Journal of Rheumatology

OBJECTIVE: In 2015, the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) published recommendations for the use of imaging for the diagnosis and management of spondyloarthritis in clinical practice. These recommendations included the use of ultrasound in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), but the management was not clearly distinguished from spondyloarthritis. We aimed to systematically review the literature on the role of ultrasound for the management of PsA, and to propose pragmatic algorithms for its use in clinical practice...

OBJECTIVE: Compare the incidence of total knee arthroplasty (TKA) within the first 5 years after knee OA diagnoses between matched groups of individuals with or without comorbid diagnoses of obesity and/or depression. We hypothesized that the greatest incidence of TKA within 5 years of OA diagnosis would be in the cohort of individuals with combined obesity and depression. METHODS: The PearlDiver Mariner Ortho157 database was used to identify four cohorts of individuals with knee OA based on diagnosis codes that were matched by age, sex, and Charlson Comorbidity Index: a group without diagnoses associated with depression or obesity (Control), those with obesity but not depression (Obesity), those with depression but not obesity (Depression), and those with diagnoses of both obesity and depression (Depression+Obesity)...

OBJECTIVE: We have previously reported elevated levels of the complement lectin pathway proteins L-ficolin and H-ficolin in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients compared with healthy controls. The aim of this study was to investigate these biomarkers in a cross-sectional cohort of patients suffering from low back pain (LBP). Furthermore, we aimed to investigate changes in lectin pathway protein levels after initiation of adalimumab (TNF-inhibitor) in a longitudinal cohort of axSpA patients...

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that continues into adulthood in approximately 50% of patients.1 Growth considerations are unique to pediatric-onset disease and can lead to permanent joint damage.

there is no front line everything is war front territory of the organism under attack enemy takes control.

OBJECTIVE: Children with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM) and antibodies to melanoma differentiation associated gene 5 (anti-MDA5) are at increased risk of severe disease complications, including interstitial lung disease (ILD). Data regarding treatment of disease complications in this patient population is limited. In this study, we examined the disease course of children with JDM and anti-MDA5 antibodies before and after treatment with rituximab (RTX). METHODS: Patients (age 2-21 years) seen at the Children's Hospital at Montefiore between July 2012 and August 2021, with a diagnosis of JDM, positive anti-MDA5 positive antibodies, evidence of ILD, and who were treated with rituximab were eligible for inclusion...

Gout is a common condition characterized by the deposition of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in articular and nonarticular structures.1 The formation of MSU crystals has been reported in atypical locations such as the eye, nose, spine, and viscera.2 .

The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2022 guidelines for nonpharmacologic management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) include a conditional recommendation for physical therapy (PT).1 Known disparities by socioeconomic status (SES) and race and ethnicity in RA prevalence, patient-reported outcomes of function, disease activity, and access exist and persist over time.2,3 .

I am very much enjoying your trip down memory lane looking back at important articles in The Journal of Rheumatology I was especially interested in your "Looking Back at the 1990s." I would like to point out an important milestone in The Journal that also took place in the 1990s, that is, the establishment of Pediatric Rheumatology as a section in The Journal .

OBJECTIVE: To study changes in retention of first biologic DMARD therapy over a period of 15 years in an inception cohort of patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS). METHODS: We assessed patient and disease characteristics and drug survival of patients starting a biologic (Tumor Necrosis Factor inhibitor, TNFi) therapy between 2004 and 2019 in routine care at Reade. Starts were classified as Early (start 2004-2008), Intermediate (2009-2013) and Recent (2014-2018)...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate knee and multi-joint osteoarthritis (KOA and MJOA) and compare features by sex and race/ethnicity in a population-based cohort. METHODS: Participants (n=544) enrolled in the Johnston County Health Study (JoCoHS) as of January 2023 were categorized by radiographic and symptomatic KOA and MJOA phenotypes and frequencies were compared by sex and race/ethnicity. Symptoms were assessed according to the Knee and Osteoarthritis Outcomes Scores (KOOS) and pain, aching, stiffness scores (PAS) at various joints...

OBJECTIVE: Anti-melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDA5)-positive dermatomyositis with interstitial lung disease (DM-ILD) progresses rapidly and has a poor prognosis. Recently, we reported the efficacy of a combination therapy comprising high-dose glucocorticoids (GCs), calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs), and intravenous cyclophosphamide (IVCY) in a multicenter clinical trial (UMIN000014344). In the present study, we evaluated the long-term outcomes and effects of induction therapy on the maintenance of remission...

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to determine how two definitions of end-stage knee osteoarthritis (esKOA) and each component (knee symptoms, persistent knee pain, radiographic severity, and presence of limited mobility or instability) related to future knee replacement (KR). METHODS: We performed knee-based analyses of Osteoarthritis Initiative data from baseline and the first four annual follow-up visits and data on KR until the fifth yearly contact. We calculated a base model using common risk factors for KR in logistic regression models with generalized estimating equations...

Infections during treatment with biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) are some of the most frequent adverse events in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and with rheumatic diseases in general. We report a case of a 41-year-old White male with axSpA who developed a Leishmania donovani infection while under treatment with adalimumab (ADA).

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous autoimmune disease with the potential to affect multiple organ systems and to lead to significant morbidity and mortality. SLE disproportionately affects women and racial or ethnic minority populations, and health disparities have been described for SLE incidence, prevalence, outcomes, and mortality.1 .

Acute guttate psoriasis (AGP) is considered an uncommon variant of psoriasis (PsO), characterized as a widespread eruption of erythematous, psoriasiform papules, and plaques on the trunk, extremities, and scalp. Predisposing factors include a family history of PsO, variation in the main PsO susceptibility gene HLA-Cw*0602 , and previous infection with viruses or acute β-hemolytic Streptococcus A program focused on controversies and recent advances in understanding AGP was presented at the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2022 annual meeting...

OBJECTIVE: Previous studies suggested that distinct phenotypes of eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) could be determined by presence or absence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA), reflecting predominant vasculitic or eosinophilic processes, respectively. This study explored whether ANCA-based clusters or other clusters can be identified in EGPA. METHODS: This study used standardized data of 15 European centers for patients with EGPA fulfilling widely accepted classification criteria...

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of COVID-19 infection among patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), understand patients' perspectives regarding their risk of COVID-19 infection, and evaluate the standard of virtual care offered during the early phases of the pandemic. METHODS: An online survey was conducted between June and September 2021 in PsA patients who had consented to email contact. The survey was completed by 152/193 (79%) patients who had consented to the study...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the relative prevalence of 8 rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) across racial/ethnic groups within the Patient-Centered Research Network (PCORnet). METHODS: Electronic health records from participating PCORnet institutions and systems from January 1, 2013 to December 31, 2018 were used to identify adult patients with ≥2 diagnosis codes for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), osteoporosis, granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), giant cell arteritis (GCA), and Takayasu's arteritis (TAK)...

Pregnancy in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can increase the risk of disease flare, which in turn increases adverse pregnancy outcomes. Maternal adverse pregnancy outcomes include hypertensive disorders, increased cesarean deliveries, and death, whereas fetal adverse outcomes include fetal loss and death, preterm delivery, and intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR).1 .