Showing papers in "European Journal of Rheumatology in 2017"
TL;DR: Increasing awareness among doctors, which, in turn, facilitates increase awareness of the normal populace, will be effective in preventing this epidemic of osteoporosis.
Abstract: Osteoporosis -related to various factors including menopause and aging- is the most common chronic metabolic bone disease, which is characterized by increased bone fragility. Although it is seen in all age groups, gender, and races, it is more common in Caucasians (white race), older people, and women. With an aging population and longer life span, osteoporosis is increasingly becoming a global epidemic. Currently, it has been estimated that more than 200 million people are suffering from osteoporosis. According to recent statistics from the International Osteoporosis Foundation, worldwide, 1 in 3 women over the age of 50 years and 1 in 5 men will experience osteoporotic fractures in their lifetime. Every fracture is a sign of another impending one. Osteoporosis has no clinical manifestations until there is a fracture. Fractures cause important morbidity; in men, in particular, they can cause mortality. Moreover, osteoporosis results in a decreased quality of life, increased disability-adjusted life span, and big financial burden to health insurance systems of countries that are responsible for the care of such patients. With an early diagnosis of this disease before fractures occur and by assessing the bone mineral density and with early treatment, osteoporosis can be prevented. Therefore, increasing awareness among doctors, which, in turn, facilitates increase awareness of the normal populace, will be effective in preventing this epidemic.
1,040 citations
TL;DR: This review overviews the endocannabinoid system, its role in pain, inflammation, and immune regulation, and highlight the emerging challenges and therapeutic hopes.
Abstract: Pain is the most common manifestation of both acute and chronic inflammation that often challenges patients with rheumatic disease. Simply, we attribute this to local joint changes of pH in joints, the formation of radicals, enhanced joint pressure, or cytokine release acting on local nerves to produce pain. However, there is a more complex interplay of interactions between cytokines, mediators of inflammation, and ion channels that influence the final immune response and our perception of pain. Endocannabinoids, a group of less well-known endogenous bioactive lipids, have such manifold immunomodulatory effects able to influence both inflammation and pain. In this review, we overview the endocannabinoid system, its role in pain, inflammation, and immune regulation, and highlight the emerging challenges and therapeutic hopes.
87 citations
TL;DR: The peculiarities of TMJ disease secondary to rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis are highlighted and how to best manage these ailments is highlighted, which should help guide when referral to a specialist TMJ surgeon is appropriate.
Abstract: Many conditions may affect the temporomandibular joint (TMJ), but its incidence in individual joint diseases is low. However, inflammatory arthropathies, particularly rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis, appear to have a propensity for affecting the joint. Symptoms include pain, restriction in mouth opening, locking, and noises, which together can lead to significant impairment. Jaw rest, a soft diet, a bite splint, and medical therapy, including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and simple analgesia, are the bedrock of initial treatment and will improve most symptoms in most patients. Symptom deterioration does not necessarily follow disease progression, but when it does, TMJ arthroscopy and arthrocentesis can help modulate pain, increase mouth opening, and relieve locking. These minimally invasive procedures have few complications and can be repeated. Operations to repair or remove a damaged intra-articular disc or to refine joint anatomy are used in select cases. Total TMJ replacement is reserved for patients where joint collapse or fusion has occurred or in whom other treatments have failed to provide adequate symptomatic control. It yields excellent outcomes and is approved by the National Institute of Health and Care Excellence (NICE), UK. Knowledge of the assessment and treatment of the TMJ, which differs from other joints affected by inflammatory arthritis due to its unique anatomy and function, is not widespread outside of the field of oral and maxillofacial surgery. The aim of this article is to highlight the peculiarities of TMJ disease secondary to rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis and how to best manage these ailments, which should help guide when referral to a specialist TMJ surgeon is appropriate.
40 citations
TL;DR: The most frequent reasons for joint symptoms were psychological stress/mood disorder (86.1%), followed by infection (49.6%), and trauma (46.4%), and most frequent factors for remission of symptoms were antibiotic use (42.7%), cold weather (34.3%), and hot weather (19%). as mentioned in this paper.
Abstract: Objective Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is clinically an undulant disease, and reasons for flare or remission vary. We aimed to identify factors potentially associated with disease flare and remission. Material and methods Two hundred and seventy-four patients with RA who were admitted to our center between January 2010 and January 2016 were included. Disease activity was evaluated using disease activity score 28 (DAS 28); functional status was evaluated using the modified Health Assessment Questionnaire (m-HAQ), a questionnaire that comprises flare or remission domains such as psychological stress and mood status, physical trauma, nutrition regimen, infection, antibiotic use, and seasonal weather changes. Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) and Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) were used to identify if patients had a mood disorder. Four subscales of Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale-2 (AIMS-2) (level of tension, mood, general perception of health, and satisfaction with health) were used to determine patient quality of life. Results Of the 274 patients, 261 were female (95.3%) and 13 were male (4.7%); the mean age was 52.10±9.41 years. According to patients' perception, the most frequent reasons for joint symptoms were psychological stress/mood disorder (86.1%), followed by infection (49.6%) and trauma (46.4%). The most frequent factors for remission of symptoms were antibiotic use (42.7%), cold weather (34.3%), and hot weather (19%). Conclusion Psychological stress and mood status are independent factors for relapse periods in patients with RA. These should be considered particularly in patients who are resistant to different treatment regimens and in whom any other reason for disease flare is not obvious.
