Open Rheumatology Journal

Background: STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism has been evidently associated with susceptibility to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in European and Eastern Asian populations, whereas studies in other countries reported otherwise. Objective: We investigated the distribution of STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism in a group of Syrian RA patients. Methods: Eighty-one RA patients and forty healthy controls were enrolled and STAT4 rs7574865 was genotyped by direct sequencing...

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Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic and inflammatory disease that affects about 1% of the world's population. Almost 70% of RA patients have a cardiovascular disease such as Systemic Arterial Hypertension (SAH). Inflammatory cytokines are clearly involved in the pathogenesis of RA and correlated with SAH. Objective: It is necessary to understand whether the antihypertensive drugs have a dual effect as immunomodulators and which one is the best choice for RA SAH patients...

BACKGROUND: Tocilizumab is increasingly used in the treatment of large vessel vasculitis with recent approval for giant cell arteritis. OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab in large vessel vasculitis in a real-life setting using different routes of administration. METHODS: Retrospective analysis of consecutive patients at a tertiary rheumatology department who received tocilizumab for large vessel vasculitis. RESULTS: A total of 11 patients were treated with tocilizumab (8 giant cell arteritis, 2 large vessel vasculitis associated with rheumatoid arthritis, 1 Takayasu arteritis) after a median of 2 other steroid-sparing agents (range 1-4)...

Background: Fatty Acid (FA) composition of serum has been associated with many markers of inflammation. In this study, we tried to examine plasma Saturated Fatty Acid (SFA) and Monounsaturated Fatty Acid (MUFA) composition in Behçet's Disease (BD) patients. The associations between the circulating FA levels and some markers of inflammation have also been investigated. Methods: This study is a cross-sectional one. In fact, a total of 101 BD patients and healthy controls group of 99 subjects are enrolled...

INTRODUCTION: The Mean Platelet Volume (MPV) is a platelet activation biomarker that has been recently correlated with disease activity in SLE. We aimed to evaluate the MPV in patients with SLE comparing it with healthy individuals, to study the correlation between MPV and SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) in SLE patients and to analyze possible correlation between MPV and Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR), C-Reactive Protein (CRP), and complement components C3 and C4. METHODS: This is a cross-sectional study in which 81 patients with SLE according to the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) diagnostic classification criteria and 58 healthy controls were included...

Background: Aseptic osteonecrosis of the hip is a clinical entity in which the necrotic process of the bone leads to pain and progressive disability. Objective: Pamidronate seems to reduce drastically the activation of the osteoclasts so that it can be useful only in the early stage of the disease, delaying the time of bone collapsing. Method: A 27-years-old male was treated with pamidronate for three consecutive days every four weeks. Results: After three months the patient came back at control showing a marked improvement in clinical condition, referred full recover from pain and dysmotility with improvement of the quality of life, which was confirmed by the result of MRI he had for control...

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No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Objective: To discover the possibility of using microRNA155 (miRNA155) expression level as a biomarker of Behçet's Disease (BD) activity or remission. Methods: Thirty BD patients' white blood cells (WBCs) miRNA155 expression was measured and compared to WBCs miRNA155 expression in 15 healthy subjects. Assessment of disease activity was done using Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF). Results: miRNA155 expression significantly decreases with the increase of BD activity scored by BDCAF...

No abstract text is available yet for this article.

Gout is a common form of inflammatory arthritis caused by hyperuricemia and the deposition of Monosodium Urate (MSU) crystals. It is also considered as a complex disorder in which multiple genetic factors have been identified in association with its susceptibility and/or clinical outcomes. Major genes that were associated with gout include URAT1, GLUT9, OAT4, NPT1 (SLC17A1), NPT4 (SLC17A3), NPT5 (SLC17A4), MCT9, ABCG2, ABCC4, KCNQ1, PDZK1, NIPAL1, IL1β, IL-8, IL-12B, IL-23R, TNFA, MCP-1/CCL2, NLRP3, PPARGC1B, TLR4, CD14, CARD8, P2X7R, EGF, A1CF, HNF4G and TRIM46, LRP2, GKRP, ADRB3, ADH1B, ALDH2, COMT, MAOA, PRKG2, WDR1, ALPK1, CARMIL (LRRC16A), RFX3, BCAS3, CNIH-2, FAM35A and MYL2-CUX2 ...

