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Ann Rheum Dis 2019 Apr 20. Epub 2019 Apr 20.

Musculoskeletal biology I, Institute of Ageing and Chronic Disease, University of Liverpool, Liverpool, UK

Pharmacol Rep 2019 Feb 10;71(3):393-398. Epub 2019 Feb 10.

Department of Immunology, School of Public Health, Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran. Electronic address:

Background: To assess the therapeutic efficacy, safety and tolerability of Guluronic acid (G2013) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

Methods: This investigation was a 12-week randomized, placebo-controlled, phase I/II clinical trial involving 75 AS patients that were randomly divided into 3 groups: 25 as placebo, 25 Guluronic acid and 25 naproxen groups. Patients who had AS with active disease at baseline according to the modified New York criteria were considered for this trial. Read More

Innate Immun 2019 Apr 18:1753425919842932. Epub 2019 Apr 18.

2 Department of Rehabilitation Medicine, Southern Medical University, Guang Zhou, China.

Increased expressions of miR-21 have been detected in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. The current study was performed to examine the serum miR-21 expression with radiographic severity in AS patients, which was determined based on the modified New York (NY) criteria for sacroiliac joints assessment and modified Stoke Ankylosing Spondylitis Spinal Score (mSASSS) system for spine involvement. Bone mineral density at lumbar 1-4 and femoral neck were examined by dual-energy absorptiometry (DXA). Read More

Clin Case Rep 2019 Apr 6;7(4):766-769. Epub 2019 Mar 6.

Perinatal and Maternal Center of Saitama Medical Center Jichi Medical University Saitama Japan.

Pregnancy complicated by ankylosing spondylitis is rare. Labor assistance and instrumental delivery may be difficult due to hip stiffness. Restriction in lumbar flexion may cause difficulties in administering neuraxial analgesia. Read More

Postgrad Med J 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Medical Oncology, First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui Medical University, Hefei, China

Objectives: To describe association between the genetic variation of inflammation-associated gene, , and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) susceptibility.

Methods: Four single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) of gene were genotyped in 673 patients with AS and 687 healthy controls. Allele and genotype frequencies and different genetic models were performed to calculate ORs and 95% CIs, the demographic and clinical characteristics of patients were recorded. Read More

Int J Rheum Dis 2019 Apr 16. Epub 2019 Apr 16.

Department of Rheumatology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou, China.

Objectives: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis involving the axial skeleton. Recent evidence suggests that microRNAs (miRNAs) play a critical role in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). In this study, we aimed to investigate whether miR-17-5p, miR-27a, miR-29a and miR-126-3p can be verified as potential biomarkers of axSpA. Read More

Int J Rheum Dis 2019 Apr 15. Epub 2019 Apr 15.

Merck & Co., Inc, Kenilworth, New Jersey.

Aim: We evaluated the effects of anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) agents on health economics in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

Methods: QUality of Life as Outcomes and its VAriation with DIsease States (QUO-VADIS) was a prospective observational study following bio-naïve AS patients (modified New York criteria) newly treated with golimumab (GLM) or infliximab (IFX; originator) in a clinical practice setting over 6 months. We evaluated use of concomitant medications, hospitalizations (in-patient care or acute care) and visits in day care and out-patient settings for the assessment of healthcare resource utilization (HCRU). Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Apr;98(15):e15155

Second Ward of Orthopedis Department, First Affiliated Hospital of Jiamusi University, Jiamusi, China.

Background: Previous clinical trials have reported that etoricoxib has been utilized to treat ankylosing spondylitis (AS) effectively. However, no study systematically investigated the efficacy and safety of etoricoxib for patients with AS. In this systematic review, we will assess the efficacy and safety of etoricoxib for AS. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2019 Apr;98(15):e15094

Department of Rheumatology and Immunology, The Second Hospital of Shanxi Medical University, Taiyuan.

The aim of this analysis is to investigate the level of T cell subsets in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and the effect of low-dose interleukin 2 (IL-2).This is a retrospective cohort study, we collected basic information, inflammatory markers, BASDAI scores, and T lymphocyte subsets of peripheral blood in patients with AS, baseline analysis, correlation analysis and comparative analysis before and after treatment were performed.Data from 73 patients (of these, 36 patients were treated with IL-2) and 85 the health were included. Read More

Br J Dermatol 2019 Apr 13. Epub 2019 Apr 13.

Department of Dermatology, APHP Hôpital St-Louis, Paris.

