Article
Rheumatology
Noboru Kitamura, Hitomi Kobayashi, Yosuke Nagasawa, Kaita Sugiyama, Hiroshi Tsuzuki, Yutaka Tanikawa, Natsumi Ikumi, Yuito Okada, Yasuo Takahashi, Satoshi Asai, Naoto Tamura, Michihiro Ogasawara, Toshio Kawamoto, Ryohei Kuwatsuru, Hiromichi Tamaki, Genki Kidoguchi, Mutsuto Tateishi, Makiko Kimura, Yuichi Mochida, Kengo Harigane, Takayuki Shimazaki, Takao Koike, Kazuhide Tanimura, Hiroshi Kataoka, Koichi Amano, Hidekata Yasuoka, Masami Takei
Summary: This study aimed to identify risk factors for relapse after MTX dose reduction in RA patients receiving GLM/MTX combination therapy. The results showed that patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, gastrointestinal disease, liver disease, or prior NSAIDs-use had a higher risk of relapse after MTX reduction.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Tsutomu Takeuchi, Roy Fleischmann, Noriko Iikuni, Harry Shi, Koshika Soma, Jerome Paulissen, Tomohiro Hirose, Josef S. Smolen
Summary: This study found that patients with greater response to treatment had similar outcomes regardless of the therapy received, while patients with lesser response had better outcomes with combination therapies compared to tofacitinib monotherapy. Higher baseline CRP levels may be associated with better response to tofacitinib + MTX therapy.
ARTHRITIS RESEARCH & THERAPY
(2021)
Article
Rheumatology
Paul Studenic, Daniel Aletaha, Maarten de Wit, Tanja A. Stamm, Farideh Alasti, Diane Lacaille, Josef S. Smolen, David T. Felson
Summary: This study aimed to externally validate a revised Boolean remission criteria using a higher patient global assessment (PtGA) threshold and validate the provisionally endorsed index-based criteria. The results showed that using the higher PtGA threshold increased the proportion of patients classified as achieving remission under the "Boolean2.0" criteria, improved agreement with index-based criteria, and did not compromise predictive value for radiographic or functional outcomes. The study findings were endorsed by ACR and EULAR.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Yoichi Kurosawa, Satoshi Ito, Shunsuke Sakai, Eriko Hasegawa, Daisuke Kobayashi, Asami Abe, Hiroshi Otani, Kiyoshi Nakazono, Akira Murasawa, Ichiei Narita, Hajime Ishikawa
Summary: The study investigated the efficacy and safety of golimumab (GLM) in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and found that GLM was effective in elderly patients regardless of methotrexate (MTX) treatment status and did not significantly affect the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQ-DI). GLM survival rates were comparable between elderly and younger patients, indicating that GLM may be a suitable option for elderly RA patients who cannot use MTX.
Article
Rheumatology
Dzenan Masic, Kristian Stengaard-Pedersen, Brian Bridal Logstrup, Kim Horslev-Petersen, Merete Lund Hetland, Peter Junker, Mikkel ostergaard, Christian Ammitzboll, Soren Moller, Robin Christensen, Torkell Ellingsen
Summary: In patients with rheumatoid arthritis, there were no significant differences in lipid level changes between those treated with adalimumab plus methotrexate and those treated with placebo plus methotrexate over a 1-year period. The study suggests that both treatment strategies have similar effects on lipid levels in early and treatment-naive RA patients.
RHEUMATOLOGY INTERNATIONAL
(2021)
Article
Dermatology
Joel M. Gelfand, Joy Wan, He Zhang, Daniel B. Shin, Alexis Ogdie, Maha N. Syed, Alexander Egeberg
Summary: Patients with psoriatic disease, especially psoriasis, are at a higher risk of developing liver disease outcomes compared to those with rheumatoid arthritis when receiving methotrexate. Meanwhile, patients with psoriatic arthritis also have an increased likelihood of developing mild liver disease and cirrhosis.
