Article
Rheumatology
Sophie I. E. Liem, Sam Neppelenbroek, Cynthia M. Fehres, Corrie Wortel, Rene E. M. Toes, Tom W. J. Huizinga, Hans U. Scherer, Jeska K. de Vries-Bouwstra
Summary: A hallmark of disease pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc) is the presence of autoreactive B cell responses targeting nuclear proteins. Autoantibodies serve as diagnostic biomarkers in SSc and can help identify clinical phenotypes of the disease. Understanding the contribution of antinuclear autoantibodies and their underlying B cell response is crucial in the management and treatment of SSc.
SEMINARS IN ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Pawel Zebryk, Piotr Przymuszala, Jan Krzysztof Nowak, Tomasz Piorunek, Tatiana Mularek-Kubzdela, Mariusz Puszczewicz
Summary: This study evaluated the prevalence and clinical significance of SSc-related autoantibodies and compared the sensitivity of two line immunoblot assays. The findings indicate that different autoantibodies are associated with specific characteristics of SSc.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Medicine, General & Internal
Audrey Benyamine, Daniel Bertin, Noemie Resseguier, Xavier Heim, Julien Bermudez, David Launay, Sylvain Dubucquoi, Adrian Hij, Dominique Farge, Alain Lescoat, Isabelle Bahon-Riedinger, Nouria Benmostefa, Luc Mouthon, Jean-Robert Harle, Gilles Kaplanski, Pascal Rossi, Nathalie Bardin, Brigitte Granel
Summary: The study found that AFAs in SSc patients have important clinical associations, especially when patients are negative for conventional antibodies and exhibit a typical IIF pattern. AFAs have diagnostic value in SSc and may serve as an interesting marker of disease severity.
Review
Immunology
Claire F. Beesley, Nina R. Goldman, Taher E. Taher, Christopher P. Denton, David J. Abraham, Rizgar A. Mageed, Voon H. Ong
Summary: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an immune-mediated rheumatic disease characterized by excessive extracellular matrix deposition. B cells play a fundamental role in the pathogenesis and development of SSc, as they infiltrate lesional sites and produce profibrotic cytokines. B cell counts are increased in SSc patients and show differences in various B cell compartments. B cell signaling is impaired in SSc patients, and B cell depletion therapy has shown therapeutic benefits.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Medicine, Research & Experimental
Carmen Bobeica, Elena Niculet, Alina Halip, Laura Gheuca-Solovastru, Miruna Draganescu, Ioana Popescu, Cristian Onisor, Silvia Chirobocea, Mihaela Lungu, Mihaela Craescu
Summary: Although systemic sclerosis (SSc) is characterized by specific autoantibodies associated with each subset, our study indicates that there is sometimes inconsistency between the disease subsets and the specific autoantibodies. Larger studies on the immunological profile in SSc are needed to further understand this relationship.
EXPERIMENTAL AND THERAPEUTIC MEDICINE
(2021)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Hanna Grasshoff, Konstantinos Fourlakis, Sara Comduhr, Gabriela Riemekasten
Summary: Systemic sclerosis is a rare connective tissue disorder characterized by immune dysregulation, inflammation, fibrosis and vasculopathy. Alterations in the B-cell compartment, including polyclonal B-cell hyperreactivity and autoantibody production, are important in the pathogenesis of the disease. Autoantibodies serve as biomarkers and contribute to pathological mechanisms. Therapeutic approaches targeting B cells and autoantibodies may hold promise in the treatment of systemic sclerosis.
Article
Allergy
Ilaria Cavazzana, Tamara Vojinovic, Paolo Airo', Micaela Fredi, Angela Ceribelli, Eleonora Pedretti, Maria Grazia Lazzaroni, Emirena Garrafa, Franco Franceschini
Summary: Disease-specific autoantibodies are crucial biomarkers for systemic sclerosis (SSc) as they can help in diagnosing the condition and predicting its severity and prognosis. Anti-nuclear antibodies (ANA), particularly the presence of isolated Raynuad's phenomenon, are considered the strongest independent predictors of definite SSc and digital microvascular damage. Other specific autoantibodies like anti-centromere, anti-Th/To, and anti-Topoisomerase I antibodies are classical biomarkers for SSc and can define patients with well-described complications. The accurate detection of these autoantibodies is important for patient stratification and determining the best treatment approach.