Hidradenitis suppurativa (HS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of skin appendages, commonly associating with other conditions including spondyloarthritis, and is a major component of severe cutaneo-articular autoinflammatory syndromes (AIS), called PAPASH (Pyogenic Arthritis, pyoderma gangrenosum/PG, Acne, HS), PsAPASH (Psoriatic Arthritis, PG, Acne, HS) and PASS (Ankylosing Spondylitis, Acne, PG and HS). The clinical phenotypes of these AIS are ill-defined and unlike PASH or PAPA syndromes, still lack any biological or genetic marker. Moreover, their optimal therapeutic management remains unclear. Read More

Cureus 2019 Jan 30;11(1):e3985. Epub 2019 Jan 30.

Neurosurgery, Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taipei, TWN.

Although cage subsidence and dislodgement are not uncommon in anterior cervical spine surgery, missing cages have seldom been reported. This is the first report of the disappearance of a metallic corpectomy cage after anterior cervical fusion. A 63-year-old man, who had a history of ankylosing spondylitis and diabetes mellitus, was involved in a motor vehicle accident that broke his neck. Read More

Front Immunol 2019 26;10:577. Epub 2019 Mar 26.

Autoimmunity, Transplantation, and Inflammation Disease Area, Novartis Institutes for BioMedical Research, Basel, Switzerland.

The nuclear hormone receptor retinoic acid receptor-related-orphan-receptor-gamma t (RORγt) is the key transcription factor required for Th17 cell differentiation and for production of IL-17 family cytokines by innate and adaptive immune cells. Dysregulated Th17 immune responses have been associated with the pathogenesis of several inflammatory and autoimmune diseases such as psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, and ankylosing spondylitis. In this article, we describe the pharmacology of a potent and selective low molecular weight RORγt inhibitor identified after a structure-based hit-to-lead optimization effort. Read More

Clinics (Sao Paulo) 2019 8;74:e727. Epub 2019 Apr 8.

Disciplina de Reumatologia, Escola Paulista de Medicina, Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, Sao Paulo, SP, BR.

Objectives: To compare the ultrasonographic findings of entheses in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients with those of healthy control individuals and to assess the ability of ultrasound (US) to identify aspects related to the disease.

Methods: A cross-sectional study involving 50 patients with AS and 30 healthy controls was performed. Clinical assessment included the use of a visual analog scale for pain, assessment of swelling of the enthesis, global assessments for patients and physician, use of a disease activity index, mobility and dysfunctional indices, erythrocyte sedimentation rate and clinical enthesitis index. Read More

Rheumatol Int 2019 Apr 9. Epub 2019 Apr 9.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Faculty of Medicine, Izmir Katip Celebi University, Karabaglar, 35360, Izmir, Turkey.

The mechanisms underlying new bone formation in individuals with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) remain unclear; however, low levels of sclerostin (SOST) may be associated with development of syndesmophytes in those with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Expression of fibroblast growth factor-23 (FGF-23), another osteocyte factor, is high in those with osteoporosis and chronic renal failure, but levels in those with axSpA are unknown. To evaluate serum FGF-23 and SOST levels in axSpA patients, and to assess their relationship with inflammation and structural damage. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Apr 6. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Department of Orthopaedics, General Hospital of Chinese People's Liberation Army, Beijing 100853, China. Electronic address:

Autops Case Rep 2019 Apr-Jun;9(2):e2018070. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

Universidade de São Paulo (USP), Hospital Universitário, Internal Medicine Division. São Paulo, SP, Brazil.

Esophageal infection by spp. is a common opportunistic entity in immunocompromised hosts; however, systemic fungal dissemination due to perforation or transmural necrosis, also known as necrotizing esophagitis (NCE), is rare. We report the case of a 61-year-old male patient with diagnosed ankylosing spondylitis, severe arteriosclerosis, and vasculitis under immunosuppressive therapy who presented NCE with fungal and bacterial septicemia diagnosed at autopsy. Read More

J Clin Med 2019 Apr 5;8(4). Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, College of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, 222 Banpo-daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul 06591, Korea.

The Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) health index (HI) is a novel tool for approaching disability, health, and functioning in spondyloarthritis (SpA). In the present study we compared ASAS HI between patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and those with nonradiographic axial SpA (nr-axSpA). In addition, we identified predictors of ASAS HI. Read More

Expert Opin Biol Ther 2019 Apr 6:1-11. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

b Department of Gastroenterology , Infectiology and Rheumatology, Campus Benjamin Franklin, Charité - Universitätsmedizin , Berlin , Germany.

