The "green nail" phenomenon in ICG-enhanced fluorescence optical imaging - a potential tool for the differential diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis.

Background And Objectives: Early diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis poses a particular challenge. A novel fluorescence optical imaging technique, the Xiralite® system is very useful in this regard as it allows for visualization of microvasculature and perfusion. The present study is the first to systematically examine fluorescence optical signals in a large psoriatic arthritis cohort.

Fluorescence optical imaging and musculoskeletal ultrasonography in juvenile idiopathic polyarticular disease before and during antirheumatic treatment - a multicenter non-interventional diagnostic evaluation.

Background: Valid detection of inflamed joints is essential for correct classification, therapeutic decisions, prognosis and assessment of treatment efficacy in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Fluorescence optical imaging (FOI) enables visualization of inflammation in arthritis of finger and hand joints and might be used for monitoring.

Methods: A 24-week observational study in polyarticular JIA patients newly starting treatment with methotrexate or an approved biologic was performed in three centers.

Sequential high-content profiling of the IgG-autoantibody repertoire reveals novel antigens in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: The aim was to identify novel diagnostic autoantibody candidates for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by comprehensive screening for autoreactivity.

Method: We incubated 5892 recombinant proteins coupled to fluorescent beads, with patients' sera for the detection of IgG-autoantibodies in three independent patient cohorts: A (n = 72 patients with established RA); B/B- (n = 116 patients with early RA (B) and n = 51 CCP-negative patients with early RA from B (B-)); and C (n = 184 patients with early seronegative RA), in comparison to matched healthy controls. Intersects of significantly increased autoantibodies as determined by the Mann-Whitney test were sought.

Indocyanine green-enhanced fluorescence optical imaging in patients with early and very early arthritis: a comparative study with magnetic resonance imaging.

Objective: Indocyanine green-enhanced fluorescence optical imaging (FOI) is a novel diagnostic tool for the assessment of inflammation in arthritis. We undertook this study to compare FOI with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in 32 patients with early and very early untreated arthritis (mean disease duration 7.1 months).

Inflammation assessment in patients with arthritis using a novel in vivo fluorescence optical imaging technology.

Background: Indocyanine green (ICG)-enhanced fluorescence optical imaging (FOI) is an established technology for imaging of inflammation in animal models. In experimental models of arthritis, FOI findings corresponded to histologically proven synovitis. This is the first comparative study of FOI with other imaging modalities in humans with arthritis.

[Biologics in the early treatment of ankylosing spondylitis and related forms of spondyloarthritis].

New pathogenetic insights have identified the key role of TNF-alpha in inflammatory rheumatic diseases and have revolutionized the therapy of spondyloarthritides. TNF-alpha-antagonists specifically inhibit the pro-inflammatory effects of TNF-alpha. Clinical studies with infliximab (Remicade), Etanercept (Enbrel) or Adalimumab (Humira) in ankylosing spondylitis or related diseases demonstrate superior efficacy to conventional drugs like non-steroidal antirheumatic drugs or traditional disease modifying antirheumatic drugs.

[Quality assurance of rheumatologic patient education].

Since 1989 patient education programmes for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and other spondylarthropathies, systemic lupus erythematosus, vasculitis, fibromyalgia, and juvenile chronic arthritis and their parents have been developed by an interdisciplinary team of the German Society of Rheumatology (Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie). Up to date, about 500 people were trained to be group leaders or specialised trainers with an associated train-the-trainer program. In 1999, the Society discharged preliminary guidelines for patient education in rheumatology.