Adverse cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with JAK inhibitors: An analysis of postmarketing spontaneous safety reports.

Objectives: The ORAL Surveillance trial, a postmarketing safety clinical trial, found an increased risk of adverse cardiovascular events and venous thromboembolism (VTE) in patients treated with Janus Kinase (JAK) inhibitors compared to tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors. However, additional studies yielded mixed results and data on other JAK inhibitors are limited.

Methods: A retrospective, pharmacovigilance study using the FDA adverse event reporting system (FAERS) to assess reporting of adverse cardiovascular events following treatment with JAK inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients between January 2015 and June 2023.

CHA2DS2-VASC Score Predicts the Risk of Stroke in Patients Hospitalized to the Internal Medicine Department Without Known Atrial Fibrillation.

Background: The CHA2DS2-VASC score is used to assess the risk of cerebrovascular accident (CVA) in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL).

Objectives: We aimed to determine whether this score can determine the risk of CVA during the first year after hospitalization, in patients without known AF/AFL.

Design: Single-center retrospective cohort.

Safety of the BNT162b2 mRNA COVID-19 vaccine in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

Objectives: Evidence suggests a possible association between the COVID-19 vaccine and autoimmune disease flares or new onset of various autoinflammatory manifestations, such as pericarditis and myocarditis. The objective of this study was to assess the safety of an mRNA-based BNT162b2 anti-COVID-19 vaccine in individuals with FMF, a prototypic autoinflammatory disease.

Methods: Patients participating in this study fulfilled the criteria for diagnosis of FMF, were older than 18 years and received at least one dose of the vaccine.

Effect of interleukin-1 inhibition in a cohort of patients with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever treated consecutively with anakinra and canakinumab.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy of IL-1 blockers in a cohort of patients with colchicine-resistant familial Mediterranean fever (crFMF) treated consecutively with anakinra and canakinumab.

Methods: Patients with crFMF treated with anakinra and canakinumab in any order were identified using the computerised database of Sheba Medical Centre. Background characteristics of the patients, reason for switching IL-1 inhibitor, and frequency of attacks under colchicine only, anakinra, and canakinumab were extracted from the computerised patient files.

Anakinra for colchicine refractory familial Mediterranean fever: a cohort of 44 patients.

Objective: FMF is an autoinflammatory disease of genetic origin. Colchicine is the mainstay of treatment for the prevention of attacks and long-term complications but 5-10% of FMF patients are resistant to colchicine therapy. The aim of our study was to investigate the real-life safety and efficacy of anakinra in a cohort of patients with colchicine-resistant FMF.

Clinical and prognostic significance of elevated ferritin levels in hospitalised adults.

Purpose Of The Study: Elevated ferritin levels are associated with a variety of infectious, malignant and inflammatory diseases. We aimed to investigate the prognostic value of markedly elevated ferritin levels in hospitalised patients with various medical conditions.

Study Design: Retrospective analysis of patients with a ferritin level higher than 2000 ng/mL hospitalised in Sheba Medical Center between 1 January 2007 and 31 December 2015.

Incidence and risk factors of pneumothorax following pre-procedural ultrasound-guided thoracentesis.

Background: Data regarding the incidence and risk factors of pneumothorax following pre-procedural ultrasound (US)-guided thoracentesis is scarce. We aimed to evaluate the incidence and risk factors of pneumothorax following pre-procedural US-guided thoracentesis in a tertiary medical center.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of patients who underwent pre-procedural US-guided thoracentesis in Sheba Medical Center between January 2016 and December 2018.

Type 2 myocardial infarction in general medical wards: Clinical features, treatment, and prognosis in comparison with type 1 myocardial infarction.

Type 2 myocardial infarction (MI) is defined as myocardial necrosis due to imbalance between myocardial oxygen supply and demand. The objective of this study was to assess the features, treatments, and outcomes of patients with type 2 MI in comparison with patients with type 1 MI hospitalized in general medical wards. A retrospective review was performed on patients admitted to general medicine wards diagnosed with MI in Sheba Medical Center between January 1, 2016 and December 31, 2016.

Identifying Diabetes in Clinical Notes in Hebrew: A Novel Text Classification Approach Based on Word Embedding.

NimbleMiner is a word embedding-based, language-agnostic natural language processing system for clinical text classification. Previously, NimbleMiner was applied in English and this study applied NimbleMiner on a large sample of inpatient clinical notes in Hebrew to identify instances of diabetes mellitus. The study data included 521,278 clinical notes (one admission and one discharge note per patient) for 268,664 hospital admissions to medical-surgical units of a large hospital in Israel.

Uric acid variability at midlife as an independent predictor of coronary heart disease and all-cause mortality.

Background: Serum uric acid (SUA) has long been associated with cardiovascular disease. Variability of serum uric acid (SUA) has seldom been examined in association with long-term morbidity and mortality. Therefore, we aimed to investigate the association between SUA variability and long-term all-cause and specific-cause mortality.

Macrophage activation syndrome complicating rheumatic diseases in adults: case-based review.

Macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) is a life-threatening complication of rheumatologic diseases. Data regarding the clinical course, management and outcome of adults with MAS is limited. Therefore, we aimed to describe the clinical features, treatment and outcome of adult patients with MAS, and review the literature for previous cohorts.

Toll-like receptor 2 is overexpressed in Familial Mediterranean fever patients and is inhibited by colchicine treatment.

Aim: To study the role of Toll-like receptor (TLR) 2 in Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) inflammatory process.

