Our results suggest that structural changes in the pain system are associated with fibromyalgia. As disease factors do not correlate with reduced gray matter volume in areas of the cingulo-frontal cortex and the amygdala in patients, one possible interpretation is that volume reductions might be a precondition for central sensitization in fibromyalgia.

Uveitis in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is frequently associated with the development of complications and visual loss. Topical corticosteroids are the first-choice therapy, and immunosuppression is commonly used. However, treatment has not been standardized. Representatives from the German Ophthalmological Society, Society for Childhood and Adolescent Rheumatology, and the German Society for Rheumatology reached consensus on a standardized treatment strategy according to disease severity in the individual patient. The recommendations were based on a systematic literature analysis in MEDLINE and consensus expert meetings. Evidence and recommendations were graded, and an algorithm for anti-inflammatory treatment and final statements confirmed in a Delphi method. An interdisciplinary, evidence-based treatment guideline for JIA uveitis is presented.

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The reported prevalence and incidence of connective tissue disorders are quite variable, depending on differences in study methodology. Most important differences are the study duration, the classification criteria used for diagnosis and the country in which the study was undertaken. Sjögren's syndrome has the highest prevalence ranging between 0.5 and 3% of a given population. The prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is estimated between 15 and 50 per 100 000 individuals, with a female:male ratio of 6-10:1 in the age group between 15 and 40 yrs. The prevalence of systemic sclerosis is lower, however, varying significantly between different studies and countries. The prevalence of overlap syndromes, especially mixed connective tissue disease, is unknown, and polymyositis and dermatomyositis are regarded as very rare rheumatic diseases. Though the classification criteria for the connective tissue disorders have not been developed for the purpose of diagnosing an individual patient, these criteria still are the most valuable tool for the identification of patients with systemic rheumatic diseases such as connective tissue disorders.