Introduction: Interleukin (IL)-17 is a proinflammatory cytokine considered to play a significant role in the immunopathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS)/axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) as well as of other spondyloarthritides. There is a number of substances targeting IL-17, which are at different stages of development in the axSpA indication. Areas covered: This review summarizes the current evidence on the role of IL-17 in the pathophysiology of axSpA and provided a comprehensive review of clinical and radiographic outcomes as well as of safety data from studies with IL-17A inhibitors secukinumab and ixekizumab. Read More

Ann Rheum Dis 2019 Apr 6. Epub 2019 Apr 6.

Intramural Research Program, National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, Maryland, USA

Objectives: The aorta inhibits paravertebral ossification in diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis. We investigated if syndesmophytes in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) occurred less often at the vertebral rim near the aorta.

Methods: We performed thoracolumbar CT scans in 60 subjects in this cross-sectional study. Read More

Arthritis Res Ther 2019 Apr 5;21(1):88. Epub 2019 Apr 5.

Rheumatology Department, Hospital Universitari de Bellvitge, IDIBELL, Universitat de Barcelona, L'Hospitalet de Llobregat, Barcelona, Spain.

Background: Recent data suggest that anti-TNF doses can be reduced in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients. Some authors even propose withdrawing treatment in patients in clinical remission; however, at present there is no evidence to support this.

Objective: To assess how long AS patients with persistent clinical remission remained free of flares after anti-TNF withdrawal and to evaluate the effects of treatment reintroduction. Read More

Front Psychiatry 2019 20;10:141. Epub 2019 Mar 20.

Department of Psychiatry and Psychotherapy, University Hospital, Ludwig-Maximilians University Munich, Munich, Germany.

The beneficial effects of exercise training on depressive symptoms are well-established. In the past years, more research attention has been drawn to the specific effects of exercise training on depressive symptoms in somatically ill patients. This reviews aims at providing a comprehensive overview of the current findings and evidence of exercise interventions in somatic disorders to improve depressive symptoms. Read More

BMC Musculoskelet Disord 2019 Apr 4;20(1):144. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, School of Medicine, The Catholic University of Korea, Seoul St. Mary's Hospital, 222 Banpo-Daero, Seocho-gu, Seoul, 137-040, South Korea.

Background: This study compared clinical, laboratory and radiographic features of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nrAxSpA) of young male patients. Additionally, we sought factors which can predict the baseline inflammatory status of sacroiliac joint (SIJ) in axSpA.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the medical records of 322 patients who visited our hospital due to inflammatory back pain, and 159 male patients with axSpA were enrolled. Read More

PLoS Genet 2019 Apr 4;15(4):e1008038. Epub 2019 Apr 4.

Department of Internal Medicine, Division of Rheumatology, Celal Bayar University, Manisa, Turkey.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable immune-mediated arthritis common in Turkish and Iranian populations. Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disease most common in people of Mediterranean origin. MEFV, an FMF-associated gene, is also a candidate gene for AS. Read More

Psychiatr Danub 2019 Mar;31(Suppl 1):105-111

Clinic for Rheumatic Diseases and Rehabilitation, University Hospital Centre Zagreb, Zagreb, Croatia.

Background: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease which primarily affects the axial spine and sacroiliac joints. Over the past several years Vitamin D has been recognized as a hormone with significant immunomodulatory effect due to the fact that it inhibits T-cell proliferation and decreases the production of interleukin-2, interferon-γ, and tumor necrosis factor-α. Therefore, vitamin D may play a role in the development and progression of inflammatory diseases. Read More

mSystems 2019 Mar-Apr;4(2). Epub 2019 Mar 26.

College of Basic Medical Science, Dalian Medical University, Dalian, China.

Intestinal bacterial dysbiosis has been increasingly linked to ankylosing spondylitis (AS), which is a prototypic and best studied subtype of spondyloarthritis (SpA). Fungi and bacteria coexist in the human gut and interact with each other. Although they have been shown to contribute actively to health or disease, no studies have investigated whether the fungal microbiota in AS patients is perturbed. Read More

BMJ Open 2019 Apr 2;9(4):e024713. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Institute of Rheumatology and Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic.

Objective: This study compared demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics between patients with radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods: In this single-centre cross-sectional study, a total of 246 patients with axSpA fulfilling the imaging arm of Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria were recruited. A total of 140 patients were diagnosed as non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA), and 106 patients had ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2019 Apr 2. Epub 2019 Apr 2.

