Article
Rheumatology
Huai-Chia Chuang, Wei-Ting Hung, Yi-Ming Chen, Pu-Ming Hsu, Jeng-Hsien Yen, Joung-Liang Lan, Tse-Hua Tan
Summary: Multiple germline and somatic variants of the MAP4K3 (GLK) gene were found in patients with SLE, leading to increased GLK expression through mRNA or protein stability.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Stavros Giaglis, Douglas Daoudlarian, Reinhard E. Voll, Diego Kyburz, Nils Venhoff, Ulrich A. Walker
Summary: The study found that circulating mtDNA levels are significantly increased in SLE patients compared to healthy controls, and are associated with SLE disease activity. mtDNA levels can sensitively distinguish SLE patients from healthy individuals and serve as an independent marker of SLE activity.
Review
Medicine, General & Internal
Helena Enocsson, Jesper Karlsson, Hai-Yun Li, Yi Wu, Irving Kushner, Jonas Wettero, Christopher Sjowall
Summary: C-reactive protein (CRP) is a sensitive but nonspecific biomarker of inflammation, with increased levels potentially predicting cardiovascular events and playing a beneficial role in autoimmune diseases. Autoimmune conditions characterized by the Type I interferon gene signature are exceptions to the general rule that CRP levels correlate with inflammation severity.
JOURNAL OF CLINICAL MEDICINE
(2021)
Article
Dentistry, Oral Surgery & Medicine
Anne Isine Bolstad, Pria Sehjpal, Stein Atle Lie, Bjorg-Tilde Svanes Fevang
Summary: This study in Norway found that patients with SLE had a significantly higher risk of periodontitis compared to the control population, with the highest difference seen in young patients. This highlights the importance of focusing on dental health in SLE patients.
JOURNAL OF PERIODONTOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Jingru Tian, Dingyao Zhang, Xu Yao, Yaqing Huang, Qianjin Lu
Summary: This study estimated the epidemiology of SLE globally, finding variations in incidence and prevalence rates across different countries and regions. It also highlighted the impact of gender, age, and prevalence estimation method on the findings. SLE was found to occur more frequently in high-income countries.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Immunology
Yuting Chen, Jiran Shen, Hui Yang, Shanshan Xu, Yubo Ma, Faming Pan
Summary: The study found that serum PCT and CRP levels were significantly increased in SLE patients with bacterial infections. PCT had better diagnostic performance than CRP, with a higher positive likelihood ratio, making it a good rule-in marker. CRP testing may result in a high false-positive rate due to low positive likelihood ratio.
INTERNATIONAL IMMUNOPHARMACOLOGY
(2021)
Article
Rheumatology
Antonis Fanouriakis, Myrto Kostopoulou, Jeanette Andersen, Martin Aringer, Laurent Arnaud, Sang-Cheol Bae, John Boletis, Ian N. Bruce, Ricard Cervera, Andrea Doria, Thomas Doerner, Richard A. Furie, Dafna D. Gladman, Frederic A. Houssiau, Luis Sousa Ines, David Jayne, Marios Kouloumas, Laszlo Kovacs, Chi Chiu Mok, Eric F. Morand, Gabriella Moroni, Marta Mosca, Johanna Mucke, Chetan B. Mukhtyar, Gyoergy Nagy, Sandra Navarra, Ioannis Parodis, Jose M. Pego-Reigosa, Michelle Petri, Bernardo A. Pons-Estel, Matthias Schneider, Josef S. Smolen, Elisabet Svenungsson, Yoshiya Tanaka, Maria G. Tektonidou, Y. K. Onno Teng, Angela Tincani, Edward M. Vital, Ronald F. van Vollenhoven, Chris Wincup, George Bertsias, Dimitrios T. Boumpas
Summary: The EULAR recommendations for the management of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have been updated based on emerging new evidence. The updated recommendations provide consensus guidance on the use of various medications and treatment strategies to control the disease, as well as recommendations for assessing treatment response and tapering therapy.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Lingxiao Xu, Jian Zhao, Qing Sun, Xue Xu, Lei Wang, Ting Liu, Yunjuan Wu, Jingfeng Zhu, Linyu Geng, Yun Deng, Alexander Awgulewitsch, Diane L. Kamen, Jim C. Oates, Prithvi Raj, Edward K. Wakeland, R. Hal Scofield, Joel M. Guthridge, Judith A. James, Bevra H. Hahn, Deborah K. McCurdy, Fang Wang, Miaojia Zhang, Wenfeng Tan, Gary S. Gilkeson, Betty P. Tsao
Summary: This research found two novel SAT1 LOF variants through whole exome sequencing in families with multiple siblings affected by systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), demonstrating their association with SLE. The study highlights the pathogenic role of dysregulated polyamine catabolism in lupus.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Ali Duarte-Garcia, Mehmet Hocaoglu, Maria Valenzuela-Almada, Shirley-Ann Osei-Onomah, Jesse Y. Dabit, Alain Sanchez-Rodriguez, Stephanie Q. Duong, Rachel E. Giblon, Hannah E. Langenfeld, Graciela S. Alarcon, Charles G. Helmick, Cynthia S. Crowson
Summary: The incidence and prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are increasing in the US population, potentially due to the rising ethnic diversity. However, the severity of SLE and the survival gap between SLE and the general population have remained unchanged over time.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2022)
Article
Rheumatology
Christina Adamichou, Irini Genitsaridi, Dionysis Nikolopoulos, Myrto Nikoloudaki, Argyro Repa, Alessandra Bortoluzzi, Antonis Fanouriakis, Prodromos Sidiropoulos, Dimitrios T. Boumpas, George K. Bertsias
Summary: A machine learning algorithm was developed to assist in the diagnosis of SLE by analyzing patient data sets, leading to improved diagnostic and treatment outcomes.
