Body mass index does not affect response of rituximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results from the TURKBİO registry.

Background/aim: Adipose tissue produces several inflammatory mediators. Thus, obesity affects the disease course and the responses to the antirheumatic agents in inflammatory diseases. The aim of the study was to determine whether the body mass index (BMI) is involved in the response to rituximab in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Frequency of latent tuberculosis in patients receiving Anti-TNF-Alpha therapy.

Setting-objective: In this study, it was aimed to reveal the incidence of tuberculosis development in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) blocker therapy, despite tuberculosis chemoprophylaxis.

Design: 520 patients who were receiving anti TNF-α treatment in the last 3 years were evaluated retrospectively. Radiological imaging tuberculin skin test (TST), history of tuberculosis, BCG vaccine, chemoprophylaxis administration, used anti TNF-α drugs were recorded.

The impact of smoking on response to tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor treatment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Background: To investigate the impact of smoking on disease activity, treatment retention, and response in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) treated with their first tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitor (TNFi).

Methods: AS patients who started their first TNFi treatment for the active axial disease (BASDAI ≥ 4) from TURKBIO Registry were included. Treatment response of smoker (current and ex-smokers) and nonsmoker (never smoker) patients were primarily evaluated as achievement of BASDAI50 or improvement in BASDAI at least 20 mm at 3 months and 6 months compared to baseline.

Unintentional Monotherapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Receiving Tofacitinib and Drug Survival Rate of Tofacitinib.

Objective: To determine the rate of unintentional monotherapy (UM; switching to monotherapy from combination therapy of patients' own volition) in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving tofacitinib and to evaluate tofacitinib survival rate.

Methods: This national, multicenter study included patients' data from the TURKBIO Registry. Demographics, clinical characteristics, disease duration and activity, comorbidities, and treatments were analyzed.

A lower frequency of inflammatory back pain in male patients with ankylosing spondylitis compared with female patients.

In routine rheumatology practice, we noticed that a significant number of male ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients did not experience inflammatory back pain (IBP). Based on this observation, we aimed to investigate the prevalence of IBP in male AS patients and compare it to that in female patients. Patients with AS who fulfilled the modified New York criteria were subjected to a face-to-face interview with a standardized questionnaire that addressed the IBP components based on the Berlin criteria.

How has the COVID-19 pandemic affected our rheumatology patients using biological/targeted DMARDs?

Introduction: We aimed to investigate the effects of the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic on the course and treatment of patients with inflammatory rheumatic musculoskeletal disease (iRMD) using biologic or targeted synthetic disease modifying and rheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs).

Methodology: The study was carried out in two stages: in the first stage we investigated the delay of b/tsDMARD treatment in the first 3 months of the pandemic; in the second stage, we investigated all patients who decided to continue treatment after interruption in the 12-month period.

Results: A total of 521 patients were included in the study.

Does obesity affect treatment response to secukinumab and survival in ankylosing spondylitis? Real-life data from the TURKBIO Registry.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to evaluate the impact of obesity on the treatment response to secukinumab and drug survival rate in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: We performed an observational cohort study that included AS patients based on the biological drug database in Turkey (TURKBIO) Registry between 2018 and 2021. The patients were divided into three groups: normal [body mass index (BMI) < 25 kg/m2], overweight (BMI: 25-30 kg/m2), and obese (BMI ≥ 30 kg/m2).

The effects of clinical pilates training on disease-specific indices, core stability, and balance in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: To assess the effects of clinical Pilates training on disease-specific indices, core stability, and balance in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients.

Methods: AS patients were randomly assigned to either the Pilates group (PG) or control group (CG). The PG participated in Pilates training 3 times a week for 8 weeks.

Prevalence of Gastrointestinal Symptoms and Clinical Outcomes in Hospitalized Coronavirus Disease 2019 Patients: A Single-Center Study from Turkey.

Background: In patients with coronavirus disease 2019, the gastrointestinal symptoms have been reported increasingly in addition to the respiratory system symptoms. The studies show that the prevalence of gastrointestinal system symptoms and how the gastrointestinal system contributes to the severity and prognosis of the disease is still not clear. This study aims to find the prevalence of gastrointestinal symptoms and the correlation between the gastrointestinal symptoms and the clinical results in hospitalized patients diagnosed with coronavirus disease 2019.

A real-life analysis of patients with rheumatologic diseases on biological treatments: Data from TURKBIO Registry.