Reumatologia Day Hospital, A.S.S. Gaetano Pini-CTO, Milano, Italy.

Objectives: To describe the baseline characteristics of the patients enrolled in the QUality of life in patients with Axial SpondyloARthritis (QUASAR) study in terms of quality of life (QoL), disease activity, therapy adherence, and work ability in a real-world setting.

Methods: QUASAR is an Italian multicentre, prospective 12-month observational study, including consecutive adult patients classified as axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for axSpA.

Results: Of 512 patients enrolled in 23 rheumatology centres, 80. Read More

Clin Exp Rheumatol 2019 Mar 18. Epub 2019 Mar 18.

Amsterdam Rheumatology and immunology Center, location Reade, and Department of Immunopathology, Sanquin Research and Landsteiner Laboratory Academic Medical Center, Amsterdam, the Netherlands.

Objectives: To compare different methods of antidrug antibody (ADA) against adalimumab detection in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and the impact of ADA on adalimumab drug levels and mean ASDAS-CRP.

Methods: We used the acid-dissociation-radioimmunoassay (ARIA), antidrug-binding-test (ABT) and a bridging Enzyme-linked Immunosorbent Assay (ELISA) to detect ADA at 4, 12 and 24 weeks of treatment. Patients were divided into groups; all assays negative (All-neg), only ARIA positive (ARIA-only-pos), ARIA and ABT positive, bridging ELISA negative (ARIA/ABT-double-pos) and all assays positive (All-pos). Read More

Einstein (Sao Paulo) 2019 Apr 1;17(2):eAO4539. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

Serviço de Reumatologia, Hospital Universitário Evangélico de Curitiba, PR, Brazil.

Objective: To investigate the prevalence of electrocardiographic changes in patients with spondyloarthritis and to correlate these changes with use of anti-tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) drugs and HLA-B27 positivity.

Methods: Retrospective study including 100 patients diagnosed with spondyloarthritis according to Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria and 50 controls. Epidemiological and clinical features, results of inflammatory activity tests, HLA-B27 positivity, and medication use data were extracted from medical records. Read More

Front Pharmacol 2019 19;10:231. Epub 2019 Mar 19.

Institute of Integrated Traditional Chinese and Western Medicine, Tongji Hospital, Tongji Medical College, Huazhong University of Science and Technology, Wuhan, China.

The objective of this systematic review was to conduct a meta-analysis of the efficacy and safety of total glucosides of paeony (TGP) for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). TGP is commonly applied as a complementary medicine, especially in combination with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and/or non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat AS in China. Nevertheless, the efficacy and safety of TGP combination treatment still needs more validation. Read More

J Rheumatol 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

From Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Departments of Rheumatology and Neuroradiology.

Objective: Cauda equina syndrome (CES) is a rare neurologic complication of long-standing Ankylosing spondylitis (AS). It is unclear what causes CES, and no proven or effective therapy has been reported to date. We have encountered six patients with long-standing AS diagnosed with CES. Read More

J Rheumatol 2019 Apr 1. Epub 2019 Apr 1.

From the Department of Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Department of Neuromedicine and Movement Science, and Department of Public Health and Nursing, Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, NTNU - Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Trondheim, Norway; and Department of Rheumatology and Department of Immunology and Transfusion Medicine, St. Olavs University Hospital, Trondheim, Norway; and Institute of Health and Biomedical Innovation, Translational Research Institute, Princess Alexandra Hospital, Queensland University of Technology, Brisbane, Australia; and Department of Biostatistics and Center for Statistical Genetics, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, USA. The study was supported by the Liaison Committee between the Central Norway Regional Health Authority and NTNU (grant 5056/46051000 to VV), and the Research Council of Norway (project 249944 to SR and VV). MAB is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council Senior Principal Research Fellowship (APP1024879). Address correspondence to Vibeke Videm, MD, PhD, Department Clinical and Molecular Medicine, Lab Center 3 East, St. Olavs Hospital, NO-7006 Trondheim, Norway. E-mail:

Objective: The genetic component of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) development is ~90%. Of the known heritability, ~20% is explained by HLA-B27, and 113 identified AS-associated SNPs account for ~7.4%. Read More

Biomed Res Int 2019 25;2019:2171475. Epub 2019 Feb 25.

Department of Rheumatology, Chinese PLA General Hospital, 28 Fuxing Road, Beijing 100853, China.

