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Aging Dis 2021 Aug 1;12(5):1150-1161. Epub 2021 Aug 1.

1Periodontal Biology Laboratory, Faculty of Dentistry, Universidad de Chile, Santiago, Chile.

Cellular senescence is a biological process triggered in response to time-accumulated DNA damage, which prioritizes cell survival over cell function. Particularly, senescent T lymphocytes can be generated prematurely during chronic inflammatory diseases regardless of chronological aging. These senescent T lymphocytes are characterized by the loss of CD28 expression, a co-stimulatory receptor that mediates antigen presentation and effective T-cell activation. Read More

Curr Ther Res Clin Exp 2021 Jul 25:100639. Epub 2021 Jul 25.

Dr. Henry D. Janowitz Division of Gastroenterology, Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai, New York, New York, USA.

Background: Concerns have been raised that the risk of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, or more severe or critical coronavirus disease (COVID-19), may be higher in immunocompromised individuals receiving immunomodulatory therapies, compared with immunocompetent individuals. Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ulcerative colitis (UC), and polyarticular course juvenile idiopathic arthritis. To date, data on tofacitinib treatment during the COVID-19 pandemic are limited. Read More

J Rheumatol 2021 Aug 1. Epub 2021 Aug 1.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, Seattle, WA, Product and Process Development, Allogene Therapeutics, San Francisco, CA, Seattle Children's Research Institute, Seattle, WA, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, University of Washington, Seattle WA, Janssen Research & Development, LLC, PA. Sources of support: This work was supported by National Institutes of Health [R01 AR074939, R21 AR075134, and R21 AR077266 to TM and T32 AR007108 to KCU]; and by Lupus Research Alliance [grant number 519414 to CL]. Conflict of interest: TM has received consulting and advisory board fees from Glysantis, Kiniksa, Cugene, QiLu, and Miro Bio. MAB is an employee of Allogene Therapeutics and AS in an employee of Janssen Research & Development. Address correspondence to: Tomas Mustelin, Division of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, University of Washington, 750 Republican Street, Room E507, Seattle, WA98109, phone (206) 616-6130, E-mail:

Objective: Autoantibodies against proteins encoded by human endogenous retrovirus K (HERV-K) have been reported in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but their relevance, if any, has remained unresolved. We revisited this question and tested if such autoantibodies may react with citrullinated epitopes on the envelope (Env) protein of HERV-K.

Methods: Immunoblotting and ELISAs were conducted with unmodified Env protein and with Env citrullinated by protein arginine deiminase (PAD) 4. Read More

Lancet Rheumatol 2021 Jul 22. Epub 2021 Jul 22.

Division of Rheumatology, Allergy, and Immunology, Massachusetts General Hospital, Harvard Medical School, Boston, MA, USA.

Background: The impact and consequences of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with rheumatic disease are unclear. We developed the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance Patient Experience Survey to assess the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on people with rheumatic disease worldwide.

Methods: Survey questions were developed by key stakeholder groups and disseminated worldwide through social media, websites, and patient support organisations. Read More

Cytokine 2021 Jul 22;146:155645. Epub 2021 Jul 22.

Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Keio University School of Medicine, Japan.

Interleukin (IL)-6 is a pleiotropic cytokine that is involved in the pathogenesis of various rheumatic diseases. Direct inhibition of the IL-6 pathway by an anti-IL-6 receptor or inhibiting the ligand itself has proved to be efficacious in the treatment of these diseases. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis, adult-onset Still's disease, large vessel vasculitis including giant cell arteritis and Takayasu disease, systemic sclerosis, and polymyalgia rheumatica respond well to IL-6 inhibition as expected. Read More

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2021 Jul;25(13):4443-4444

Institute for Health Sciences from Federal University of Bahia, Salvador, Bahia, Brazil.

Med Sci Monit 2021 Jul 19;27:e933973. Epub 2021 Jul 19.

Science Editor, Medical Science Monitor, International Scientific Information, Inc., Mellville, NY, USA.

