Prediagnostic Amino Acid Metabolites and Risk of Gout, Accounting for Serum Urate: Prospective Cohort Study and Mendelian Randomization.

Objective: Our objective was to prospectively investigate prediagnostic population-based metabolome for risk of hospitalized gout (ie, most accurate, severe, and costly cases), accounting for serum urate.

Methods: We conducted prediagnostic metabolome-wide analyses among 249,677 UK Biobank participants with nuclear magnetic resonance metabolomic profiling (N = 168 metabolites, including eight amino acids) from baseline blood samples (2006-2010) without a history of gout. We calculated multivariable hazard ratios (HRs) for hospitalized incident gout, before and after adjusting for serum urate levels; we included patients with nonhospitalized incident gout in a sensitivity analysis.

SerpinA3N limits cartilage destruction in osteoarthritis by inhibiting macrophage-derived leucocyte elastase.

Objectives: Inflammatory mediators such as interleukin 6 (IL-6) are known to activate catabolic responses in chondrocytes during osteoarthritis (OA). This study aimed to investigate the role of a downstream target gene of IL-6, the serine protease inhibitor SerpinA3N, in the development of cartilage damage in OA.

Methods: RNA sequencing was performed in murine primary chondrocytes treated with IL-6, and identified target genes were confirmed in human and murine OA cartilage samples.

Systemic inflammatory cytokine profiles in patients with gout during flare, intercritical and treat-to-target phases: TNFSF14 as new biomarker.

Introduction: Untreated gout is characterised by monosodium urate (MSU) crystal accumulation responsible for recurrent flares that are commonly separated by asymptomatic phases. Both phases are inflammatory conditions of variable intensity. Gout flares are self-limited inflammatory reactions involving multiple mediators.

2023 EULAR recommendations on imaging in diagnosis and management of crystal-induced arthropathies in clinical practice.

Objective: To formulate evidence-based recommendations and overarching principles on the use of imaging in the clinical management of crystal-induced arthropathies (CiAs).

Methods: An international task force of 25 rheumatologists, radiologists, methodologists, healthcare professionals and patient research partners from 11 countries was formed according to the EULAR standard operating procedures. Fourteen key questions on the role of imaging in the most common forms of CiA were generated.

Effectiveness of topical sodium thiosulfate for ectopic calcifications and ossifications. Results of the CATSS-O study.

Introduction: Ectopic calcifications (ECs) and heterotopic ossifications (HOs) form in non-mineralized tissues, most often in subcutaneous and muscular areas. Local and systemic complications can cause severe disability. Systemic administration of sodium thiosulfate (STS) gives promising results but is difficult to use in clinical practice.

Quantification of cartilage and subchondral bone cysts on knee specimens based on a spectral photon-counting computed tomography.

Spectral photon-counting computed tomography (SPCCT) is a new technique with the capability to provide mono-energetic (monoE) images with high signal to noise ratio. We demonstrate the feasibility of SPCCT to characterize at the same time cartilage and subchondral bone cysts (SBCs) without contrast agent in osteoarthritis (OA). To achieve this goal, 10 human knee specimens (6 normal and 4 with OA) were imaged with a clinical prototype SPCCT.

Retention, safety and efficacy of off-label conventional treatments and biologics for chronic calcium pyrophosphate crystal inflammatory arthritis.

Objectives: Very little is known on the efficacy and safety of drugs for the management of chronic calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal inflammatory arthritis. The objectives of this work were to describe the drugs used in the management of chronic CPP crystal inflammatory arthritis in expert European centres, and to examine treatment retention.

Methods: This was a retrospective cohort study.

Early-onset gout and rare deficient variants of the lactate dehydrogenase D gene.

Objectives: To investigate whether the lactate dehydrogenase D (LDHD) gene deficiency causes juvenile-onset gout.

Methods: We used whole-exome sequencing for two families and a targeted gene-sequencing panel for an isolated patient. d-lactate dosages were analysed using ELISA.

Simple Application and Adherence to Gout Guidelines Enables Disease Control: An Observational Study in French Referral Centres.

Background: In a context of therapeutic inertia, the French Society of Rheumatology (SFR) published its first recommendations on gout in 2020, which were deliberately simple and concise. The objectives of the study were to determine the profile of patients referred to French gout-expert centres, and to examine the results of their management and the factors leading to those results. Methods: Three hundred patients attending a first visit for gout management in three French referral centres were retrospectively and randomly included in this multicentre observational study.

Lin28a induces SOX9 and chondrocyte reprogramming via HMGA2 and blunts cartilage loss in mice.

Articular cartilage has low regenerative capacity despite permanent stress. Irreversible cartilage lesions characterize osteoarthritis (OA); this is not followed by tissue repair. Lin28a, an RNA binding protein, is detected in damaged cartilage in humans and mice.

Do Glucocorticoid Injections Increase the Risk of Knee Osteoarthritis Progression Over 5 Years?

Objective: Recent findings have demonstrated that intraarticular (IA) glucocorticoid injections can be deleterious for knees with osteoarthritis (OA). This study was undertaken to assess, in a real-life setting, the risk of knee OA progression in patients who received IA glucocorticoid injections over a 5-year follow-up period.

Methods: We used marginal structural modeling with inverse probability of treatment weighting to determine the causal association between IA glucocorticoid injections and the 5-year risk of disease progression in patients with symptomatic knee OA from the Knee and Hip Osteoarthritis Long-term Assessment cohort.

The shrinking toe sign in gout.

Objective: To describe the frequency, clinical presentation and understand the pathophysiology of toe shortenings during urate-lowering treatment (ULT) of gout, a feature we called the shrinking toe sign.

Methods: Sequential foot photographs and radiographs of 1141 consecutive gouty patients followed-up for at least 6 months under ULT were retrospectively scrutinized. Features from patients with toe shortenings were extracted from anonymized files.

Distribution of bony erosions in feet and performance of two bone erosion scores: A dual-energy computed tomography study of 61 patients with gout.

Objectives: To assess the distribution of bone erosions and two erosion scores in the feet of patients with gout and analyze the association between erosion scores and monosodium urate (MSU) crystal deposition using dual-energy computed tomography (DECT).

Materials And Methods: We included all patients who underwent DECT of both feet between 2016 and 2019 in our radiology department, with positive detection of MSU deposits. Data on sex, age, treatment, serum urate, and DECT urate volumes were obtained.

Calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition in a cohort of 57 patients with Gitelman syndrome.

Objective: Gitelman syndrome (GS) is the most frequent salt-wasting genetic tubulopathy and a source of hypokalaemia and hypomagnesemia. Chondrocalcinosis (CC) is a frequent feature of GS. The aim of our study was to determine the prevalence, distribution patterns, clinical phenotypes and risk factors for CC in GS.

Inhibition of sphingosine 1-phosphate protects mice against chondrocyte catabolism and osteoarthritis.

Objective: Cartilage loss observed in osteoarthritis (OA) is prevented when osteoclasts in the subchondral bone are inhibited in mice. Here, we investigated the role of the osteoclast secretome and of the lipid mediator sphingosine 1-phosphate (S1P) in chondrocyte metabolism and OA.

Materials And Methods: We used SphK1 and wild type mice to assess the effect of murine osteoclast secretome in chondrocyte metabolism.

Identifying Potential Classification Criteria for Calcium Pyrophosphate Deposition Disease: Item Generation and Item Reduction.

Objective: Classification criteria for calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) disease will facilitate clinical research on this common crystalline arthritis. Our objective was to report on the first 2 phases of a 4-phase process for developing CPPD classification criteria.

Methods: CPPD classification criteria development is overseen by a 12-member steering committee.