Objectives: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic disease that decreases mobility, function, and quality of life. This study introduced the "Smart-phone SpondyloArthritis Management System" (SpAMS), an interactive mobile health (mHealth) tool designed for AS/spondyloarthritis (SpA) disease management and used SpAMS data to evaluate clinical characteristics of Chinese patients with AS.

Methods: SpAMS integrates patient's and physician's portals in a smart phone application. Read More

World Neurosurg 2019 Mar 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Department of Neurosurgery, Nanoori Hospital, Incheon, Seoul, Republic of Korea.

Lancet 2019 Mar 28. Epub 2019 Mar 28.

Samsung Medical Center, Sungkyunkwan University School of Medicine, Seoul, South Korea. Electronic address:

Background: The infliximab biosimilar CT-P13 was approved for use in Crohn's disease after clinical comparison with originator infliximab in ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis; however, concerns about such indication extrapolation have been expressed. This study investigated whether CT-P13 is non-inferior to infliximab in patients with Crohn's disease who were naive to biological therapy.

Methods: In this randomised, multicentre, double-blind, phase 3 non-inferiority study, we enrolled patients with active Crohn's disease who had not responded to, or were intolerant to, non-biological treatments. Read More

Stud Health Technol Inform 2019 ;259:33-38

Royal National Hospital for Rheumatic Diseases, UK.

Despite enormous growth in the use of consumer self-tracking devices, the data that many patients collect about their condition is seldom integrated into conversations that take place in the clinic. In this paper we explore the potential roles that self-tracking data could play during clinical interactions between patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis (a chronic rheumatic disease) and their clinicians. We develop a model of the data-centric activities that currently take place within the rheumatology clinic, using field observations, and to discuss how self-tracking data may contribute to each of these activities. Read More

J Pediatr 2019 Apr;207:116

Pediatric Rheumatology Unit Shaare Zedek Medical Center Jerusalem, Israel.

Mod Rheumatol 2019 Mar 29:1-13. Epub 2019 Mar 29.

b Department of Rheumatology , Zhongshan Hospital, Fudan University , Shanghai , China.

Objectives: To investigate associations of serum melatonin with spinal ossification and cytokines in ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: Serum was obtained from 52 AS patients and 25 healthy controls. Melatonin was measured by ELISA kit; Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-2, dickkopf-related protein (Dkk)-1, IL-1β, IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α concentrations were assayed using Luminex multiplex bead system. Read More

Complement Med Res 2019 Mar 27:1-8. Epub 2019 Mar 27.

Background: The aim of this systematic review was to evaluate the evidence available on the effects of Baguan therapy for ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

Materials And Methods: The following databases were searched from their inception to August 2018: PubMed, Web of Science, AMED, Cochrane Library, Google, EMBASE, the China National Knowledge Infrastructure databases, Wanfang Data, CiNii, KoreaMed, and the Iranian Registry of Clinical Trials. Randomized controlled trials (RCTs), which assessed the effects of Baguan therapy for AS, were included in our review. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2019 Mar 25. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Department of Immunology, Instituto Nacional de Cardiología Ignacio Chávez, Juan Badiano 1, Sección XVI, Tlalpan, 14080, Mexico City, Mexico.

Novel biomarkers are needed for the diagnosis and clinical assessment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Our objective was to investigate plasma microRNAs differentially expressed between AS patients and controls and to evaluate their potential as biomarkers in Mexican subjects. A cross-sectional study including 15 AS patients naïve to anti-TNF therapy and 13 controls was performed. Read More

Calcif Tissue Int 2019 Mar 25. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, People's Republic of China.

Various studies have investigated the serum sclerostin and bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP-2) levels in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but the results were inconsistent. The aim of this meta-analysis was to synthetically assess the associations of serum levels of sclerostin and BMP-2 with AS. Multiple electronic databases were searched to locate relevant articles published before November 2018. Read More

Rev Esp Salud Publica 2019 Mar 25;93. Epub 2019 Mar 25.

Medicina Preventiva y Salud Pública, Universidad Rey Juan Carlos, Madrid, Spain.

Objective: Immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMID) are chronic and highly disabling diseases that share inflammatory sequences and immunological dysregulations. Considered as a disease in itself, the prevalence of IMID is virtually unknown. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of 10 selected UDI, including rheumatoid arthritis, psoriasis, psoriatic arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, ulcerative colitis, Crohn's disease, systemic lupus erythematosus, hidradenitis suppurativa, sarcoidosis and uveitis in Spain. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2019 Mar 23. Epub 2019 Mar 23.

