Rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility genes: An overview.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, inflammatory autoimmune disease sustained by genetic factors. Various aspects of the genetic contribution to the pathogenetics and outcome of RA are still unknown. Several genes have been indicated so far in the pathogenesis of RA.

Influence of infliximab on cytokines network and markers of bone remodeling in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Purpose: Our aim was to determine the effects of infliximab on bone mineral metabolism in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and analyze the relationship between inflammatory markers of acute phase thought to play a major role in bone remodeling.

Materials And Methods: 36 patients with established RA were investigated. All patients underwent physical examination and blood and urinary analysis at baseline, 2 weeks, 14 weeks, 6 months and 12 months after the initiation of treatment.

Bone tissue metabolism in men with ankylosing spondylitis.

Purpose: The aim of the study was the composite estimation of bone tissue metabolism in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) after having taken into account such factors as a high risk of incidence of osteoporosis in patients with AS and potential danger of permanent immobility.

Material And Methods: Sixty-six patients with established diagnosis of AS and 63 healthy individuals in the control group were included into the study. To measure bone mineral density (BMD) the dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA) method was used.

Assessment of selected serum inflammatory markers of acute phase response and their correlations with adrenal androgens and metabolic syndrome in a population of men over the age of 40.

Introduction: Inflammatory mechanisms and decreasing adrenal androgen production are involved in the pathogenesis of numerous age-related diseases.

Objectives: The aim of our study was to assess selected negative (transferrin) and positive (alpha1-antichymotrypsin [alpha1-ACT], C-reactive protein [CRP]) acute phase proteins, and to investigate associations between these proteins and serum dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEA-S) levels, as well as anthropometrical and biochemical indices of metabolic syndrome (MS) in men over 40 years of age.

Patients And Methods: In 271 randomly selected men aged 40 to 80 years and living in the province of Lubuskie, Poland, transferrin, alpha1-ACT, CRP, and adrenal androgens were measured and features of metabolic syndrome were evaluated.

[Could serum DHEA and DHEAS levels be good risk predictors of metabolic syndrome and osteoporosis in the population of ageing men?].

Unlabelled: The occurrence of metabolic syndrome (MS) and osteoporosis is essentials danger for public health. It seems that one of epidemiological factors of those diseases is age-depending adrenal androgens deficiency.

Aim Of The Study: was to evaluate relationships between DHEA/DHEAS serum levels and BMD along with frequency of MS in ageing Caucasian men.

Does low-dose and short-term glucocorticoids treatment increase the risk of osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis female patients?

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is frequently complicated by peri-articular and generalized osteoporosis due to increased bone resorption by activated osteoclasts. Pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as TNF-alpha, interleukin 1 (IL1), and interleukin 6 (IL6) are thought, among other factors, to be directly responsible for this extra-articular complication of RA. Glucocorticoids (GCS) commonly prescribed in RA due to their strong anti-inflammatory effect are also well known for causing secondary osteoporosis during a prolonged use.

The effect of methylprednisolone pulse treatment on cytokine network in Graves ophthalmopathy.

The etiology of Graves ophthalmopathy (GO), representing the most common extrathyroidal manifestation of Graves disease, is multifactorial. Among multiple genetic, environmental, and endogenous factors, cytokines play a critical role in its etiopathogenesis. We studied an effect of glucocorticoid therapy on the serum IL-6, IL-4, and IL-13 levels in 18 GO patients.

[Changes in certain biochemical markers of bone turnover in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with short-term low dose glucocorticosteroids].

Osteoporosis associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is induced by chronic inflammation. Glucocorticosteriods (GCS) applied in the treatment of RA chronically reduce production of proinflammatory cytokines (IL-1, IL-6, and TNF) which are potent stimulators of bone resorption. On the other hand they directly reduce bone mass by inhibition of osteoblast.

[Change in biomarkers of osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with infliximab].

