In patients with EOA, US is a reliable and a more sensitive imaging modality than CR in detecting erosions and osteophytes. US detects inflammatory changes in small hand joints in the vast majority of patients with EOA and suggests that current treatment modalities are inadequate treatment for this disease.
The objective of our study was to establish whether there is an association between rheumatoid arthritis with extra-articular manifestations (exRA) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 (anti-CCP2) antibodies in Greeks. A retrospective study of 220 Greek patients with RA, 95 with exRA and 125 without extra-articular manifestations (cRA). Serum anti-CCP2 antibodies and IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) were measured. CCP2(+) were 65.3% of exRA and 58.4% of cRA patients. RF(+) were 69.5% of exRA and 60.0% of cRA patients. Among exRA patients, 37.9% had high serum anti-CCP2 antibody levels (>100 IU/ml) compared to 21.6% cRA patients (p = 0.008). Serositis and pulmonary fibrosis were found to be associated with high levels of anti-CCP2 antibodies (52.9 vs 26.6%, p = 0.02 and 63.6 vs 26.8%, p = 0.008, respectively). Serum RF levels were 265.0 +/- 52.0 IU/ml (mean +/- SEM) in exRA and 205.1 +/- 40.6 (mean +/- SEM) in cRA (NS). High serum RF levels (>268 IU/ml) were more likely to have sicca syndrome. In Greek patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), high serum anti-CCP2 antibodies are associated with serositis and pulmonary fibrosis. Therefore, anti-CCP2 antibodies have prognostic significance in patients with RA.
BackgroundRheumatic diseases are a major health and financial burden for societies. The prevalence of rheumatic diseases may change over time, and therefore, we sought to estimate the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in an adult population of central Greece.MethodsIn this prospective cross-sectional population survey, a random sample of adult population was drawn from poll catalogues of a region in central Greece. A postal questionnaire was sent to 3,528 people for the presence of any rheumatic disease. All positive cases were further confirmed by clinical examination using the American College of Rheumatoloy criteria. Multiple regression analysis was used to assess risk factors for rheumatic diseases.ResultsThe response rate was 48.3% (1,705 answers). Four hundred and twenty individuals (24.6%) had a rheumatic disease. The prevalence of rheumatoid arthritis was 0.58% (95% confidence interval [CI], 0.32-0.87), of psoriatic arthritis was 0.35% (95% CI, 0.33-1.13), of ankylosing spondylitis was 0.29% (95% CI, 0.28-0.94), of primary Sjögren's syndrome was 0.23% (95% CI, 0.22-0.75) and of systemic lupus erythematosus was 0.11% (95% CI, 0.11-0.37). One individual had systemic sclerosis (prevalence, 0.058%), 1 individual had dermatomyositis (prevalence, 0.058%; 95% CI, 0.05-0.18), 2 individuals had vasculitis (prevalence 0.11%; 95% CI, 0.11-0.37), 81 individuals had gout (prevalence, 4.75%; 95% CI, 4.41-5.13), and 304 individuals had osteoarthritis (OA) (prevalence 17.82%; 95% CI, 16.50-19.34). Gout was associated with male gender, diabetes mellitus, and hypertension, and OA was associated with age, female gender, and hypertension.ConclusionsRheumatic diseases are common in central Greece, affecting nearly a quarter of adult population. OA and gout are the most common joint disorders.
This study aimed to assess the effect of mofetil mycophenolate (MMF), an inhibitor of lymphocyte proliferation, on lung function and skin in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical files of 10 patients with SSc-ILD (eight females, 10 patients with diffuse SSc; mean age, 59.7 +/- 12.7 years; disease duration, 7.7 +/- 4.7 years). Patients were treated with MMF (2 g/day) for 12 months. Lung function tests and the modified Rodnan total skin score (mRTSS) were assessed at baseline and at 12 months. Results were analyzed by paired Student's t test. There was a significant increase in forced vital capacity and a nonsignificant increase in carbon monoxide diffusing capacity at 12 months in patients on MMF (p = 0.04 and 0.66, respectively). There was no effect on mRTSS. MMF stabilizes lung function of SSc-ILD after 12 months of treatment.