31 citations
TL;DR: Prevalence of metabolic syndrome prevalence increased in patients with PsA compared with those with RA, whereas the risks were similar for CVDs and CHD.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE The aim of this study was to identify the prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) and degree of cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). MATERIAL AND METHODS We performed a cross-sectional study on 102 adult patients with PsA and a control group of 102 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MetS was diagnosed according to the National Cholesterol Education Program Adult Treatment Panel III (NCEP-ATP III) and International Diabetes Federation (IDF) criteria. The Framingham risk scores of 10-year risk of CVDs and coronary heart disease (CHD) were also calculated. RESULTS The prevalence of MetS was higher in patients with PsA than in those with RA, according to the NCEP-ATP III (40.6% vs. 24.7%, respectively; p=0.019) and IDF (46.8% vs. 27.9%, respectively; p=0.05) criteria. The prevalence of MetS was higher in female patients with PsA (p=0.009) than in male patients. A significantly increased prevalence of hypertriglyceridemia was determined in patients with PsA (p=0.019). No significant difference existed between the two groups with respect to 10-year CVD (p=0.333) and CHD (p=0.798) risks. Additionally, there were no significant differences between the clinical subtypes of PsA with regard to MetS (p=0.229). CONCLUSION MetS prevalence increased in patients with PsA compared with those with RA, whereas the risks were similar for CVDs and CHD. For this reason, optimal protection measures should be taken and guidelines should be applied to achieve adequate metabolic control in patients with PsA.
28 citations
TL;DR: The role of IL-17 and the Il-17 receptor (IL-17R) in the pathogenesis of PsA is reviewed, as well as the clinical evidence for IL- 17 and IL-16R targeted therapeutics are reviewed.
Abstract: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory arthritis intimately associated with psoriasis, and can be an impairing disease that leads to reduced quality of life and significant morbidity. Treatment often requires TNF antagonists, yet many patients with PsA are not responsive to the standard anti-TNF therapies. The interleukin-17 (IL-17)/IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) family has recently been implicated in the pathogenesis of PsA and psoriasis. Much enthusiasm has been generated for the development of biologics that target the IL-17 signaling pathway directly or indirectly, many of which have produced striking results in the setting of psoriasis and PsA. Herein, we review the role of IL-17 and the IL-17 receptor (IL-17R) in the pathogenesis of PsA, as well as the clinical evidence for IL-17 and IL-17R targeted therapeutics.
28 citations
TL;DR: A better understanding of the pre-RA stage will be useful in developing screening programs for early detection of RA and identifying and modifying risk factors such as smoking, periodontitis, obesity, viral infections, and hormonal or dietary factors will be helpful in preventing RA in susceptible population.
Abstract: Pre-rheumatoid arthritis (pre-RA) is the preclinical period of the disease that precedes the onset of clinically apparent RA. It includes the interaction between genetic and environmental risk factors and development of disease-related autoantibodies and joint symptoms and signs, which may be considered nonspecific or unclassified for RA. A better understanding of the pre-RA stage will be useful in developing screening programs for early detection of RA. Identifying and modifying risk factors such as smoking, periodontitis, obesity, viral infections, and hormonal or dietary factors will be useful in preventing RA in susceptible population.
28 citations
TL;DR: Results suggest that IL-17A, while participating in inflammation, may also serve a protective purpose in SLE patients, independent of SLEDAI-2K.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE The interleukin 17 (IL-17) cytokine family is involved in a number of chronic inflammatory diseases. In spite of contradictory findings and a lack of causality in clinical studies, IL-17 inhibition for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) has regained attention as a potential therapeutic pathway, after demonstrating disease-modifying capabilities in ankylosing spondylitis. We investigated the clinical associations of interleukin 17 A (IL-17A) in patients with SLE. MATERIAL AND METHODS A cross-sectional study was performed involving SLE patients (n=102; age: 49 years; 86% female) recruited from a regional registry. IL-17A levels were determined by immunoassay, disease activity by Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index-2K (SLEDAI-2K), and cumulative damage by Systemic Lupus International Collaborative Clinics Damage Index (SDI) scores. Non-parametric techniques were used to examine the association between IL-17A and disease activity and autoantibody profiles were compared with healthy controls (n=31): principal component analysis (PCA) was used to determine the interplay of immune cells across disease states and damage development in SLE patients. RESULTS SLE patients had higher IgG levels, lower T-cell and B-cell counts, but median IL-17A levels did not differ from the controls (28.4 vs. 28.4 pg/mL, p=0.9). In SLE patients, IL-17A did not correlate with SLEDAI-2K or SDI, but was inversely related with age (correlation coefficients, Rs.=-0.29, p<0.05), systolic blood pressure (Rs.=-0.31, p<0.05), years of smoking (Rs.=-0.43, p<0.05), cumulative heart (Rs.=-0.22, p<0.05), and malignancy damage (Rs.=-0.18, p<0.05). Serological correlations for IL-17A existed with immunoglobulin G (IgG) levels (Rs.=0.21, p<0.05), high sensitivity C-reactive protein (hs-CRP) levels (Rs.=0.28, p<0.05), proteinuria (Rs.=0.64, p<0.05), and pre-albumin (Rs.=-0.22, p<0.05). Longitudinal data showed only modest fluctuation in IL-17A levels, independent of SLEDAI-2K. CONCLUSION These results suggest that IL-17A, while participating in inflammation, may also serve a protective purpose in SLE patients.
