Aggrecan Turnover in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis Treated with TNF-α Inhibitors.

This study was performed to evaluate the effects of 15-month anti-tumor necrosis factor α (anti-TNF-α) therapy on the aggrecan turnover of female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. Serum was obtained from healthy subjects and female RA patients treated with TNF-α inhibitors (TNFαI) in combination with methotrexate. We measured serum levels of aggrecan chondroitin sulfate 846 epitope (CS846), aggrecan fragments (AGC), disintegrin and metalloproteinase with thrombospondin motifs-4 (ADAMTS-4) and 5 (ADAMTS-5), as well as their natural inhibitor, known as tissue inhibitor of matrix metalloproteinase-3 (TIMP-3), using immunoassay methods.

Dercum's disease (adiposis dolorosa): a review of clinical presentation and management.

Dercum's disease (adiposis dolorosa) is a rare disease of unknown etiology characterized by painful subcutaneous adipose tissue deposits with various localization over the body. The deposits occur histologically as lipomas and are associated with overweight or obesity and a variety of psychiatric disturbances (anxiety, depression, sleep disturbances). Classification of Dercum's disease is related to size and location of adipose nodules (generalized diffuse, generalized nodular, localized nodular and juxta-articular forms).

Significance of the angiotensin I/angiotensin II/angiotensin-(1-7) axis in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis.

Background: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a multisystemic disease with an extensive microvasculopathy. Previously, disturbances in plasma levels of angiotensin II (Ang II) and its antagonistic angiotensin-(1-7) (Ang-(1-7)) were found in patients with SSc. Their significance in a pathogenesis of SSc stays unclear due to discrepancies of earlier studies.

Serum angiostatin and endostatin levels in patients with granulomatosis with polyangiitis and immune complex small vessel vasculitis.

Objectives: Inflammation has been revealed to be associated with angiogenesis. Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) and immune complex small vessel vasculitis (ICSVV) are forms of systemic vasculitides of different pathogenesis. GPA is a necrotizing granulomatosis and ICSVV is associated with inflammation of postcapillary venules induced by deposits of immune complexes.

Effects of a 15-month anti-TNF-α treatment on plasma levels of glycosaminoglycans in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: In this study, the effect of 15-month anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF-α) treatment on circulating levels of plasma sulfated glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) and the nonsulfated GAG hyaluronic acid (HA) in female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients was assessed.

Methods: Plasma was obtained from healthy subjects and RA women treated with TNF-α antagonists (etanercept or adalimumab or certolizumab pegol) in combination with methotrexate. GAGs were isolated from plasma samples using ion exchange low-pressure liquid chromatography.

Satisfaction and discontent of Polish patients with biological therapy of rheumatic diseases: results of a multi-center questionnaire study.

Objectives: Biologics are medications widely applied in the management of inflammatory rheumatic diseases. The drugs were found to be effective but their application is associated with some disadvantages. Medication with biologics is relatively expensive, and in Poland, it is carried out in specialized centers.

Fibulin-3 and other cartilage metabolism biomarkers in relationship to calprotectin (MRP8/14) and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with anti-TNF therapy.

Background: Fibulin-3 (Fib-3) is a new potential biomarker of articular cartilage metabolism.

Objectives: The aim of the study was to evaluate the effect of anti-TNF therapy on serum fibulin-3, cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP), procollagen II C-propeptide (PIICP), and urinary C-terminal telopeptide of type II collagen (CTX-II) levels in relation to calprotectin (MRP8/14) and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Material And Methods: In the study, 35 female patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were investigated.

Safety profile of autologous hematopoietic stem cell mobilization and transplantation in patients with systemic sclerosis.

Autologous hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (AHSCT) is thought to be effective therapeutic approach in patients with poor prognosis systemic sclerosis; however, the toxicity remains a challenge. Between years 2003 and 2016, we enrolled 18 patients with systemic sclerosis at median age at transplant of 52 years (range 24-68). The median duration of disease before AHSCT was 14 months (range 2-85).

Systemic sclerosis sine scleroderma.

