Objective Takayasu’s arteritis is a rare large vessel vasculitis with incompletely understood etiology. We performed the first unbiased genome-wide association study (GWAS) in Takayasu’s arteritis. Methods Two independent Takayasu’s arteritis cohorts from Turkey and North America were included in our study. The Turkish cohort consisted of 559 patients and 489 controls, and the North American cohort consisted of 134 European-derived patients and 1,047 controls. Genotyping was performed using the Omni1-Quad and Omni2.5 genotyping arrays. Genotyping data were subjected to rigorous quality control measures and subsequently analyzed to discover genetic susceptibility loci for Takayasu’s arteritis. Results We identified genetic susceptibility loci for Takayasu’s arteritis with a genome-wide level of significance in IL6 (rs2069837, OR= 2.07, P= 6.70×10−9), RPS9/LILRB3 (rs11666543, OR= 1.65, P= 2.34×10−8), and an intergenic locus on chromosome 21q22 (rs2836878, OR= 1.79, P= 3.62×10−10). The genetic susceptibility locus in RPS9/LILRB3 is located within the leukocyte receptor complex (LRC) gene cluster on chromosome 19q13.4, and the disease risk variant in this locus correlates with reduced expression of multiple genes including the inhibitory leukocyte immunoglobulin-like receptor gene LILRB3 (P= 2.29×10−8). In addition, we identified candidate susceptibility genes with suggestive levels of association (P <1×10−5) including PCSK5, LILRA3, PPM1G/NRBP1, and PTK2B in Takayasu’s arteritis. Conclusion This study identified novel genetic susceptibility loci for Takayasu’s arteritis and uncovered potentially important aspects in the pathophysiology of this form of vasculitis.

Objective: The role of vitamin D in the etiopathogenesis of fibromyalgia and non-specific musculoskeletal pain is controversial. In our study, we aimed to investigate the effect of vitamin D therapy on quality of life in patients with fibromyalgia. Materials and Methods:Seventy patients diagnosed with fibromyalgia and 65 age-and sex-matched controls were included in the study. Patients were grouped as deficient (<20 ng/mL), inadequate (20-30 ng/mL), and sufficient (>30 ng/mL) according to the levels of vitamin D. Vitamin D replacement was performed for patients with deficiencies and inadequacies. Before and after vitamin D therapy, patients filled in the assessment tools, fibromyalgia impact questionnaire (FIQ), Arizona sexual experience scale (ASEX), Beck depression inventory (BDI), visual analog scale (VAS), and short form-36 (SF-36).Results: Vitamin D deficiencies and inadequacies were observed in 60% of the patients (n=42). Among patients with low and normal levels of vitamin D, no statistically significant difference was observed in their values. In scales examined after vitamin D replacement therapy, statistically significant differences were observed in the FIQ, BDI, VAS, and SF-36 compared with pre-treatment.

The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical, radiographic, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings of temporomandibular joint (TMJ) and masticatory muscles in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Twenty-eight RA patients and 29 healthy subjects were participated in the study. The patient underwent clinical and laboratory investigation. DAS28 scores were calculated. Lateral panoramic radiography was performed to evaluate condylar erosion and condylar movement. Craniofacial MRI was performed to evaluate TMJ and masseter, medial and lateral pterygoid muscles' thickness, and cross-sectional area. It was found that the mean maximal interincisal distance, range of lateral, retrusive (P < 0.05) and protrusive motion were all lesser in RA group. Lateral panoramic radiography revealed a distinct erosion in 10.7% (3/28) and restricted condylar movement in 53.6% (15/28) of RA patients. Two RA patients demonstrating marked condylar erosion in lateral panoramic radiographs were RF negative and had DAS28 scores 3.41 and 4.61. MRI findings revealed condylar erosion and effusion in one RA patient and atrophic changes of masticatory muscles in another patient. There was no statistical significance between RA and healthy groups for the thickness and cross-sectional areas of the masticatory muscles. RA group revealed a strong linear relationship for the right and left muscle thickness and cross-sectional areas in regression analysis. TMJ symptoms are frequent findings and thought to be affected from mean disease duration in RA. Laboratory findings should be considered for disease activity-related TMJ involvement. RA patients did not present muscular atrophy or hypertrophy.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease. In many inflammatory diseases, increased production of pro-inflammatory cytokines is associated with an increase in oxidative stress mediators. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis is a marker for oxidative stress. The aim of this study was to examine the dynamic thiol/disulfide homeostasis in AS. Sixty-nine patients with AS and 60 age- and sex-matched controls were included in the study. The Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and visual analogue scale (VAS) were used to determine the disease activity. Native thiol, total thiol, and disulfide levels were measured with a novel automated method recently described by Erel and Neselioglu. The aforementioned method is also optionally manual spectrophotometric assay. The total thiol levels were significantly lower in the AS group compared with the control group (p = 0.03). When the patients were divided into active (n = 35) and inactive (n = 34) subgroups using BASDAI scores, the native plasma thiol and total thiol levels were significantly lower in the active AS patients compared to the inactive AS patients (p = 0.02, p = 0.03 respectively). There was a negative correlation between the plasma native thiol levels and VAS, BASDAI scores. Thiol/disulfide homeostasis may be used for elucidating the effects of oxidative stress in AS. Understanding the role of thiol/disulfide homeostasis in AS might provide new therapeutic intervention strategies for patients.

We report two cases of paraneoplastic remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) associated with prostatic adenocarcinoma. One of the patients was positive for Helicobacter pylori and the other had secondary bone metastases. In the latter, the clinical picture of RS3PE developed after surgical intervention for the primary lesion. On physical examination, while the hands and feet were swollen in the first patient, pitting edema was present only at the feet of the other. All joints of the affected hands and feet were painful. Serological tests including rheumatoid factor, antinuclear antibody, and human leukocyte antigen B27 were all negative. Response to low-dose corticosteroid treatment was delayed in the first patient, but the symptoms were relieved better in the second one.