27 citations
TL;DR: A case of FMF with infertility who became pregnant with in vitro fertilization under treatment with anakinra is reported, along with the pregnancy outcome.
Abstract: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF), affecting people of Mediterranean origin, is an endemic and sometimes problematic disease because of colchicine resistance/intolerance, with relative lack of treatment alternatives, and disease- or treatment-related issues, such as subfertility. Anakinra, being a rational and effective treatment alternative, has no conclusive human pregnancy data. Here we report a case of FMF with infertility who became pregnant with in vitro fertilization (IVF) under treatment with anakinra, along with the pregnancy outcome.
24 citations
TL;DR: It is thought that the higher incidence of different rheumatic diseases in different blood types was associated with different genetic predisposition.
Abstract: Objective Various genetic and environmental risk factors have been shown to be associated with the incidence of rheumatic diseases. However, the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases poorly understood. Several studies have shown associations of ABO blood groups with various diseases. Our study aimed to determine whether there is an association between the types of rheumatic diseases and ABO and Rh blood groups. Material and Methods The study included the patients, followed up at the Immunology-Rheumatology clinic between January 2016 and December 2016 for diagnosis of rheumatic disease, who had an ABO Rh blood data. Age, gender, type of rheumatic disease, ABO Rh blood groups were recorded. Results When 823 patients were assessed for blood types, 42.5% patients had A type, 33.2% had O type, 15.4% had B type, and 8.9% had AB type. There was significant difference in the distribution of blood types in rheumatic diseases. While SpA, vasculitis, UCTD, Behcet's and RA were more common in the patients with A blood type; FMF, SLE, SSc and SjS were more common in the patients with O blood type. In addition, the blood type where all the diseases are observed the least commonly was AB. There was significant difference in the distribution of Rh factor in rheumatic diseases. 92.2% patients were Rh positive and 7.8% patients were Rh negative. Conclusion In our study, we thought that the higher incidence of different rheumatic diseases in different blood types was associated with different genetic predisposition.
22 citations
TL;DR: Evidence on a possible relationship between AS and diet is extremely limited and inconclusive due to the majority of included studies being small, single studies with moderate-to-high risk of bias, and insufficient reporting of results.
Abstract: The question of whether diet plays a role in the onset of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or can affect the course of the disease is an important one for many patients and healthcare providers. The aims of this study were to investigate whether: 1) patients with AS report different diets to those without AS; 2) amongst patients with AS, diet is related to severity; 3) persons with particular diets are less likely to develop AS; 4) specific dietary interventions improve the AS symptoms. The review was conducted according to the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. Medline, Embase, Cochrane Library, and reference lists of relevant articles were searched. Two authors independently selected eligible studies, assessed the quality of included trials, and extracted the data. Sixteen studies (nine observational and seven interventions) were included in the review. Due to the heterogeneity of the study designs and analyses, the results could not be aggregated. Evidence on a possible relationship between AS and diet is extremely limited and inconclusive due to the majority of included studies being small, single studies with moderate-to-high risk of bias, and insufficient reporting of results.
TL;DR: Aceclofenac was beneficial over control analgesics for function improvement and to minimize gastrointestinal adverse events and could be biased due to the heterogeneity of the sample, the fact that the trials were small and methodological issues.
Abstract: Objective To analyze the effects on pain, function, and safety of aceclofenac compared with other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) or pain relief medications in patients with osteoarthritis. Material and methods Two investigators independently searched the database. We included randomized controlled trials evaluating efficacy and/or safety of aceclofenac compared with control interventions (NSAIDs or acetaminophen) in patients with osteoarthritis. We did not include placebo, opioid analgesics, NSAID combinations, and topical analgesics for the control groups. We summarized the efficacy data as standardized mean differences (SMD) with 95% confidence intervals (CI) and safety outcomes as risk ratios (RR) with 95% CI using the inverse variance random effect model. We assessed the heterogeneity by the I2 test. We used the GRADE approach to evaluate the quality of the evidence for all outcome parameters. Results We included 9 trials (8 double blind and 1 single blind) that evaluated pain (7 trials), function (8 trials) and safety (7 trials). We observed no significant difference in pain reduction between aceclofenac and control interventions [SMD: -0.30 (-0.62, 0.01); I2=88%; GRADE evidence- low]. Aceclofenac was more beneficial than control interventions in improving physical function [SMD: -0.27 (-0.50, -0.03); I2=88%; GRADE evidence- low]. We observed less gastrointestinal adverse events for aceclofenac than in control interventions [RR 0.69 (95% CI: 0.57, 0.83); I2=12%; GRADE evidence- moderate]. We observed no difference in overall adverse events occurrence and dropout rate between aceclofenac and control interventions. Conclusion We observed that aceclofenac was beneficial over control analgesics for function improvement and to minimize gastrointestinal adverse events. Our findings could be biased due to the heterogeneity of the sample, the fact that the trials were small and methodological issues.
