Review
Immunology
Di Wu, Yehao Luo, Tong Li, Xinyi Zhao, Ting Lv, Gang Fang, Peiqi Ou, Hongyi Li, Xiaofan Luo, An Huang, Yuzhou Pang
Summary: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), as a systemic autoimmune disease, not only damages joints but also other tissues and organs. Severe complications of RA are closely associated with the prognosis and increased mortality of patients. This article summarizes the incidence, pathogenesis, clinical features, and treatment methods of serious complications of RA, providing a reference for clinicians to manage RA complications effectively.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Editorial Material
Medical Laboratory Technology
Rand Abou Shaar, Kyle D. Perry, Zaher K. Otrock
Summary: Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a life-threatening syndrome characterized by excessive activation of macrophages. We report a case of a patient presenting with fever, abdominal distention, and ascites, with hemophagocytosis identified in the ascitic fluid cytology.
DIAGNOSTIC CYTOPATHOLOGY
(2022)
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
D. Abdelhafiz, T. Baker, D. A. Glascow, Ah Abdelhafiz
Summary: This study systematically explored the role of multiple biomarkers in the diagnosis, treatment, and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results showed that these biomarkers are helpful tools in clinical practice for RA diagnosis, treatment monitoring, and prognosis prediction. However, further research is needed to investigate novel biomarkers that may be related to patient responsiveness.
POSTGRADUATE MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Zhongjie Wang, Wenhan Huang, Feifeng Ren, Lei Luo, Jun Zhou, Dongmei Huang, Mei Jiang, Huaan Du, Jinqi Fan, Lin Tang
Summary: The study demonstrated that Ang-(1-7) and AVE0991 can reduce inflammatory cytokine levels, inhibit joint inflammation and bone destruction, as well as alleviate myocardial interstitial fibrosis. Ang-(1-7) may mediate these effects through the Mas receptor.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
James Greenan-Barrett, Georgia Doolan, Devina Shah, Simrun Virdee, George A. Robinson, Varvara Choida, Nataliya Gak, Nina de Gruijter, Elizabeth Rosser, Muthana Al-Obaidi, Maria Leandro, Michael S. Zandi, Ruth J. Pepper, Alan Salama, Elizabeth C. Jury, Coziana Ciurtin
Summary: Juvenile systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) is a form of lupus that occurs before 18 years of age and is associated with more severe disease phenotype, increased morbidity, and mortality compared to adult-onset SLE. Identifying biomarkers specific to JSLE clinical phenotype can lead to better patient management and outcomes. Research into various traditional and novel biomarkers is important for predicting organ involvement and improving treatment strategies for JSLE.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Cell Biology
Chiara Rizzo, Federica Camarda, Denise Donzella, Lidia La Barbera, Giuliana Guggino
Summary: Spondyloarthritis is a rheumatic disease whose development is influenced by the complex interplay between genetic and environmental factors. Recent advances in metabolomics have provided a new approach to understanding the pathogenesis of Spondyloarthritis and identifying potential biomarkers for diagnosis and monitoring.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Dario Bruno, Anna Laura Fedele, Barbara Tolusso, Angelina Barini, Luca Petricca, Clara Di Mario, Antonella Barini, Luisa Mirone, Gianfranco Ferraccioli, Stefano Alivernini, Elisa Gremese
Summary: The study revealed that bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis patients are closely associated with systemic bone loss, with early osteoporotic patients being more prone to erosions. Disease activity score and osteopenia/osteoporosis status were identified as independent factors of erosiveness.
FRONTIERS IN MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Jorge A. Gonzalez-Chapa, Victor M. Pena-Martinez, Jose F. Vilchez-Cavazos, Mario C. Salinas-Carmona, Adrian G. Rosas-Taraco
Summary: This study investigates the cytokine profiles in patients with septic arthritis (SA) and their association with disease severity and prognosis. The findings show that SA patients have a systemic and local proinflammatory cytokine profile, with significantly elevated levels of IL-6 and HMGB1. Systemic IL-6 is negatively correlated with general mental health and predicts higher osteoarthritis index after one year. HMGB1 in synovial fluid is associated with osteochondral damage. TNF-alpha in synovial fluid is negatively correlated with SF-36 questionnaire scores (role limitation, body pain, general mental health) after one year.
