Folate deficiency is associated with increased radiographic severity of osteoarthritis in knee joints but not in hand joints.

Objectives: No previous studies have explored the effect of folate deficiency on the severity of osteoarthritis (OA). Therefore, we investigated the relationship between folate level and features on knee and hand radiographs in a large, population-based OA cohort.

Methods: Among 9,260 subjects enrolled in the Dong-gu study, 2,489 who had knee and hand joint radiographs were included.

Non-adherence to methotrexate was associated with high disease activity and poor health-related outcomes during a 4-year follow-up of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: Although methotrexate (MTX) is the first-line drug for management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), non-adherence to MTX is highly prevalent and under-recognised. Here, we investigated adherence to MTX and its impact on clinical outcomes during follow-up in patients with RA.

Methods: In total, 367 RA patients were included in this study, with patient visits conducted annually for 4 consecutive years.

Risk factors for thrombotic events in Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Thrombotic events (TE), including deep vein thrombosis, stroke, and myocardial infarction, occur in 30-40% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) resulting in substantial morbidity and mortality. We explored the risk factors for TE in SLE patients. We analyzed data obtained during a prospective cohort based on the KORean lupus NETwork (KORNET) registry, and enrolled 259 SLE patients with clinical data available at the onset of SLE.

Comparison of the AAPT Fibromyalgia Diagnostic Criteria and Modified FAS Criteria with Existing ACR Criteria for Fibromyalgia in Korean Patients.

Introduction: Recently, new sets of diagnostic criteria were proposed, including criteria by the ACTTION-American Pain Society Pain Taxonomy (AAPT) group and Fibromyalgia Assessment Status (FAS) 2019 modified criteria for fibromyalgia (FM). Here, we explored the performances of the AAPT criteria and modified FAS criteria for diagnosing FM compared to existing American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.

Methods: We enrolled 95 patients with FM and 108 patients who had other rheumatologic disorders, including rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, osteoarthritis, and myofascial pain syndrome.

Uric acid as a risk factor for progression to chronic kidney disease in patients with lupus nephritis: results from the KORNET registry.

Objectives: Little is known regarding the effect of hyperuricaemia on the progression of kidney function in patients with lupus nephritis (LN). Thus, we investigated the effect of uric acid (UA) on the long-term outcome of patients with biopsy-proven LN.

Methods: Data were obtained from KORNET, a prospective longitudinal systemic lupus erythematosus registry in the Republic of Korea.

Comparison of three different definitions of low disease activity in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and their prognostic utilities.

Objectives: Three definitions of low-level disease activity in patients with SLE have been proposed by different groups. These include minimal disease activity (MDA), low disease activity (LDA) and the lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS). We investigated the performance of these definitions in SLE patients.

Effects of add-on transcranial direct current stimulation on pain in Korean patients with fibromyalgia.

Despite promising preliminary results of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) treatment in patients with fibromyalgia (FM), several issues need to be addressed, including its limited efficacy, low response rate, and poor tolerability. We investigated the efficacy and safety of tDCS as an add-on treatment for chronic pain in Korean patients with FM. This study enrolled 46 patients who were refractory to pain medications from May 2016 to February 2017.

Basal metabolic rate and Charlson Comorbidity Index are independent predictors of metabolic syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To prospectively analyze predictors of metabolic syndrome (MetS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during 2years of follow-up.

Methods: We recruited 319 consecutive patients with RA who did not have MetS. MetS was defined in accordance with the modified National Cholesterol Education Program/Adult Treatment Panel III 2005 for Asian populations.

Performance of the revised 2016 fibromyalgia diagnostic criteria in Korean patients with fibromyalgia.

Aim: Recently, the revised 2016 version of the 2010/2011 fibromyalgia (FM) criteria was released. No study has yet assessed whether the 2016 criteria perform better than the previous criteria. Therefore, we validated a Korean version of the revised FM criteria and explored whether they were better than the previous criteria in terms of diagnostic accuracy.

Chronicity index, especially glomerular sclerosis, is the most powerful predictor of renal response following immunosuppressive treatment in patients with lupus nephritis.

Aim: Renal responses to immunosuppressive agents in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) differ depending on ethnicity, follow-up duration, disease severity and treatment. Thus, we evaluated predictors of complete remission during the first year following immunosuppressive treatment in patients with LN.

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed 79 patients who underwent kidney biopsy prior to the start of induction treatment and who were subsequently treated with immunosuppressive drugs for at least 6 months and followed-up for more than a year.

HAQ score is an independent predictor of sustained remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We assessed potential predictors of sustained remission for 2 years according to the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28)-CRP in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We obtained data for 290 RA outpatients, from July 2009 to September 2012. Sociodemographic data and answers to questionnaires were collected in face-to-face interviews.