TL;DR: The synovium is a specialized tissue lining the synovial joints, bursae, and tendon sheaths of the body that is affected by various localized or systemic disorders.
Abstract: The synovium is a specialized tissue lining the synovial joints, bursae, and tendon sheaths of the body. It is affected by various localized or systemic disorders. Synovial diseases can be classified as inflammatory, infectious, degenerative, traumatic, hemorrhagic, and neoplastic. Damage in other intraarticular structures, particularly cartilages, generally occurs as a part of pathologic processes involving the synovium, leading to irreversible joint destruction. Imaging has an essential role in the early detection of synovial diseases prior to irreversible joint damage. Obtaining and understanding characteristic imaging findings of synovial diseases enables a proper diagnosis for early treatment. This article focuses on the recent literature that is related with the role of imaging in synovial disease.
TL;DR: This study described three cases of acute pseudoseptic arthritis that was caused by hyaluronic acid; the symptoms in these cases were reminiscent of acute septic arthritis.
Abstract: Acute pseudoseptic arthritis is a very rare complication that is associated with intra-articular hyaluronic acid injections, which normally involve minimal risk. The most common adverse events that are caused by hyaluronic acid injections are inflammatory reactions or flares at the injection site. In this study, we described three cases of acute pseudoseptic arthritis that was caused by hyaluronic acid; the symptoms in these cases were reminiscent of acute septic arthritis. Moreover, we performed a literature review on pseudoseptic arthritis following hyaluronic acid injections to determine the manner in which this condition can be described, diagnosed, and treated.
TL;DR: Three patients affected by Behçet's disease with severe uveitis and neurological involvement in stable clinical remission experienced a rapid disease relapse after switching from re- IFX to bio-IFX, possibly due to cross-reaction of anti-IFZ antibodies.
Abstract: Three patients affected by Behcet's disease (BD) with severe uveitis and neurological involvement in stable clinical remission and who rapidly relapsed after switching from reference infliximab (re-IFX) to biosimilar infliximab (bio-IFX) are reported. In order to observe the rules of local health authorities, two males and one female (38, 26, and 40 years old, respectively) with BD complicated by severe uveitis and neuro-Behcet and who were in prolonged remission, were switched from re-IFX to bio-IFX, with the same dosing regimen of 5 mg/kg intravenous infusions every 8 weeks. All three patients experienced disease flare-ups, with recurrence of uveoretinitis in the first patient, neuro-Behcet in the second, and uveitis and neuro-Behcet in the third after 1, 3, and 2 infusions, respectively. After appropriate washout of re-IFX, all three patients were administered subcutaneous adalimumab, with a dosing regimen of 40 mg/fortnight, and a good response was achieved. Our three patients with BD experienced a rapid disease relapse after switching from re-IFX to bio-IFX, possibly due to cross-reaction of anti-IFX antibodies. This outcome suggests the necessity to exercise caution regarding the automatic substitution of re-IFX with bio-IFX in patients achieving remission with re-IFX.
TL;DR: In addition to the importance of PDUS as a complimentary tool for examining enthesis in patients with psoriasis, the presence of high PASI score, increased BMI and hyperuricemia, and a long disease duration can be considered as predictive parameters for the existence of psoriatic enthesitis.
Abstract: Objective This study aimed to determine the prevalence of subclinical enthesopathy in patients with psoriasis using power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) and its association with other disease parameters. Material and methods A total of 50 patients with psoriasis (31 females) aged 19-70 years underwent a thorough clinical examination that included assessment of body mass index (BMI) and psoriasis area and severity index (PASI) score. Measurements of inflammatory markers, C-reactive protein (CRP), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), serum uric acid, and plain radiography of the heels, knees, and sacroiliac joints were performed for all patients. Patients without clinical evidence of arthritis or enthesitis underwent an ultrasonographic (US) examination. According to the US examination, patients were classified into group I (patients with enthesitis) and group II (patients without enthesitis). Results In group I, Achilles enthesis was the most common site of US enthesitis (33.3%), followed by distal patellar enthesis (22.2%), proximal patellar enthesis (16.7%), quadriceps enthesis (16.7%), and plantar aponeurosis enthesis (11.1%). There was a statistically significant positive correlation between the occurrence of enthesitis and the patient's age, disease duration, PASI score, BMI, and hyperuricemia (p 0.05 for each). Conclusion In addition to the importance of PDUS as a complimentary tool for examining enthesis in patients with psoriasis, the presence of high PASI score, increased BMI and hyperuricemia, and a long disease duration can be considered as predictive parameters for the presence of psoriatic enthesitis.
