Multi-omics monitoring of drug response in rheumatoid arthritis in pursuit of molecular remission.

Sustained clinical remission (CR) without drug treatment has not been achieved in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This implies a substantial difference between CR and the healthy state, but it has yet to be quantified. We report a longitudinal monitoring of the drug response at multi-omics levels in the peripheral blood of patients with RA.

Safety of Biologic Agents in Elderly Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To clarify the safety of biologics in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Methods: Biologics were analyzed for safety in relation to age in 309 patients.

Results: Young (< 65 yrs old, n = 174), elderly (65-74 yrs old, n = 86), and older elderly patients (≥ 75 yrs old, n = 49) were enrolled.

Serum proteomic analysis identifies interleukin 16 as a biomarker for clinical response during early treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To conduct a comprehensive quantitative proteomics analysis of novel serum protein biomarkers based on synovitis status associated with matrix metalloproteinase-3 (MMP-3) and to determine the clinical significance of these biomarkers in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Patients with untreated RA (n=28), primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) (n=30), and healthy controls (HCs) (n=30) were enrolled for the screening assay. A total of 1128 serum proteins were analyzed using the SOMAscan™ assay.

Severe inflammation associated with synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome was markedly ameliorated by single use of minocycline.

We describe the case of a 63-year-old female who presented with severe inflammatory spondylitis, refractory to various antibiotics. Mycobacterial and fungal osteomyelitis were unlikely. Although asymptomatic, she also had osteomyelitis in the sternocostoclavicular region, and was suspected of having synovitis, acne, pustulosis, hyperostosis, osteitis (SAPHO) syndrome, against which minocycline showed marked efficacy.

Skin ulcer is a predictive and prognostic factor of acute or subacute interstitial lung disease in dermatomyositis.

The aim of this study was to determine whether skin ulcer can be used as a predictive and prognostic factor of acute/subacute interstitial lung disease (ILD) in Japanese patients with dermatomyositis (DM). We reviewed the medical records of 39 consecutive DM patients who were admitted to Tokyo Metropolitan Komagome Hospital from January 2000 to December 2009. The mean follow-up period was 63.

Clinical and pathological features of Churg Strauss syndrome among a Japanese population: a case series of 18 patients.

Background: Many autoimmune diseases differ in individual of different races, but there has been very scarce information on the clinicopathological features of Churg Strauss syndrome (CSS) among Asians patients.

Objective: To clarify the clinicopathological details of Japanese CSS patients.

Methods: The medical records of CSS patients hospitalized in 1980-2007 were carefully reviewed.