Methods: TLR2 expression on monocytes of FMF attack-free patients (n = 20) and the effect of sera of FMF patients with an acute attack (n = 9) on TLR2 expression on monocytes of healthy donors were studied by flow cytometry (FACS). TLR2 expression was also studied in THP-1 cells, and TLR2 downstream signaling was studied by ELISA for the secretion of IL-1β and pro-inflammatory cytokines or by western blotting to measure nuclear factor (NF)-κB.

Cytokine expression in temporal arteries: comparative analysis between patients with biopsy-positive giant cell arteritis, biopsy-negative giant cell arteritis and biopsy-negative without arteritis.

Objectives: To investigate whether expression of pro-inflammatory cytokines in the temporal artery may aid in differentiating biopsy-negative giant cell arteritis (GCA) patients from those with a negative biopsy without arteritis.

Methods: We investigated cytokine expression in temporal artery biopsy (TAB) of 54 consecutive patients: 17 with biopsy-positive GCA, 17 with biopsy-negative GCA, and 20 biopsy-negative without arteritis. We compared the expression rate of the following cytokines among these 3 groups of patients: interleukin-6 (IL-6), osteopontin (OPN), COX-2, and TNF-α.

Clinical significance of positive anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies without evidence of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies-associated vasculitis.

Aim: Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) have a role in the diagnostic workup of ANCA-associated vasculitis. However, the clinical significance of positive ANCA in the absence of vasculitis is yet to be determined. Therefore, we sought to investigate the clinical spectrum and rate of patients with a positive ANCA without evidence of vasculitis.

Efficacy and safety of long-term treatment with intravenous colchicine for familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) refractory to oral colchicine.

Colchicine is the mainstay of treatment for familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). Intravenous (IV) colchicine, administered over several months, has been shown to be effective for FMF patients unresponsive to oral colchicine. The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy and safety of long-term IV colchicine treatment in oral colchicine-resistant FMF.

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) phenotype in patients homozygous to the MEFV M694V mutation.

The clinical presentation of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is remarkably variable, ranging from a quiescent to a severe and disabling disease. The M694V mutation is one of approximately 300 published genetic variations in the FMF gene. While some studies have reported a more severe phenotype for the homozygous M694V mutation, studies dedicated solely to featuring the phenotype of homozygous M694V genotype are meager.

Hematological malignancies mimicking rheumatic syndromes: case series and review of the literature.

It is well established that some rheumatic syndromes (RS) are associated with several hematological malignancies. We aimed to describe the clinical course of patients with hematological malignancies mimicking RS. We studied a series of four patients presenting with apparent RS who were eventually diagnosed with hematological malignancies, and reviewed the relevant literature.

Negative temporal artery biopsy: predictive factors for giant cell arteritis diagnosis and alternate diagnoses of patients without arteritis.

To investigate whether among patients with a negative temporal artery biopsy (TAB) there are clinical features that may differentiate between patients with an eventual diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and those without arteritis, and to assess the eventual diagnoses of patients without arteritis. Retrospective analysis of patients with a negative TAB performed between 1/1/2000 and 31/12/2015. Information collected included baseline clinical and laboratory data.

The prevalence and clinical effect of immunogenicity of TNF-α blockers in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

Objectives: To evaluate the prevalence of immunogenicity of TNF-α blockers in axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) patients and to assess the effect of immunogenicity on drug levels and clinical response.

Methpds: Patients with axial SpA treated with either infliximab (INF), adalimumab (ADA) or etanercept (ETN) were recruited to our observational cross-sectional study. Demographic and clinical data were collected and disease activity scores were assessed.

Left Ventricular Hypertrophy Predicts Cardiovascular Events in Hypertensive Patients With Coronary Artery Calcifications.

Background: Coronary artery calcification (CAC) is associated with increased cardiovascular (CV) risk. Left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH) is an independent risk factor for CV events. Our aim was to estimate the relative CV risk of LVH in the presence of CAC.

Carriage of Mediterranean Fever (MEFV) Mutations in Patients with Postpericardiotomy Syndrome (PPS).

Background: Postpericardiotomy syndrome (PPS) is characterized by pleuro-pericardial inflammation, which occurs in patients undergoing surgical procedures involving the pleura, pericardium, or both. The syndrome is considered to be immune mediated. However, its pathogenesis is not fully understood.

Risk factors for severe cranial ischaemic events in patients with giant cell arteritis.

Objectives: Cranial ischaemic events constitute a significant component in the clinical spectrum of giant cell arteritis (GCA). Our aim was to investigate whether cardiovascular risk factors, specific medications and baseline clinical features are associated with the development of severe cranial ischaemic events in GCA patients.

Methods: Retrospective analysis of GCA patients.

Anakinra for Colchicine-Resistant Familial Mediterranean Fever: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Placebo-Controlled Trial.

Objective: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is refractory to colchicine prophylaxis in 10-20% of patients. In a number of patient series, treatment with anakinra, an interleukin-1-blocking agent, prevented FMF attacks in those with colchicine-resistant FMF. This study was undertaken to evaluate the efficacy and safety of anakinra in the treatment of colchicine-resistant FMF, using a randomized controlled trial.

Factors associated with suitability of empiric antibiotic therapy in hospitalized patients with bloodstream infections.

Background: Bacteremia is associated with high morbidity and mortality rates. Initiation of inadequate empiric antibiotic therapy is associated with a worse outcome. The aim of this study was to establish the prevalence and the factors associated with inappropriate empiric antibiotic therapy in patients hospitalized with bacteremia.

Effect of tumor necrosis factor-α inhibitors on ambulatory 24-h blood pressure.

Tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) inhibitors are increasingly being used in inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD). The risk of cardiovascular disease is elevated in patients with IRD and TNF-α inhibitors reduce this risk. We assessed whether the beneficial effect of TNF-α inhibitors on cardiovascular risk is mediated by blood pressure reduction.