The Relationship between Smoking, Raynaud's Phenomenon, Digital Ulcers, and Skin Thickness in the Waikato Systemic Sclerosis Cohort.

Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a heterogeneous complex autoimmune connective tissue disease with variable presentation as a consequence of multisystem involvement. One of the key features of SSc is Raynaud's phenomenon along with vascular endothelial dysfunction that leads to digital ulcers (DUs). Raynaud's tends to be triggered by decreasing thermal gradient exposure, while stress and smoking also play a role.

Increased malignancies in our Waikato cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been associated with an increased risk of malignancy (especially in the skin, lung, breast, and hematological system).

Aim: To determine the risk of malignancies in our SSc cohort.

Methods: The NZ National Cancer Registry supplied details of all malignancies recorded in patients attending the Waikato Hospital Systemic Sclerosis Clinics from 2005 to 2018.

Significance of combined anti-CCP antibodies and rheumatoid factor in a New Zealand cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) can present as an overlap syndrome with rheumatoid arthritis (SSc-RA overlap).

Objective: To evaluate the frequency of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP) in our SSc cohort and their association with clinical features.

Methods: Data were gathered prospectively from the Waikato Hospital Systemic Sclerosis Clinics.

High Prevalence of Antithyroid Antibodies in a New Zealand Cohort of Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

Background: Autoimmune thyroid disease affects 1% of the general population, and autoimmune thyroid antibodies are noted in up to 15%.

Objective: We hypothesized systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with higher prevalence of antithyroglobulin (anti-Tg) and anti-thyroid peroxidase (anti-TPO) antibodies) to justify monitoring of thyroid function for earlier detection and treatment.

Methods: Waikato Hospital SSc clinic patients were prospectively tested for thyroid function tests and antithyroid antibodies (ATAs).

Clinical utility of hypo- and hyperpigmentation of skin in diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis.

Aim: Cutaneous involvement is an early manifestation of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Localized areas of 'salt and pepper skin' (S&P) may develop. We hypothesize that S&P skin occurs frequently in diffuse cutaneous (dc) SSc which can be used in its early diagnosis and may correlate with joint contractures.

A cross-sectional study of autoantibody profiles in the Waikato systemic sclerosis cohort, New Zealand.

The autoantibody profiles in New Zealand systemic sclerosis patients have not previously been reported. The aim of this study was to evaluate the autoantibody profiles of patients in the Waikato Hospital Systemic Sclerosis Clinic cohort. The EUROLINE (IgG) Systemic Sclerosis panel test kit (which tests for Scl-70, CENP-A, CENP-B, RP11, RP155, Fib, NOR90, Th/To, PM100, PM75, Ku, PDGFR and Ro-52) was selected for the purpose of this study.

Association of the lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 gene with gout and non-additive interaction with alcohol consumption.

Introduction: The T allele of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP: rs2544390) in lipoprotein receptor-related protein 2 (LRP2) is associated with higher serum urate and risk of gout in Japanese individuals. SNP rs2544390 also interacts with alcohol consumption in determining hyperuricemia in this population. We investigated the association of rs2544390 with gout, and interaction with all types of alcohol consumption in European and New Zealand (NZ) Māori and Pacific subjects, and a Māori study cohort from the East Coast region of NZ's North Island.

An exploratory study of long-term health outcomes following an in-patient multidisciplinary program for people with fibromyalgia syndrome.

Objective: To examine the health status of people with fibromyalgia syndrome approximately 10 years after an intensive rehabilitation intervention to identify biopsychosocial factors for further research.

Methods: Baseline data, collected upon admission to the rehabilitation intervention was compared to follow-up data collected by telephone interview. Data was evaluated for differences and relationships using the appropriate parametric or non-parametric tests.