A Review of Myositis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

There is a well-established relationship between different subsets of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs, myositis) and interstitial lung disease (ILD), with lung complications sometimes presenting prior to myopathic manifestations. The subtypes of myositis include those that are strongly associated with ILD, such as polymyositis (PM) and dermatomyositis (DM). Research has shown that in certain patients, these can then be further divided into subtypes using myositis-specific antibodies (MSAs), which are specific for myositis, and myositis-associated antibodies (MAAs), which can be found in myositis in overlap syndromes with other connective tissue diseases (CTDs).

A Review of Antisynthetase Syndrome-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Our objective in this review article is to present a clinical case of a patient with antisynthetase syndrome (ASyS) and provide an overview of the pathogenesis, classification criteria, antibody profiles, clinical features, and current knowledge of treatment options, focusing on interstitial lung disease (ILD). ASyS is an uncommon autoimmune disease with a heterogenous clinical presentation characterized by the presence of autoantibodies against an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase and manifested by myositis, fever, inflammatory arthritis, Raynaud's phenomenon, mechanics hands, and ILD. ASyS-associated ILD (ASyS-ILD) is the most serious complication of ASyS, which may evolve to rapidly progressive ILD; therefore, it often requires thorough clinical and radiologic evaluation including recognition of a specific clinical phenotype associated with the antisynthetase antibodies (ASAbs) to guide therapeutic interventions.

Rheumatology Care Using Telemedicine.

People living in many parts of the world have limited access to diagnostic studies and therapies for rheumatologic, musculoskeletal, and connective tissue diseases. The challenge has been particularly poignant for rural areas of low- and middle-income countries. We report on the implementation of a telemedicine program in Iran for the evaluation and treatment of patients with rheumatologic and musculoskeletal diseases.

Satisfaction with Subcutaneous Golimumab and its Auto-Injector among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients with Inadequate Response to Adalimumab or Etanercept.

Background: Patient perceptions of treatment success, including satisfaction/preference, may complement clinical efficacy assessments.

Objective: Our objective was to evaluate satisfaction with subcutaneous golimumab and its auto-injector in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and an inadequate adalimumab/etanercept response.

Methods: In the multicenter, assessor-blinded GO-SAVE study, 433 patients with active RA (28-joint Disease Activity Score incorporating erythrocyte sedimentation rate [DAS28-ESR] ≥ 3.

Cryoglobulin crystal arthropathy in a patient with multiple myeloma.

Joint involvement is unusual in patients with monoclonal gammopathies. It has been characteristically described as a rheumatoid-like seronegative polyarticular erosive arthropathy, which also has been related to crystal deposition of cryoglobulins in the synovium and several other tissues. This report describes the case of a 57-year-old African American woman with a seronegative polyarthritis associated with deposition of nonbirefringent or weakly positive birefringent rhomboid-shaped crystals in the synovial fluid.

Inflammatory arthritis: an overview for primary care physicians.

Continuing advances in the treatment of inflammatory arthritides such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have made remission a realistic goal for patients. Despite these advances, early diagnosis of inflammatory arthritis by primary care physicians (PCPs) and subsequent referral to a rheumatologist remain a challenge. Delayed diagnosis and referral, which may extend to several years in some cases, may lead to irreversible joint destruction and compromised function.

The complexity of the differential diagnosis for the inflammatory arthritides.

Increasing evidence reveals that patients who have inflammatory arthritis experience structural damage early in the course of the disease. To effectively minimize the destruction caused by chronic inflammation, it is necessary to identify these patients soon after the onset of symptoms. However, differential diagnosis is not always straightforward.

A case of persistent parvovirus B19 infection with bilateral cartilaginous and ligamentous damage to the wrists.

We describe a case of persistent parvovirus B19 infection in a 48-year-old female physician that was complicated by prolonged fatigue and arthritis associated with cartilaginous and ligamentous damage in both wrists. Nineteen months after presentation, intravenous immunoglobulin therapy resulted in clearance of parvovirus B19 viremia and a significant improvement in the symptoms of fatigue and arthritis.

Spondyloarthropathies.

The spondyloarthropathies include ankylosing spondylitis, reactive arthritis (including Reiter's syndrome), psoriatic arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease-associated spondyloarthropathy, and undifferentiated spondyloarthropathy. These diseases are linked by their association with the HLA-B27 gene and by the presence of enthesitis as the basic pathologic lesion. Additional clinical features include inflammatory back pain, dactylitis, and extra-articular manifestations such as uveitis and skin rash.

Spondyloarthropathies: using presentation to make the diagnosis.

Diagnosing the spondyloarthropathies--chronic inflammatory diseases of the spine and peripheral joints that share several distinctive features--is challenging and depends on careful evaluation of the history, physical examination, and radiographs. The recent use of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors is exciting and may represent true disease-modifying drugs for these conditions.