Journal of Rheumatology

The Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) Collaborative Research Network (CRN)/research committee met during the GRAPPA 2023 annual meeting. Updates were provided on GRAPPA research projects, including the Axial Involvement in Psoriatic Arthritis (AXIS), Axial Psoriatic Arthritis Molecular and Clinical Characterisation Study, Diagnostic Ultrasound Enthesitis Tool (DUET), and Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis of the Effectiveness of Advanced Therapies (SAGE) studies, as well as the Health Initiatives in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Consortium European States (HIPPOCRATES) and Elucidating the Landscape of Immunoendotypes in Psoriatic Skin and Synovium (ELLIPSS) studies...

At the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2023 annual meeting, members were updated on a number of ongoing activities during the key project update session. These activities included the Axial Involvement in Psoriatic Arthritis (AXIS) cohort, the Axial Psoriatic Arthritis Molecular and Clinical Characterization study, the Diagnostic Ultrasound Enthesitis Tool (DUET) study, the Sex- and Gender-Based Analysis of the Effectiveness of Advanced Therapies in Psoriatic Arthritis (SAGE-PsA) study, the Health Initiatives in Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis Consortium European States (HIPPOCRATES), the GRAPPA slide library, and the GRAPPA treatment recommendations...

The nonprofit organization International Dermatology Outcome Measures (IDEOM) is committed to improving the implementation of patient-centered outcome measures in dermatologic disease. At a conference adjacent to the Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis (GRAPPA) 2023 annual meeting, the IDEOM Psoriatic Disease Workgroup presented updates on recent efforts in outcome measure advancement. Dr. Alice Gottlieb presented the preliminary findings of a study within the Mount Sinai Health System that aims to determine how well the IDEOM musculoskeletal (MSK) symptom framework, which uses the Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST) and the Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) instruments, functions in clinical settings...

We have updated the Canadian Rheumatology Association (CRA) guidelines for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with 3 recommendations for the use of glucocorticoids (GCs). The recommendations address the use of short-term GCs for RA flares or as bridging therapy when disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are initiated or changed, and the use of long-term GCs as adjuncts to DMARDs.

Autoinflammatory disease (AID) is a vast spectrum of disorders characterized by recurrent attacks of sterile inflammation. Since the first cloning of the familial Mediterranean fever gene in 1997, there has been a rapid rate of discovery of new AIDs. As of 2022, there have been 485 inborn errors of immunity documented by the International Union of Immunological Societies, for which many display aspects of autoinflammation. The pathophysiology of AIDs is complex. Although many are caused by rare mutations in genes that govern innate immunity, others are polygenic, where disease expression is thought to be triggered by environmental factors in genetically predisposed hosts...

OBJECTIVE: Scleritis may be idiopathic or caused by trauma, infections, or an immune-mediated disease (IMD). Our study aimed to understand the relationship between scleritis and IMD, including presenting characteristics, serologies, and treatment course. Understanding these associations may allow clinicians to risk-stratify patients and predict their clinical and treatment course. METHODS: We conducted a retrospective chart review of 341 patients with scleritis seen at a tertiary care center between January 1, 2005, and December 31, 2020...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is prevalent in many Indigenous North American First Nations (FN) and tends to be seropositive, familial, and disabling, as well as associated with highly unfavorable outcomes such as early mortality. The risk of developing RA is based on a perfect storm of gene-environment interactions underpinning this risk. The gene-environment interactions include a high frequency of shared epitope encoding HLA alleles, particularly HLA-DRB1*1402 , in the background population, and prevalent predisposing environmental factors such as smoking and periodontal disease...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

The sudden and unanticipated emergence of SARS-Cov-2 at the beginning of the present decade, associated with high morbidity and mortality among people infected, prompted the rapid emergence of telemedicine approaches for the management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The rationale was to limit the likelihood for viral contagion in a hospital outpatient setting for people rendered potentially more vulnerable by the immunosuppressive nature of many of the pharmacological interventions in the treatment armamentarium...

Scleroderma renal crisis (SRC) is a rare, life-threatening complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and can sometimes be the first manifestation of the disease.1 A 56-year-old female presented with acute encephalopathy requiring intubation and a systolic blood pressure of 230 mmHg; no information was available about her medical history.

OBJECTIVE: Incidence and manifestations of post-acute sequelae of COVID-19 (PASC) are poorly defined among immunosuppressed populations. We reported, phenotyped, and assessed risk factors for PASC in adults with systemic autoimmune diseases. METHODS: Persons ≥18 years with systemic autoimmune diseases were recruited into a national, prospective cohort of SARS-CoV-2 vaccination between 12/2020-4/2021. Serial surveys assessed vaccination status, SARS-CoV-2 infection incidence, and disease flares...

Technological progress is changing the way we connect and interact, leading to growing modifications of communication strategies and social dynamics. Younger generations have in part changed their main information sources from traditional print journals to more interactive online resources.

Chronic nonbacterial osteomyelitis (CNO) is an autoinflammatory bone disease that most commonly affects children and adolescents.1 Pain is a common problem in pediatric rheumatic diseases, with adolescents reporting reduced physical functioning, school absenteeism, anxiety, and depression.2 .

OBJECTIVE: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with an elevated dementia risk. The study aimed to examine how different diagnostic dementia definitions perform in those with RA compared to individuals without RA. METHODS: This study population included 2050 individuals (1025 with RA) from a retrospective population-based cohort in southern Minnesota and compared the performance of three code-based dementia diagnostic algorithms with medical record review diagnosis of dementia...

Systemic sclerosis is a complex, multi-organ disease which causes substantial and progressive symptoms and impairs quality of life. International guidelines recommend early, integrated palliative care for patients with advanced cardiopulmonary disease such as heart failure, and interstitial lung disease, as this care can improve patient, caregiver and health care outcomes. In this article, we examine the potential need and role for palliative care in systemic sclerosis. We propose early, integrated palliative care could improve symptom control and quality of life, and recommend a research agenda for palliative care in systemic sclerosis, to address the lack of evidence in this area...

OBJECTIVE: To provide a set of living treatment recommendations that will provide contemporary guidance on the management of patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in Canada. METHODS: The Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC), in conjunction with the Canadian Rheumatology Association, organized a treatment recommendations panel composed of rheumatologists, researchers, allied health professionals, and a patient advocate. A Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE)-ADOLOPMENT approach was used in which existing guidelines were adopted or adapted to a Canadian context...

OBJECTIVE: Systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma (ssSSc), formally described in 1962, is a subset of SSc which, unlike limited (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous (dcSSc) forms, lacks skin fibrosis. According to the 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria, SSc can be diagnosed in the absence of skin thickening, even if this is expected to develop later in disease course. Driven by a fatal case of ssSSc with cardiac involvement, we analysed published data on ssSSc prevalence and severity. METHODS: A systematic literature review and qualitative synthesis of SSc cohorts with data on ssSSc was performed...