Effectiveness and Predictors of Long-Term Treatment Response to Tofacitinib in Rheumatoid Arthritis Cohort: General Analysis and Focus on High-Cardiovascular-Risk Subgroup-A Multicenter Study.

The treatment landscape for Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) has evolved significantly with the introduction of Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi), such as Tofacitinib (TOFA), which offer a new therapeutic option for patients who have failed or are intolerant to conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs). Safety concerns, particularly related to cardiovascular and cancer risks, prompted a need for additional investigation in real-world clinical settings. This study aimed to evaluate the long-term effectiveness and predictors of response to TOFA in two subpopulations of RA patients, categorized by differing cardiovascular risk profiles.

Multicenter observational study on the efficacy of selective Janus Kinase-1 inhibitor upatacitinib in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Upadacitinib (UPA) is a selective, reversible Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) approved for the treatment of RA. However, there is still no solid evidence on the long-term efficacy of UPA in treated patients. The purpose of this study was to determine the efficacy of UPA to obtain remission or low disease activity (LDA) in a series of UPA patients in patients with RA after 6 and 12 months of treatment in a real-world setting.

Analysis of survival rate and persistence predictors of baricitinib in real-world data from a large cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: The persistence in therapy of rheumatoid arthritis drugs and particularly bDMARD is a limiting factor for their long-term use. The randomized controlled trials (RCTs) may not reflect real-world contexts due to strict inclusion and exclusion criteria. Baricitinib, which targets both JAK1 and JAK2, has been used in Italy for several years.

Long-Term Retention Rate of Tofacitinib in Rheumatoid Arthritis: An Italian Multicenter Retrospective Cohort Study.

: Tofacitinib (TOFA) was the first Janus kinase inhibitor (JAKi) to be approved for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, data on the retention rate of TOFA therapy are still far from definitive. : The goal of this study is to add new real-world data on the TOFA retention rate in a cohort of RA patients followed for a long period of time.

Therapeutic Effects of Apremilast on Enthesitis and Dactylitis in Real Clinical Setting: An Italian Multicenter Study.

Introduction: Enthesitis and dactylitis are difficult-to-treat features of psoriatic arthritis (PsA), leading to disability and affecting quality of life.

Objective: The aim of this study is to evaluate enthesitis (using the Leed enthesitis index (LEI)) and dactylitis at 6 and 12 months in patients treated with apremilast.

Methods: Patients affected by PsA from fifteen Italian rheumatological referral centers were screened.

Apremilast retention rate in clinical practice: observations from an Italian multi-center study.

Objective: There are few real-world setting studies focused on apremilast effectiveness (i.e., retention rate) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Efficacy and Drug Survival after Switching from Etanercept to the Biosimilar SB4: A Real-Life Long-Term Study.

We evaluated the 3-year drug survival and efficacy of the biosimilar SB4/Benepali in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, previously treated with etanercept (ETA). Drug survival rate was calculated using the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazard models were developed to examine predictors of SB4 discontinuation. 236 patients (120 RA, 80 PsA and 36 AS), aged 60.

Ultrasound Effectiveness of Steroid Injection for hand Psoriatic Dactylitis: Results from a Longitudinal Observational Study.

Introduction: To assess clinical and ultrasound effectiveness of steroid injection (local treatment, LT) into the digital flexor tendon sheath for the treatment of psoriatic dactylitis compared to systemic treatment (ST) alone.

Methods: In this observational, multicentre, prospective study, 88 cases of symptomatic hand dactylitis were evaluated clinically and sonographically by high-frequency ultrasound (US) probe in both greyscale (GS) and power Doppler (PD). The presence of flexor tenosynovitis (FT), soft tissue oedema (STO), peritendon extensor inflammation and synovitis was assessed (including DACtylitis glObal Sonographic-DACTOS-score) before treatment, at 1-month (T1) and 3-months (T3) follow-up.

Hand Erosive Osteoarthritis and Distal Interphalangeal Involvement in Psoriatic Arthritis: The Place of Conservative Therapy.

Hand erosive osteoarthritis (HEOA) and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) with DIP involvement are common diseases affecting the hand. Both of them evolve with a progressive limitation in grip due to limited range of motion of the affected joints and stenosing tenosynovitis. Pharmacological options currently available (corticosteroids and clodronate or Idrossicloroquine) for the treatment of EHOA are mostly symptomatic and currently there are no effective drugs able to modify the course of the disease.

Prevalence and real-world management of vedolizumab-associated enthesitis in successfully treated IBD patients.

Background: Some studies have reported the development of moderate and severe de novo SpA-associated disease under vedolizumab (VDZ) treatment for IBD. Herein, we report a case series who developed severe enthesitis under VDZ therapy from a cohort of 90 treated cases.

Methods: In a single Italian IBD Unit in which 90 cases were on VDZ therapy, we identified 11 cases who developed severe enthesitis.

The Impact of the SARS-CoV-2 Outbreak on the Psychological Flexibility and Behaviour of Cancelling Medical Appointments of Italian Patients with Pre-Existing Medical Condition: The "ImpACT-COVID-19 for Patients" Multi-Centre Observational Study.

Psychological distress imposed by the SARS-CoV-2 outbreak particularly affects patients with pre-existing medical conditions, and the progression of their diseases. Patients who fail to keep scheduled medical appointments experience a negative impact on care. The aim of this study is to investigate the psychosocial factors contributing to the cancellation of medical appointments during the pandemic by patients with pre-existing health conditions.