JOURNAL OF THE AMERICAN ACADEMY OF DERMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Gastroenterology & Hepatology
Brian G. Feagan, Bruce E. Sands, William J. Sandborn, Matthew Germinaro, Marion Vetter, Jie Shao, Shihong Sheng, Jewel Johanns, Julian Panes
Summary: This study compared the efficacy of combination therapy with guselkumab and golimumab to monotherapy for ulcerative colitis, and found that combination therapy achieved a higher clinical response rate at 12 weeks. However, these findings need to be confirmed in larger trials.
LANCET GASTROENTEROLOGY & HEPATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Renske C. F. Hebing, Marry Lin, Maja Bulatovic Calasan, Ittai B. Muller, Sohaila Mahmoud, Sandra Heil, Eduard A. Struys, Bart J. F. van den Bemt, Jos W. R. Twisk, Willem Lems, Michael T. Nurmohamed, Gerrit Jansen, Robert de Jonge
Summary: This study investigates the pharmacokinetics of methotrexate polyglutamate (MTX-PG) accumulation in red blood cells (RBCs) and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after oral and subcutaneous MTX treatment. The results show that there are disparate pharmacokinetic profiles between PBMCs and RBCs, with higher accumulation of MTX-PG in PBMCs. The distribution profile of MTX-PG in PBMCs remains constant over 6 months, while in RBCs, the main PG-moiety changes from MTX-PG(1) to MTX-PG(3).
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Delila Singh, Nina Hesse, Alla Skapenko, Hendrik Schulze-Koops
Summary: Methotrexate is associated with rare bone lesions that are often misdiagnosed as osteoporotic fractures. Early diagnosis is crucial for treatment and prevention of further osteopathology. This case highlights the importance of raising awareness and taking appropriate therapeutic measures, including discontinuing methotrexate.
Article
Chemistry, Analytical
Junqing He, Junyan Wang, Min Zhang, Guoyue Shi
Summary: As a folate antagonist, methotrexate (MTX) has been widely used in clinics for treating various tumors and inflammatory diseases. However, the dosage and clearance of MTX vary between individuals, and it may cause life-threatening side effects at high doses. Therefore, a convenient and simple method for MTX sensing is highly demanded.
Article
Chemistry, Multidisciplinary
Qi Chen, Chengyuan Wu, Siwei Wang, Qiang Wang, Peiyun Wu, Lei Wang, Peiyu Yan, Ying Xie
Summary: This study successfully constructed a nano-drug delivery system with fluorescence and dual anti-inflammatory effects by modifying glycyrrhizic acid onto carbon dots and loading methotrexate, and then combining it with hyaluronic acid to prepare biodegradable soluble microneedles for transdermal drug delivery of rheumatoid arthritis. The in vivo experiments showed that the prepared nano-drug delivery system significantly inhibited the secretion of pro-inflammatory cytokines and had a significant therapeutic effect on arthritis.
FRONTIERS IN CHEMISTRY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Clement Triaille, Gaelle Tilman, Tatiana Sokolova, Axelle Loriot, Joelle Marchandise, Stephanie De Montjoye, Adrien Nzeusseu-Toukap, Laurent Meric de Bellefon, Caroline Bouzin, Christine Galant, Patrick Durez, Bernard R. Lauwerys, Nisha Limaye
Summary: This study used transcriptomic profiling to explore clinically relevant subgroups in early, untreated rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. The synovial transcriptome closely mirrored clinical disease activity, and the ratio of M2:M1 macrophages was inversely correlated with inflammation and disease activity, suggesting a protective role for tissue resident macrophages in RA.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Claire Daien, Marek Krogulec, Paul Gineste, Jean-Marc Steens, Laurence Desroys du Roure, Sophie Biguenet, Didier Scherrer, Julien Santo, Hartmut Ehrlich, Patrick Durez
Summary: This study evaluated the safety and efficacy of ABX464 in patients with moderate-to-severe active rheumatoid arthritis. The results showed that ABX464 at a 50 mg dose was safe, well tolerated, and showed promising efficacy. The 100 mg dose had a high dropout rate due to gastrointestinal adverse events.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Siddharth Jain, Varun Dhir, Amita Aggarwal, Ranjan Gupta, Bidyalaxmi Leishangthem, Shankar Naidu, Aastha Khullar, Supriya Maurya, Veena Dhawan, Shefali Khanna Sharma, Aman Sharma, Sanjay Jain
Summary: This study compared the efficacy and safety of different dose escalation strategies of oral MTX in RA patients over a period of 16-24 weeks. The results showed that a faster escalation strategy was not more effective than the usual strategy, but was associated with higher gastrointestinal adverse events in the initial phase.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Oleg A. Mayboroda, Guinevere S. M. Lageveen-Kammeijer, Manfred Wuhrer, Radboud J. E. M. Dolhain
Summary: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a prevalent autoimmune disease affecting joints and other organs. Glycosylation changes in immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin A (IgA) have been found in RA patients, which can be used as biomarkers to differentiate patients and predict disease activity.