Objective: TURKBIO registry, established in 2011, is the first nationwide biological database in Turkey. This study aimed to provide an overview of TURKBIO data collected by June 2018.

Methods: The registry included adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), nonradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-AxSpA), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Effects of supervised exercise program and home exercise program in patients with systemic sclerosis: A randomized controlled trial.

Aim: To compare the effects of supervised exercise and home exercise program in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Thirty-seven SSc patients were included. Patients with SSc were allocated into 2 groups as supervised and home exercise.

The prevalence of Sjögren’s syndrome and sicca symptoms in patients with systemic sclerosis and alpha-smooth muscle actin expression in biopsy specimens from minor salivary glands.

Background/aim: This study aimed to investigate the prevalence of sicca symptoms and secondary Sjögren’s syndrome (SjS) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Also this study aimed to evaluate the expression of α-smooth muscle actin (α–SMA) in minor salivary gland (MSG) specimens, a possible marker of fibrosis responsible for myofibroblastic transformation.

Materials And Methods: Patients with SSc who were followed in Rheumatology outpatient clinic at a university hospital evaluated.

Evaluation of limited hand mobility in systemic sclerosis patients by using "prayer sign" and "tabletop sign".

Objectives: To determine limited joint mobility (LJM) of the hand in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: LJM was evaluated with "prayer sign" and "tabletop sign" tests. LJM staging was done by Rosenbloom classification method.

Increased prevalence of pelvic venous congestion sign on sacroiliac MRI in women with clinically suspected sacroiliitis.

Objective: To compare the prevalence of pelvic venous congestion (PVC) sign on sacroiliac and hip MRI in women of reproductive age as a possible cause of pain mimicking sacroiliitis.

Methods: This retrospective study included 727 MRI examinations (401 sacroiliac joint MRI and 326 hip joint MRI) that were performed between January 2010 and December 2017. Images were evaluated for the presence of sacroiliitis, presence of PVC sign and presence of other incidental findings of musculoskeletal and genitourinary disorders.

Pyomyositis and muscle abscess due to Salmonella enteritidis in a patient with Behçet's syndrome: a case report.

Salmonella infections usually present with gastrointestinal manifestations including enterocolitis especially in immunocompromised patients. Haematogenous dissemination and abscesses are very rare complications of Salmonella species. This case report documents a patient with Behçet's syndrome (BS) who has pyomyositis due to Salmonella species.

Prevalence of Spondyloarthritis Among Patients Who Underwent Lumbar Disc Herniation Surgery.

Objectives: This study aims to estimate the prevalence of spondyloarthritis (SpA) among patients who had been surgically treated for lumbar disc herniation (LDH), according to the modified New York (mNY) criteria for the diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis and Amor, the European Spondyloarthropathy Study Group (ESSG), the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) classification criteria for SpA.

Patients And Methods: The study included 321 patients (142 males, 179 females; mean age 49±10.8 years; range, 18 to 79 years) who underwent LDH surgery between April 2008 and May 2012 in the neurosurgery clinic of our hospital.

Imaging is the major determinant in the assessment of disease activity in Takayasu's arteritis.

Objectives: There are no valid follow-up parameters in the assessment of disease activity in Takayasu's arteritis (TAK). We investigated the impact of vascular imaging in the assessment of disease activity.

Methods: Patients with TAK who fulfilled the ACR criteria were included.

Retention and response rates in 14 261 PsA patients starting TNF inhibitor treatment-results from 12 countries in EuroSpA.

Objective: To investigate TNF inhibitor (TNFi) retention and response rates in European biologic-naïve patients with PsA.

Methods: Prospectively collected data on PsA patients in routine care from 12 European registries were pooled. Heterogeneity in baseline characteristics between registries were explored (analysis of variance and pairwise comparison).

Core stability and balance in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

The main purpose of this study was to compare core stability and balance between ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and healthy controls. AS patients diagnosed according to the Modified New York criteria and healthy age- and sex-matched controls were included in the study. Clinical status of AS patients was assessed using Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), Bath AS Functional Index (BASFI), Bath AS Spinal Mobility Index (BASMI).

Genome-wide association study in Turkish and Iranian populations identify rare familial Mediterranean fever gene (MEFV) polymorphisms associated with ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a highly heritable immune-mediated arthritis common in Turkish and Iranian populations. Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive autoinflammatory disease most common in people of Mediterranean origin. MEFV, an FMF-associated gene, is also a candidate gene for AS.