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2021)
Article
Allergy
Elias Manca
Summary: Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex immunological disease influenced by both environmental factors and genetic predisposition, leading to the production of self-reactive antibodies. The involvement of the central nervous system in neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus can range from mild manifestations like headaches to severe complications like psychosis. Assessing the presence of autoantibodies in the serum remains the most helpful diagnostic tool for the disease evaluation.
CLINICAL REVIEWS IN ALLERGY & IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Jessica S. Kleer, Pascal A. Rabatscher, Jessica Weiss, Joel Leonardi, Severin B. Vogt, Andrea Kieninger-Grafitsch, Carlo Chizzolini, Uyen Huynh-Do, Camillo Ribi, Marten Trendelenburg
Summary: The study found that epitope-specific anti-C1q in SLE patients is associated with specific disease manifestations, providing more diagnostic value than conventional anti-C1q.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2022)
Article
Immunology
Mengmeng Xiang, Yilun Wang, Zhanyan Gao, Jie Wang, Qian Chen, Zhan Sun, Jun Liang, Jinhua Xu
Summary: This study used Mendelian randomization to assess the causal correlations between 41 inflammatory cytokines and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The results suggested that CTACK and IL-17 may be associated with the risk of SLE, while several other inflammatory cytokines may be consequences of SLE development.
FRONTIERS IN IMMUNOLOGY
(2023)
Article
Immunology
Connor D. Martz, Yijie Wang, Kara W. Chung, Nwanyieze N. Jiakponnah, Maria Danila, Tamika Webb-Detiege, Amani M. Allen, David H. Chae
Summary: This study found that incident experiences of racial discrimination were associated with changes in the inflammatory biomarker CRP among Black women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). This suggests that racial discrimination may compromise health through inflammatory mechanisms. The findings contribute to understanding the racial inequities in SLE outcomes and other inflammatory diseases.
BRAIN BEHAVIOR AND IMMUNITY
(2023)
Article
Rheumatology
Eric F. Morand, Gabriel Abreu, Richard A. Furie, Vera Golder, Raj Tummala
Summary: A post hoc analysis reveals that treatment with anifrolumab in patients with SLE leads to earlier, more frequent, and more sustained attainment of LLDAS. LLDAS is highly associated with responses measured by BICLA and SRI(4).
ANNALS OF THE RHEUMATIC DISEASES
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Emily L. Ball, Mahnoor Shah, Eilidh Ross, Rachel Sutherland, Charlotte Squires, Gillian E. Mead, Joanna M. Wardlaw, Terence J. Quinn, Dorota Religa, Erik Lundstrom, Joshua Cheyne, Susan D. Shenkin
Summary: This systematic review investigates the associations between magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features performed at stroke diagnosis and post-stroke cognitive impairment in stroke survivors. The findings suggest that cerebral atrophy, microbleeds, and severity of white matter hyperintensities are associated with cognitive outcomes, while the association between increasing cerebral small vessel disease score and cognitive outcomes is inconclusive. These findings can help identify stroke patients at risk of cognitive problems, but the clinical utility of acute MRI in predicting cognitive problems remains uncertain.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Hilde van den Brink, Anna Kopczak, Tine Arts, Laurien Onkenhout, Jeroen C. W. Siero, Jaco J. M. Zwanenburg, Sandra Hein, Mathias Huebner, Benno Gesierich, Marco Duering, Michael S. Stringer, Jeroen Hendrikse, Joanna M. Wardlaw, Anne Joutel, Martin Dichgans, Geert Jan Biessels
Summary: This study used advanced 7T-MRI techniques to investigate cerebral small vessel function in CADASIL patients, revealing abnormalities in multiple aspects of small vessel function, indicating increased arteriolar stiffness and regional abnormalities in reactivity, particularly related to white matter injury. These findings provide novel markers for mechanistic and intervention studies on cSVD.