A study was made to evaluate bone turn-over in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with infliximab. Twenty-two patients with established RA were included. In all patients, biochemical markers of osteoporosis: osteocalcin (BGP), alkaline phosphatase (bone isoenzyme), deoxypyridinoline (Dpd), acute phase proteins (CRP, AGP, ACT, AGP-RC), and interleukin 6 (IL-6) were determined before treatment, at week 30, and at week 46.

The effect of long-term glucocorticoids on bone metabolism in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: the prevalence of its anti-inflammatory action upon bone resorption.

The study was made to evaluate bone turnover in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients undergoing long-term glucocorticoid therapy. Thirty-eight female patients with established SLE were compared with a control group consisting from 160 age-matched healthy women. Serum concentrations of proinflammatory cytokines: interleukin-1alpha, interleukin-6, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, granulocyte-macrophage colony stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and some biochemical markers of osteoporosis (osteocalcin, total and bone alkaline phosphatase, procollagen type I carboxyterminal propeptide, carboxyterminal telopeptides of type I collagen--CTx) were measured.

Cardiac valvular disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus. Relationship with anticardiolipin antibodies.

We performed two-dimensional and Doppler echocardiography in 52 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus and in 34 healthy controls. In 25 patients (48.1%) echocardiographic disturbances were found (25/52 vs 2/34, p<0.

Does the presence of HLA-DR B1 shared motif affect progression of the disease in rheumatoid arthritis patients?

The present study was undertaken in order to evaluate role of HLA DR Bl shared motif in prognosis of development of erosions in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). HLA genotyping was carried out in a retrospective analysis of 73 RA patients and 87 healthy controls using polymerase chain reaction. The assessment of disease activity was performed according to Mallya-Mace Index, whereas radiographs of hands were assessed according to the Larsen Index.

[Bone tissue metabolism in systematic lupus erythematosus patients treated with glucocorticosteroids].

The present study has been undertaken to evaluate bone turn-over in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treated with glucocorticosteroids. Thirty-eight patients with definite SLE has been investigated. The following parameters have been determinated.

[Bone tissue metabolism in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with glucocorticosteroids].

The present study has been undertaken to evaluate bone turn-over in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients as well as the influence of low dose glucocorticosteroids (gcs) on bone mass loss. Ninety patients with establish RA has been investigated. The patients have been divided into two groups: 44 patients treated with gcs (age 52.

The presence of HLA-DR B1 shared motif does not influence cyclophosphamide and methotrexate cytotoxicity in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

In the present study we investigated the relation between cyclophosphamide and methotrexate toxicity and the presence of HLA- DR B1 alleles in rheumatoid arthritis patients. Seventy-eight such patients (67 women and 11 men) were observed for 12 months. Eighteen were treated with intravenous cyclophosphamide, 28 with oral methotrexate, and 32 with intramuscular gold salts.

TNF-alpha gene polymorphism does not affect the clinical and radiological outcome of rheumatoid arthritis.

The present study was undertaken in order to investigate the relationship between tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene polymorphism and the radiological progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within the first 3-years of the disease. Sixty-eight RA patients (59 women and nine men) were observed for 3-years. TNF-alpha polymorphism analysis was performed in all patients.

Quantitative changes in peripheral blood lymphocytes in erosive rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate. Correlation with disease activity.

In order to better understand the immunological mechanisms involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), the level of various lymphocyte subsets in the peripheral blood of 29 patients with erosive RA was determined. All the patients were treated with methotrexate for 2 years. The total number and the proportion of CD3 cells, CD3+CD4+ and CD3+CD8+ cells did not change during the study.

[The role of MHC class II genes in the etiopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis].

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with HLA-DR4 and DR1 antigens. HLA-DRB1 gene sequences analysis demonstrated that only a limited set of alleles is positively associated with RA. Third hypervariable region sequences (70-74, 86) Q(R)R(K)RAA, G(V) are found in up to 95% of erosive RA.