Mortality in ankylosing spondylitis according to treatment: comment on the article by Ben Shabat et al

ably well-experienced practices exclusively used non–anti-TNF biologic agents; in 2 practices, these drugs were given to half of all sarcoidosis patients! Largely due to the seminal work of J. G. Scadding, pulmonologists have historically been in the vanguard in the field of sarcoidosis, but rheumatologists have yet to define their place. Of the 27 Centers of Excellence in the US designated by the World Association of Sarcoidosis and Other Granulomatous Disorders, 24 centers list pulmonologists as heads or coheads; in only 4 centers are rheumatologists listed as part of the leadership. Yet in contrast, rheumatologists were a prominent voice in a recent international statement on drug management of sarcoidosis during the COVID-19 pandemic (3). Rheumatologists are perceived to have and indeed do have much to offer in the care of patients with sarcoidosis. Exciting developments are happening in the field, and the rheumatology community can take the initiative by first bolstering their medical education curricula. Other key arenas in which rheumatologists can have a positive impact include the refinement of classification and diagnostic criteria, the generation of tools to assess and monitor multiorgan disease activity and damage, and the creation of new medications and the repurposing of existing therapies. Author disclosures are available at https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/ action/downloadSupplement?doi=10.1002%2Facr.24970&file=acr24970sup-0001-Disclosureform.pdf.