CLINICAL REVIEWS IN ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Sabrina Hoa, Selma Lazizi, Murray Baron, Mianbo Wang, Marvin J. Fritzler, Marie Hudson
Summary: There is an association between cancer and specific autoantibodies in SSc patients, with increased cancer risk in patients positive for anti-topoisomerase I and anti-U1-RNP antibodies. However, synchronous cancer is rare in this cohort of Canadian SSc patients.
Review
Immunology
Benjamin Thoreau, Benjamin Chaigne, Luc Mouthon
Summary: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a rare autoimmune disease characterized by fibrosis, vasculopathy, and autoimmunity. Recent studies have shown the significant role of B-cells in SSc, with disrupted subpopulations and activated phenotype. B-cells also exhibit impaired regulatory capacities and contribute to fibrosis through the production of autoantibodies and cytokines. Targeting B-cells may be a potential treatment for early-stage SSc patients with severe organ damage.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Biology
Sevdalina Nikolova Lambova, Ekaterina Krasimirova Kurteva, Sanie Syuleymanova Dzhambazova, Georgi Hristov Vasilev, Dobroslav Stanimirov Kyurkchiev, Mariela Gencheva Geneva-Popova
Summary: In this pilot study involving 19 patients with SSc, a correlation between more advanced capillaroscopic changes and the presence of anti-Scl-70 autoantibodies was confirmed. Additionally, positive anti-RNAP III-155 antibodies were found in SSc patients with or without early microangiopathy.
Article
Multidisciplinary Sciences
Kristina E. N. Clark, Corrado Campochiaro, Lauren Host, Alper Sari, Jennifer Harvey, Christopher P. Denton, Voon H. Ong
Summary: This study evaluated the frequency of multiple SSc antibodies and their association with disease features in a large cohort of systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients. The study found that a small percentage of patients had two or more SSc antibodies, and this double positivity was found to affect the clinical phenotype of the patients.
SCIENTIFIC REPORTS
(2022)
Review
Immunology
Aurelien Chepy, Louisa Bourel, Vincent Koether, David Launay, Sylvain Dubucquoi, Vincent Sobanski
Summary: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a connective tissue disease characterized by extensive fibrosis of the skin and internal organs. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) are found in almost all SSc patients, but the exact role they play in the disease remains unclear. However, studies have shown that ANA may be associated with disease subtypes, appear before disease onset, correlate with disease activity and severity, and have a response to B-cell targeting therapy.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Kristina Elizabeth Neergaard Clark, Corrado Campochiaro, Eszter Csomor, Adam Taylor, Katherine Nevin, Nicholas Galwey, Mary A. Morse, Jennifer Singh, Yee Voan Teo, Voon H. Ong, Emma Derrett-Smith, Nicolas Wisniacki, Shaun M. Flint, Christopher P. Denton
Summary: Clinical heterogeneity is a key feature of systemic sclerosis (SSc), with hallmark SSc autoantibodies playing a central role in diagnosis and associating with distinct patterns of complications. This study used high-dimensional transcriptional and proteomic analysis to reveal a molecular spectrum of SSc based on skin gene expression and serum protein analysis, showing differences in fibrosis markers and gene expression profiles between different autoantibody specificities. Individual patient pathway analysis identified overlapping and distinct disease processes within SSc subgroups.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Immunology
