Publications by authors named "Helmick C"

Background: Cannabidiol (CBD) impacts brain regions implicated in anxiety reactivity and stress reactivity (e.g., amygdala, anterior cingulate cortex (ACC), anterior insula (AI)); however, placebo-controlled studies are mixed regarding CBD's anxiolytic effects.

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  • The Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program (MLSP) investigated cardiovascular disease events in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and compared their rates to population controls based on sex, age, and race/ethnicity.
  • In a study of 1,285 SLE patients, 13.9% experienced cardiovascular events, with higher risks associated with being male and over the age of 60.
  • The study found that Hispanic/Latino and non-Hispanic Black patients had significantly elevated risks for cardiovascular events compared to other racial groups, highlighting a higher overall prevalence of these events among SLE patients compared to the general population.
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  • The study utilized the Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program (MLSP) to analyze the prevalence of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) along with related rheumatic diseases like Sjögren's disease, antiphospholipid syndrome, and fibromyalgia among different demographics.
  • A total of 1,342 SLE patients were examined, with findings indicating that Sjögren's disease (11.0%) and antiphospholipid syndrome (8.9%) were notably common among Latino and Asian patients, while fibromyalgia also affected 8.9% of patients, particularly among non-Latino White and Latino populations.
  • The research revealed significant differences in autoantibody profiles associated with S
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Background: Major depressive disorder (MDD) is a leading cause of disability. To understand why depression develops, it is important to distinguish between early neural markers of vulnerability that precede the onset of MDD and features that develop during depression. Recent neuroimaging findings suggest that reduced global and regional intracortical myelination (ICM), especially in the lateral prefrontal cortex, may be associated with depression, but it is unknown whether it is a precursor or a consequence of MDD.

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Over the last 30 years, knowledge of the epidemiology of osteoarthritis (OA) has dramatically advanced, and Osteoarthritis and Cartilage has been on the forefront of disseminating research findings from large OA cohort studies, including the Johnston County OA Project (JoCoOA). The JoCoOA is a population-based, prospective longitudinal cohort that began roughly 30 years ago with a key focus on understanding prevalence, incidence, and progression of OA, as well as its risk factors, in a predominantly rural population of Black and White adults 45+ years old in a county in the southeastern United States. Selected OA results that will be discussed in this review include racial differences, lifetime risk, biomarkers, mortality, and OA risk factors.

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Background: Environmental factors can influence epigenetic regulation, including DNA methylation, potentially contributing to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) development and progression. We compared methylation of the B cell costimulatory CD70 gene, in persons with lupus and controls, and characterized associations with age.

Results: In 297 adults with SLE and 92 controls from the Michigan Lupus Epidemiology and Surveillance (MILES) Cohort, average CD70 methylation of CD4 T cell DNA across 10 CpG sites based on pyrosequencing of the promoter region was higher for persons with SLE compared to controls, accounting for covariates [β = 2.

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Background: Vascular disease and cognitive impairment have been increasingly documented in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD), and both have been individually correlated with changes in brain structure. This study aimed to determine if both macro- and microstructural brain changes are prevalent in IBD and whether alterations in brain structure mediate the relationship between vascular disease and cognitive functioning.

Methods: Eighty-four IBD participants underwent multimodal magnetic resonance imaging.

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The Comorbidity and Cognition in Multiple Sclerosis (CCOMS) study represents a coordinated effort by a team of clinicians, neuropsychologists, and neuroimaging experts to investigate the neural basis of cognitive changes and their association with comorbidities among persons with multiple sclerosis (MS). The objectives are to determine the relationships among psychiatric (e.g.

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Objectives: Medication access and adherence play key roles in determining patient outcomes. We investigated whether cost-related non-adherence (CRNA) to prescription medications was associated with worse patient-reported outcomes in a population-based systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) cohort.

Methods: Sociodemographic and prescription data were collected by structured interviews in 2014-2015 from patients meeting SLE criteria in the established Michigan Lupus Epidemiology & Surveillance (MILES) Cohort.

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Over 20 million adults in the United States live with high impact chronic pain (HICP), or chronic pain that limits life or work activities for ≥3 months. It is critically important to differentiate people with HICP from those who sustain normal activities although experiencing chronic pain. Therefore, we aim to help clinicians and researchers identify those with HICP by: 1) developing models that identify factors associated with HICP using the 2016 national health interview survey (NHIS) and 2) evaluating the performances of those models overall and by sociodemographic subgroups (sex, age, and race/ethnicity).

