Taper versus discontinuation of tocilizumab in patients with giant cell arteritis: Real-world experience from a tertiary center.

Introduction: Following the approval of tocilizumab (TCZ) for giant cell arteritis (GCA), recent studies have shown a high relapse frequency after abrupt discontinuation of TCZ. However, a thorough exploration of TCZ tapering compared to abrupt discontinuation has never been undertaken. Likewise, adverse events have only been scarcely investigated in routine care.

Association of Autoimmune Diseases With Coronary Atherosclerosis Severity and Ischemic Events.

Background: Some autoimmune diseases carry elevated risk for atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (ASCVD), yet the underlying mechanism and the influence of traditional risk factors remain unclear.

Objectives: This study sought to determine whether autoimmune diseases independently correlate with coronary atherosclerosis and ASCVD risk and whether traditional cardiovascular risk factors modulate the risk.

Methods: The study included 85,512 patients from the Western Denmark Heart Registry undergoing coronary computed tomography angiography.

Long-term efficacy of a 2-year MRI treat-to-target strategy on disease activity and radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in clinical remission: 5-year follow-up of the IMAGINE-RA randomised trial.

Objective: To investigate whether a 2-year MRI treat-to-target strategy targeting the absence of osteitis combined with clinical remission, compared with a conventional treat-to-target strategy targeting clinical remission only (IMAGINE-rheumatoid arthritis (RA) trial) improves clinical and radiographic outcomes over 5 years in patients with RA in clinical remission.

Methods: IMAGINE-more was an observational extension study of the original 2-year IMAGINE-RA randomised trial (NCT01656278). Clinical examinations and radiographs (hands and feet) were obtained yearly.

Preoperative proximal tibial bone density, bone microarchitecture, and bone turnover are not associated with postoperative tibial component migration in cemented and cementless medial unicompartmental knee replacements: secondary analyses from a randomized controlled trial.

Background And Purpose: Cementless arthroplasty fixation relies on early bone ingrowth and may be poor in patients with low proximal tibial bone density or abnormal bone turnover. We aimed first to describe the baseline bone properties in patients undergoing medial unicompartmental knee replacement (UKR), and second to investigate its association with cemented and cementless tibial component migration until 2 years.

Methods: A subset investigation of 2 patient groups from a 3-armed randomized controlled trial was conducted.

The one-year infection risk among patients diagnosed with giant cell arteritis: use of antibiotics and hospitalisations.

Objectives: Patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA) primarily have their infections managed by primary care providers and hospitalisation is rarely necessary. Existing studies in GCA focus on infection-related hospitalisations only, whereas the use of antibiotic prescriptions is largely unknown. This study aims to examine the one-year overall infection risk among patients with GCA.

Transitory Activation and Improved Transition from Erosion to Formation within Intracortical Bone Remodeling in Hypoparathyroid Patients Treated with rhPTH(1-84).

In hypoparathyroidism, lack of parathyroid hormone (PTH) leads to low calcium levels and decreased bone remodeling. Treatment with recombinant human PTH (rhPTH) may normalize bone turnover. This study aimed to investigate whether rhPTH(1-84) continued to activate intracortical bone remodeling after 30 months and promoted the transition from erosion to formation and whether this effect was transitory when rhPTH(1-84) was discontinued.

Disturbed bone marrow adiposity in patients with Cushing's syndrome and glucocorticoid- and postmenopausal- induced osteoporosis.

Background: Skeletal stem/progenitor cells (SSPCs) in the bone marrow can differentiate into osteoblasts or adipocytes in response to microenvironmental signalling input, including hormonal signalling. Glucocorticoids (GC) are corticosteroid hormones that promote adipogenic differentiation and are endogenously increased in patients with Cushing´s syndrome (CS). Here, we investigate bone marrow adiposity changes in response to endogenous or exogenous GC increases.

An international survey of current management practices for polymyalgia rheumatica by general practitioners and rheumatologists.

Objectives: To explore current management practices for PMR by general practitioners (GPs) and rheumatologists including implications for clinical trial recruitment.

