JAK-Inhibitors - A Story of Success and Adverse Events.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, chronic, immune-mediated inflammatory condition. Treatments options encompass conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs), biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) like tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors (TNFis) and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (tsDMARDs) including Janus Kinase inhibitors (JAKinibs). Orally administered JAKinibs have demonstrated comparable or, in specific cases, superior efficacy compared to bDMARDs in inflammatory conditions.

Factors Associated with Objectively Measured Physical Activity in Patients with Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease, which is associated with low levels of physical activity (PA). However, the factors related to low physical activity levels have rarely been studied. In this cross-sectional study, 70 seropositive RA patients were included.

Medication Adherence and Coping Strategies in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to determine if strategies for coping with illnesses, demographic factors, and clinical factors were associated with medication adherence among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at a Viennese rheumatology outpatient clinic on RA patients. Medication adherence was assessed using the Medication Adherence Report Scale.

A cross-sectional study on self-reported physical and mental health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis and the role of illness perception.

Background: Psychosocial models including illness perception might explain individual differences in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and daily functioning in chronically ill patients. The aim of this study was to assess the association of illness perception among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients with physical and mental HRQoL, adjusted for demographic variables, clinical variables and social support.

Methods: A cross-sectional study conducted at a Viennese rheumatology outpatient clinic on 120 RA patients.

Frailty in seropositive rheumatoid arthritis patients of working age: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: The prevalence of frailty has been widely researched in the elderly population. However, data about people of working age are scarce. The aim of this paper was to assess the prevalence of prefrailty and frailty in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of working age, and to assess factors associated with prefrailty/frailty.

Sleep Quality in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Associations with Pain, Disability, Disease Duration, and Activity.

We aimed to assess the subjective sleep quality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its correlation with disease activity, pain, inflammatory parameters, and functional disability. In a cross-sectional study, patients with confirmed RA diagnosis responded to a questionnaire (consisting of socio-demographic data, the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index, and the Medical Outcome Study Sleep Scale). Disease activity was assessed with the Clinical Disease Activity Index, and pain levels using the visual analogue scale.

Work Ability and Employment in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Role of Muscle Strength and Lower Extremity Function.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to assess the association between muscle strength, lower extremity function, employment status, and work ability in RA patients.

Methods: One hundred seropositive RA outpatients of working age were included in this cross-sectional study. Employment status was assessed by interview and work ability by the Work Ability Index-Single Item Scale (WAS).

Sexual health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the association between physical fitness and sexual function: a cross-sectional study.

The aim of this study was to examine sexual health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to analyse factors associated with sexual health with a focus on physical fitness. One hundred RA patients aged between 18 and 65 years were included in a cross-sectional study. Handgrip strength and knee extensor strength were measured with a dynamometer, and physical performance with the Short Physical Performance Battery (SPPB).

Workability and Muscle Strength in Patients With Seropositive Rheumatoid Arthritis: Survey Study Protocol.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other rheumatic conditions not only fundamentally affect patients' quality of life and physiological needs but are also negatively associated with work ability. The costs of poor work ability, which, in sum, are more than treatment costs, pose an economic burden to society and patients. Work ability in RA appears to be multifactorial; symptoms such as pain, swelling, and stiffness play a major role, as these directly affect functional disability.

An overview of psoriatic arthritis - epidemiology, clinical features, pathophysiology and novel treatment targets.

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic inflammatory joint disease occurring in a subgroup of patients suffering from psoriasis. This article gives an overview of the complexity of psoriatic arthritis, looking at several aspects of this heterogeneous disease, such as epidemiology, important clinical features and comorbidities as well as current concepts of the pathophysiology and subsequent insights in novel treatment targets.

[Urological comorbidities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis : literature review].

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of urolithiasis which is further negatively impacted by a reduced bone density. Interstitial cystitis also tends to occur more often in patients with rheumatic diseases. The high incidence of bacterial urogenital infections is influenced by the use of immunomodulating drugs.

A randomized, double-blind, parallel, single-site pilot trial to compare two different starting doses of methotrexate in methotrexate-naïve adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Methotrexate (MTX) is a cornerstone in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis. Despite its widespread use, expert opinions differ about the optimal MTX starting dosage to achieve rapid onset of action while averting increased occurrence of adverse effects. Plasma concentrations have not been assessed in previous studies that monitored clinical efficacy.

A short-chain methotrexate polyglutamate as outcome parameter in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving methotrexate.

Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is a cornerstone in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Although in general MTX is very effective, the major drawback is the large inter-patient variability in clinical response. The circulating levels of MTX polyglutamates (MTXPGs) are supposed to correlate with clinical efficacy, therefore having a potential role in drug monitoring.

