Asymptomatic myocardial dysfunction was revealed by feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome.

Aim: To evaluate subclinical left ventricular (LV) regional dysfunction in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) using feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance (FT-CMR) imaging and to identify pSS characteristics independently associated with LV regional dysfunction.

Method: Fifty patients with pSS and 20 controls without cardiovascular disease underwent non-contrast CMR imaging. Labial gland biopsy was performed in 42 patients (84%).

Impact of biological treatment on left ventricular dysfunction determined by global circumferential, longitudinal and radial strain values using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Aim: To evaluate left ventricular (LV) dysfunction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to determine the impact of biological treatment on LV function in these patients using global circumferential strain (GCS), global longitudinal strain (GLS) and global radial strain (GRS) values assessed by feature tracking cardiac magnetic resonance (FT-CMR) imaging.

Methods: Eighty patients with RA and 20 controls without cardiovascular disease underwent non-contrast CMR imaging. Patients with RA received conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) or biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs).

Association of cardiac magnetic resonance-detected myocardial abnormalities with disease characteristics and brain natriuretic peptide levels in systemic sclerosis without cardiac symptoms.

Aim: This study aimed to evaluate the association between myocardial abnormalities and left ventricular (LV) geometry as assessed using cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (CMRI) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients without cardiac symptoms.

Methods: SSc patients without cardiac symptoms or cardiovascular risk factors underwent contrast CMRI. CMRI were assessed for structural and functional LV parameters and myocardial fibrosis based on myocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE).

Heart Rate-corrected QT Interval Duration in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Its Reduction with Treatment with the Interleukin 6 Inhibitor Tocilizumab.

Objective: Individuals with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at a heightened risk of sudden cardiac death, an outcome increased in those with prolongation of the corrected electrocardiographic QT interval (QTc). We compared QTc between patients with RA and demographically matched controls and studied the change in QTc after treatment with the interleukin 6 inhibitor tocilizumab (TCZ).

Methods: Standard 12-lead electrocardiograms were obtained and QTc was measured in patients with RA at baseline and after 24 weeks of TCZ treatment, then compared with non-RA controls who were frequency-matched on age and sex.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging-Detected Myocardial Inflammation and Fibrosis in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Associations With Disease Characteristics and N-Terminal Pro-Brain Natriuretic Peptide Levels.

Objective: Myocardial dysfunction and heart failure (HF) are increased in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), yet there are few studies of the myocardium in RA.

Methods: RA patients with no known heart disease or risk factors underwent gadolinium-enhanced cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Images were assessed for left-ventricular (LV) structural and functional parameters and for myocardial late gadolinium enhancement (LGE; an indicator of myocardial fibrosis) and T2-weighted imaging (an indicator of active inflammation).

Detection of Left Ventricular Regional Dysfunction and Myocardial Abnormalities Using Complementary Cardiac Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Patients with Systemic Sclerosis without Cardiac Symptoms: A Pilot Study.

Objective We sought to detect the presence of left ventricular regional dysfunction and myocardial abnormalities in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients without cardiac symptoms using a complementary cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) imaging approach. Methods Consecutive patients with SSc without cardiac symptoms and healthy controls underwent CMR on a 1.5 T scanner.

[A case of probable catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome with multi-organ failure presenting as a transient increase of antiphospholipid antibody levels].

A 44-year-old woman was admitted to our hospital with shock, massive pneumonia and respiratory failure, liver and renal dysfunction, and cerebral infarction. Based on these symptoms, we suspected the presence of disseminated intravascular coagulation and multiple organ dysfunctions due to massive pneumonia or catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS). Therefore, the patient was placed on a respirator and was administered ciprofloxacin, doripenem hydrate, thrombomodulin, antithrombin III, and methylprednisolone pulse therapy.

A case of adult-onset Still's disease complicated by thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura with retinal microangiopathy and rapidly fatal cerebral edema.

