Effect of smoking on thrombotic antiphospholipid syndrome: a 10-year prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Cigarette smoking is an established risk factor for autoimmune diseases. However, whether smoking plays a clear role in thrombotic APS (TAPS) has not been determined. We aimed to investigate the effects of smoking on the clinical characteristics and prognosis of TAPS.

Cardiac manifestations in a Chinese cohort of fetuses from mothers with anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies.

Objectives: To analyze the clinical characteristics, echocardiographic features, and prognosis of fetuses based on three groups of cardiac manifestations associated with maternal anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies in China. This study included three groups: the isolated-arrhythmia, isolated-endocardial fibroelastosis (EFE), and mixed groups.

Methods: We prospectively evaluated 36 fetuses with cardiac manifestations due to maternal anti-Ro and anti-La antibodies from our center between 2016 and 2020 in China.

Implementation of the treat-to-target approach and treatment satisfaction in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: perspectives of Chinese rheumatologists.

Objective: To investigate the implementation of treat-to-target (T2T) and treatment satisfaction from Chinese rheumatologists' perspectives.

Methods: This retrospective analysis of a cross-sectional database collected from rheumatologists and their adult patients with RA in China using Adelphi Real World Disease Specific Programme™ methodology. Multivariate logistic regression models were used to evaluate factors associated with T2T use, achievement of T2T goals, and physician treatment satisfaction.

Immunity and inflammation in pulmonary arterial hypertension: From pathophysiology mechanisms to treatment perspective.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe cardiopulmonary dysfunctional disease, characterized by progressive vascular remodeling. Inflammation is an increasingly recognized feature of PAH, which is important for the initiation and maintenance of vascular remodeling. High levels of various inflammatory mediators have been documented in both PAH patients and experimental models of PAH.

Effectiveness of iguratimod as monotherapy or combined therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and meta-analysis of RCTs.

Background: This study aims to evaluate the efficacy and safety of the iguratimod (IGU) as monotherapy or combined therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by using meta-analysis.

Methods: We searched Medline, EMBASE, Cochrane library, CNKI, Wanfang medical network from initial to 30 June, 2020, for randomized clinical trials (RCTs). Two authors independently screened the studies via reading the title, abstract, and full text.

Clinical characteristics and prognosis of patients with isolated thrombotic vs. obstetric antiphospholipid syndrome: a prospective cohort study.

Background: Several studies suggested that thrombotic and obstetric antiphospholipid syndromes could be independent identities, but few have systematically compared their clinical characteristics and prognosis.

Objective: The objective of this study is to identify key differences between thrombotic APS (tAPS) and obstetric APS (oAPS).

Methods: This single-center, prospective study included consecutive patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) receiving treatment at the Peking Union Medical College Hospital during a period from 2013 to 2020.

[Clinical Features of Relapsing Polychondritis Patients Presented with Arthropathy].

Objective To explore the clinical characteristics of relapsing polychondritis(RP)patients presented with arthropathy. Methods We retrospectively analyzed the clinical data of 201 RP patients who were hospitalized in our center between December 2005 and February 2019.After 16 patients with co-existing other autoimmune diseases and malignancies were ruled out,185 RP patients entered the final analysis,among whom 16 RP patients were presented with arthropathy and 169 without arthropathy.

Dorsolateral medullary infarction during skin infection by Stenotrophomonas maltophilia in a patient with triple antiphospholipid antibody positivity: a case-based review.

Thrombotic events are the most frequent causes of death in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Previous studies have reported infection to be the most important trigger of thrombosis in APS, with molecular mimicry considered to be a major mechanism. Although timely management of infections has been recommended in patients with high suspicion of infection, anti-infective therapy would not take effect in a short time due to the dilemma in determining the origins of infection, especially in patients undergoing immunosuppressive therapy.

Etiologies and outcomes of rheumatology patients with acute respiratory failure requiring intensive care: a single-center medical records review study of 259 patients.

Objective: The etiologies of acute respiratory failure in patients with systemic rheumatic diseases (SRDs) requiring intensive care remain unknown. This study was undertaken to investigate the etiologies and outcomes.

Methods: A medical records review study was performed of 259 adult SRDs patients with respiratory failure admitted to medical ICU across a 5-year period.

Chinese Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Treatment and Research Group Registry IX: Clinical Features and Survival of Childhood-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in China.

Background: Approximately 15-20% cases of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are diagnosed in children. There have been a few studies reporting the epidemiological data of pediatric-onset SLE (cSLE) in China, neither comparing the differences between cSLE and adult-onset SLE (aSLE). The aim of this study was to describe the impact of age of onset on clinical features and survival in cSLE patients in China based on the Chinese SLE Treatment and Research group (CSTAR) database.

Telangiectasia as a potential clinical marker of microvascular lesions in systemic sclerosis patients from EUSTAR data in China.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence and clinical relevance of telangiectasia in Chinese patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Data from 230 SSc EUSTAR patients from Peking Union Medical College Hospital (2009-2011) that fulfilled the 1980 American College of Rheumatology SSc classification criteria were prospectively collected. Demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were calculated between groups with and without telangiectasia, and a six-minute walk test, pulmonary function test (PFT), transthoracic echocardiography (TTE), right heart catheterisation (RHC) and modified Rodnan skin score (mRSS) were performed.

Protein-losing enteropathy in systemic lupus erythematosus: 12 years experience from a Chinese academic center.

Objective: Protein-losing enteropathy (PLE) is a complication in some systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients that is often misdiagnosed. With this study, we provide insight into clinical characteristics, laboratory characteristics, diagnostic tests, risk factors, treatment, and prognosis of the disease.

Methods: A retrospective, case-control study was performed in 44 patients with SLE-related PLE (PLE group) and 88 patients with active SLE (control group) admitted to our care from January 2000-January 2012.

Clinical characteristics of systemic sclerosis patients with digital ulcers in China.

Objectives: To investigate the clinical characteristics of SSc patients with DUs in China.

Methods: The data of 267 consecutive SSc patients based on the EUSTAR DATABASE from Peking Union Medical College Hospital from February 2009 to March 2012 were prospectively collected. The patients with DUs were compared to those without DUs.

[The value of brain natriuretic peptide in connective tissue diseases associated with pulmonary arterial hypertension].

Objective: To explore the potential role of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in the assessment of patients with connective tissue diseases (CTD) associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH).

Methods: Thirty patients with CTD associated PAH were evaluated by WHO function, echocardiography, right heart catheterization and blood biomarkers. All the clinical data was analyzed statistically.