History of antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibodies : Milestones in rheumatology.

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitides (AAV) are autoimmune inflammatory small-vessel disorders with potentially life-threatening organ manifestations. Recent disease definitions and classification criteria allow distinction between granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA), and non-granulomatous microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). The discovery of ANCA-autoantibodies directed against proteolytic enzymes of neutrophil granules-has enabled earlier diagnosis of AAV and paved the way to stage-adapted treatments.

Two-dimensional fetal speckle tracking; a learning curve study for offline strain analysis.

Objectives: Two-dimensional speckle tracking (2D-STE) strain analysis holds promise for assessing fetal cardiac function. Understand the learning curve before introducing 2D-STE into obstetrics is crucial. This study examined the learning curve for offline analysis of fetal left (LV) and right ventricular (RV) global longitudinal strain (GLS) using 2D-STE.

Evidence of Site-Specific Mucosal Autoantibody Secretion in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) have been detected in sputum and saliva, indicating that anti-modified protein antibodies (AMPA) can be produced at mucosal sites in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the body's largest mucosal compartment, the gut, has not yet been examined. We therefore investigated the presence of several AMPA (ACPA, anti-carbamylated protein antibodies [anti-CarP], and anti-acetylated protein antibodies [AAPA]) at different mucosal sites, including the intestinal tract.

Feasibility and Reproducibility of Isokinetic Dynamometry in Children with Neuromuscular Diseases.

High-precision measurement tools are needed to measure relevant changes in strength and power in children with neuromuscular diseases. The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility (i), reproducibility (ii), and validity (iii) of isokinetic dynamometry in this population. Isometric and isokinetic knee and elbow flexion and extension were measured twice on the same day.