Experienced Doctors

Tareq Khamis, MD

Rheumatologist

Dr. Abou-Khamis is a renowned Rheumatologist who practices in Texas, USA. He earned his medical degree at the American University of Beirut in Lebanon. He then completed a research fellowship at Baylor College of Medicine and the Debakey Heart Center. He did his residency in Internal Medicine at Good Samaritan Hospital of Maryland, one of the Johns Hopkins University affiliated Hospitals, where he also served as Chief Resident.
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Dr. Abou-Khamis completed his fellowship in Rheumatology at the University of Maryland Medical System. He has numerous publications, abstracts, and research presentations to his credit, as well as a variety of professional awards and honors. He has presented at several national and international meetings and symposia.

For the past two years, he has been practicing Internal Medicine and Rheumatology in Baltimore, Maryland and he recently moved to Houston and joined Hillcroft Medical Clinic. In his practice, he treats all kinds of arthritis from non inflammatory type like osteoarthritis and Fibromyalgia to more complex inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis, lupus, systemic sclerosis, vasculitis, sjogren’s syndrome and others. He is also experienced in infusion therapy and the practice has an on-site infusion suite that provides patients with access to such therapy if needed. He is fluent in both English and Arabic.

  • University of Maryland, Baltimore, Maryland (Fellowship, Rheumatology)
  • Good Samaritan Hospital, Baltimore, Maryland (Residency)
  • Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas (Research Fellow)
  • American University of Beirut, (MD)
  • American University of Beirut, (B.S. Chemistry)

Experience

  • Houston Institute for Clinical Research, Houston, Texas
  • Private Practice of Rheumatology, Houston, Texas

Hospital Affiliations

  • Memorial Hermann Southwest Hospital
  • Memorial Hermann Sugar Land Hospital
  • West Houston Medical Center
  • Methodist Sugar Land Hospital

Board Certifications

  • American Board of Internal Medicine
  • American Board of Rheumatology

Honors & Awards

  • Best Graduating Resident Award
  • Best Teaching Resident Award
  • Best Graduating Fellow Award
  • Internal Medicine Chief Resident
  • Co-Chair, Chief Resident Association of Baltimore
  • Planning Committee for the MedStar Chief Residents Retreat
  • Graduate Medical Education Committee at Good Samaritan Hospital
  • Residency Advisory Committee
  • Medical Resident Society

Publications

  • Tamim H, Terro A, Kassem H, Ghazi A, Abou-Khamis T, Abdul Hay M, Musharrafieh U. Tabacco use by university students, Lebanon, 2001.  Addiction. 2003;98(7):933-9.
  • Musharrafieh U, Rahi A, Kassem H, Abou-Khamis T, Abdul Hay M, Hourani R, Ghazi A, Tamim H. Physical activity among university students in Lebanon. Aust N Z J Public Health.
  • Dewald O, Zymek P, Winkelmann K, Koerting A, Ren G, Abou-Khamis T, Michael LH, Rollins BJ, Entman ML, Frangogiannis NG. CCL2/Monocyte chemoattractant Protein-1 regulates inflammatory responses critical to healing myocardial infarcts. Circ Res. 2005;96(8):881-9. Epub 2005 Mar 17.
  • Huebener P, Abou-Khamis T, Zymek P, Bujak M, Ying X, Chatila K, Haudek S, Thakker G, Frangogiannis NG. CD44 is critically involved in infarct healing by regulating the inflammatory and fibrotic response. J Immunol. 2008;180(4):2625-33.

Book Chapters

  • Gallego E, Abou-Khamis T, Flores R. Rheumatology. In: Wolfsthal SD, editor. National Medical Series – Medicine. 7th Edition. Lippincott, Williams and Wilkens, Baltimore, MD. In press for 2010-2011.

Abstracts

  • C-C Chemokines in Healing Myocardial Infarcts. Studies Using MCP-1/CCL2-/-and MIP-1α/CCL3 -/- Mice. FASEB Meeting, San Diego 2005.
  • Abou-Khamis T, Dewald O, Zymek P, Leucker T, Ren G, Rollins BJ*, Entman ML, and Frangogiannis NG.
  • Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. *Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein (MCP)-1/CCL2 Critically Regulates Infarct Healing. ESCI Meeting. Athens, Greece, 2005.
  • Dewald O*, Zymek P*, Abou-Khamis T*, Leucker T*, Rollins BJ#, Entman ML*,   Frangogiannis NG*.
  • *Baylor College of Medicine, Houston, Texas. #Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts.
  • High Dose Cyclophosphamide vs. Traditional Regimen in Lupus Nephritis. American College of Rheumatology meeting 2007.
  • Abou-Khamis T, Magder L, Jones R, Brodsky R, Petri M.
  • Oral Presentation: Tabacco Use by University Students, Lebanon 2001.
  • Musharrafieh U, Terro A, Kassem H, Abou-Khamis T, Tamim H.
  • Abstract Presentation: Tricuspid Endocarditis. A Big Lung Abscess.
  • American College of Physicians, Maryland Chapter meeting. 2005. Abou-Khamis T, Khanna G.