ARCHIVES OF MEDICAL RESEARCH
(2022)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Friederike S. Schuster, Peter Nyvlt, Patrick Heeren, Claudia Spies, Moritz F. Adam, Thomas Schenk, Frank M. Brunkhorst, Gritta Janka, Paul La Rosee, Cornelia Lachmann, Gunnar Lachmann
Summary: This study systematically investigated the differential diagnoses of hyperferritinemia in critically ill adult patients without HLH. It found that sepsis or septic shock, liver disease (except hepatitis), and hematological malignancy are important differential diagnoses. Therefore, quick investigation of differential diagnoses is necessary in hyperferritinemic patients.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Biochemical Research Methods
Chenxi Liu, Guang Song, Songxin Yan, Yangzhige He, Chaojun Hu, Yong Hou, Xiaoting Wen, Liubing Li, Fengchun Zhang, Heng Zhu, Yongzhe Li
Summary: A novel autoantibody, anti-SNRPA, has been identified and validated as a potential biomarker for diagnosing systemic sclerosis, using a protein array-based approach.
JOURNAL OF PROTEOME RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Seyedeh Maryam Hosseinikhah, Mahmood Barani, Abbas Rahdar, Henning Madry, Rabia Arshad, Vahideh Mohammadzadeh, Magali Cucchiarini
Summary: Nanomaterials have shown promise in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as imaging and detection tools, and as improved drug delivery systems for effective treatment.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Ho-Chang Kuo
Summary: This review article discusses several important aspects of Kawasaki disease (KD) diagnosis and management. It highlights the limitations of current diagnostic methods based on clinical criteria and suggests the need for updates to account for atypical cases. The review also compares KD with Multisystem Inflammatory Syndrome in Children (MIS-C) associated with COVID-19 and explores the potential role of new diagnostic methods and treatment approaches.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Helena Idborg, Vilija Oke
Summary: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterized by activation and dysregulation of the immune system. Disturbances in immune pathways and genetic susceptibility are key factors in the development of SLE. Dysregulation of cytokines, particularly interferons, has been extensively studied as potential biomarkers and treatment targets in SLE.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Rok Seon Choung, Francesca Petralia, Joana Torres, Ryan C. Ungaro, Chad Porter, Takahiro Sato, Shannon Telesco, Richard S. Strauss, Scott Plevy, Fred Princen, Mark S. Riddle, Joseph A. Murray, Jean Frederic Colombel
Summary: By evaluating serum samples prior to diagnosis, this study found that proteins and antimicrobial antibodies associated with complicated Crohn's disease (CD) were present before diagnosis, indicating their potential role in predicting the complicated phenotype at the time of diagnosis.
CLINICAL GASTROENTEROLOGY AND HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Pharmacology & Pharmacy
Yang Yang, Yufei Liu, Yilu Chai, Ke Liu, Wei Hu, Keni Zhao, Yi Zhu, Peiyang Gao, Qingsong Huang, Chuantao Zhang
Summary: This review highlights the significance of exosomes in the pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of pulmonary fibrosis (PF). Exosomes play a role in regulating inflammation, immune response, and extracellular matrix deposition in PF, and can potentially serve as diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers. Additionally, exosomes derived from various cells show promise as therapeutic agents and drug delivery systems for PF.
FRONTIERS IN PHARMACOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Marta Mazzoni, Angela Pistorio, Francesca Magnaguagno, Stefania Viola, Alessia Urru, Gian Michele Magnano, Angelo Ravelli, Clara Malattia
Summary: The study found that many JIA patients still have subclinical synovitis and bone marrow edema on MRI despite being in clinical remission. These subclinical inflammations may indicate the risk of disease flare and joint deterioration, which could have important implications for the management of the disease.
ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Michelle M. A. Kip, Sytze de Roock, Gillian Currie, Deborah A. Marshall, Luiza R. Grazziotin, Marinka Twilt, Rae S. M. Yeung, Susanne M. Benseler, Sebastiaan J. Vastert, Nico Wulffraat, Joost F. Swart, Maarten J. IJzerman
Summary: This study investigates medication prescription patterns in children with JIA, revealing the complexity of pharmacological treatment in terms of the variety of mono- and combination therapies prescribed, significant variation in medication prescriptions between subtypes, most patients receiving multiple treatment lines, and a large number of unique treatment sequences.