ANNALS OF NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Review
Clinical Neurology
Bonnie Yin Ka Lam, Yuan Cai, Rufus Akinyemi, Geert Jan Biessels, Hilde van den Brink, Christopher Chen, Chin Wai Cheung, King Ngai Chow, Henry Kwun Hang Chung, Marco Duering, Siu Ting Fu, Deborah Gustafson, Saima Hilal, Vincent Ming Ho Hui, Rajesh Kalaria, Sang Yun Kim, Maggie Li Man Lam, Frank Erik de Leeuw, Ami Sin Man Li, Hugh Stephen Markus, Anna Marseglia, Huijing Zheng, John O'Brien, Leonardo Pantoni, Perminder Singh Sachdev, Eric E. Smith, Joanna Wardlaw, Vincent Chung Tong Mok
Summary: This study systematically reviewed the prevalence of cerebral small vessel disease (cSVD) in low- and middle-income countries (LMICs). The results demonstrated a high prevalence of cSVD in LMICs. There is a need for more data from different regions to support the findings, as there is currently bias in the available studies.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF STROKE
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Stewart J. Wiseman, Jun-Fang Zhang, Calum Gray, Charlene Hamid, Maria Del C. Valdes Hernandez, Lucia Ballerini, Michael J. Thrippleton, Cameron Manning, Michael Stringer, Emilie Sleight, Susana Munoz Maniega, Alasdair Morgan, Yajun Cheng, Carmen Arteaga, Dany Jaime Garcia, Una Clancy, Fergus N. Doubal, Baljean Dhillon, Tom MacGillivray, Yun-Cheng Wu, Joanna M. Wardlaw
Summary: Cerebral small vessel disease (SVD) can cause stroke and dementia. Optical coherence tomography angiography (OCTA) of retinal capillary microvessels is related to brain microvessels. This study found that lower retinal vessel density and sparser branching were associated with white matter damage and impaired cerebrovascular reactivity in patients with minor stroke.
JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Philip M. Bath, Iris Mhlanga, Lisa J. Woodhouse, Fergus Doubal, Katherine Oatey, Alan A. Montgomery, Joanna M. Wardlaw
Summary: The study is a feasibility study to evaluate the effectiveness of silostazol and isosorbide mononitrate in preventing the progression of cerebral small vessel disease (SVD). This study is of great importance for the prevention and treatment of SVD.
STROKE AND VASCULAR NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Kailash Krishnan, Zhe Kang Law, Lisa J. Woodhouse, Rob A. Dineen, Nikola Sprigg, Joanna M. Wardlaw, Philip M. Bath
Summary: In this study, measures of intracranial compartments in acute intracerebral haemorrhage (ICH) were assessed using computerised tomography scans. The study found that ICH volume adjusted for intracranial and cerebral parenchymal volume could be useful in predicting functional outcomes in acute stroke. Additionally, midline shift and cistern effacement may predict outcome but further validation is needed.
STROKE AND VASCULAR NEUROLOGY
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Marco De Carlo, Oliver Schlager, Lucia Mazzolai, Marianne Brodmann, Christine Espinola-Klein, Daniel Staub, Victor Aboyans, Henrik Sillesen, Sebastian Debus, Maarit Venermo, Jill Belch, Mauro Ferrari, Raffaele De Caterina
Summary: This study investigated the use of antithrombotic therapy by European physicians after lower extremity revascularization surgeries. The results showed variations in the choice of therapy among different countries and specialties, with a minority of physicians having dedicated protocols for treatment.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL-CARDIOVASCULAR PHARMACOTHERAPY
(2023)
Article
Neurosciences
Hon Wah Yeung, Aleks Stolicyn, Colin R. R. Buchanan, Elliot M. M. Tucker-Drob, Mark E. E. Bastin, Saturnino Luz, Andrew M. M. McIntosh, Heather C. C. Whalley, Simon R. R. Cox, Keith Smith
Summary: By applying advanced and computationally expensive machine learning techniques to large neuroimaging datasets, researchers aim to uncover key differences in the human brain related to sex, age, cognitive function, and psychopathology. However, in this study, the complexity of the models did not improve the detection of associations between brain structural connectivity and complex phenotypes, likely due to the current sample size limitation.