TL;DR: Reduction in specific OA biomarker S.Coll2-1 following intra-articular PRP injection emphasize that PRP could be a promising safe and tolerable effective therapeutic option which improves function from basal states in primary knee OA patients.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE This study aimed to evaluate the effect of one dose of intra-articular injection of (PRP) in the knee joint on a specific osteoarthritis (OA) serum biomarker of cartilage degeneration, Collagen 2-1 (Coll2-1), over a short period of 3 months. The aim extended to clarify the effect of PRP on the functional status of the osteoarthritic knee joint. MATERIAL AND METHODS Sixty patients with primary unilateral knee OA were enrolled in this study. They were subdivided according to Kellgren-Lawrence grading scale (KL) into (Group I): including patients with KL grade < 3 and (Group II): including patients with KL grade ≥3. Patients were asked to complete the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Arthritis Index (WOMAC) Score. PRP was prepared and injected immediately into the affected knee. Serum Coll2-1 (S.Coll2-1) concentration was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) kit pre and 3 months after PRP injection. RESULTS Significant reduction in S.Coll2-1 concentration in primary knee OA patients; (p<0.001) and (p<0.05) in group I and group II respectively as well as significant improvements in WOMAC total and WOMAC sub-scores values were noted after single intra-articular PRP injection with maximal functional improvements were achieved after 3 months (p<0.001). Mild cases experienced favorable results with no remarkable adverse reactions were observed. CONCLUSION Reduction in specific OA biomarker S.Coll2-1 following intra-articular PRP injection emphasize that PRP could be a promising safe and tolerable effective therapeutic option which improves function from basal states in primary knee OA patients.
TL;DR: Renal involvement in hydralazine-induced AAV was universal and can be associated with a poor renal outcome despite immunosuppressive therapy.
Abstract: Objective Hydralazine has been implicated as an etiologic agent for lupus-like syndrome and vasculitis. Hydralazine-induced vasculitis frequently affects the kidney, but the long-term renal outcomes in these patients have not yet been studied. Methods Patients who had a diagnosis of ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) and were on hydralazine at the time of AAV diagnosis were included in this retrospective cohort study. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained from the review of medical records. Results Seven patients met the criteria for hydralazine-induced AAV. Five patients (71%) were African-American and four (57%) were female. The median age was 69 years at the time of diagnosis. All patients had renal involvement with two of them showing lung involvement as well. All patients had positive MPO antibody and one patient had positive PR3 antibody. ANA was positive in all patients, and three of seven patients had positive anti-histone antibody. All of them were treated with immunosuppression and withdrawal of hydralazine. Three patients reached end-stage renal disease. The median follow-up time was 13 months. Conclusion Renal involvement in hydralazine-induced AAV was universal and can be associated with a poor renal outcome despite immunosuppressive therapy.
TL;DR: The clinical features of BD may vary between the genders and it is found that the disease had an earlier onset in individuals with a positive familial history of an oral aphthous ulcer or BD and that joint involvement was more common in patients with erythema nodosum.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE Behcet's disease (BD) is a systemic vasculitis with a significantly varying clinical course following relapses and remissions, which may involve a number of organs such as the skin, joints, lungs, and blood vessels as well as systems such as the central nervous system and gastrointestinal system. Its prognosis is known to be worse in males. There are several studies in the literature on the clinical features and gender distribution of BD. The aim of the present study was to determine the clinical characteristics of BD and the presence of a relation with gender and to investigate the correlation of our results with the current literature. MATERIAL AND METHODS We retrospectively reviewed 329 patient files. The demographic features of the patients, their symptoms and findings of BD, the results of pathergy tests, the presence of any individuals in the family with BD, and HLA-B51 antigen positivity were recorded. RESULTS The most frequent findings were oral aphtous ulcers (100%), genital ulcers (84%), papulopustular lesions (69.9%), and joint involvement (57.4%). Vascular involvement and ocular involvement were significantly higher in males, whereas joint involvement and headache were more common in females (p<0.001, p=0.014, p<0.001, and p<0.001, respectively). Contrary to the literature, we found that the disease had an earlier onset in individuals with a positive familial history of an oral aphthous ulcer or BD (p=0.03 and p=0.02, respectively) and that joint involvement was more common in patients with erythema nodosum (p=0.02). CONCLUSION The clinical features of BD may vary between the genders. Variations exist in the results depending on the population size, the department where the study was conducted, the patient inclusion criteria, and the region where the patients live.
TL;DR: ESWT and LIPUS have systemic proliferative and regenerative effects on cartilage and tissue and there was no difference among the groups for both knee subchondral bone BMD values.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE This study aims to assess the efficacy of extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) and low-intensity pulsed ultrasound (LIPUS) on osteoarthritic rat knees. MATERIAL AND METHODS Twenty-four rats were divided into 3 groups: group 1-control (n=8), group 2-LIPUS (n=8) and group 3-ESWT (n=8). Cartilage degeneration was provided using mono-iodo-asetate (MIA). One milligram of MIA was delivered to the right knees in group 1 and both knees in group 2 and 3. A 0.09% saline solution was delivered to the left knees in group 1 for control. Twenty-four hours after the delivery, ESWT was applied once on the right knees in the group 2 rats to the medial tibia plateu with a 1 Hz frequency and 800 impulses. LIPUS was applied to the right knees in the group 2 rats to the medial tibia plateu with a 3 mHz frequency and 40 mW/cm2 intensity for 20 minutes over a period of 15 days. Pain scores were measured with a knee bend test. Bone mineral density measurements and scintigraphic bone scans were performed. Histopathological examination was done using a modified Mankin scale. RESULTS There was no difference among the right knee subchondral bone osteoblastic activities (p>0.05). The left knee osteoblastic activities in the LIPUS and extracorporeal shockwave therapy (ESWT) groups were higher than those in the control group (p 0.05). The modified Mankin scores of both the right and left knees of the ESWT and LIPUS groups were lower than those of the control group (p<0.05), but there was no difference between the ESWT and LIPUS groups. The pain scores of both knees of the ESWT and LIPUS groups at day 7 were higher than those of the control group (p<0.05), but there was no difference between the ESWT and LIPUS groups. There was no difference among the pain scores of the right knees at day 14 (p<0.05). CONCLUSION ESWT and LIPUS have systemic proliferative and regenerative effects on cartilage and tissue.
