Recurrence risk of venous thromboembolism associated with systemic lupus erythematosus: A retrospective cohort study.

Background: Recurrence risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)-associated venous thromboembolism (VTE) is unclear.

Aim: To determine the recurrence risk of SLE-associated VTE overall and by presence of provoking factors and SLE flares.

Methods: A multicenter, retrospective cohort study was conducted among patients with first SLE-associated VTE who discontinued anticoagulation.

Low dose, add-on prednisolone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis aged 65+: the pragmatic randomised, double-blind placebo-controlled GLORIA trial.

Background: Low-dose glucocorticoid (GC) therapy is widely used in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but the balance of benefit and harm is still unclear.

Methods: The GLORIA (Glucocorticoid LOw-dose in RheumatoId Arthritis) pragmatic double-blind randomised trial compared 2 years of prednisolone, 5 mg/day, to placebo in patients aged 65+ with active RA. We allowed all cotreatments except long-term open label GC and minimised exclusion criteria, tailored to seniors.

Optical imaging compared to clinical examination in 484 rheumatoid arthritis patients: the Leeuwarden Handscan Registry.

The Handscan is a novel objective optical imaging device for disease follow-up and management in rheumatoid arthritis patients. We aim to examine the association between the baseline outcomes of the Handscan, disease activity levels and joint swelling. The Handscan measures differences in laser light absorption between joints of fingers and wrists and adjacent reference tissue, indicating the presence or absence of inflammation.

Predictors of biologic-free disease control in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after stopping tumor necrosis factor inhibitor treatment.

Background: The aim of this study was to identify predictors of prolonged disease control after discontinuation of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Post-hoc analysis of 439 RA patients (67.3% rheumatoid factor positive) with longstanding RA in remission or with stable low disease activity, randomized to stopping TNFi treatment in the multicenter POET trial.

Multi-biomarker disease activity score as a predictor of disease relapse in patients with rheumatoid arthritis stopping TNF inhibitor treatment.

Objective: Successfully stopping or reducing treatment for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in low disease activity (LDA) may improve cost-effectiveness of care. We evaluated the multi-biomarker disease activity (MBDA) score as a predictor of disease relapse after discontinuation of TNF inhibitor (TNFi) treatment.

Methods: 439 RA patients who were randomized to stop TNFi treatment in the POET study were analyzed post-hoc.

Effectiveness of Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors in Combination with Various csDMARD in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Data from the DREAM Registry.

Objective: To analyze and compare the effectiveness and drug survival in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, as measured by 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) and Health Assessment Questionnaire-Disability Index (HAQ-DI), of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) monotherapy, TNFi + leflunomide (LEF), TNFi + sulfasalazine (SSZ), TNFi + other conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARD), and TNFi + methotrexate (MTX) therapy, in daily practice.

Methods: Data were collected from the DREAM registry. Patients beginning their first TNFi treatment were included in the study: TNFi monotherapy (n = 320), TNFi + SSZ (n = 103), TNFi + LEF (n = 80), TNFi + other csDMARD (n = 99), TNFi + MTX alone (n = 919), TNFi + MTX + other csDMARD (n = 412).

Ascites as the presenting symptom in a patient with Churg-Strauss syndrome.

A 67-year-old male presented with ascites, dyspnoea, peripheral edema and purpura. The history revealed asthma and nasal polyps. The laboratory tests showed an increased peripheral blood eosinophilic cell count.