Cristina Carbonell, Miguel Marcos, Alfredo Guillen-Del-Castillo, Manuel Rubio-Rivas, Ana Argibay, Adela Marin-Ballve, Ignasi Rodriguez-Pinto, Maria Balda-Masmiquel, Eduardo Callejas-Moraga, Dolores Colunga, Luis Saez-Comet, Cristina Gonzalez-Echavarri, Norberto Ortego-Centeno, Begona Mari-Alfonso, Jose-Antonio Vargas-Hitos, Jose-Antonio Todoli-Parra, Luis Trapiella, Maria-Teresa Herranz-Marin, Mayka Freire, Antoni Castro-Salomo, Isabel Perales-Fraile, Ana-Belen Madronero-Vuelta, Maria-Esther Sanchez-Garcia, Manuel Ruiz-Munoz, Andres Gonzalez-Garcia, Jorge Sanchez-Redondo, Gloria De-la-Red-Bellvis, Alejandra Fernandez-Luque, Alberto Muela-Molinero, Gema-Maria Lledo, Carles Tolosa-Vilella, Vicent Fonollosa-Pla, Antonio-Javier Chamorro, Carmen-Pilar Simeon-Aznar
Summary: Spanish patients with SSc have an increased risk of cancer compared to the general population. Lung, breast, and hematological cancers are the most commonly observed types. Risk factors for cancer include older age at SSc onset, the presence of primary biliary cholangitis, and decreased forced vital capacity, while the presence of anticentromere antibodies reduces the risk of cancer.
AUTOIMMUNITY REVIEWS
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Andres Gonzalez Garcia, Martin Fabregate, Luis Manzano, Alfredo Guillen del Castillo, Manuel Rubio Rivas, Ana Argibay, Adela Marin Ballve, Ignasi Rodriguez Pinto, Xavier Pla Salas, Begona Mari-Alfonso, Eduardo Callejas Moraga, Dolores Colunga Arguelles, Luis Saez Comet, Cristina Gonzalez-Echavarri, Norberto Ortego-Centeno, Jose Antonio Vargas Hitos, Jose Antonio Todoli Parra, Luis Trapiella Martinez, Maria Teresa Herranz Marin, Mayka Freire, Antonio-J Chamorro, Isabel Perales Fraile, Ana Belen Madronero Vuelta, Sabela Sanchez Trigo, Carles Tolosa Vilella, Vicent Fonollosa Pla, Carmen Pilar Simeon Aznar
Summary: The study found that LVDD is relatively common in SSc patients and is associated with older age, longer time from SSc diagnosis, presence of telangiectasia, and specific medication use. Additionally, SSc patients with LVDD had increased mortality rates and shortened survival from the first SSc symptom, although LVDD was not an independent risk factor for death.
SEMINARS IN ARTHRITIS AND RHEUMATISM
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Paul R. Fortin, Carolyn Neville, Anne-Sophie Julien, Elham Rahme, Vinita Haroun, Jodie Nimigon-Young, Anna-Lisa Morrison, Davy Eng, Christine A. Peschken, Evelyne Vinet, Marie Hudson, Doug Smith, Mark Matsos, Janet E. Pope, Ann E. Clarke, Stephanie Keeling, J. Antonio Avina-Zubieta, Murray Rochon, Deborah Da Costa
Summary: This study aimed to evaluate the effects of the web-based program MyLupusGuide on self-management in SLE patients. The results showed that MyLupusGuide increased self-efficacy but did not significantly improve patient activation. 56% of participants visited the MyLupusGuide site.
ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Tatiana Nevskaya, Leonardo M. Calderon, Murray Baron, Janet E. Pope
Summary: Digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis patients lead to increased utilization of healthcare resources, including tests, visits, and aids. Even after adjusting for disease severity in other organ systems, the presence of digital ulcers remains a significant predictor of more frequent physician visits and more tests.
ARTHRITIS CARE & RESEARCH
(2023)
Article
Health Care Sciences & Services
Susan J. Bartlett, Vivian P. Bykerk, Orit Schieir, Marie-France Valois, Janet E. Pope, Gilles Boire, Carol Hitchon, Glen Hazlewood, Louis Bessette, Edward Keystone, Carter Thorne, Diane Tin, Clifton O. Bingham
Summary: This study investigated the perception of disease activity change in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and physicians, and estimated minimal and meaningful change thresholds. The results showed that the thresholds varied depending on the anchor used. These findings provide guidance for the assessment and decision-making in the management of RA.
