Syndecan-1 Levels in Females with Active Rheumatoid Arthritis.

The relationship between serum glycoprotein syndecan-1 and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is still unknown. This study aimed to evaluate whether serum syndecan-1 concentrations are associated with moderate/severe disease activity. Study Design: This was a cross-sectional study.

Myostatin Levels and the Risk of Myopenia and Rheumatoid Cachexia in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background: Myostatin is a regulator of muscle size. To date, there have been no published studies focusing on the relation between myostin levels and myopenia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Objective: Evaluate the value of serum myostatin as a biomarker of cachexia and low skeletal muscle mass (LSMM) in RA patients, along with whether high serum myostatin is associated to these conditions after adjusting for potential confounders.

Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibodies and Severity of Interstitial Lung Disease in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate whether serum titers of second-generation anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (anti-CCP2) are associated with the severity and extent of interstitial lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-ILD).

Methods: In across-sectional study, 39 RA-ILD patients confirmed by high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) were compared with 42 RA without lung involvement (RA only). Characteristics related to RA-ILD were assessed in all of the patients and serum anti-CCP2 titers quantified.

Procollagen Type I and III Aminoterminal Propeptide Levels and Severity of Interstitial Lung Disease in Mexican Women With Progressive Systemic Sclerosis.

Background: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a frequent complication in progressive systemic sclerosis (SSc), being present in 25% to 90% of cases.

Objectives: To evaluate whether serum levels of procollagen typei and iii aminoterminal propeptide (PINP and PIIINP) correlate with severity and patterns of ILD in Mexican women with SSc.

Methods: Thirty three SSc patients were assessed for disease characteristics and anti-topoisomerase antibodies (topoi), and also underwent pulmonary function tests and high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT).

Comparison of two assays to determine anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis in relation to other chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases: assaying anti-modified citrullinated vimentin antibodies adds value to second-generation anti-citrullinated cyclic peptides testing.

Determination of anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) plays a relevant role in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To date, it is still unclear if the use of several tests for these autoantibodies in the same patient offers additional value as compared to performing only one test. Therefore, we evaluated the performance of using two assays for ACPA: second-generation anti-citrullinated cyclic peptides antibodies (anti-CCP2) and anti-mutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) antibodies for the diagnosis of RA.