Residency/Fellowship Program Presentations

  • Heart Diseases in Lupus. Rheumatology Grand Rounds. 
  • Juvenile Onset RA. Rheumatology Grand Rounds.
  • Wegeners Granulomatosis. Case presentation. Rheumatology Grand Rounds. 
  • Trigeminal Neuralgia. Topic Overview. Teaching Rounds.
  • HIV prophylaxis. Topic Overview. Teaching Rounds. 
  • Hypertrophic Cardiomyopathy. Topic Overview. Teaching Rounds. 
  • Gatifloxacin Therapy and the Risk Dysglycemia in Older Patients. Teaching Rounds. 
  • Current Concepts: Community Acquired Bacterial meningitis. Teaching Rounds. 
  • Pneumomediastinum: Chariman Rounds.
  • Peripartum Cardiomyopathy. Chairman Rounds. 
  • Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Overview of Pathogenesis and Current Treatments. Union Memorial Hospital Grand Rounds.
  • Large and Medium Vessel Vasculitis Overview and Management. Union Memorial Hospital Grand Rounds.
  • Scleroderma. Union Memorial Hospital Grand Rounds
  • Ideopathic Inflammatory Myopathies. Union Memorial Hospital Grand Rounds
  • Short-Term Corticosteroids Then Lamivudine and Plasma Exchange to Treat Hepatitis B Virus Related Polyarteritis Nodosa, Grand Rounds. University of Maryland.
  • Herpes Simplex Virus Infections of the CNS: Encephalitis and Meningitis including Mollaret's. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland. 
  • Sarcoid Myopathy. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland. 
  • Interferon Gamma Assay for Detection of M. Tuberculosis Infection. Journal Club. University of Maryland.
  • Primary Amyloidosis. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland. 
  • The Varicella Zoster Virus Vasculopathis. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland.
  • Lupus and the CNS. Review. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland. 
  • Daily Needle Aspirations vs. Surgical Lavage for the Treatment of Bacterial Septic Arthritis in Adults. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland. 
  • Arthritis Associated with IBD. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland
  • MMF vs. Cyclophosphamide for Lupus Nephritis. Journal Club. University of Maryland.
  • Catastrophic Antiphospholipid Syndrome. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland
  • Focal Eosinophilic Myositis. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland.
  • PRECISION TRIAL. Journal Club. University of Maryland. 
  • Exfoliative Dermatitis Overview. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland.
  • Pregnancy Outcome in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathy. Grand Rounds. University of Maryland. 
  • Experience with Rituximan in Scleroderma: Results From a One Year, Proof-of-Principle Study. Journal Club. University of Maryland. 
  • HORIZON TRIAL. Journal Club. University of Maryland. 

Residency Research

  • Implementation of An Integrated Multicenter Approach to Increase Perioperative Beta Blocker Use in Eligible Patients Undergoing Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty (Multicenter Quality Improvement Project)
  • High Dose Cyclophosphamide vs. Traditional NIH Regimen for Severe Lupus Nephritis – presented at the American College of Rheumatology

Research Protocols

  • A Multicenter, Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled, Parallel Group Study of CNTO 136 (sirukumab), a Human Anti-IL-6 Monoclonal Antibody, Administered Subcutaneously, in Subjects with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Despite Anti-TNFα Therapy. Protocol CNTO136ARA3003.
  • A Multicenter, Open-Label, Long-Term Extension Study of WA22762 and NA25220 to Evaluate Safety and Efficacy of Subcutaneous Tocilizumab in Patients with Moderate to Severe Rheumatoid Arthritis. Protocol ML28338
  • Sub-Study Protocol in CNTO136ARA3004: A Multicenter, Parallel-Group Study of Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of CNTO 136 (sirukumab) for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Subjects Completing Treatment in Studies CNTO136ARA3002 (SIRROUND-D) and CNTO136ARA3003 (SIRROUND-T). Protocol CNTO136ARA3004.
  • A Multicenter, Parallel-Group Study of Long-Term Safety and Efficacy of CNTO 136 (sirukumab) for Rheumatoid Arthritis in Subjects Completing Treatment in Studies CNTO136ARA3002 (SIRROUND-D) and CNTO136ARA3003 (SIRROUND-T). Protocol CNTO136ARA3004.
  • A Randomized, Double-Blind Trial Assessing the Impact of Methotrexate Discontinuation on the Efficacy of Subcutaneous Tocilizumab with Methotrexate Therapy. Protocol ML28776.