Vaccinated, non-vaccinated, and immunosuppressed individuals will continue to be infected with SARS-CoV-2. Therefore, there is a priority to develop treatments that reduce the severity of COVID-19 in patients who require hospital admission. Interleukin-6 (IL-6) is a proinflammatory cytokine. Read More

Turk J Pediatr 2021 ;63(3):522-526

Division of Pediatric Rheumatology, Department of Pediatrics, Hacettepe University Faculty of Medicine, Ankara, Turkey.

Background: The adverse effects of tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors (TNFi) are well characterized but rare adverse events are increasing day by day.

Case: We presented an 18-year-old girl with rheumatoid factor positive polyarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) who developed fever, headache, and nausea after the second dose of adalimumab. In addition to her suspicious complaints for meningitis, she had bilateral papilledema and partial abducens nerve palsy. Read More

Exp Mol Med 2021 Jul 12;53(7):1116-1123. Epub 2021 Jul 12.

Laborabory of Immune Regulation, Immunology Frontier Research Center, Osaka University, 3-1 Yamadaoka, Suita, Osaka, Japan.

Interleukin-6 (IL-6) plays a crucial role in host defense against infection and tissue injuries and is a bioindicator of multiple distinct types of cytokine storms. In this review, we present the current understanding of the diverse roles of IL-6, its receptors, and its signaling during acute severe systemic inflammation. IL-6 directly affects vascular endothelial cells, which produce several types of cytokines and chemokines and activate the coagulation cascade. Read More

J Autoimmun 2021 Aug 2;122:102689. Epub 2021 Jul 2.

Devision of Rheumatology, Department of Medicine, Penn State MS Hershey Medical Center, Hershey, PA, 17033, USA.

Elevated interleukin (IL)-21 is a common finding in the tissues and/or sera of patients with autoimmune disease. CD4 T cells are the primary producers of IL-21; often the IL-21 producing CD4 T cells will express molecules associated with follicular helper cells (T). Recent work has shown that the CD4 T cell-derived IL-21 is able to promote effector functions and memory differentiation of CD8 T cells in chronic infections and cancer. Read More

Intern Med 2021 Jul 3. Epub 2021 Jul 3.

Department of Neurology, NTT Medical Center Tokyo, Japan.

This is the first report of tocilizumab-associated meningitis-retention syndrome in a patient with idiopathic multicentric Castleman disease. A 57-year-old man presented with headache, nuchal rigidity, impaired consciousness, pyramidal tract signs and urinary retention. A cerebrospinal fluid examination revealed increased cell counts and protein levels. Read More

Pharmaceutics 2021 Jun 24;13(7). Epub 2021 Jun 24.

Department of Pharmaceutics and Food Technology, School of Pharmacy, Universidad Complutense de Madrid, Ciudad Universitaria s/n, 28040 Madrid, Spain.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease with sulfasalazine (SSZ) extensively used for long-term treatment of both juvenile and adult RA. Its use is associated with adverse effects and toxicity due to its non-selective biodistribution. Macrophages play an important role in inflammatory processes. Read More

Mil Med 2021 Jun 30. Epub 2021 Jun 30.

Department of Rheumatology, Allergy and Immunology, Tan Tock Seng Hospital, 308433, Singapore.

Introduction: Musculoskeletal disorders are one of the most common reasons military servicemen seek medical care during their line of duty. This study aims to review the clinical profile and outcomes of military personnel with inflammatory arthritis (IA) referred to a specialist rheumatology center in Singapore.

Materials And Methods: Consecutive new case referrals from the Singapore Armed Forces medical centers during the study period January 1, 2010, to December 31, 2019, were retrospectively studied. Read More

Int J Rheum Dis 2021 Jun 29. Epub 2021 Jun 29.

AlSabah Hospital, Kuwait City, Kuwait.

Objectives: To evaluate the impact of family history of autoimmune diseases (FHADs) on the clinical characteristics and outcome of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed children with JIA seen in 7 pediatric rheumatology clinics from 6 Arab countries. All included patients met the International League of Associations for Rheumatology classification criteria for JIA and had a disease duration greater than 1 year. Read More

Spine Deform 2021 Jun 16. Epub 2021 Jun 16.