HUMAN BRAIN MAPPING
(2023)
Article
Peripheral Vascular Disease
Bernd Krabbe, Christine Espinola-Klein, Nasser Malyar, Marianne Brodmann, Lucia Mazzolai, Jill J. F. Belch, Oliver J. Mueller, Christian Heiss
Summary: Tobacco consumption is a major risk factor for cardiovascular disease. Despite efforts to reduce smoking, the use of e-cigarettes is increasing, while tobacco smoking is decreasing. E-cigarettes are advertised as less harmful than regular cigarettes and helpful for quitting smoking, but they still pose risks and can cause vascular damage. Long-term health risks of e-cigarettes and their use by non-smokers as a first contact with nicotine are a concern. The controversy surrounding the use of e-cigarettes for smoking cessation is also discussed.
VASA-EUROPEAN JOURNAL OF VASCULAR MEDICINE
(2023)
Article
Cardiac & Cardiovascular Systems
Mateusz Siedlinski, Lorenzo Carnevale, Xiaoguang Xu, Daniela Carnevale, Evangelos Evangelou, Mark J. Caulfield, Pasquale Maffia, Joanna Wardlaw, Nilesh J. Samani, Maciej Tomaszewski, Giuseppe Lembo, Michael Holmes, Tomasz J. Guzik
Summary: Observational and genetic data were used to study the relationship between blood pressure and cognitive function. The study identified brain structures associated with blood pressure and found that higher systolic blood pressure may have an adverse effect on cognitive function. These findings contribute to our understanding of the negative impact of hypertension on cognitive performance.
EUROPEAN HEART JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Endocrinology & Metabolism
Stefan Sennfalt, Michael J. Thrippleton, Michael Stringer, Carmen Arteaga Reyes, Francesca Chappell, Fergus Doubal, Daniela J. Garcia, Junfang Zhang, Yajun Cheng, Joanna Wardlaw
Summary: This study investigates brain fluid outflow pathways using MRI techniques and finds that these pathways can be visualized using conventional MRI. The results suggest that interstitial fluid drains via cortical perivenous spaces and are associated with small vessel disease.
JOURNAL OF CEREBRAL BLOOD FLOW AND METABOLISM
(2023)
Review
Radiology, Nuclear Medicine & Medical Imaging
Nivedita Agarwal, Laura D. Lewis, Lydiane Hirschler, Leonardo Rivera Rivera, Shinji Naganawa, Swati Rane Levendovszky, Geir Ringstad, Marijan Klarica, Joanna Wardlaw, Costantino Iadecola, Cheryl Hawkes, Roxana Octavia Carare, Jack Wells, Erik N. T. P. Bakker, Vartan Kurtcuoglu, Lynne Bilston, Maiken Nedergaard, Yuki Mori, Marcus Stoodley, Noam Alperin, Mony de Leon, Matthias J. P. van Osch
Summary: Neurofluids refer to all fluids in the brain and spine, including blood, cerebrospinal fluid, and interstitial fluid. Neuroscientists have identified various fluid environments that interact harmoniously to support optimal brain function. Animal studies have been crucial in understanding the dynamics of neurofluids, while human studies are limited due to the lack of noninvasive imaging techniques. The future development of noninvasive MRI techniques holds promise in imaging neurofluid dynamics and identifying pathological processes.
JOURNAL OF MAGNETIC RESONANCE IMAGING
(2023)
Review
Biochemistry & Molecular Biology
Daniela Jaime Garcia, Audrey Chagnot, Joanna M. Wardlaw, Axel Montagne
Summary: Small vessel disease (SVD) is a prevalent disorder of the brain's microvessels and is a common cause of dementia and strokes. Recent evidence suggests that endothelial dysfunction and a compromised blood-brain barrier play a key role in the development and progression of SVD. Understanding the molecular mechanisms underlying endothelial dysfunction in SVD could lead to better diagnostic tools and potential therapeutic interventions.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF MOLECULAR SCIENCES
(2023)
Article
Clinical Neurology
Martin Taylor-Rowan, Melanie Hafdi, Bogna Drozdowska, Emma Elliott, Joanna Wardlaw, Terence J. Quinn
Summary: This study aimed to determine the prevalence of brain frailty in stroke survivors and the concurrent and predictive validity of various frailty measures on long-term cognitive outcomes. The study found that both physical frailty and brain frailty were associated with adverse cognitive outcomes, and assessing brain frailty remained important when evaluating cognitive outcomes.
EUROPEAN STROKE JOURNAL
(2023)
Article
Environmental Sciences
Catherine A. Fitton, Bianca Cox, Munro Stewart, James Chalmers, Jill J. F. Belch
Summary: This study investigates the effects of air pollution on respiratory hospital admissions in Dundee, Scotland. It finds a significant association between nitrogen oxides and respiratory admissions in children, emphasizing the need to improve and enforce pollution limits in cities.
AEROSOL AND AIR QUALITY RESEARCH
(2023)