TL;DR: A possible genetic association between GDF5 (+104T/C) SNP and the severity of KOA is revealed, which might be of benefit for the detection of patients with a high risk for disease progression.
Abstract: OBJECTIVE The growth and differentiation factor 5 (GDF5) gene is recognized for its role in the development, repair, and maintenance of cartilage and bone. The present case-control study was conducted to detect the genetic association between GDF5 (+104T/C) single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) and primary knee osteoarthritis (KOA), as well as the possible association of SNP with the severity of KOA. MATERIAL AND METHODS The study included 50 patients with primary KOA and 50 healthy control subjects. The severity of the disease was assessed by using the Kellgren-Laurence (K-L) grading system and aided by the Western Ontario & McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score, visual analog scale (VAS) score, and tenderness score. The genetic association of the SNP with primary KOA was assessed by means of the TaqMan® allelic discrimination technique. RESULTS The radiological assessment of patients according to the K-L grading system revealed a statistically significant association between the wild-type (TT) genotype and disease severity in both the right and left knees (p=0.049). The frequency distribution of patients with VAS score ≤6 was significantly higher in patients carrying the TT genotype (p=0.005) as compared to the CT and CC genotypes. The mean WOMAC score was significantly higher in patients carrying the TT genotype as compared to patients carrying the CC and CT genotypes (p=0.017). No statistically significant association was detected on comparing the frequency distribution of allele and genotype frequencies of the SNP in patients and healthy controls. CONCLUSION The results of the current study revealed a possible genetic association between GDF5 (+104T/C) SNP and the severity of KOA, which might be of benefit for the detection of patients with a high risk for disease progression. The present study did not detect an association between the SNP and development of KOA.
TL;DR: The investigated polymorphism in the MATN-3 gene may reflect the risk and severity of knee OA in Egyptian patients, particularly with the B\b genotype.
Abstract: Objective Osteoarthritis (OA) is a multifactorial, degenerative, and inflammatory disorder of joints causing damage of the articular cartilage, formation of osteophytes, and eburination of the subchondral bone. Matrilin-3 (MATN-3) is a non-collagenous oligomeric extracellular matrix protein (ECM), which is the smallest member of the matrilin family. This study was conducted to identify the potential association and clinical significance of MATN-3 rs8176070 (SNP6) polymorphism in a series of Egyptian patients with primary knee OA. Material and methods Polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (PCR-RFLP) was used to determine genotypes of MATN-3 SNP6 for 50 primary knee OA patients in addition to 50 healthy subjects of the same sex and age range. Full history was obtained from OA patients, followed by clinical examination, together with clinical assessment of the severity of knee OA using Lequesne Algofunctional Index score and radiological grading using the Kellgren-Lawrence grade scale (KL). Results With regard to genotypes of MATN-3 gene SNP6 (rs8176070), a statistically significant difference between OA patients and healthy control subjects was found for the B\b genotype and b allele (p=0.046 and 0.042 respectively), with the prevalence being higher in OA patients with a high risk to develop OA (Odds Ratio [OR]=2.250, 95% CI=1.011-5.008). Patients with the B\b genotype had worse clinical and radiological findings than those with B\B and b\b genotypes. Conclusion The investigated polymorphism in the MATN-3 gene may reflect the risk and severity of knee OA in Egyptian patients, particularly with the B\b genotype.
TL;DR: Using ICBD criteria in the United States significantly increases the likelihood of identifying Behçet's disease, particularly in patients with isolated mucosal involvement who constitute a substantial subset of patients in this region.
Abstract: Objective Behcet's disease is heterogeneous with clinical variability across ethnicities and geographic locations. The goal of this study was to analyze the clinical characteristics of our multi-ethnic Behcet's disease cohort at the University of Michigan. Material and methods A detailed patient characterization was performed. Differences in disease characteristics between men and women, and between patients fulfilling the International Criteria for Behcet's Disease (ICBD) and the International Study Group criteria (ISG) were determined in our cohort. Results A total of 114 patients with a male to female ratio of ~ 1:4 were included. All patients met the ICBD criteria, including 76 who also met the ISG criteria. Over 95% of patients had recurrent genital ulcers, which is higher than generally reported. Retinitis was 5.3 times more likely in men than in women (p=0.009), and arthralgia was 3.3 times more likely in women than men (p=0.048). When comparing cohorts derived from the two different criteria, the ISG cohort had more skin manifestations (OR=3.3, p=0.0006). Acneiform lesions were associated with ~8 times higher odds of developing retinitis in our patients (p=0.0008), and superficial thrombophlebitis was associated with a trend for higher odds of developing uveitis (OR=4.1, p=0.057). Using the ICBD criteria, 38 additional patients were identified compared to only using the ISG criteria. Of these patients, 28 presented with only mucosal ulceration with or without joint involvement. Conclusion We characterize Behcet's disease in a multi-ethnic cohort from North America. Using ICBD criteria in the United States significantly increases the likelihood of identifying Behcet's disease, particularly in patients with isolated mucosal involvement who constitute a substantial subset of patients in this region.