BackgroundThe association between systemic sclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is well recognized. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been reported to play an important role in pulmonary hypertension. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between systolic pulmonary artery pressure, clinical and functional manifestations of the disease and serum VEGF levels in systemic sclerosis.MethodsSerum VEGF levels were measured in 40 patients with systemic sclerosis and 13 control subjects. All patients underwent clinical examination, pulmonary function tests and echocardiography.ResultsSerum VEGF levels were higher in systemic sclerosis patients with sPAP ≥ 35 mmHg than in those with sPAP < 35 mmHg (352 (266, 462 pg/ml)) vs (240 (201, 275 pg/ml)) (p < 0.01), while they did not differ between systemic sclerosis patients with sPAP < 35 mmHg and controls. Serum VEGF levels correlated to systolic pulmonary artery pressure, to diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide and to MRC dyspnea score. In multiple linear regression analysis, serum VEGF levels, MRC dyspnea score, and DLCO were independent predictors of systolic pulmonary artery pressure.ConclusionSerum VEGF levels are increased in systemic sclerosis patients with sPAP ≥ 35 mmHg. The correlation between VEGF levels and systolic pulmonary artery pressure may suggest a possible role of VEGF in the pathogenesis of PAH in systemic sclerosis.
Erosive osteoarthritis (EOA) is defined as hand osteoarthritis (OA) with interphalangeal joint erosions on plain radiographs. We sought to find ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features that could distinguish EOA from nodal hand OA (NOA). Symptomatic consecutive patients with hand OA as defined by the American College of Rheumatology criteria (13 EOA patients as defined by erosion in ≥1 interphalangeal joint and seven nodal OA patients) and five normal individuals were examined by plain radiography, US, and MRI. Patients and controls underwent evaluation of metacarpophalangeal and interphalangeal joints by US, and all fingers from second to fifth digit by MRI. A total of 240 joints in symptomatic patients were examined by both imaging modalities. Synovitis, osteophytes, cartilage loss, and erosions were frequently detected in the joints of patients with EOA and NOA. Six of seven patients with NOA had joint erosions that were seen on MRI or US scan but seen on plain radiographs. The overall concordance between MRI and US findings was substantial for osteophytes (κ = 0.79) and excellent for cysts (κ = 0.85), erosions (κ = 0.84), synovitis (κ = 0.82), and tenosynovitis (κ = 0.83) in both groups. Inflammatory changes, such as effusions and synovitis, and structural changes, such as erosions, were frequently detected by US and MRI in EOA and nodal OA. These findings may support the hypothesis that EOA could not be a separate entity but may represent the severe end of the spectrum of hand OA.
The objective of this study is to assess the reliability of clinical examination in patients with erosive osteoarthritis (EOA). Eighteen patients with EOA underwent clinical examination for joint tenderness, bony swelling, and inflammation by two independent, blinded assessors. All patients were also examined by ultrasound (US) by an independent radiologist. The inter-observer agreement was moderate for bony swelling and joint tenderness and fair for joint inflammation (kappa = 0.513, 0.448, and 0.402, respectively). US detected significantly more inflamed joints than clinical examination. The sensitivity and specificity of clinical examination for joint inflammation were 0.12 and 0.95, respectively. Clinical joint counts for bony swelling, tenderness, and inflammation all correlated with functional status, assessed by the functional index for hand osteoarthritis (FIHOA), whereas US joint counts for joint inflammation did not correlate with the FIHOA. No correlation was found between any clinical or US joint count and visual analog scale for pain. US detects more joints with inflammation than clinical examination in patients with EOA. US can supplement the clinical examination of patients with EOA, as US-detected subclinical joint inflammation might accelerate joint damage and thus functional impairment.
We provide a comprehensive overview of those Lepidopteran invasions to Europe that result from increasing globalisation and also review expansion of species within Europe. A total of 97 non-native Lepidoptera species (about 1% of the known fauna), in 20 families and 11 superfamilies have established so far in
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