Arthritis

Editor's Note

Given the ever-increasing role of artificial intelligence (AI) in family medicine, editors of 10 family medicine publications have collaborated to create a joint statement about AI in scholarly publications. The editorial defines AI and generative AI; reviews their role in academic writing and research; discusses the impact on diversity, equity, and inclusion; and provides guiding principles on using AI in scholarly publications. It was simultaneously published on January 13, 2025, and can be found at Schrager S, Seehusen DA, Sexton S, et al. Use of AI in family medicine publications: a joint editorial from journal editors. Am Fam Physician. 2025;111(1):6-9.

This is not the first time that editors across family medicine have collaborated on consequential topics. Previously, joint statements were written on systemic racism and health disparities, evidence-based medicine, and the Strength of Recommendation Taxonomy.^1,2 We are proud of this ongoing collaboration across journals in our specialty to help advance scholarship in family medicine and enable us to provide the best care for the patients and communities we serve.

Sumi M. Sexton, MD, Editor-in-Chief
American Family Physician and FP Essentials
Georgetown University School of Medicine,
Washington, District of Columbia

Heli Naik, DO, CAQSM, is assistant director of the family medicine residency program at Rutgers University/Robert Wood Johnson University Hospital Somerset in Somerville, New Jersey. She completed a fellowship and holds a certificate of added qualification in primary care sports medicine. Her clinical interests include arthritis, injury prevention, osteopathic manipulation, and exercise medicine prescription.

Thomas Trojian, MD, CAQSM, is clinical director of Student Health Services at Temple University in Philadelphia. He has served on multiple national and international clinical practice guideline committees concerning nonoperative management of osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. He has lectured on osteoarthritis treatment at national and international meetings. Dr. Trojian has participated in the Health Disparities in Osteoarthritis workshop organized by the National Institutes of Health.

Fern E. Kopp-Mulberg, DO, is a veteran clinician educator and experienced academic physician in family medicine. She has provided consultation on the preoperative, perioperative, and postoperative management of patients with knee and hip osteoarthritis requiring arthroplasty.

Arundathi Jayatilleke, MD, MS, is an associate professor in the Department of Medicine at the Lewis Katz School of Medicine at Temple University. She is chief of the Section of Rheumatology at Temple University Hospital. She previously served as program director of the rheumatology fellowship program at Temple University and at Drexel University Hahnemann Hospital in Philadelphia. Her career has focused on improving medical education and clinical care, including interprofessional and interdisciplinary collaboration. She has served on several American College of Rheumatology committees as well as the organization’s Reproductive Health in Rheumatic Diseases Guideline team.

Disclosure: It is the policy of the AAFP that all individuals in a position to control CME content disclose any relationships with ineligible companies upon nomination/invitation of participation. Disclosure documents are reviewed for potential relevant financial relationships. If relevant financial relationships are identified, mitigation strategies are agreed to prior to confirmation of participation. Only those participants who had no relevant financial relationships or who agreed to an identified mitigation process prior to their participation were involved in this CME activity. All individuals in a position to control content for this activity have indicated they have no relevant financial relationships to disclose.

• Diagnose osteoarthritis of the knee and hip.
• Recommend appropriate pharmacologic and nonpharmacologic treatments for knee osteoarthritis.
• Manage preoperative testing for patients undergoing knee or hip arthroplasty.
• Counsel patients on risk factors for postoperative venous thromboembolism, periprosthetic joint infection, and arthroplasty failure.
• Select appropriate tests for evaluation of patients with suspected septic arthritis.
• Determine initial treatment for patients with septic arthritis.
• Summarize laboratory tests for diagnosis and initial treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
• Counsel patients about treatment options for rheumatoid arthritis.