Clinical Reasoning and Knowledge Assessment of Rheumatology Residents Compared to AI Models: A Pilot Study.

The integration of artificial intelligence (AI) in medicine has progressed from rule-based systems to advanced models and is showing potential in clinical decision-making. In this study, the psychological impact of AI collaboration in clinical practice is assessed, highlighting its role as a support tool for medical residents. This study aimed to compare clinical decision-making approaches of junior rheumatology residents with both trained and untrained AI models in clinical reasoning, pre-diagnosis, first-line, and second-line management stages.

Interstitial Lung Disease in Primary Sjögren's Syndrome: Risk factors for occurrence and radiographic progression.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to investigate the characteristics of Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS)- interstitial lung disease (ILD) patients and compare them to those of pSS patients without ILD in the tertiary pSS-ILD cohort to evaluate potential risk factors for ILD occurrence and disease progression.

Methods: Patients followed up who met the 2016 American College of Rheumatology-European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria for pSS were retrospectively analyzed. The patients were grouped as those with ILD and those without ILD according to medical records.

Obesity might not alter tofacitinib drug survival in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Introduction: Obese rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients often show reduced responses to traditional treatments, including TNF inhibitors (TNFi). Considering the different mechanisms of action it is important to evaluate the efficacy of tofacitinib in obese patients. This study aims to explore the impact of obesity on the drug survival of tofacitinib in RA patients.

Baseline capillaroscopy provides no evidence of microvascular changes to predict long-COVID syndrome.

Background: Long-COVID refers to a variety of symptoms that continue for at least 4 weeks following the onset of acute COVID-19 infection. "Microclots/microvasculopathy" is a potential cutting-edge theory. Nailfold capillaroscopy is a non-invasive method used to assess microvascularity.

Effects of intrauterine device use on attack frequency and severity ın woman of reproductive age with familial Mediterranean fever.

Aim: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is the most common inherited autoinflammatory disease in the world. There are known triggers to initiate an FMF attack, yet potential effects of intrauterine devices (IUD) in women of reproductive age have not been evaluated before.

Method: Consecutive female patients with FMF who ever used IUD over the age of 18 were enrolled.

Non-criteria autoantibodies in antiphospholipid syndrome may be associated with underlying disease activity.

Background: Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) is a systemic autoimmune disorder characterized by persistent antiphospholipid antibodies (aPLs) with arterial and venous thrombosis and/or pregnancy morbidity. In recent years, several studies have highlighted the potential role of non-criteria aPL in diagnosing APS patients.

Aim: This study aimed to determine the association of the presence of non-criteria aPL antibodies to the clinical and laboratory features of patients with a diagnosis of APS.

A single-center rheumatology experience of sarcoidosis: observations from 70 patients.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients who followed up with the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, to investigate the distribution frequency of rheumatological findings and to examine the disease management from the perspective of rheumatology.

Methods: Patients who were followed up with the diagnosis of sarcoidosis in the rheumatology clinic of Ankara City Hospital between November 2019 and November 2022 were evaluated. Demographic, clinical, radiological, serological, laboratory, and histopathological findings, and rheumatological, systemic, and locomotor system examination findings of the patients were obtained from the medical data registered in the hospital.

Treatment with biologic DMARDs may not adversely affect lung nodules in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objective: Lung nodules (LNs) impose diagnostic and therapeutic challenges in patients with rheuma- toid arthritis (RA) due to unpredictable outcomes. Potential induction of nodulosis with the use of con- ventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARD) and lack of knowledge regarding the effect of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs)/tofacitinib on the LN raise concerns and have an impact on treatment decisions. This study aims to evaluate the possible effects of the bDMARDs/tofa- citinib and csDMARDS on LNs observed in RA patients.

The impact of anti-TNF treatment on Wnt signaling, noggin, and cytokine levels in axial spondyloarthritis.

Introduction: Anti-tumor necrosis factor (anti-TNF) agents are commonly used in treatment of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), but clinical and radiological improvement is not achieved in all patients. We aimed to investigate the impact of anti-TNFs on inflammatory and noninflammatory parameters in patients with axSpA.

Methods: In this longitudinal study, 30 biologic naïve axSpA patients with high disease activity and 30 healthy controls were enrolled.

Serum levels of fetuin-A as a novel biomarker for disease activity in patients with Takayasu arteritis and granulomatous polyangiitis.

Objective: The aim of the present study was to investigate serum fetuin-A (Fet-A) levels in patients with Takayasu arteritis (TA) and granulomatous polyangiitis (GPA) and to analyze the relationship between serum Fet-A levels and disease activity scores.

Method: Thirty-two TA and 28 GPA patients presented to the rheumatology clinic at Gazi University and met the criteria of American College of Rheumatology 1990 and 2012 International Chapell Hill meeting, respectively, and 20 healthy control subjects were included in the present study. We collected data on serum C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin, calcium, and phosphate levels as well as erythrocyte sedimentation rates.

Diagnostic utility of serum biomarkers in large vessel vasculitis and their correlation with positron emission tomography.

Objectives: To investigate the association between vascular inflammation, as detected by positron emission tomography (PET) imaging and interleukin-6 (IL-6), pentraxin3, and B-cell-activating factor (BAFF) in subjects with LVV.