QUALITY OF LIFE RESEARCH
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Andreas Kerschbaumer, Alexandre Sepriano, Sytske Anne Bergstra, Josef S. Smolen, Desiree van der Heijde, Roberto Caporali, Christopher John Edwards, Patrick Verschueren, Savia de Souza, Janet E. Pope, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Kimme L. Hyrich, Kevin L. Winthrop, Daniel Aletaha, Tanja A. Stamm, Jan W. Schoones, Robert B. M. Landewe
Summary: This study aimed to update the evidence on the efficacy of DMARDs and provide information for the 2022 update of EULAR recommendations for RA management. A systematic literature review was conducted to investigate the efficacy of cs, b, biosimilar, and tsDMARDs in RA patients. The results showed that csDMARDs combined with short-term glucocorticoids in early RA were as effective as bDMARD+MTX combination therapy. JAK inhibitors were effective in different patient populations. Tapering of DMARDs was feasible for some patients who could maintain low disease activity or achieve remission.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Editorial Material
Rheumatology
Janet E. Pope, Roy M. Fleischmann
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Josef S. Smolen, Robert B. M. Landewe, Sytske Anne Bergstra, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Alexandre Sepriano, Daniel Aletaha, Roberto Caporali, Christopher John Edwards, Kimme L. Hyrich, Janet E. Pope, Savia de Souza, Tanja A. Stamm, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Patrick Verschueren, Kevin L. Winthrop, Alejandro Balsa, Joan M. Bathon, Maya H. Buch, Gerd R. Burmester, Frank Buttgereit, Mario Humberto Cardiel, Katerina Chatzidionysiou, Catalin Codreanu, Maurizio Cutolo, Alfons A. den Broeder, Khadija El Aoufy, Axel Finckh, Joao Eurico Fonseca, Jacques-Eric Gottenberg, Espen A. Haavardsholm, Annamaria Iagnocco, Kim Lauper, Zhanguo Li, Iain B. McInnes, Eduardo F. Mysler, Peter Nash, Gyula Poor, Gorica G. Ristic, Felice Rivellese, Andrea Rubbert-Roth, Hendrik Schulze-Koops, Nikolay Stoilov, Anja Strangfeld, Annette van der Helm-van Mil, Elsa van Duuren, Theodora P. M. Vliet Vlieland, Rene Westhovens, Desiree van der Heijde
Summary: This study provides an update on the management recommendations for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on the latest developments in the field. The recommendations cover various aspects including medication use, combination therapy, treatment strategies, and dose reduction. The consensus was reached on 5 overarching principles and 11 specific recommendations.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Alexandre Sepriano, Andreas Kerschbaumer, Sytske Anne Bergstra, Josef S. Smolen, Desiree van der Heijde, Roberto Caporali, Christopher J. Edwards, Patrick Verschueren, Savia de Souza, Janet Pope, Tsutomu Takeuchi, Kimme Hyrich, Kevin L. Winthrop, Daniel Aletaha, Tanja Stamm, Jan W. Schoones, Robert B. M. Landewe
Summary: This study conducted a systematic literature review (SLR) to evaluate the safety of synthetic and biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) for the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results indicated that bDMARDs were associated with an increased risk of serious infections compared to csDMARDs, while JAK inhibitors (JAKi) showed higher risk of herpes zoster infections. The risks of malignancies, major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE), and venous thromboembolism (VTE) were similar among different treatments.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Ernest Choy, Vivian Bykerk, Yvonne C. Lee, Hubert van Hoogstraten, Kerri Ford, Amy Praestgaard, Serge Perrot, Janet Pope, Anthony Sebba
Summary: This study assessed the effects of IL-6 inhibitor sarilumab on disproportionate articular pain (DP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The results showed that about one-quarter of RA patients experienced DP and sarilumab treatment had a positive effect on DP.