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  • The study aims to provide statistics on the prevalence and incidence of Mixed Connective Tissue Disease (MCTD) by using data from the Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program (MLSP), which includes diverse populations with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and related diseases.
  • MCTD cases were identified through rheumatology, hospitals, and databases, with specific criteria established for diagnosis, including positive RNP antibodies and certain clinical symptoms.
  • Results showed that the prevalence of MCTD varied significantly depending on the diagnostic criteria used, with the highest age-adjusted prevalence being 16.22 per 100,000 people, highlighting the complexities of defining MCTD in epidemiological research.
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  • The study aimed to analyze epidemiological trends and mortality rates of cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CLE) in Olmsted County, Minnesota, over a 42-year period from 1976 to 2018.
  • Researchers used medical records to identify and categorize CLE cases among local adults and found a consistent incidence rate of 3.9 per 100,000 people without significant variations across age or gender.
  • The mortality rate of CLE patients was found to be similar to the general population, with no significant changes observed over the study period.
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  • The study investigates the epidemiology of lupus nephritis (LN) in an 8-county region of the US from 1976 to 2018, highlighting a lack of previous population-based research.
  • The research found that 76% of the 72 identified LN patients were female and mostly non-Hispanic White, with average incidence rates and a notable increase in prevalence over the decades examined.
  • Despite the rising incidence and prevalence, LN patients face severe outcomes, experiencing high mortality rates and significant instances of end-stage renal disease (ESRD).
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Objective: To describe the point prevalence of hip symptoms, radiographic hip osteoarthritis (rHOA), severe rHOA, and symptomatic rHOA (sxHOA) at five time points in the longitudinal, population-based Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project (JoCoOA).

Design: Data were from 3068 JoCoOA participants who attended up to five study visits (1991-2018). Standardized supine pelvis radiographs were read by a single, expert musculoskeletal radiologist with high reliability.

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Objective: Depression is common in individuals with chronic cutaneous lupus erythematosus (CCLE). However, how CCLE may impact patients' psychological well-being is poorly understood, particularly among disproportionally affected populations. We examined the relationships between depression and psychosocial factors in a cohort of predominantly Black patients with primary CCLE (CCLE without systemic manifestations).

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Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) affects Black people 2 to 3 times more frequently than non-Black people and is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. In total, 4 studies with predominantly non-Black SLE cohorts highlighted that cardiovascular disease (CVD) is no longer primarily a late complication of SLE. This study assessed the timing and predictors of incident CVD in a predominantly Black population-based SLE cohort.

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Objective: Vascular comorbidities are associated with reduced cognitive performance and with changes in brain structure in people with multiple sclerosis (MS). Understanding causal pathways is necessary to support the design of interventions to mitigate the impacts of comorbidities, and to monitor their effectiveness. We assessed the inter-relationships among vascular comorbidity, cognition and brain structure in people with MS.

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Objective: Using the Manhattan Lupus Surveillance Program, a multiracial/ethnic population-based registry, we aimed to compare 3 commonly used classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) to identify unique cases and determine the incidence and prevalence of SLE using the EULAR/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.

Methods: SLE cases were defined as fulfilling the 1997 ACR, the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC), or the EULAR/ACR classification criteria. We quantified the number of cases uniquely associated with each and the number fulfilling all 3 criteria.

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  • The study examined the trends in incidence, prevalence, and mortality rates of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a US population over 42 years, from 1976 to 2018.
  • From 188 incident cases, the overall annual incidence was 4.77 per 100,000 people, with higher rates in women and minority populations, and an increase in incidence rates over time.
  • Despite rising prevalence and incidence, the severity of SLE and the survival gap between SLE patients and the general population have not significantly changed.
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  • - Arthritis leads to joint pain and reduced physical activity, significantly lowering quality of life for affected individuals.
  • - The CDC's analysis of 2019 data revealed high levels of physical inactivity, poor self-rated health, and severe joint pain among adults with arthritis, particularly in southeastern states.
  • - Promoting evidence-based public health interventions could enhance health behaviors and outcomes for those living with arthritis.
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Pain has been established as a major public health problem in the United States (U.S.) with 50 million adults experiencing chronic pain and 20 million afflicted with high-impact chronic pain (ie, chronic pain that interferes with life or work activities).

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Objective: To estimate the annual incidence rate of SLE in the USA.

Methods: A meta-analysis used sex/race/ethnicity-specific data spanning 2002-2009 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention network of four population-based state registries to estimate the incidence rates. SLE was defined as fulfilling the 1997 revised American College of Rheumatology classification criteria.

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  • A study was conducted to compare the incidence and timing of classification of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) using three different criteria: ACR97, SLICC, and EULAR/ACR, in a specific population from Olmsted County from 2000 to 2018.
  • Out of 139 new SLE cases, the EULAR/ACR criteria identified the most cases at an age/sex-adjusted incidence rate of 4.5 per 100,000 people, which was higher than the rates identified by SLICC and ACR97 criteria.
  • The average time from the first symptoms to fulfilling the classification criteria was shorter for EULAR/ACR (
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  • Arthritis is common among U.S. adults, leading to functional limitations and severe joint pain that negatively impact health and quality of life.
  • Self-management education and physical activity can significantly alleviate pain and enhance overall well-being, but participation rates are low, with only 11.4% in self-management classes and 61.0% engaging in physical activity as of 2014.
  • In 2019, CDC data showed that only 16.2% of adults with arthritis attended a self-management class, while 69.3% received physical activity counseling, with variations based on state, education level, and demographic factors, highlighting the need for health care providers to encourage these resources.
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Primary care providers (PCPs) can offer counseling to adults with arthritis on physical activity, which can reduce pain and improve physical function, mental health, and numerous other health outcomes. We analyzed cross-sectional 2018 DocStyles data for 1,366 PCPs who reported they always or sometimes recommend physical activity to adults with arthritis. Most PCPs sampled (88.

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