Editorial Material
Rheumatology
Takuya Kakutani, Takahiro Nunokawa, Atsushi Hashimoto, Toshihiro Matsui
JCR-JOURNAL OF CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)
Review
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Fumihiko Ogata, Ryusuke Tsunoda
Summary: JAK inhibitors have shown positive therapeutic impacts in rheumatoid arthritis, but concerns have been raised regarding the associated risk of venous thromboembolism (VTE). Various factors, including chronic inflammatory conditions, advanced age, obesity, and diabetes, can contribute to an increased risk of VTE. Clinicians should carefully assess individual risk factors and promptly diagnose and manage any symptoms suggestive of VTE.
CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Orthopedics
Shomi Oka, Takashi Higuchi, Hiroshi Furukawa, Kota Shimada, Akira Okamoto, Atsushi Hashimoto, Akiko Komiya, Koichiro Saisho, Norie Yoshikawa, Masao Katayama, Toshihiro Matsui, Naoshi Fukui, Kiyoshi Migita, Shigeto Tohma
Summary: This study investigated the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic lung diseases (CLD). The results showed that rheumatoid factor IgA was associated with interstitial lung disease, anti-citrullinated peptide antibody secretory component was associated with RA complicated with interstitial lung disease, and anti-carbamylated protein antibodies were associated with interstitial lung disease in RA.
BMC MUSCULOSKELETAL DISORDERS
(2022)
Review
Rheumatology
Masaaki Mori, Shinji Akioka, Toru Igarashi, Yuzaburo Inoue, Hiroaki Umebayashi, Shiro Ohshima, Susumu Nishiyama, Motomu Hashimoto, Toshihiro Matsui, Takako Miyamae, Takahiro Yasumi
Summary: Issues related to transitioning from paediatric to adult healthcare are receiving international attention. In Japan, a guide for supporting transitional care for patients with childhood-onset chronic rheumatological diseases has been proposed. This guide aims to provide essential knowledge to physicians in adult internal medicine and orthopaedics who may be involved in treating patients with rheumatic disease during the transition from paediatric to adult care. The guide includes features of transitional support that are common for patients with various different rheumatic diseases and aims to inform policy and strategies for optimal outcomes in transitional care by non-paediatric rheumatologists.
MODERN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Naoki Kimura, Takuya Kawahara, Yukari Uemura, Tatsuya Atsumi, Takayuki Sumida, Toshihide Mimura, Yasushi Kawaguchi, Hirofumi Amano, Yukiko Iwasaki, Yuko Kaneko, Toshihiro Matsui, Yoshinao Muro, Yoshitaka Imura, Takashi Kanda, Yoshiya Tanaka, Atsushi Kawakami, Masatoshi Jinnin, Tomonori Ishii, Keiju Hiromura, Yusuke Miwa, Hiroshi Nakajima, Masataka Kuwana, Yasuhiko Nishioka, Akio Morinobu, Hideto Kameda, Hitoshi Kohsaka
Summary: BCAAs showed no significant effect on improving MMT scores and clinical response, but were partially effective in improving dynamic repetitive muscle functions.
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Yukitaka Ueki, Naruhiko Ishiwada
Summary: The study evaluated the antibody response to PCV13 vaccine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving JAKIs. The results showed that IgG concentrations significantly increased in all treatment groups after vaccination, but the fold increases were different among treatment groups. Combination therapy was the only factor associated with a reduced antibody response to PCV13.