Background: The mortality of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is quite high, which is largely due to cardiovascular complications caused by endothelial dysfunction. One of the important inflammatory mediators that contribute to RA joints arthritis of TNF-α, also proven to play a role in endothelial dysfunction and play a role in increasing intracellular lipolysis, thus increasing circulating FFA levels. Objectives: To determine the correlation between TNF-α levels with VCAM-1 levels, correlation of TNF-α levels with FFA levels, and correlation of FFA levels with VCAM-1 levels...

Behcet's disease (BD) is a chronic refractory multi-system autoimmune disorder that occurs in a genetically susceptible host. Multiple genetic factors have been identified that may contribute to the pathogenesis of BD. The major genes with polymorphisms associated with BD include HLA-B and -A, CIITA, ERAP1, MICA, IL10, IL12A, IL12RB2, IL23R, MEFV, IRF8, TNFAIP3, REL, TLR4, NOD1,2, CCR1,CCR3, GIMAP1,2,4, KLRC4, STAT4, NCOA5, FOXP3, PSORS1C1, FUT2, UBAC2, SUMO4, ADO-EGR2, CEBPB-PTPN1, and JPKL-CNTN5. These genes encode proteins involved mainly in immune regulation and inflammation, and some in transcription and post-translational modification...

Background: In recent years, the role of Vitamin D (VitD), as an immunomedulator in autoimmune diseases, has been evaluated in basic science and practice. There is a considerable volume of data on the effect of VitD position in lupus and rheumatoid arthritis exacerbation. Objective: This study aims to compare VitD serum values in lupus (SLE) and Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in the geographical region of northeastern Iran. Methods: Lupus and RA Patients were selected with various disease activity levels...

Background: Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) and osteoporosis are both chronic conditions and the relationship between them is complex. Objective: The aims of this study were to assess the prevalence of Low Bone Mineral density (LBMD, i.e ., osteopenia and osteoporosis), as well as, the difference and associations between Quantitative Ultrasound Scan (QUS) parameters with socio-demographic data and clinical related data among T2DM in Penang, Malaysia. Method: An observational, cross-sectional study with a convenient sample of 450 T2DM patients were recruited from the outpatient diabetes clinic at Hospital Pulau Pinang (HPP) to measure Bone Mineral Density (BMD) at the heel bone using QUS...

BACKGROUND: Primary Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial disease in which genetic factors are strongly associated with its development; however, recently it has been observed that epigenetic modifications are also involved in the pathogenesis of OA. DNA methylation is related to gene silencing, and several studies have investigated its role in the loci of different pathways or molecules associated to OA. OBJECTIVE: This review is focused on the current status of DNA methylation studies related to OA pathogenesis...

Introduction: Suspicion on the association between Takayasu Arteritis (TA) and Tubcerculosis (TB) has been in vogue for years. Prevalence of TB in TA is reported to be higher. We aimed to study innate immune responses in patients with TA on exposure to Trehalose-6,6-dibehenate (TDB), a synthetic analogue of Trehalose-6,6-Dimycolate (TDM, also known as mycobacterial cord factor) in comparison with healthy controls. Materials and Methods: Patients with type V TA, satisfying 1990 ACR criteria, and age and sex matched healthy controls were recruited...

Background: In the past two decades, Vitamin K has been receiving more attention due to its role in bone health and metabolism. The bone mineral density does not remain steady with age, particularly declining after menopause. Objective: This study is aimed to investigate the relationship between bone mineral density and serum vitamin K1 levels in post-menopausal women, and to evaluate serum vitamin K1 levels as a potential biomarker for postmenopausal osteoporosis...

BACKGROUND: Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) frequently ask their doctors about which diets to follow, and even in the absence of advice from their physicians, many patients are undertaking various dietary interventions. DISCUSSION: However, the role of dietary modifications in RA is not well understood. Several studies have tried to address these gaps in our understanding. Intestinal microbial modifications are being studied for the prevention and management of RA...