Article
Rheumatology
Murray Baron, Ariane Barbacki, Ada Man, J. K. de Vries-Bouwstra, Dylan Johnson, Wendy Stevens, Mohammed Osman, Mianbo Wang, Yuqing Zhang, Joanne Sahhar, Gene-Siew Ngian, Susanna Proudman, Mandana Nikpour
Summary: A prediction model was developed to forecast damage accrual in early SSc patients. The study found that the trajectories of damage accumulation were distinct for limited cutaneous SSc (lcSSc) and diffuse cutaneous SSc (dcSSc). By using baseline damage index (DI) and sex as predictive factors, the model demonstrated excellent performance, with ROC AUC values of 0.9313 for lcSSc and 0.9027 for dcSSc. The predicted "good" and "bad" cases showed clear differences in their actual trajectories in both derivation and validation cohorts.
Article
Rheumatology
Peter C. Taylor, Yun-Fei Chen, Janet Pope, Michael Weinblatt, Eduardo Mysler, Andrea Rubbert-Roth, Bochao Jia, Luna Sun, Yushi Liu, Thorsten Holzkamper, Yoshiya Tanaka
Summary: This study aimed to analyze and compare treatment response groups based on individual patient responses over time on the Clinical Disease Activity Index for rheumatoid arthritis in patients treated with baricitinib. Three response trajectories were identified in each study, and different patient groups were observed based on their baseline disease activity and treatment response. Baricitinib treatment was found to effectively maintain response in all response groups.
RHEUMATOLOGY AND THERAPY
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Matthew A. Turk, Yideng Liu, Janet E. Pope
Summary: This study aimed to investigate the effect of non-pharmaceutical therapies on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis through systematic review and meta-analysis. The results suggest that certain non-pharmacological therapies may modestly improve clinical outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. However, many studies lack full reporting and further well-designed clinical trials are needed to confirm the efficacy of these therapies.
AUTOIMMUNITY REVIEWS
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Kaleb Michaud, Philip G. Conaghan, Sang Hee Park, Karissa Lozenski, Mirko Fillbrunn, Vadim Khaychuk, Elyse Swallow, John Vaile, Henry Lane, Ha Nguyen, Janet Pope
Summary: The efficacy of abatacept is enhanced in anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) and rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Analysis of four early RA abatacept trials revealed that abatacept had a differential impact on SPEAR and non-SPEAR patients.
RHEUMATOLOGY AND THERAPY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Hsin Yen Liu, Gemma Cramarossa, Janet E. Pope
Summary: This study investigated the pattern and risk factors for antimalarial-induced retinopathy in patients with rheumatic diseases. The risk of retinopathy increased after 5 years of antimalarial therapy. SLE diagnosis, high dosages of antimalarial drugs, and long-term use were associated with higher rates of toxicity, and SLE may be an independent risk factor.
ACR OPEN RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Letter
Rheumatology
Glen S. Hazlewood, Pooneh Akhavan, Jordi Pardo Pardo, Arnav Agarwal, Orit Schieir, Claire E. H. Barber, Laurie Proulx, Dawn P. Richards, Claire Bombardier, Janet E. Pope, Cheryl Barnabe, Peter Tugwell, Shahin Jamal, J. Carter Thorne, Roko P. A. Nikolic, Majed Khraishi, Nick Bansback, Alexandra Legge, Vivian Bykerk, Regina Taylor-Gjevre
JOURNAL OF RHEUMATOLOGY
(2023)
Review
Rheumatology
Eric L. L. Matteson, Marco Matucci-Cerinic, Michael Kreuter, Gerd R. Burmester, Philippe Dieude, Paul Emery, Yannick Allanore, Janet Pope, Dinesh Khanna
Summary: By studying patient-level factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it was found that there were consistent associations between age, sex, smoking status, and autoantibodies and the development of interstitial lung disease (ILD). These findings provide a basis for future research and contribute to a better understanding and management of the risk of ILD development and progression in patients with RA.