TL;DR: Higher clinical scores, radiographic scores, and US scores correlate with the emergence of depression in OA patients, and the presence of knee effusion, Baker's cysts, osteophytes, and high BMI has a great impact on the pain and disability associated with OA.
Abstract: Objective This study aimed to explore correlations between the presence of depression, clinical scores, and ultrasonographic (US) grading in osteoarthritis (OA) patients and to clarify if depressive symptoms might cause a discrepancy between US findings and clinical scores. Material and methods Two hundred patients with primary knee OA and 100 healthy hospital volunteers of the same age and sex not complaining of knee troubles participated in this study. We evaluated depressive symptoms in all participants using the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scale. Thorough clinical examination was performed, including assessment using the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) for disability. All patients underwent US examination of their affected knees. Results Depression was detected in 60 patients with knee OA (30%) and in 5 controls (5%). The mean of BDI score was 12.8±12.2 in OA patients and 5.8±3.2 in controls, and this difference was statistically significant (p=0.03). Correlations of BDI with both body mass index (BMI) (p=0.04) and Numerical Rating Scale of Pain (NRSP) score (p=0.006) were significant, while correlations of BDI with both the ages of our patients (p=0.74) and their disease duration (p=0.88) were insignificant. There were statistically significant correlations between patients' disease duration and US measurements regarding osteophyte length, lateral femoral cartilage thickness, medial femoral cartilage thickness, and thickness of the quadriceps tendon despite of the presence of insignificant correlations between disease duration and both the effusion volume and volume of Baker's cysts. There were statistically significant correlations between patients' disease duration and US measurements except for effusion volume and volume of Baker's cysts. There were statistically significant correlations between the NRSP score in OA patients and BDI (p=0.006) and all US measurements apart from lateral femoral cartilage thickness, medial femoral cartilage thickness, and thickness of quadriceps tendon. There were statistically significant correlations between BDI in OA patients and the WOMAC (p=0.005), Kellgren-Lawrence (KL) grading (p=0.034), and US grading (p=0.041). Conclusion The presence of knee effusion, Baker's cysts, osteophytes, and high BMI have a great impact on the pain and disability associated with OA. Higher clinical scores, radiographic scores, and US scores correlate with the emergence of depression in OA patients.
TL;DR: Because it is involved in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune, infectious, and malignant diseases, sema3A turns to be a promising therapeutic tool to be studied and applied in these diseases.
Abstract: The significance of semaphorin3A (sema3A) in regulating immune-mediated inflammation is widely reported. There are multiple mechanisms involved in the process of sema3A-mediated regulation. One of them is the ability of sema3A to maintain a sufficient regulation of both T-cell and B-cell activation. Because it is involved in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune, infectious, and malignant diseases, sema3A turns to be a promising therapeutic tool to be studied and applied in these diseases.
TL;DR: The data suggest that CAPS and other APS-related problems respond well to the TPE treatment, and TPE should be kept in mind for the treatment of patients with other features of SLE, especially those resistant to other agents and in the presence of leucopenia.
Abstract: Objective Therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) offers an alternative therapeutic modality for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). However, there is conflicting evidence regarding its efficacy in different sub-phenotypes. This study aimed to investigate the main clinical characteristics and outcomes of patients with different phenotypes of SLE and APS treated with TPE at a tertiary care center. Methods The database of the Blood and Apheresis Unit between 2001 and 2013 was screened for patients with SLE and primary APS. SLE disease activity index (SELENA-SLEDAI), the indications for treatment, complications, and outcomes were obtained from a review of medical records and phone calls. A total of 24 patients (SLE: 20, APS: 4) were recruited for the study. Results Mean ages of SLE (M/F: 1/19) and primary APS (PAPS) patients (M/F: 2/2) were 32.4±12.89 and 52.0±10.7 years, respectively. The main indications for TPE were hematologic, neurologic, and pulmonary involvement and APS-related symptoms. TPE was preferred in eight patients because of leucopenia and co-infection. SLEDAI was significantly decreased after TPE (16.7±8.3 before vs. 8.8±3.1 after, p=0.001). Both primary APS and SLE-related catastrophic APS (CAPS) patients had completely responded to TPE. The success rate of TPE in patients with thrombocytopenia was lower than patients with hemolytic anemia. The median (IQR 25%-75%) number of TPE sessions was 6.5 (5-10.5). In total, five patients experienced TPE-related major adverse events (catheter infections in three patients, bleeding in one patient, and hypotension in one patient). The median (IQR 25%-75%) follow-up time was 33.5 (6.75-81.25) months. In total, four patients died during follow up, of which three died during the period of TPE administration. Conclusion Our data suggest that CAPS and other APS-related problems respond well to the TPE treatment. TPE should be kept in mind for the treatment of patients with other features of SLE, especially those resistant to other agents and in the presence of leucopenia.
TL;DR: RA, GCA, and PMR may appear simultaneously or consecutively; therefore, physicians should be alert about such a fact so that a proper diagnosis and treatment could be tailored accordingly.