University Hospital Medical Center, Rainbow Babies and Children's Hospital, 11100 Euclid Ave, Cleveland, OH, 44106, USA.

Study Design: Case report.

Introduction: Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA) typically presents with fever, rash, anterior uveitis, and/or joint pain. We present three cases with initial torticollis due to rotatory subluxation of C1-C2 as an initial sign of JRA. Read More

J Oral Maxillofac Surg 2021 May 8. Epub 2021 May 8.

Assistant Professor, University of Toronto Department of Oral and Maxillofacial Surgery; Co-founder, Sinai Health System Centre for Excellence in TMJ Surgery; Co-director, University of Toronto Fellow ship Program in Advanced TMJ and Orthognathic Surgery.

Purpose: We present a retrospective study to report the outcomes of total temporomandibular joint (TMJ TJR) replacement with alloplastic devices in patients suffering from systemic inflammatory arthropathies.

Methods: A total of 39 patients with a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PA), juvenile idiopathic rheumatoid arthritis (JIA), or systemic lupus, underwent alloplastic total joint replacement(s) (TJR) from 1999 to 2019. Maximal interincisal opening (in mm) was recorded before surgery (T0), at 1-year post-surgery (T1) and at last follow-up (T2). Read More

Clin Rheumatol 2021 Jun 8. Epub 2021 Jun 8.

Children's Clinic, Tartu University Hospital, Tartu, Estonia.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common chronic rheumatic condition of childhood. Genetic association studies have revealed several JIA susceptibility loci with the strongest effect size observed in the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) region. Genome-wide association studies have augmented the number of JIA-associated loci, particularly for non-HLA genes. Read More

Front Med (Lausanne) 2021 20;8:666772. Epub 2021 May 20.

Duke-National University of Singapore Medical School, Singapore, Singapore.

Juvenile spondyloarthritis (JSpA) refers to a diverse spectrum of immune-mediated inflammatory arthritides whose onset occurs in late childhood and adolescence. Like its adult counterpart, JSpA is typified by a strong association with human leukocyte antigen-B27 (HLA-B27) and potential axial involvement, while lacking rheumatoid factor (RF) and distinguishing autoantibodies. A characteristic manifestation of JSpA is enthesitis (inflammation of insertion sites of tendons, ligaments, joint capsules or fascia to bone), which is commonly accompanied by bone resorption and new bone formation at affected sites. Read More

RMD Open 2021 06;7(2)

Department of Rheumatology and Clinical Immunology, Charité - Universitätsmedizin Berlin, Campus Mitte, Humboldt - Universität zu Berlin, Freie Universität Berlin, Berlin, Germany

The novel technique of fluorescence optical imaging (FOI, Xiralite), which is approved in the European Union and the USA for clinical use, has been the object of studies since 2009. Indocyanine green-based FOI can demonstrate an impaired microcirculation caused by inflammation in both hands in one examination. Several studies have investigated FOI for detection of joint inflammation by comparing FOI to magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and/or musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS). Read More

Pediatr Res 2021 May 24. Epub 2021 May 24.

Department of Biomedicine, Aarhus University, Aarhus, Denmark.

Background: We investigated the role of inhibitory receptors (IRs) and especially lymphocyte activation gene-3 (LAG-3) in the pathogenesis of oligoarticular juvenile idiopathic arthritis (o-JIA).

Methods: Paired samples of synovial fluid (SF) and plasma and peripheral blood (PBMCs) and synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs) were collected from o-JIA patients along with their clinical data (n = 24). Plasma from healthy controls (n = 14) and paired SF and plasma samples from five non-arthritic juvenile orthopedic patients (n = 5) served as controls. Read More

Acta Neurol Taiwan 2020 Dec;29(4):114-118

Department of Neurology, Shin Kong Wu Ho- Su Memorial Hospital.

