Tofacitinib in Refractory Scleritis: A Case Series.

Tofacitinib, a Janus kinase inhibitor, has been recently investigated as a potential therapy for refractory scleritis. Despite treatment with systemic immunosuppressive agents, scleritis is refractory to conventional therapy in a significant number of patients. Hereby, we report the use of tofacitinib as a steroid-sparing immunomodulatory agent in three patients with refractory scleritis who were either recalcitrant or intolerant to conventional therapy.

Successful Use of Tofacitinib in Refractory Takayasu Arteritis: A Case Series.

Objective: To study the clinical effectiveness and safety of Tofacitinib in refractory Takayasu arteritis (TAK).

Methods: This study was conducted from September 2021 to June 2022. Ten cases of refractory TAK patients were enrolled.

Successful Use of Tofacitinib in Scleroderma Arthropathy.

Musculoskeletal manifestations of systemic sclerosis (SSc) are frequent and may be one of the early manifestations of the disease. However, arthralgia, pain and stiffness without frank arthritis usually constitute the clinical picture, while overlap syndromes such as rheumatoid-like polyarthritis can dominate when the arthritis is erosive. Hereby, we report a case of primary SSc presenting as frank erosive arthritis involving small and large joints mimicking rheumatoid arthritis, unresponsive to methotrexate, which was successfully treated with tofacitinib.

Assessment of cutaneous disease activity in early lupus and its correlation with quality of life: a cross-sectional study.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multi-system autoimmune disease with varied dermatological manifestations that are almost universal. Overall, lupus disease has a major effect on the quality of life in these patients. We assessed the extent of cutaneous disease in early lupus and correlated it with the SLE quality-of-life (SLEQoL) index and disease activity measures.

Restless leg syndrome in rheumatic conditions: Its prevalence and risk factors, a meta-analysis.

Introduction: Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a neurological disorder characterized by an uncontrollable desire to move legs along with abnormal sensations, particularly at night, which can lead to sleep disturbance. RLS may mimic rheumatic diseases or can be associated with them, hence their identification and treatment are important to improve sleep quality and overall quality of life in rheumatic diseases.

Methods: We conducted a search of the PubMed, SCOPUS, and EMBASE databases to identify studies reporting a prevalence of RLS in patients with rheumatic disease.

Trigeminal Neuralgia as an Initial Presentation of Systemic Autoimmune Diseases: A Case Series.

Background: Trigeminal neuralgia, also known as tic doloureaux, refers to a sudden onset of unilateral or bilateral facial numbness with or without pain or paraesthesia. Trigeminal neuralgia is rare in connective tissue diseases (CTD); however, it is the most common neurologic manifestation of mixed connective tissue (MCTD) and maybe the only presenting symptom in various CTDs.

Patients And Methods: Here, we describe a series of four cases of various autoimmune connective tissue diseases where trigeminal neuralgia was the presenting complaint.

Successful use of tofacitinib in reactive arthritis refractory to conventional therapies - a case series.

Reactive arthritis is an immune-mediated aseptic arthritis resulting from either genitourinary or gastrointestinal tract in a genetically susceptible host. It commonly presents as oligoarthritis of the lower limbs with or without extra-articular features such as urethritis and non-purulent conjunctivitis. Therapies include non steroidal anti inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and, rarely, biologics in severe cases.

A rare case of atypical Cogan's syndrome presenting as encephalitis.

Cogan's syndrome (CS) is a rare autoimmune vasculitis of unknown aetiology characterised by non-syphilitic interstitial keratitis, audiovestibular symptoms, sometimes systemic symptoms, and multi-organ involvement. Atypical CS has other ocular features, such as scleritis, episcelritis, retinitis, and optic neuritis. Diagnosis of CS is purely clinical without a confirmatory test.

Secukinumab therapy in reactive arthritis: Report of two cases.

Reactive arthritis (ReA) is an immune-mediated aseptic synovitis resulting either from genitourinary or gastrointestinal tract, commonly presenting as oligoarthritis of the lower limbs and rarely urethritis and conjunctivitis. The treatment options include nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, and biologics in severe cases. We report successful use of secukinumab in two cases of chronic severe ReA who initially failed to treatment with tumour necrosis factor inhibitor.

Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases Masquerading as Psychiatric Disorders: A Case Series.

Background: Neurological involvement has been found in many autoimmune diseases, with psychiatric abnormalities such as anxiety, depression, psychosis, and cognitive dysfunction.

Patients And Methods: Here, we describe a series of 5 consecutive cases of autoimmune diseases presenting with psychiatric symptoms as the predominant manifestation.

Result: Our case series suggests that psychiatric symptoms, mainly depression, can be one of the presenting symptoms of several autoimmune diseases that often cause a significant delay in diagnosis.

Musculoskeletal Disorders in Chronic Obstructive Airway Diseases: A Neglected Clinical Entity.

Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a lung disease that can affect various extra-pulmonary organs; one being the musculoskeletal system. Skeletal muscle dysfunction and osteoporosis are two important musculoskeletal disorders that have an impact on the quality of life in COPD patients in terms of morbidity and mortality. Treatment related adverse effects of COPD such as steroid-induced myopathy and osteoporosis are well recognised.