History of the Czech Society of Rheumatology

The Czech Society of Rheumatology was founded on April 3, 1969, with Prof. František Lenoch, MD, DSc. as its first president. After his passing in 1971, Assoc. Prof. V. Rejholec, CSc. took over the leadership. In 1990, Prof. Karel Trnavský, MD, DSc. was elected president, followed by Prof. Zbyněk Hrnčíř, MD, DSc. in 1993. From 2001 to 2009, the society was led by Prof. Karel Pavelka, MD, DSc.. In 2010, Prof. Jiří Vencovský, MD, DSc. became the president and was re-elected in 2013 and 2017. For the 2022–2025 term, Prof. Ladislav Šenolt, MD, Ph.D. was elected as the society’s president.

Since 1956, national rheumatology congresses have been held annually in various cities of the former Czechoslovakia. After the dissolution of Czechoslovakia in 1993, these congresses have been organized alternately by the Czech Society of Rheumatology ČLS JEP and the Slovak Rheumatology Society SLS. From its inception, the society has regularly organized scientific meetings with international participation. Among the most notable events were the XII World Congress of Rheumatology (ILAR) in 1969 in Prague, the First Prague Rheumatology Symposium under the umbrella of EULAR in 1973 in Karolinum, and the Annual European Congress of Rheumatology (EULAR) in 2001, which welcomed over 8,000 participants from around the world. The president of the 2001 EULAR congress was Prof. Karel Pavelka, MD, DSc. The Czech Rheumatology Society has also co-organized several EULAR postgraduate courses.

Scientific and Educational Events

Traditional national rheumatology events included the Třeboň Rheumatology Days, held since 1974, and the Bohdaneč Rheumatology Days, which, due to capacity reasons, were relocated to Jáchymov Spa in 2003, leading to the Jáchymov Rheumatology Days, which continued until 2015. Following this tradition, the Winter Rheumatology Days were established, with the first event held in 2018 in Plzeň. In 2024, the Winter Rheumatology Days took place for the first time in Liberec, followed by České Budějovice in 2025, and are planned for Ostrava and Karlovy Vary in the coming years.

The Czech Society of Rheumatology plays an essential role in events that bridge rheumatology with other medical disciplines, including orthopedics, internal medicine, and rehabilitation medicine. In the past, this included Rheuma-surgical Days and Internal Medicine Days. Every year, the Czech Society of Rheumatology actively participates in the Congress of the Czech Society of Internal Medicine ČLS JEP, where it organizes a dedicated rheumatology session. Additionally, every two years, the Czech Society of Rheumatology organizes the traditional Slapy Symposium. With a more than 30-year history, this event promotes interdisciplinary collaboration between rheumatologists, orthopedic surgeons, and rehabilitation specialists, fostering professional discussions and advancing patient care. The Young Rheumatologists’ Seminar is another long-standing event. Initially held biennially, its popularity and growing interest led to its annual organization. Since 2023, the Czech Society of Rheumatology has also organized the Summer School of Rheumatology, aimed at providing medical students with a comprehensive introduction to rheumatology as a rapidly evolving discipline.

Scientific Publishing

Since January 1994, the Czech Society of Rheumatology has published its own journal, Česká revmatologie (Czech Rheumatology). Initially issued by the publishing center of ČLS JEP, it transitioned to Mladá Fronta a.s. in 2013 and has been published by EEZY Publishing, s.r.o. since 2021. The journal’s predecessor was the Fysiatrický a revmatologický věstník (Physiatric and Rheumatologic Bulletin), which was published for 73 years, comprising 71 volumes. Until 2013, the Editor-in-Chief of Czech Rheumatology was Prof. Jiří Vencovský, MD, DSc., followed by Marta Olejárová, MD, CSc., who has held this position since 2014. The journal is published quarterly and serves as a key platform for disseminating the latest scientific findings in rheumatology.