Program in Health Services and Systems Research, Duke-NUS Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.

To assess the extent to which a history of extra-spinal symptoms (including peripheral arthritis, heel enthesitis, or dactylitis) (HPED) is associated with quality of life (QoL) in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) at baseline and 1-year follow-up. We analyzed data from 138 patients with axSpA from a tertiary referral center in Singapore, seen between 2011 and 2015. Demographic, clinical variables, and patient-reported outcomes [Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life (ASQoL) and SF-36] at baseline and 1-year follow-up were collected. Read More

J Dermatolog Treat 2019 Mar 22:1-7. Epub 2019 Mar 22.

d Dermatology Research and Education Foundation , Irvine , CA , USA.

Background: Psoriasis is a chronic inflammatory skin disease that has been associated with a significantly higher risk of herpes zoster (HZ). Several newer biologics such as secukinumab, ixekizumab, and brodalumab inhibit IL-17 and have been highly effective for treatment of psoriasis. However, adverse events related to the immunosuppressive properties of these biologics have been observed. Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2019 Mar 21. Epub 2019 Mar 21.

Department of Epidemiology and Biostatistics, School of Public Health, Anhui Medical University, 81 Meishan Road, Hefei, 230032, Anhui, China.

Objectives: To investigate the role of methylation levels of the IFN regulatory factor 8 (IRF8) gene promoter in the development of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: In this study, we compared the methylation levels of the IRF8 gene promoter between 99 AS patients and 99 healthy controls using MethylTarget approach. Quantitative real-time reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR) was performed to compare the mRNA levels of the IRF8 gene in the other 19 AS patients and 19 healthy controls. Read More

Front Immunol 2019 7;10:305. Epub 2019 Mar 7.

Department of Medicine, University of Alberta, Edmonton, AB, Canada.

There exists a major unmet need for biomarkers that can identify axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) early after disease onset because of the availability of highly effective therapies. Several recent reports have examined the autoantibody response in patients with axSpA through the use of protein microarrays and protein-protein interactions although diagnostic performance of biomarkers identified to date has been inadequate. An example of such a biomarker is protein phosphatase magnesium-dependent 1A. Read More

Am J Cardiol 2019 Feb 23. Epub 2019 Feb 23.

Baylor Scott and White Heart and Vascular Institute, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Internal Medicine (Division of Cardiology), Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas; Department of Pathology, Baylor University Medical Center, Dallas, Texas. Electronic address:

Described herein is a 48-year-old man who underwent orthotopic heart transplantation because of severe heart failure considered clinically due to idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy, but examination of the operatively excised native heart disclosed classic features of ankylosing spondylitis. Orthotopic heart transplantation for this condition has not been reported previously. Read More

Zhonghua Yi Xue Za Zhi 2019 Mar;99(11):812-817

Department of Rheumatology, the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510630, China.

The aim of the study was to determine whether there was gender difference in clinical manifestations and comorbidities in the patients with Spondyloarthritis (SpA) in China. 346 patients fulfilling ASAS criteria for SpA were recruited from the Third Affiliated Hospital of Sun Yat-sen University, including 280 males and 66 females. A comparison was conducted in terms of age at onset, disease course, family history, HLA-B27 positivity, clinical manifestations, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and C-reactive protein (CRP), the bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) and AS disease activity score (ASDAS), and comorbidities between male and female patients. Read More

N Engl J Med 2019 03;380(12):1150-1157

From the Departments of Laboratory Medicine (C.M.H., S.L.F., T.J.L., K.J.J., A.N.H.) and Medicine (A.N.H.) and the Kidney Research Institute (A.N.H.), University of Washington, Seattle; and the Department of Endocrinology and Metabolism (H.B.) and the Alberta Children's Hospital Research Institute (B.A.), University of Calgary, and the Division of Medical Genetics, Alberta Children's Hospital (R.L., P.F., J.L.M.), Calgary, and the Department of Pathology, Children's & Women's Health Centre of British Columbia, Vancouver (L.B.) - all in Canada.

A 58-year-old woman with debilitating ankylosing spondylitis who was born to consanguineous parents was found to have an apparent severe vitamin D deficiency that did not respond to supplementation. Liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry showed the absence of circulating vitamin D-binding protein, and chromosomal microarray confirmed a homozygous deletion of the group-specific component () gene that encodes the protein. Congenital absence of vitamin D-binding protein resulted in normocalcemia and a relatively mild disruption of bone metabolism, in this case complicated by severe autoimmune disease. Read More