Objective: Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) or reactive hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) refers to a set of clinical symptoms caused by the excessive activation and proliferation of macrophages. It was linked with autoimmune disease such as systemic-onset juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and dermatomyositis, etc. Herein we report a case of myasthenia gravis (MG) with concurrent cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection developed MAS. Read More

Medicine (Baltimore) 2021 May;100(20):e25954

The First Affiliated Hospital of Xinjiang Medical University, Urumchi, Xinjiang, China.

Introduction: Haploinsufficiency of A20 (HA20) is a novel genetic disease presented by Zhou et al in 2016. A20 is a protein encoded by TNFAIP3. Loss-of-function mutation in TNFAIP3 will trigger a new autoinflammatory disease: HA20. Read More

BMC Med Res Methodol 2021 05 16;21(1):105. Epub 2021 May 16.

Department of Community Health Sciences, Rady Faculty of Health Sciences, University of Manitoba, S113-750 Bannatyne Avenue, R3E 0W3, Winnipeg, Canada.

Background: Previous research has shown that chronic disease case definitions constructed using population-based administrative health data may have low accuracy for ascertaining cases of episodic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, which are characterized by periods of good health followed by periods of illness. No studies have considered a dynamic approach that uses statistical (i.e. Read More

Reumatologia 2021 27;59(2):98-103. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

Faculty of Medicine, Maranatha Christian University, Bandung, Indonesia.

Introduction: Systemic sclerosis/scleroderma (SSc) is a chronic autoimmune disease with connective tissue, multi-organ, and multisystem involvement. The disease has three main characteristics, namely vasculopathy, fibrosis, and autoimmunity. The effect of high-intensity interval training (HIIT) in aerobic exercise on other rheumatic diseases has been studied, for example in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Read More

Fundam Clin Pharmacol 2021 May 10. Epub 2021 May 10.

RECIF, Amiens-Picardie University Medical Center, Amiens, France.

Background: To determine whether the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is linked to the risk of COVID-19 among patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs).

Methods: We performed a disproportionality analysis of the World Health Organization pharmacovigilance database between January 1, 2020, and June 10, 2020. The frequency of COVID-19 reports for all DMARD classes identified was compared with that for all other reports for all other drugs and quoted as the reporting odds ratio (ROR) (95% confidence interval [CI]). Read More

J Clin Apher 2021 May 4. Epub 2021 May 4.

Department of Pathology, Division of Transfusion Medicine and Hemostasis, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas, Texas, USA.

Hyperviscosity syndrome (HVS) is a life-threatening syndrome caused by high concentrations of large plasma proteins like IgM, rheumatoid factor, and other immune complexes, leading to increased blood viscosity and symptoms such as visual abnormalities, neurological impairment, bleeding diathesis, and thrombosis. While Waldenström's macroglobulinemia accounts for 80% to 90% of cases, HVS may develop in other clinical settings characterized by elevations in plasma proteins. Limited evidence currently exists describing the safety and efficacy of therapeutic plasma exchange (TPE) for the management of HVS secondary to non-neoplastic conditions. Read More

J Back Musculoskelet Rehabil 2021 Apr 27. Epub 2021 Apr 27.

IRCCS Istituto Ortopedico Galeazzi, Milan, Italy.

Background: Activity monitors have been introduced in the last years to objectively measure physical activity to help physicians in the management of musculoskeletal patients.

Objective: This systematic review aimed at describing the assessment of physical activity by commercially available portable activity monitors in patients with musculoskeletal disorders.

Methods: PubMed, Embase, PEDro, Web of Science, Scopus and CENTRAL databases were systematically searched from inception to June 11th, 2020. Read More

Pediatr Rheumatol Online J 2021 May 1;19(1):64. Epub 2021 May 1.

Department of Pediatric Rheumatology and Immunology, University Hospital Münster, Albert-Schweitzer-Campus 1, Building D3, D-48149, Muenster, Germany.

Objective: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a heterogeneous group of inflammatory joint disorders with a chronic-remitting disease course. Treat-to-target approaches have been proposed but monitoring disease activity and predicting the response to treatment remains challenging.

Methods: We analyzed biomarkers and their relationship to outcome within the first year after JIA diagnosis in the German Inception Cohort of Newly diagnosed patients with JIA (ICON-JIA). Read More