Clinical Rheumatology

OBJECTIVES: Persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have lower cardiorespiratory fitness (CRF) than healthy individuals. We sought to identify variables explaining the association between RA status and reduced CRF. METHODS: RA patients recruited from two Norwegian hospitals and blood donors recruited as controls filled in questionnaires about physical activity, physical symptoms, and psychological factors. Estimated CRF (eCRF) was calculated from non-exercise models...

OBJECTIVES: Microvascular damage is thought to play a role in the pathogenesis of sarcoidosis. We aimed to evaluate the nailfold capillaroscopy (NVC) pattern to detect microvascular changes in patients with sarcoidosis and the relationship of capillaroscopic parameters with clinical variables and disease-related measurements. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Forty-two patients with sarcoidosis and 42 age- and sex-matched patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and healthy individuals were included in this cross-sectional case-control study...

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a febrile disease with hyperinflammation characterized by activated macrophages with phagocytosis. The treatment strategy of secondary HLH has not been clearly established. Because of the high mortality rate and poor prognosis of HLH, alternative treatment strategies have been sought in treatment-resistant cases. Recently, there have been several reports that ruxolitinib, a Janus kinase (JAK) 1/JAK2 inhibitor, was effective against secondary HLH. Since the pathogenesis of HLH involves the overproduction of cytokines and JAK transmits a variety of cytokine signals, JAK inhibitors are thought to be effective in HLH...

BACKGROUND: The aim of this study was to analyze the relationship of the estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) blood concentrations in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. METHOD: Patients with SLE who had been taking HCQ for more than 12 months were recruited. All subjects gave written informed consent. Various clinical characteristics and laboratory values were examined. The blood concentration of HCQ was measured by high-performance liquid chromatography, and the relationship of eGFR to HCQ blood concentration was mainly investigated...

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INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVES: DISH has traditionally been considered a non-inflammatory rheumatic disorder. Currently, an inflammatory component has been theorized in the early phases of this condition (EDISH). The study is aimed at investigating a possible relationship between EDISH and chronic inflammation. METHOD: Analytical-observational study: participants from the Camargo Cohort Study were enrolled. We collected clinical, radiological, and laboratory data. C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin-to-globulin ratio (AGR), and triglyceride-glucose (TyG) index were assessed...

OBJECTIVE: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common extramuscular manifestation of the anti-synthetase syndrome (ASS). Patients with ASS-ILD are at risk in developing a progressive fibrosing phenotype despite appropriate treatments. This study investigated the risk factors and the predictive value of multiple risk factors for progressive pulmonary fibrosis (PPF) in patients with ASS-ILD. METHODS: Ninety patients with a diagnosis of ASS and evidence of ILD on high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were recruited...

INTRODUCTION/OBJECTIVE: To determine changes in gait biomechanics, quadricep strength, physical function, and daily steps after an extended-release corticosteroid knee injection at 4 and 8 weeks post-injection in individuals with knee osteoarthritis as well as between responders and non-responders based on changes in self-reported knee function. METHOD: The single-arm, clinical trial included three study visits (baseline, 4 weeks, and 8 weeks post-injection), where participants received an extended-release corticosteroid injection following the baseline visit...

OBJECTIVE: We aimed to investigate the efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in adult anti-melanoma differentiation-associated 5 gene (Anti-MDA5) antibody-positive dermatomyositis (DM) patients and evaluate the effects of tofacitinib on peripheral lymphocyte subsets. METHODS: An open-label study was conducted of 15 new-onset, untreated adult patients with anti-MDA5-positive DM for tofacitinib with a dose of 5mg twice per day. The primary outcome was defined by the total improvement score after treatment for 6 months, classified according to the 2016 American College of Rheumatology/ European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) response criteria for adult DM and polymyositis...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

In this 2-year retrospective case series, we characterise the calcium pyrophosphate deposition disease (CPPD) inpatient cohort at a single centre and assess the efficacy and safety of anakinra in its treatment. Adult inpatients with CPPD between 1st September 2020 and 30th September 2022 were identified by ICD-10 codes and confirmed based on clinical diagnosis and either CPP crystals on aspirate or chondrocalcinosis on imaging. Charts were reviewed for demographic, clinical, biochemical data, treatment choice, and response...

OBJECTIVE: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a heterogeneous disease with multiple clinical manifestations, which causes a significant deterioration in the quality of life (QoL). The Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Quality of Life Questionnaire (L-QoL) is a lupus-specific measure used to determine the burden of the disease and it applies the need-based model of QoL. Our aim was to produce the first successfully validated foreign language version of the questionnaire. METHODS: The development of the Bulgarian version involved three stages: translation, field testing and psychometric evaluation...

INTRODUCTION: Gout is considered uncommon among Black Africans. It is commoner in men and associated with obesity, hypertension, and chronic kidney disease (CKD). This study aims to determine the pattern and frequency of gout and its associated factors in Maiduguri, north-eastern Nigeria. METHOD: A retrospective study of gout patients managed at the rheumatology clinic of the University of Maiduguri Teaching Hospital (UMTH), Nigeria, from January 2014 to December 2021...

Role of flow-mediated dilatation (FMD) testing in the assessment of the macrovascular dysfunction in systemic sclerosis (SS) and correlation of FMD values with disease severity. Twenty-five patients of SS and 25 healthy age-matched controls were recruited. Modified Rodnan skin thickness score (MRSS) was used for skin thickness assessment. FMD values were measured in the brachial artery. FMD values done at baseline before the initiation of treatment were lower in SSc patients (4.044 ± 2.742) compared to the healthy controls (11...

BACKGROUND: A better understanding of the epidemiological profile of systemic sclerosis (SSc) in Thais could improve care, human resource deployment, and public health budgeting. OBJECTIVES: We aimed to determine the incidence and prevalence of SSc in Thailand between 2017 and 2020. METHODS: A descriptive epidemiological study was performed using the Information and Communication Technology Center, Ministry of Public Health database, comprising all types of healthcare providers during the study period...

OBJECTIVES: The objectives were to explore the response to intraarticular triamcinolone acetonide (TA) injection in children with non-systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and factors associated with time to arthritis flare. METHODS: This was a retrospective cohort study of children with non-systemic JIA who received intraarticular TA injections at a tertiary care hospital in Bangkok, Thailand. Response to intraarticular TA injection was defined as absence of arthritis at 6 months after procedure...

OBJECTIVES: Periodic fever, aphthous stomatitis, pharyngitis, and adenitis (PFAPA) syndrome is the most common periodic fever syndrome during early childhood period with regular febrile attacks of sterile upper airway inflammation. The cessation of attacks following tonsillectomy points to fundamental role of tonsil tissue on etiopathogenesis of disease, which is not clarified satisfactorily. The aim of this study is to explore the immunological basis of PFAPA by evaluating the cellular properties of tonsils, and microbial exposition such as Helicobacter pylori on tonsillectomy materials...

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Pediatric vasculitides sometimes involve central nervous system (CNS). The manifestations are diverse, ranging from headache, seizures, vertigo, ataxia, behavioral changes, neuropsychiatric symptoms, consciousness disorders, and even cerebrovascular (CV) accidents that may lead to irreversible impairment and even death. Stroke, on the other hand despite the great progress in prevention and treatment, is still one of the leading causes of morbidity and mortality in the general population. The aim of this article was to summarize CNS manifestations and CV issues observed in primary pediatric vasculitides and the current knowledge of etiology and CV risk factors, preventive strategies, and therapeutic options in this target patient population...