Systemic sclerosis is a rare generalized disease with scleroderma, i.e. skin thickening as one of the most common symptoms.

Calprotectin in rheumatic diseases: a review.

Calprotectin also known as MRP8/14 or S100A8/A9 is a heterodimeric complex of two S100 calcium-binding proteins: myeloid-related protein 8 (MRP-8 or S100A8) and MRP-14 (or S100A9). At present, according to many authors, it is considered that calprotectin MRP8/14 is a potentially more sensitive biomarker of disease activity in rheumatoid disease than conventional inflammatory indices such as the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein and others. A review of the literature on concentration of calprotectin in patients with some rheumatic diseases (rheumatoid arthritis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, adult-onset Still's disease, systemic vasculitis, polymyalgia rheumatica, ankylosis spondylitis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and primary Sjögren's syndrome) is presented.

Coexistence of systemic sclerosis and sarcoidosis.

Coexistence of systemic sclerosis (SSc) and sarcoidosis (SA) is rarely reported; 21 cases only were reported in the English medical literature before 2011. It is suggested that low incidence of overlap syndrome of SSc with SA is resulted from different immune mechanisms involved in pathogenesis of the diseases. In SSc patients, a role of Th2 lymphocytes is suggested while in patients with SA such role is attributed to Th1 lymphocytes.

Correlation between erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein level in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: Erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and serum level of C-reactive protein (CRP) are the acute phase reactants most commonly determined in patients with rheumatic diseases. The indices are affected by different factors, but both of them are applied for evaluation of the disease activity in patients with inflammatory disorders of the musculoskeletal system.

Material And Methods: The authors compared the results of ESR and CRP, which were carried out during routine diagnosis in 200 patients admitted to the Department of Rheumatology.

Alterations of plasma glycosaminoglycan profile in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in relation to disease activity.

Background: Qualitative and quantitative evaluation of plasma glycosaminoglycans (GAGs) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in relation to disease activity estimated by DAS28 score was evaluated.

Methods: GAGs were quantified by hexuronic acid assay and electrophoretic fractionation. Keratan sulfate (KS) and hyaluronic acid (HA) were measured by immunoassay.

Opinion of patients with ankylosing spondylitis on risk factors impairing their quality of life.

We studied 54 patients with ankylosing spondylitis with questionnaire in order to determine their view on threat to quality of their life related to the disease. We have show that pain and significant disability are the main threats associated with the disease in view of the patients. Social aspects (losing of job or decreasing of income) are also important for the patients, while management of the disease is not considered as arduous.

Serum ghrelin in female patients with rheumatoid arthritis during treatment with infliximab.

Ghrelin is a gastric hormone that posses multiple functions, including induction of growth hormone release, regulation of proinflammatory cytokines and control of food intake and energy homeostasis. A few reports on serum ghrelin level in chronic inflammatory states revealed contradictory results. The study was undertaken to determine ghrelin in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving infliximab, a TNF-α blocking agent.

Plasma leptin and neuropeptide Y concentrations in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with infliximab, a TNF-α antagonist.

TNF-α is one of the key proinflammatory cytokines in pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). TNF-α was also found to enhance synthesis of leptin. Leptin is mainly adipocyte-derived hormone controlling appetite and energy expenditure.

Exacerbated course of atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini in patient with papillary cancer of the thyroid gland.

Atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini is a benign cutaneous atrophy skin to morphea en plaques on repression and is considered as systemic sclerosis-like disorder. A case of female patient with atrophoderma of Pasini and Pierini in whom rapid eruption of new plaques was found after many years of stable disease in described. Papillary cancer of the thyroid gland was diagnosed and acceleration of atrophoderma should be considered as paraneoplastic syndrome.

Serum human cartilage glycoprotein-39 in patients with systemic sclerosis: relationship to skin and articular manifestation.

Human cartilage glycoprotein-39 (HC gp-30) is a secretory protein of several types of cells including chondrocytes. It has been suggested to be a laboratory index of joint damage. Thirty-two patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and 22 age-matched controls were investigated.