We present a patient who had adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) complicated by thrombotic thrombocytopenic purpura (TTP) that resulted in retinal microangiopathy and rapidly fatal cerebral edema. The patient was a 37-year-old male who developed fever, eruption, arthritis and hepatic dysfunction, that, based on close examination, was diagnosed as AOSD. Despite treatment with corticosteroids, the patient developed acute visual field defect, neurological deterioration including convulsions and impaired consciousness, as well as acute renal failure that ultimately resulted in death.

A case of adult onset Still's disease complicated with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia.

Only a few pathologic reports exist describing adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) with pulmonary involvement. We report this very rare case of AOSD complicated with cryptogenic organizing pneumonia (COP). A 32-year-old woman was referred with high spiking fever, salmon-pink rash in her arms and legs, and polyarthralgia.

Efficacy and safety of single-dose mizoribine for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: results at 6 months after switching from a multiple-dose regimen without a change in total daily dose.

To determine the efficacy and safety of single-dose mizoribine (MZR) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a 6-month, single-arm, open-label, prospective observation study was performed. In patients who had been taking MZR at 100-150 mg/day in 2-3 divided portions continuously for at least 3 months, and who had shown a lack of clinical response, or escape (defined as a lack of response at the time of switching, even if some form of response had been shown before that), multiple-dose administration was switched to single-dose administration without changing the total daily dose. Efficacy was assessed in terms of the disease activity score, using the 28-joint count and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS 28-ESR).

Assessment of myocardial abnormalities in rheumatoid arthritis using a comprehensive cardiac magnetic resonance approach: a pilot study.

Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multi-organ inflammatory disorder associated with high cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We sought to assess cardiac involvement using a comprehensive cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (cMRI) approach and to determine its association with disease characteristics in RA patients without symptomatic cardiac disease.

Methods: RA patients with no history and/or clinical findings of systemic or pulmonary hypertension, coronary artery disease, severe valvular heart disease, atrial fibrillation, diabetes mellitus, or echocardiographic abnormalities underwent contrast-enhanced cMRI on a 1.

Behçet's disease initially presenting with meningitis and sudden hearing loss.

We report a patient with neuro Behçet's disease (BD) initially presenting with meningitis and severe hearing loss. A 51-year-old man with no noteworthy past history was hospitalized for evaluation of non-pulsating headache and high fever. Lumbar puncture on admission only showed slight pleocytosis (6 /microL, monomorphonuclear cells predominantly) but no evidence of meningitis.

Cardiac magnetic resonance imaging with pharmacological stress perfusion and delayed enhancement in asymptomatic patients with systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To assess cardiac involvement in asymptomatic patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) by cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Methods: Ten asymptomatic patients with SSc (all female; mean age 59.5+/-9.

A patient with Takayasu's arteritis and rheumatoid arthritis who responded to tacrolimus hydrate.

We encountered the rare case of a 50-year-old woman who developed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) while suffering from Takayasu's arteritis of arch vessel type. prednisolone (PSL) therapy was continued at a maintenance dose of 7.5 mg due to recurring inflammation.

Effects of olfactory stimulation with isovaleric acid on brain activation in informed and naïve conditions: a functional MRI study.

Objective: To investigate the differences in regions of brain activation in response to olfactory stimulation by functional magnetic resonance imaging in conditions of prior warning of an odor and without.

Methods: Participants were 17 normal right-handed volunteers; 8 participants received prior warning of the odor (informed condition) and 9 participants were not pre-warned (naïve condition). The odorant used was isovaleric acid.

Pituitary stalk metastasis from breast cancer treated with systemic chemotherapy.

We describe a 61-year-old woman with diabetes insipidus caused by a pituitary stalk metastasis from breast cancer. She had a medical history of breast conservation therapy for early breast cancer 5 years previously. Pituitary, lung, liver, bone and neck lymphnode metastases was revealed at the same time.