No abstract

The impact of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) in periodontal diseases is controversial probably due to gender and age heterogeneity. We therefore evaluated a homogeneous female post-pubertal JIA population for these conditions. Thirty-five JIA patients and 35 gender/age comparable healthy controls were evaluated according to demographic data, complete periodontal evaluation, fasting lipoproteins, and anti-lipoprotein lipase antibodies. JIA scores, laboratorial tests, X-rays, and treatment were also assessed. Current age was similar in JIA patients and controls (11.90 ± 2.0 vs. 12.50 ± 3.0 years, p = 0.289). Complete periodontal assessments revealed that gingival index, dental plaque, gingival bleeding, and clinical dental attachment indices were alike in JIA patients and controls (p > 0.05), except for gingival enlargement in former group (p < 0.0001). Further analysis of patients with and without gingivitis revealed that cyclosporine use was more often observed in JIA patients with gingivitis (37 vs. 0%, p = 0.01), whereas no differences were evidenced in demographic, JIA scores, inflammatory markers, and lipid profile in both groups. Of note, two parameters of periodontal assessment were correlated with JIA scores [gingival index (GI) and Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) (r s  = +0.402, p = 0.020)] and plaque index (PI) and visual analog scale (VAS) physician (r s  = +0.430, p = 0.013). In addition, evaluation of dental assessment demonstrated that JIA activity scores had positive correlation with decayed, missing, and filled teeth (DMF-T) and junvenile athritis disease activity score (JADAS) (r s  = +0.364,p = 0.037), VAS physician (r s  = +0.401,p = 0.021) and VAS patient (r s  = +0.364,p = 0.037). We demonstrated, using rigorous criteria, that periodontal and dental condition in JIA is similar to controls. In spite of that, the finding of a correlation with disease parameters provides additional evidence that increased activity and reduced functional ability underlies the deleterious effect of JIA in oral health.

The unique gingival pattern associated with cutaneous disease activity, distinct from periodontal disease, suggests that gingiva is a possible target tissue for JDM. In addition, muscle weakness may be a relevant factor for mandibular mobility.

No abstract

The aim of this multicenter study in a large childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) population was to assess the herpes zoster infection (HZI) prevalence, demographic data, clinical manifestations, laboratory findings, treatment, and outcome. Methods: A retrospective multicenter cohort study (Brazilian cSLE group) was performed in ten Pediatric Rheumatology services in Sa˜o Paulo State, Brazil, and included 852 cSLE patients. HZI was defined according to the presence of acute vesicular-bullous lesions on erythematous/ edematous base, in a dermatomal distribution. Post-herpetic neuralgia was defined as persistent pain after one month of resolution of lesions in the same dermatome. Patients were divided in two groups for the assessment of current lupus manifestations, laboratory findings, and treatment: patients with HZI (evaluated at the first HZI) and patients without HZI (evaluated at the last visit). Results: The frequency of HZI in cSLE patients was 120/852 (14%). Hospitalization occurred in 73 (61%) and overlap bacterial infection in 16 (13%). Intravenous or oral aciclovir was administered in 113/120 (94%) cSLE patients at HZI diagnosis. None of them had ophthalmic complication or death. Post-herpetic neuralgia occurred in 6/120 (5%). After Holm-Bonferroni correction for multiple comparisons, disease duration (1.58 vs 4.41 years, p < 0.0001) was significantly lower in HZI cSLE patients compared to those without HZI. Nephritis (37% vs 18%, p < 0.0001), lymphopenia (32% vs 17%, p < 0.0001) prednisone (97% vs 77%, p < 0.0001), cyclophosphamide (20% vs 5%, p < 0.0001) and SLE Disease Activity Index 2000 (6.0 (0-35) vs 2 (0-45), p < 0.0001) were significantly higher in the former group. The logistic regression model showed that four independent variables were associated with HZI: disease duration < 1 year (OR 2.893 (CI 1.821-4.597), p < 0.0001), lymphopenia <1500/mm 3 (OR 1.931 (CI 1.183-3.153), p ¼ 0.009), prednisone (OR 6.723 (CI 2.072-21.815), p ¼ 0.002), and cyclophosphamide use (OR 4.060 (CI 2.174-7.583), p < 0.0001). Conclusion: HZI is an early viral infection in cSLE with a typical dermatomal distribution. Lymphopenia and immunosuppressive treatment seem to be major factors underlying this complication in spite of a benign course. Lupus (2016) 25, 754-759.

No abstract

Almost half of patients with cSLE had subclinical pulmonary abnormalities, especially airway abnormalities. The cSLE-related pulmonary complications seem to determine long-term functional damage.

To assess prospectively luteinized unruptured follicle (LUF) syndrome in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) patients with and without non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and healthy controls. Twenty-three adolescent and young adult female JIA patients (ILAR criteria) and 11 female healthy subjects were studied by pelvic ultrasound monitoring for follicular development and ovulation in one menstrual cycle. LUF syndrome was prospectively investigated by pelvic ultrasound with a dominant ovarian follicle without signs of follicular rupture, with elevation of serum progesterone in the luteal phase of the menstrual cycle and luteinizing hormone (LH) detected in the urine. Comparison between JIA patients with (n = 8) vs. without NSAIDs (n = 15) and healthy controls (n = 11) revealed that LUF syndrome was significantly higher in the former group (2 (25%) vs. 0% vs. 0%, p = 0.049). These two patients with LUF syndrome had normal menstrual cycles without reduced ovarian reserve, and they were under naproxen 500 mg bid during the menstrual cycle. Disease duration was comparable in JIA with and without NSAIDs [19.8 (4.4-25) vs. 13 (3.1-33) years, p = 0.232]. Further comparison between JIA patients with and without NSAIDs and healthy controls showed similar mean anti-Müllerian hormone levels (p = 0.909), estradiol (p = 0.436), FSH (p = 0.662), LH (p = 0.686), and mean antral follicle count (p = 0.240) and ovarian volume (p = 0.363). No differences were evidenced in three groups regarding Caucasian race, body mass index, duration, and length of menstrual cycles (p > 0.05). This is the first study to identify that JIA patients have a high frequency of LUF without impaired ovarian reserve. Future prospective studies are necessary to determine if chronic/continuous use of NSAIDs in JIA will have an impact in these patients' fertility.