Abstract: Objective To report two patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) who developed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to review the literature in terms of coexistence of RA, GCA, and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Methods We conducted a comprehensive review of the English literature from 1980 to 2015 to analyze data on the coexistence of GCA and RA. The PubMed, Web of Science, Proquest, and Ovid databases were searched for articles using the term RA combined with temporal arteritis, GCA, and PMR. Results We identified 17 other cases of coexistent GCA and RA reported in the English literature, together with our 2 cases (19 cases). They included 14 females and 5 males, with a mean age of 74.3 years (range: 57-84) at the time of GCA. The mean age at the time of RA diagnosis was 69.6 years (range 24-83). The average time elapsed between the onset of GCA and the development of RA was 6.7 years (range: 3 month-34 years). RA and GCA were reported as the first disease in 10 cases and 4 cases, respectively. The development of these 2 diseases in a narrow period of time appeared in 4 cases (3 months-19 months). PMR was the first disease in 1 case. Conclusion RA, GCA, and PMR may appear simultaneously or consecutively; therefore, we suggest that physicians should be alert about such a fact so that a proper diagnosis and treatment could be tailored accordingly.
TL;DR: A 19-year-old woman withrophic antiphospholipid syndrome was diagnosed with CAPS during the first week of her hospitalization and required a high dose of corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, and rituximab.
Abstract: Catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS) is a rare and fatal condition that is characterized by diffuse venous and/or arterial thromboembolism within a short period of time and histopathological confirmation of small-vessel occlusion in at least one organ or tissue in the presence of positive antiphospholipid antibodies. Here we report the case of a 19-year-old woman with CAPS. During the first week of her hospitalization, she was diagnosed with CAPS on the basis of skin necrosis, pulmonary artery thrombosis, cerebral venous sinus thrombosis, and positive lupus anticoagulant. She was treated with corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, plasmapheresis, and anticoagulants. Forty days after the onset of CAPS, cutaneous lesions were recurred during skin surgery. She required a high dose of corticosteroids, intravenous immunoglobulins, and rituximab. No further thrombotic events occurred. Rituximab may be an effective treatment option for patients with CAPS.
TL;DR: The results indicate that complete BD may be less responsive to IFX and that the pretreatment serum cytokine profiles may be useful for predicting the long-term IFX therapy outcomes.
Abstract: Objective To assess the long-term efficacy and safety of infliximab (IFX) treatment for refractory uveitis associated with Behcet's disease (BD) and to identify predictors of long-term IFX therapy outcomes. Methods We retrospectively studied 44 consecutive BD patients with uveitis who were started on IFX therapy and analyzed the efficacy and safety of IFX and the treatment continuation rate. To determine predictors of IFX responsiveness, we analyzed the clinical characteristics of the patients who received regular maintenance therapy and those who required treatment intensification. The serum cytokine levels prior to IFX were measured through the Bio-Plex human cytokine assays. Results IFX significantly reduced the frequency of ocular attacks and improved the visual acuity of patients with BD-related uveitis. However, approximately half of the patients required dose escalations, necessitating a shortening of the intervals between IFX infusions due to loss of efficacy during the 5-year treatment. The frequency of ocular attacks was significantly higher in patients with complete BD than in patients with incomplete BD. A multiplex cytokine analysis revealed that patients with BD-related uveitis exhibited increased serum IL-2, IL-6, IL-8, and MCP-1 levels. Moreover, among BD patients, the serum IL-2 and IL-6 levels were particularly high in those who maintained remission and received regular IFX treatments. Conclusion We confirmed the long-term efficacy and tolerability of IFX in patients with BD-related uveitis. Our results indicate that complete BD may be less responsive to IFX and that the pretreatment serum cytokine profiles may be useful for predicting the long-term IFX therapy outcomes.
TL;DR: Outcome analysis of children with lupus nephritis over 12 years revealed that 24 achieved complete remission of disease activity, 5 attained partial remission, 4 continued to have active disease, 5 developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and 8 died.
Abstract: Objective To assess the long-term outcome of lupus nephritis in children with systemic lupus erythematosus followed up over 12 years at a tertiary care teaching hospital in Eastern India. Material and methods This is a retrospective observational study of the clinicopathological presentation, management, and outcome in 46 children with lupus nephritis over a period of 12 years at a tertiary teaching hospital in Eastern India. Mortality was compared between different lupus classes and therapy groups with Kaplan-Meier analysis and log-rank test. Results The incidence of lupus nephritis was 58.97% [95% confidence interval (CI) 48.06%-59.89%] with the mean age at presentation being 10.2±2.43 years (range 5.5-14.5) years. Majority belonged to class IV (30.43%), followed by class II (26.91%), class III (23.91), and class V (8.70%). Outcome analysis of children with lupus nephritis over 12 years revealed that 24 (52.17%) achieved complete remission of disease activity, 5 attained partial remission, 4 continued to have active disease, 5 developed end-stage renal disease (ESRD), and 8 died. Overall mortality thus observed was 17.39% with septicemia in the background of ESRD being the commonest cause. No significant difference in mortality was observed between different lupus nephritis classes or therapy arm groups. Conclusion The study throws light on various aspects of lupus nephritis and their long-term outcome patterns in children from developing countries such as India.