Methods: An English language questionnaire was constructed by a working group of rheumatologists and GPs from six countries. The questionnaire focused on: 1: Respondent characteristics; 2: Referral practices; 3: Treatment with glucocorticoids; 4: Diagnostics; 5: Comorbidities; and 6: Barriers to research.

Atherosclerotic Cardiovascular Risk Stratification in the Rheumatic Diseases:: An Integrative, Multiparametric Approach.

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk is increased in most inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs), reiterating the role of inflammation in the initiation and progression of atherosclerosis. An inverse association of CVD risk with body weight and lipid levels has been described in IRDs. Coronary artery calcium scores, plaque burden and characteristics, and carotid plaques on ultrasound optimize CVD risk estimate in IRDs.

Facilitators and barriers in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis as described by general practitioners: a Danish study based on focus group interviews.

Objective: To explore the perspectives of general practitioners (GPs) on facilitators and barriers in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Design: Qualitative study based on focus group interviews, and using latent thematic analysis.

Setting: General practices from Central Region Denmark.

Influence of Ibuprofen on Bone Healing After Colles' Fracture: A Randomized Controlled Clinical Trial.

Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may delay bone healing. [Therefore, it is important to establish whether NSAID preparations delay bone healing and what correlations, if any, exist between different bone studies-DEXA-scanning, bone markers, roentgenology controls, and histological examination of newly formed bone]. The purpose of this prospective controlled study was to investigate whether ibuprofen affects bone mineral density, turnover biomarkers, and histomorphometric characteristics of the callus after a Colles' fracture.

Efficacy and safety of cannabidiol followed by an open label add-on of tetrahydrocannabinol for the treatment of chronic pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis or ankylosing spondylitis: protocol for a multicentre, randomised, placebo-controlled study.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) are chronic, systemic, inflammatory diseases, primarily in the musculoskeletal system. Pain and fatigue are key symptoms of RA and AS. Treatment presents a clinical challenge for several reasons, including the progressive nature of the diseases and the involvement of multiple pain mechanisms.

Coupling of Bone Resorption and Formation in Real Time: New Knowledge Gained From Human Haversian BMUs.

It is well known that bone remodeling starts with a resorption event and ends with bone formation. However, what happens in between and how resorption and formation are coupled remains mostly unknown. Remodeling is achieved by so-called basic multicellular units (BMUs), which are local teams of osteoclasts, osteoblasts, and reversal cells recently proven identical with osteoprogenitors.

Translation of clinical problems in osteoarthritis into pathophysiological research goals.

Osteoarthritis (OA) accounts for more disability among the elderly than any other disease and is associated with an increased mortality rate. The prevalence in Europe will rise in the future since this continent has a strongly ageing population and an obesity epidemic; obesity and age both being major risk factors for OA. No adequate therapeutic options, besides joint replacement, are available, although they are greatly needed and should be acquired by adequate research investments.

[Granulomatosis with polyangiitis - a rare but important differential diagnosis].

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is a rare disease with inflammation in the small vessels. This is a case report of GPA, where lung cancer was initially suspected. A 54-year-old woman eventually developed manifestations from several organ systems, and a diagnosis of GPA was confirmed.

[Diagnostics and treatment of ANCA-associated vasculitis].

The term anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) covers a group of rare diseases with inflammation in the small vessels and associated with the presence of ANCA. The patients can present with signs and symptoms from almost all organs. In primary care as well as in hospitals AAV is important to acknowledge as differential diagnosis to cancer and infectious diseases, because low morbidity and mortality related to AAV is dependent on early diagnosis and timely treatment.

Comparable effect of partly supervised and self-administered exercise programme in early rheumatoid arthritis--a randomised, controlled trial.

Introduction: There is a need to establish a framework and exercise level for patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to compare the effect of a partly supervised and a self-administered exercise programme for patients with early RA.

Methods: A total of 51 patients with early (≤ 5 years) RA were randomised to either a six-week supervised, progressive, high-intensity exercise programme followed by a six-week self-administered exercise programme or a 12-week self-administered exercise programme.