Erosive Hand Osteoarthritis is Associated with Subclinical Atherosclerosis and Endothelial Dysfunction.

Chronic inflammatory disorders have been associated with accelerated atherosclerosis and increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. Recent evidence suggests that erosive hand osteoarthritis (EOA) has considerable inflammation; therefore, we examined the presence of subclinical atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in EOA. Twenty-four patients with EOA and 24 age- and sex-matched healthy individuals without clinical OA were included in the study.

High-resolution ultrasonography and 3.0 T magnetic resonance imaging in erosive and nodal hand osteoarthritis: high frequency of erosions in nodal osteoarthritis.

Erosive osteoarthritis (EOA) is defined as hand osteoarthritis (OA) with interphalangeal joint erosions on plain radiographs. We sought to find ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features that could distinguish EOA from nodal hand OA (NOA). Symptomatic consecutive patients with hand OA as defined by the American College of Rheumatology criteria (13 EOA patients as defined by erosion in ≥1 interphalangeal joint and seven nodal OA patients) and five normal individuals were examined by plain radiography, US, and MRI.

Mycophenolate mofetil in systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease.

This study aimed to assess the effect of mofetil mycophenolate (MMF), an inhibitor of lymphocyte proliferation, on lung function and skin in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD). In this retrospective study, we reviewed the medical files of 10 patients with SSc-ILD (eight females, 10 patients with diffuse SSc; mean age, 59.7 +/- 12.

The prevalence of rheumatic diseases in central Greece: a population survey.

Background: Rheumatic diseases are a major health and financial burden for societies. The prevalence of rheumatic diseases may change over time, and therefore, we sought to estimate the prevalence of rheumatic diseases in an adult population of central Greece.

Methods: In this prospective cross-sectional population survey, a random sample of adult population was drawn from poll catalogues of a region in central Greece.

Comparison between clinical and ultrasonographic assessment in patients with erosive osteoarthritis of the hands.

The objective of this study is to assess the reliability of clinical examination in patients with erosive osteoarthritis (EOA). Eighteen patients with EOA underwent clinical examination for joint tenderness, bony swelling, and inflammation by two independent, blinded assessors. All patients were also examined by ultrasound (US) by an independent radiologist.

Serum VEGF levels are related to the presence of pulmonary arterial hypertension in systemic sclerosis.

Background: The association between systemic sclerosis and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is well recognized. Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) has been reported to play an important role in pulmonary hypertension. The aim of the present study was to examine the relationship between systolic pulmonary artery pressure, clinical and functional manifestations of the disease and serum VEGF levels in systemic sclerosis.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide-2 (CCP2) autoantibodies and extra-articular manifestations in Greek patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The objective of our study was to establish whether there is an association between rheumatoid arthritis with extra-articular manifestations (exRA) and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide 2 (anti-CCP2) antibodies in Greeks. A retrospective study of 220 Greek patients with RA, 95 with exRA and 125 without extra-articular manifestations (cRA). Serum anti-CCP2 antibodies and IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) were measured.