, large epidemiological studies are showing that experiencing
👉🏾 Sexual violence
👉🏾 Interpersonal violence
👉🏾 PTSD
Increases the risk of getting lupus 2-3x
Multiple, large epidemiological studies are showing that experiencing
👉🏾 Sexual violence
👉🏾 Interpersonal violence
👉🏾 PTSD
Increases the risk of getting lupus 2-3x
November 23, 2024 at 2:04 PM
🗣️ The data are stacking up 🗣️
Multiple, large epidemiological studies are showing that experiencing
👉🏾 Sexual violence
👉🏾 Interpersonal violence
👉🏾 PTSD
Increases the risk of getting lupus 2-3x
Multiple, large epidemiological studies are showing that experiencing
👉🏾 Sexual violence
👉🏾 Interpersonal violence
👉🏾 PTSD
Increases the risk of getting lupus 2-3x
👉🏾 Social exposures like poverty, low education, and poor health access lead to chronic personal and psychological stress
👉🏾 Chronic personal and psychological stress leads to chronic inflammation and poor health outcomes
👉🏾 Chronic personal and psychological stress leads to chronic inflammation and poor health outcomes
November 23, 2024 at 2:04 PM
👉🏾 Social exposures like poverty, low education, and poor health access lead to chronic personal and psychological stress
👉🏾 Chronic personal and psychological stress leads to chronic inflammation and poor health outcomes
👉🏾 Chronic personal and psychological stress leads to chronic inflammation and poor health outcomes
Example: The enduring effects of structural racism:
👉🏾 Redlining in the Boston area in 1930 created radicalized economic depression that persists to this day.
👉🏾 Lupus patients living in segregated neighborhoods are 2x as likely to miss appointments and 3x as likely to visit the ED
👉🏾 Redlining in the Boston area in 1930 created radicalized economic depression that persists to this day.
👉🏾 Lupus patients living in segregated neighborhoods are 2x as likely to miss appointments and 3x as likely to visit the ED
November 23, 2024 at 2:03 PM
Example: The enduring effects of structural racism:
👉🏾 Redlining in the Boston area in 1930 created radicalized economic depression that persists to this day.
👉🏾 Lupus patients living in segregated neighborhoods are 2x as likely to miss appointments and 3x as likely to visit the ED
👉🏾 Redlining in the Boston area in 1930 created radicalized economic depression that persists to this day.
👉🏾 Lupus patients living in segregated neighborhoods are 2x as likely to miss appointments and 3x as likely to visit the ED
👉🏾 Racism on multiple levels influence health inequities
👉🏾 Individual
👉🏾 Interpersonal
👉🏾 Institutional
👉🏾 Structural
👉🏾 Individual
👉🏾 Interpersonal
👉🏾 Institutional
👉🏾 Structural
November 23, 2024 at 2:02 PM
👉🏾 Racism on multiple levels influence health inequities
👉🏾 Individual
👉🏾 Interpersonal
👉🏾 Institutional
👉🏾 Structural
👉🏾 Individual
👉🏾 Interpersonal
👉🏾 Institutional
👉🏾 Structural
👉🏾 Health inequities are by nature PREVENTABLE AND UNFAIR
👉🏾 Differences in health access, living conditions, and barriers create population-based health inequities NOT differences in biology
👉🏾 Differences in health access, living conditions, and barriers create population-based health inequities NOT differences in biology
November 23, 2024 at 2:01 PM
👉🏾 Health inequities are by nature PREVENTABLE AND UNFAIR
👉🏾 Differences in health access, living conditions, and barriers create population-based health inequities NOT differences in biology
👉🏾 Differences in health access, living conditions, and barriers create population-based health inequities NOT differences in biology
What is race? During the #ACR24 Dubois memorial lecture, Dr. Candace Feldman polled the audience. How would you answer? Poll result in the reply
November 23, 2024 at 1:10 PM
What is race? During the #ACR24 Dubois memorial lecture, Dr. Candace Feldman polled the audience. How would you answer? Poll result in the reply
Exercise interventions can be extremely helpful. Patients are often scared to exercise due to fear of pain, but open discussions can ease these fears.
November 21, 2024 at 6:49 PM
Exercise interventions can be extremely helpful. Patients are often scared to exercise due to fear of pain, but open discussions can ease these fears.
Non-pharmacological strategies are first line in improving sleep. Sleep hygiene, cognitive behavioral therapy, and exercise. Discuss this at every visit. Per Patty Katz, up to 70% of RA patients experience sleep disturbance!
November 21, 2024 at 6:48 PM
Non-pharmacological strategies are first line in improving sleep. Sleep hygiene, cognitive behavioral therapy, and exercise. Discuss this at every visit. Per Patty Katz, up to 70% of RA patients experience sleep disturbance!
Controlling disease activity with effective DMARDs AND minimizing steroids are key to improving sleep in rheum patients. Even 5mg of steroids per day can disrupt sleep
November 21, 2024 at 6:46 PM
Controlling disease activity with effective DMARDs AND minimizing steroids are key to improving sleep in rheum patients. Even 5mg of steroids per day can disrupt sleep
Poor sleep quality also associates with cognitive impairment, cardiovascular risk, immune dysfunction, and even risk of developing autoimmune disease!
November 21, 2024 at 6:45 PM
Poor sleep quality also associates with cognitive impairment, cardiovascular risk, immune dysfunction, and even risk of developing autoimmune disease!
Sleep disruption increases inflammatory cytokines like IL6 and TNFalpha even in healthy people. Modest reductions in sleep time—just 6 hours—increases these cytokines compared to 8 hours
November 21, 2024 at 6:41 PM
Sleep disruption increases inflammatory cytokines like IL6 and TNFalpha even in healthy people. Modest reductions in sleep time—just 6 hours—increases these cytokines compared to 8 hours
We are awake during the day and asleep at night due to light which is the main driver of central circadian rhythms. Peripheral circadian rhythms are additionally driven by feeding and exercise—and disrupted by steroids
November 21, 2024 at 6:39 PM
We are awake during the day and asleep at night due to light which is the main driver of central circadian rhythms. Peripheral circadian rhythms are additionally driven by feeding and exercise—and disrupted by steroids