Article
Rheumatology
Ann-Sophie De Craemer, Torsten Witte, Triana Lobaton Ortega, Anne Hoorens, Martine De Vos, Claude Cuvelier, Sebastiaan J. Vastert, Xenofon Baraliakos, Filip Van den Bosch, Dirk Elewaut
Summary: Serum anti-CD74 IgA is a potentially useful diagnostic biomarker for axSpA, but is not associated with gut inflammation or other disease-specific features.
Article
Rheumatology
Clara Malattia, Lorenzo Chiarella, Miriam Sansone, Angela Pistorio, Claudio Lavarello, Manuela Carpaneto, Raffaele Ferri, Angelo Ravelli, Lino Nobili
Summary: This study investigates sleep quality in juvenile fibromyalgia syndrome (JFS) and its impact on the global burden of the disease. The results show that patients with JFS have longer sleep period time, increased wake after sleep onset, and lower N3 distribution index compared to healthy peers. Subjective poor sleep quality is related to widespread pain, symptom severity, depressive symptoms, fatigue, and symptom severity upon awakening. Sleep complaints are a key characteristic of JFS and have significant effects on pain and depression.
JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Janneke G. C. Peeters, Arjan Boltjes, Rianne C. Scholman, Stephin J. Vervoort, Paul J. Coffer, Michal Mokry, Sebastiaan J. Vastert, Femke van Wijk, Jorg van Loosdregt
Summary: This study investigates the epigenetic changes in monocytes derived from inflamed joints of JIA patients and reveals the role of the local inflammatory environment in regulating these changes. The activation phenotype of synovial-derived monocytes is found to be regulated on the epigenetic level, with increased expression and epigenetic alterations in IFN signaling-associated genes. Treatment with the JAK inhibitor ruxolitinib transforms the activated enhancer landscape and reduces disease-associated gene expression, thus inhibiting the inflammatory phenotype.
Article
Rheumatology
Emanuela Del Giudice, Sytze de Roock, Sebastiaan J. Vastert, Nico M. Wulffraat, Joost F. Swart, Evert H. P. van Dijkhuizen
Summary: This study aimed to identify factors associated with satisfaction with JIA care reported by patients and parents. The study found that satisfaction was related to factors such as duration of morning stiffness, age at disease onset, disease duration, and patient well-being. For parents, satisfaction was related to disease activity, school problems, and quality of life. These findings highlight the importance of incorporating patient and parent perspectives into shared decision-making to improve the quality of medical care.
Article
Biology
Gerdien Mijnheer, Nila Hendrika Servaas, Jing Yao Leong, Arjan Boltjes, Eric Spierings, Phyllis Chen, Liyun Lai, Alessandra Petrelli, Sebastiaan Vastert, Rob J. de Boer, Salvatore Albani, Aridaman Pandit, Femke van Wijk, Di Chen
Summary: Autoimmune inflammation is characterized by tissue infiltration and expansion of antigen-specific T cells. In this study, the authors used CyTOF analysis and TCR sequencing to investigate the immune cell composition and expansion of specific T cell clones in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). They found that the infiltrates in different affected joints of the same patient were similar, and dominant T cell clones, including Tregs, persisted over time. These findings suggest the presence of autoantigen-driven expansion of T cell clones in localized autoimmune disease.
Review
Immunology
L. Nijhuis, J. F. Swart, B. J. Prakken, J. van Loosdregt, S. J. Vastert
Summary: This review discusses the unresolved clinical challenges in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and explores how an increased understanding of the disease's biology can lead to future treatment strategies at various stages of the disease. The most relevant disease subtypes, nonsystemic (OA and PA) JIA and systemic (SJ) JIA, are examined, along with their proposed mechanisms and current therapeutic modalities. Current treatment strategies in JIA, such as the "Step-up" and "Treat to Target" approaches, are discussed, and the potential for more targeted strategies in the future is explored.
CLINICAL AND EXPERIMENTAL IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Harsita Patel, Amalia Sintou, Rasheda A. Chowdhury, Stephen Rothery, Alma Octavia Iacob, Sanjay Prasad, Peter P. Rainer, Federico Martinon-Torres, Vanessa Sancho-Shimizu, Chisato Shimizu, Kirsten Dummer, Adriana H. Tremoulet, Jane C. Burns, Susanne Sattler, Michael Levin
Summary: This study investigated the presence of anticardiac autoantibodies in MIS-C or COVID-19 vaccine-induced myocarditis and found no evidence of antibody binding to cardiac tissue in these conditions. This suggests that the cardiac pathology in MIS-C and vaccine-induced myocarditis is unlikely to be driven by direct anticardiac antibody-mediated mechanisms.