Musculoskeletal Ultrasound in Monitoring Clinical Response to Treatment in Acute Symptomatic Psoriatic Dactylitis: Results from a Multicentre Prospective Observational Study.

This observational and prospective study evaluated the clinical correlations of sonographic lesions in consecutive psoriatic arthritis (PsA) dactylitis cases. Eighty-three dactylitic digits were evaluated clinically and sonographically before treatment and at one-month (T1) and three-month (T3) follow-up. Clinical evaluation included the Leeds Dactylitis Index-basic (LDI-b) score and the visual analogue scales for pain (VAS-p) and functional impairment (VAS-FI).

Effectiveness of steroid injection for hand psoriatic dactylitis: results from a multicentre prospective observational study.

Objective: To assess the effectiveness of steroid injection (local treatment, LT) into the digital flexor tendon sheath of dactylitis in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients as compared with systemic treatment (ST).

Methods: Forty-six PsA patients with a total of 73 dactylitic fingers were assessed in an observational, multicentre, prospective study by the Leeds Dactylitis Index basic (LDI-b) score and evaluated for local pain (visual analogue scale-VAS pain) and functional impairment (VAS-FI). Steroid injection was proposed to all patients.

The IBIS-Q [IBd Identification of Spondyloarthritis Questionnaire]: A Novel Tool to Detect Both Axial and Peripheral Arthritis in Inflammatory Bowel Disease Patients.

Background And Aims: Both peripheral and axial spondyloarthritis [SpA] occur in inflammatory bowel disease [IBD] and represent the commonest extra-intestinal manifestation. We aimed to develop an easy and quick questionnaire through psychometric analysis, to identify peripheral and axial SpA in IBD patients within an integrated combined multidisciplinary rheumatological-gastroenterology clinic.

Methods: Initially, SpA-IBD experts generated a 42-item list covering SpA manifestations including spinal, articular, and entheseal involvement.

Association between Leeds Dactylitis Index and ultrasonographic features: a multicentre study on psoriatic hand dactylitis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to explore the link between specific sonographic findings and Leeds Dactylitis Index basic (LDI-b) score in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with hand dactylitis.

Methods: Ninety-one hand dactylitis were evaluated in a multicentre study for the presence of pain, functional limitation and tenderness (2-point scale) and LDI-b score. Dactylitic fingers were investigated using high-frequency US in grey scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD).

Clinical and sonographic discrimination between fibromyalgia and spondyloarthopathy in inflammatory bowel disease with musculoskeletal pain.

Objectives: Joint pain is common in subjects with IBD and is linked to several factors including SpA, drug therapy, concomitant OA or FM. The primary aim of this study was to estimate the prevalence of primary FM and concomitant FM and SpA in a cohort of patients with IBD utilizing clinical and US assessment.

Methods: A total of 301 consecutive cases with IBD attending two IBD Units were assessed by a rheumatologist for Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society criteria fulfilment for SpA or the 2010 ACR criteria for FM.

Ultrasonographic Evidence of Predominance of Acute Extracapsular and Chronic Intrasynovial Patterns in 100 Cases of Psoriatic Hand Dactylitis.

Objective: To use ultrasonography to study whether the duration of psoriatic dactylitis was associated with different patterns of extracapsular and synovial-based involvement.

Methods: One hundred cases of hand dactylitis from 85 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) were consecutively enrolled in a multicenter cross-sectional study and divided into 2 groups according to dactylitis duration (shorter or longer than the median: 20 weeks). All dactylitis fingers were investigated using high-frequency ultrasound both in greyscale (GS) and power Doppler (PD), evaluating the presence of flexor tenosynovitis, soft tissue edema, subcutaneous PD signal (PDS), extensor tendon involvement, and joint synovitis.

Observational study on the QUality of life of Italian Axial SpondyloARthritis patients (QUASAR): baseline data.

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.

Comprehensive evaluation of finger flexor tendon entheseal soft tissue and bone changes by ultrasound can differentiate psoriatic arthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To determine whether a detailed sonographic evaluation of the hand flexor tendon compartment could help differentiate between psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Thirty-seven patients with PsA, 47 with RA and 10 healthy controls (HC) had flexor tendon (FT) compartment imaging of the dominant hand 2nd to 4th tendons using grey scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) ultrasound (US) with evaluation for tenosynovitis, peri-tendinous lesions, soft tissue oedema and bony changes at FT insertions. 24/37 PsA and 19/47 RA cases had morning stiffness and 19/37 PsA and 10/47 RA had swollen and/or tender fingers.

'Deep Koebner' phenomenon of the flexor tendon-associated accessory pulleys as a novel factor in tenosynovitis and dactylitis in psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: Skin and joint involvement in psoriasis (PsO) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are thought to relate to the so-called Koebner response. Given that dactylitis is non-randomly distributed in the digits, this study tested the hypothesis that the accessory pulleys linked to the flexor tendons were thickened in PsA and thus exhibited koebnerisation.

Methods: Ninety-six subjects (27 PsA, 27 rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 23 PsO and 19 healthy controls (HCs)) were enrolled.

Mature CD10 and immature CD10 neutrophils present in G-CSF-treated donors display opposite effects on T cells.

The identification of discrete neutrophil populations, as well as the characterization of their immunoregulatory properties, is an emerging topic under extensive investigation. In such regard, the presence of circulating CD66b neutrophil populations, exerting either immunosuppressive or proinflammatory functions, has been described in several acute and chronic inflammatory conditions. However, due to the lack of specific markers, the precise phenotype and maturation status of these neutrophil populations remain unclear.