The influence of methotrexate on the gene expression of the pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-12A in the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Methotrexate (MTX) is a cornerstone in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Among its anti-proliferative activity, the anti-inflammatory mechanisms of MTX seem to play a major role in the treatment of RA. MTX reduces the production of pro-inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin (IL)-1, IL-2, IL-6 and interferon (INF)-γ, while the gene expression of anti-inflammatory Th2 cytokines like IL-4 and IL-10 is increased - altogether resulting in the anti-inflammatory effect.

[Autoimmune pancreatitis associated with rheumatoid arthritis: successful combination therapy with steroids and methotrexate].

Unlabelled: MEDICAL HISTORY AND CLINICAL FINDINGS: A 70-year-old female patient suffered from steatorrhea and upper abdominal discomfort for 8 weeks combined with new onset of arthralgia in both hands. Additionally she reported elevated fasting blood glucose levels. The physical examination was without pathological findings except for mild upper abdominal pressure pain.

Analysing cell-free plasma DNA and SLE disease activity.

Background: Over the years, the demonstration and confirmation of cell-free DNA in the circulation has increasingly been recognized as a valuable diagnostic tool. Likewise, it has been known for some time that DNA structures that are targeted by auto-antibodies play a central role in systemic lupus erythematosis (SLE) and that DNA-antibody complexes in the circulation are one of the hallmarks of SLE. Investigating whether and to what degree fluctuations in free plasma DNA levels in patients with SLE might correspond to disease severity was therefore the goal of this investigation.

Health-related quality of life in patients with osteopenia or osteoporosis with and without fractures in a geriatric rehabilitation department.

Background: Health-related quality of life (HRQOL) is an important aspect in the management of patients with osteoporosis. The objective of this study was to estimate differences in HRQOL in women and men with osteopenia and osteoporosis with and without a fracture history and to assess HRQOL with a generic and disease-specific instrument.

Methods: Women and men were recruited from a geriatric rehabilitation department.

Decrease of proteinuria in a patient with adult-onset Still's disease and glomerulonephritis after anti-TNFalpha therapy.

We report the case of a 41-year-old man diagnosed with Still's disease. Multiple disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) therapies failed to induce disease remission or to prevent progressive joint destruction. The man presented with active arthritis and classical Still's rash accompanied by fever.

Stimulatory effects of distinct members of the bone morphogenetic protein family on ligament fibroblasts.

Objective: To investigate effects of cartilage derived morphogenetic protein-1 and -2 (CDMP-1, CDMP-2), bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-7 and BMP-6 on metabolism of ligament fibroblasts and their osteogenic or chondrogenic differentiation potential.

Methods: Ligament fibroblasts were obtained from 3 month old calves, plated as monolayers or micromass cultures, and incubated with or without CDMP-1, CDMP-2, BMP-7, and BMP-6. Expression of the indicated growth factors was assessed by RT-PCR and western immunoblotting.

Chondrocyte number and proteoglycan synthesis in the aging and osteoarthritic human articular cartilage.

Objective: To correlate the number of chondrocytes in healthy and osteoarthritic human articular cartilage with age, and to evaluate the influence of donor age on total proteoglycan synthesis.

Methods: Chondrocytes were isolated from human articular cartilage derived from hip joints with and without osteoarthritic lesions. The cell number was normalised to cartilage sample wet weight.

Expression of bone morphogenetic protein 6 in healthy and osteoarthritic human articular chondrocytes and stimulation of matrix synthesis in vitro.

Objective: To elucidate the role of bone morphogenetic protein 6 (BMP-6) in human articular cartilage, we investigated whether BMP-6 is expressed in adult human articular chondrocytes and analyzed the potential stimulatory effects of BMP-6 on these cells. In addition, we investigated whether osteoarthritic (OA) and normal cartilage chondrocytes behave differently.

Methods: Endogenous expression of the BMP-6 gene was examined by reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction.

BMP-6-induced osteogenic differentiation of mesenchymal cell lines is not modulated by sex steroids and resveratrol.

Bone morphogenetic protein-6 (BMP-6) is a potent inducer of osteogenic differentiation and its expression is stimulated by 17beta-estradiol. The existence of a regulatory loop between sex steroids and BMP-6 is therefore reasonable to hypothesize. Here we determined whether the sex steroids 17beta-estradiol and dihydrotestosterone, and the phytoestrogen resveratrol can modulate BMP-6-induced alkaline phosphatase activity and osteocalcin expression.

Is pro-matrix metalloproteinase-3 a marker for posttraumatic cartilage degradation?

Objective: Since the development of posttraumatic osteoarthritis (OA) is a relatively slow process, estimation of OA risk would be of value with regard to chondroprotective measures and medication. In this study we investigated the significance of pro-matrixmetalloproteinase-3 (proMMP-3) for this purpose.

Design: Synovial fluid (SF) and serum samples were collected from 259 patients of our trauma clinic at the time of arthroscopy.