Evolution of undifferentiated arthritis: a ten-year experience from the early arthritis clinic of a tertiary care hospital.

Objectives: Undifferentiated arthritis (UA) is an inflammatory oligo/polyarthritis where no definite diagnosis can be reached. Patients with UA may progress towards a chronic inflammatory disease, however, in some cases arthritis may completely resolve. To date, a universally accepted diagnostic and therapeutic algorithm for UA is not available.

ACTH as first line treatment for acute gout in 181 hospitalized patients.

Objective: We aimed at assessing the efficacy and safety of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) for the treatment of acute gout in hospitalized patients.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed our inpatient consultation records and identified 181 cases of gout where ACTH was used as first line treatment. The hospital medical records of these patients were fully reviewed.

B-cell depletion therapy in patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis associates with a significant decrease in PDGFR expression and activation in spindle-like cells in the skin.

Introduction: Recently, several studies assessing the clinical efficacy of rituximab (RTX) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) have reported encouraging results. We aimed at exploring whether RTX exerts its beneficial effects on fibrosis through attenuation of platelet-derived growth factor receptor (PDGFR) pathway activation.

Methods: We immunohistochemically assessed skin biopsies obtained from eight patients with SSc prior to and 6 months following RTX treatment, three control SSc patients (at the same time points) and three healthy subjects.

Effect of long-term treatment with rituximab on pulmonary function and skin fibrosis in patients with diffuse systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: To assess the safety and efficacy of long-term treatment with rituximab (RTX) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Eight patients with SSc-associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) received 4 cycles of RTX and had a follow-up of 2 years. Lung involvement was assessed by pulmonary function tests and chest HRCT.