Article
Rheumatology
Bita Shakoory, Ashley Geerlinks, Marta Wilejto, Kate Kernan, Melissa Hines, Micol Romano, David Piskin, Angelo Ravelli, Rashmi Sinha, Daniel Aletaha, Carl Allen, Hamid Bassiri, Edward M. Behrens, Joseph Carcillo, Linda Carl, Winn Chatham, Jeffrey Cohen, Randy Q. Cron, Erik Drewniak, Alexei A. Grom, Lauren A. Henderson, Annacarin Horne, Michael B. Jordan, Kim E. Nichols, Grant Schulert, Sebastiaan Vastert, Erkan Demirkaya, Raphaela Goldbach-Mansky, Fabrizio de Benedetti, Rebecca A. Marsh, Scott W. Canna, HLH MAS Task Force
Summary: Haemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) and macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) are life-threatening hyperinflammatory syndromes that can develop in many inflammatory conditions. Early identification and management are crucial to prevent organ failure and mortality. This effort aimed to provide evidence-based guidance to assist clinicians in optimizing decision-making in the early stages of HLH/MAS.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Ethics
Fabian J. S. van der Velden, Emma Lim, Lily Gills, Jasmin Broadey, Louise Hayes, Eve Roberts, Jack Courtney, Joanne Ball, Jethro Herberg, Rachel Galassini, Marieke Emonts, DIAMONDS consortium
Summary: This study explores the views and knowledge of children and young people in the UK regarding biobanking and consent. The findings suggest that most children accept prospective and deferred consent, and prefer to reconsent when cognitively mature enough. Additionally, children wanted to be informed about the reuse of their biobanked biospecimens.
BMC MEDICAL ETHICS
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Bita Shakoory, Ashley Geerlinks, Marta Wilejto, Kate Kernan, Melissa Hines, Micol Romano, David Piskin, Angelo Ravelli, Rashmi Sinha, Daniel Aletaha, Carl Allen, Hamid Bassiri, Edward M. Behrens, Joseph Carcillo, Linda Carl, Winn Chatham, Jeffrey I. Cohen, Randy Q. Cron, Erik Drewniak, Alexei A. Grom, Lauren A. Henderson, Annacarin Horne, Michael B. Jordan, Kim E. Nichols, Grant Schulert, Sebastiaan Vastert, Erkan Demirkaya, Raphaela Goldbach-Mansky, Fabrizio de Benedetti, Rebecca A. Marsh, Scott W. Canna
Summary: This study aims to provide evidence-based and consensus-based guidance for clinicians in the early diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring of HLH/MAS. Through research, questionnaires, and expert opinions, 6 overarching statements and 24 specific points to consider were developed, covering various aspects including early recognition, diagnosis, treatment, and monitoring. The involvement of multidisciplinary expertise is crucial for timely intervention and management.
ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Remco G. A. Erkens, Jorg J. A. Calis, Anouk Verwoerd, Sytze De Roock, Nienke M. Ter Haar, Gerda Den Engelsman, Lars T. van der Veken, Robert F. Ernst, Hanneke W. M. Van Deutekom, Alex Pickering, Rianne C. Scholman, Marc H. A. Jansen, Joost F. Swart, Rashmi Sinha, Johannes Roth, Grant S. Schulert, Alexei A. Grom, Jorg Van Loosdregt, Sebastiaan J. Vastert
Summary: Using anakinra as first-line treatment in new-onset sJIA patients resulted in high rates of clinical inactive disease, regardless of HLA-DRB1 or IL1RN variants. Early initiation of biologic therapy may be more appropriate for patients with different genetic susceptibility backgrounds.
ARTHRITIS & RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Biology
Ellen C. N. van Vroonhoven, Lucas W. Picavet, Rianne C. Scholman, Noortje A. M. van den Dungen, Michal Mokry, Anouk Evers, Robert J. Lebbink, Jorg J. A. Calis, Sebastiaan J. Vastert, Jorg van Loosdregt
Summary: The expression of immune regulatory proteins is tightly regulated at various cellular processes, including at the RNA transcript level. It was found that m(6)A regulates the activation of CD4(+) T lymphocytes by regulating the expression of the co-stimulatory molecule CD40 ligand. This discovery contributes to our understanding of CD4(+) T cell activation, gene expression regulation, and autoimmune disease pathogenesis.