MODERN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Takahiro Mizuuchi, Tetsuji Sawada, Susumu Nishiyama, Koichiro Tahara, Haeru Hayashi, Hiroaki Mori, Eri Kato, Mayu Tago, Toshihiro Matsui, Shigeto Tohma
Summary: The involvement of distal interphalangeal (DIP) joints in adult-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with disease activity, particularly affecting small-sized and upper-extremity joints.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Yukitaka Ueki, Tomoya Miyamura, Koji Ishii, Toshihiko Hidaka, Tamami Yoshitama, Kazuyoshi Nakamura, Yasuo Suenaga
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the outcomes and risk factors for death in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed Pneumocystis pneumonia (PCP). The results showed significant differences between survivors and non-survivors in terms of cough, sputum production, and medication before and after PCP occurrence. Coexisting RA-associated interstitial lung disease and delayed treatment with anti-Pneumocystis drugs were identified as significant risk factors for PCP mortality in RA patients. Most survivors were able to resume DMARD therapy without PCP prophylaxis.
MODERN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Shunsuke Mori, Akitomo Okada, Tomohiro Koga, Yukitaka Ueki
Summary: Discontinuation of bDMARDs/tofacitinib may be a feasible strategy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, especially those with early treated and longer-controlled RA. Flares are manageable in most patients and radiological progression is rare for at least 3 years after discontinuation of bDMARDs/tofacitinib.
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Hirofumi Soejima, Jun Hokamaki, Kenichi Tsujita
Summary: We investigated factors associated with plasma D-dimer levels in outpatients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by consecutively recruiting 460 patients. The study found that age, disease severity, and the presence of comorbidities or cardiovascular/VTE risk factors were independently associated with high D-dimer levels. Among patients with D-dimer levels >= 3 mu g/ml, 25% had deep vein thrombosis in their lower limbs. The results suggest that clinical disease activity is a major contributor to elevated plasma D-dimer levels in RA outpatients.
MODERN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Genetics & Heredity
Takashi Higuchi, Shomi Oka, Hiroshi Furukawa, Kota Shimada, Atsushi Hashimoto, Akiko Komiya, Toshihiro Matsui, Naoshi Fukui, Shigeto Tohma
Summary: This study revealed for the first time the independent association of DR6 with CKD in Japanese RA patients, although DR6 is known to be protective against RA. Our data suggest direct or indirect roles of HLA for the development of CKD in RA, but the mechanisms are not clear.
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Shomi Oka, Takashi Higuchi, Hiroshi Furukawa, Kota Shimada, Atsushi Hashimoto, Toshihiro Matsui, Shigeto Tohma
Summary: This study investigated the impact of rheumatoid factors on the results of anti-severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 antibody tests in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The findings suggest that the results of the tests may be modified by these factors.
SAGE OPEN MEDICINE
(2022)
Review
Rheumatology
Hiroshi Furukawa, Shomi Oka, Takashi Higuchi, Kota Shimada, Atsushi Hashimoto, Toshihiro Matsui, Shigeto Tohma
Summary: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common complication of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with acute-onset diffuse ILD (AoDILD) also occurring in RA patients. While some biomarkers for ILD have been established, more research is needed for biomarkers specific to RA-ILD and AoDILD.
THERAPEUTIC ADVANCES IN MUSCULOSKELETAL DISEASE
(2021)
Article
Rheumatology
Shunsuke Mori, Yukitomo Urata, Tamami Yoshitama, Yukitaka Ueki
Summary: The study found that tofacitinib was more effective in inducing greater improvements in bDMARD-naive patients with active RA during the first 12 months of treatment compared to tocilizumab, but this difference was not observed in bDMARD-failure patients.
Article
Rheumatology
Kenichiro Tokunaga, Kunihiko Matsui, Hideto Oshikawa, Toshihiro Matsui, Shigeto Tohma
Summary: A retrospective cohort study of Japanese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients found that the combinatorial use of abatacept and tacrolimus did not increase the risk of adverse events compared to their individual use.
CLINICAL RHEUMATOLOGY
(2021)