Methods: The study included newly diagnosed giant cell arteritis (GCA, n = 27) or Takayasu arteritis (n = 9) patients and healthy control (HC, n = 31) subjects. PET scan and blood samples were obtained before the introduction of treatments.

Long-term safety and efficacy of anakinra and canakinumab in patients with familial Mediterranean fever: a single-centre real-life study with 101 patients.

Objectives: Anakinra and canakinumab are the most commonly used agents in colchicine resistant/intolerant patients. In this study we investigated long-term efficacy and safety of anakinra and canakinumab.

Methods: In this retrospective study, we enrolled 101 adult patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).

COVID-19 Among Patients With Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases.

Background: The course of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been of special concern in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) due to the immune dysregulation that may be associated with these diseases and the medications used for IRDs, that may affect innate immune responses.

Objective: In this cohort study, we aimed to report the disease characteristics and variables associated with COVID-19 outcome among Turkish patients with IRDs.

Methods: Between April and June, 2020, 167 adult IRD patients with COVID-19 were registered from 31 centers in 14 cities in Turkey.

Phenotypic characterization of Familial Mediterranean Fever patients harboring variants of uncertain significance.

Background/aim: Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) is the prototype of hereditary autoinflammatory disorders and caused by mutations on the MEFV gene located on the short arm of chromosome 16. Although some MEFV variants are clearly associated with disease phenotype, there are numerous variants with unknown clinical association which are termed as variants of uncertain significance (VUS). Here, we present clinical correlations of VUS in a large cohort of adult FMF patients from three tertiary centers located in Central Anatolia.

Work productivity impairment in patients with familial Mediterranean fever and effects of interleukin-1 antagonists.

Introduction: Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is characterized by recurrent attacks of fever, serositis, and arthritis. Some patients suffer from associated inflammatory conditions and damage related to FMF that may potentially impair work productivity which have not been studied to date.

Methods: Consecutive FMF patients who were attending a tertiary referral center and age-and sex-matched healthy subjects enrolled into the study.

Appendectomy history is associated with severe disease and colchicine resistance in adult familial Mediterranean fever patients.

Background/aim: Peritonitis attacks of Familial Mediterranean Fever (FMF) usually requires emergency medical admissions and it’s hard to distinguish a typical abdominal attack from surgical causes of acute abdomen. Therefore, history of abdominal surgery, particularly appendectomy, is very common in patients with FMF. However, history of appendectomy might also give some clues about the course of FMF in the adulthood.

Compliance of Familial Mediterranean Fever Patients With Regular Follow-up Visits and Associated Factors.

Background: Follow-up is crucial to detect asymptomatic complications of familial Mediterranean fever (FMF). The current European League Against Rheumatism recommendations state that patients with FMF should be evaluated at least every 6 months to monitor attacks, acute phase response, and proteinuria.

Objectives: This study aimed to assess compliance of FMF patients with regular follow-up visits and the associated factors.

Predictors of persistent inflammation in familial Mediterranean fever and association with damage.

Objective: Persistent inflammation is an insidious and less studied feature of FMF. We investigated clinical determinants of persistent inflammation and its associations with individual damage items.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of 917 FMF patients, who fulfilled the Tel Hashomer criteria and had at least 6 months' follow-up.

Use of prognostic nutritional index in the evaluation of disease activity in patients with Behçet's disease.

Objective: Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic, multisystem disorder that can cause severe morbidity and mortality. Monitoring tools that measure disease activity are required for effective management of BD. We aimed to investigate the association of prognostic nutritional index (PNI) with disease activity in BD.

Factors associated with damage in patients with familial Mediterranean fever.

Objectives: Defining predictors of damage would improve patient care. We applied damage indexes to patients with familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) and identified the predictors of damage.

Methods: This is a cross-sectional analysis of 926 FMF patients, who fulfilled the Tel-Hashomer criteria and had at least six months of follow-up.

Colchicine intolerance in FMF patients and primary obstacles for optimal dosing.

Background/aim: Colchicine is the mainstay of treatment in FMF. However, in daily practice it is not easy to maintain effective colchicine doses in a substantial number of patients due to its side effects. In this study, we aimed to investigate prevalence and risk factors for colchicine side effects that limit optimal drug dosing and cause permanent discontinuation.

Diaphragmatic muscle thickness and diaphragmatic function are reduced in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus compared to those with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Introduction: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is associated with an increased risk of pulmonary infections, as well as a rare condition known as shrinking lung syndrome (SLS). The diaphragm has an important role to play in lung physiology and might also play a role in these adverse events. Here, we aimed to investigate whether SLE patients have impairment in their diaphragmatic muscle thickness and function with respect to another connective-tissue disease: primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Diagnostic Role of 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose Positron Emission Tomography for the Evaluation of Patients With Inflammation of Unknown Origin.

Background: Sometimes, the underlying causes of inflammation cannot be established despite meticulous investigation, including medical history, physical examination, laboratory tests, and radiologic procedures. Rheumatologists are often faced with patients whose condition is known as inflammation of unknown origin (IUO). Differential diagnosis of IUO is diverse, and investigation of these cases is challenging and time-consuming.