Multicentre investigation on the effect of decompressive surgery on Balance and physical ActiviTy Levels amongst patients with lumbar Spinal stenosis (B-ATLAS): protocol for a prospective cohort study.

Introduction: Patients with lumbar spinal stenosis may have poor balance, decreased physical function and problems maintaining physical activity levels due to radiculopathy. Decompressive surgery is often indicated if conservative management fails to achieve a satisfactory clinical outcome. While surgical management has proven effective at treating radiculopathy, and patients report increased physical function postoperatively, objective measures of postural control and physical activity remain sparse.

High-intensity resistance training improves quality of life, muscle endurance and strength in patients with myositis: a randomised controlled trial.

Myositis is associated with reduced quality of life, which is accompanied by significant impairments in muscle endurance and strength, altogether representing cardinal traits in patients with myositis. This randomised controlled trial aimed to investigate the effect of high-intensity resistance training on quality of life in patients with myositis. Thirty-two patients with established, stable myositis were randomised to 16 weeks of high-intensity resistance training (intervention group) or 16 weeks of usual care (control group).

Extracorporeal Membrane Oxygenation for Acute Lung Injury in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies-A Potential Lifesaving Intervention.

Objectives: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) can present with acute IIM-related lung injury and respiratory failure, leading to a high mortality risk in intensive care units (ICU). Extracorporeal membrane oxygenation (ECMO) in acute respiratory distress syndrome can be lifesaving. We aimed to report a case series of IIM patients that received ECMO.

Effects of sporadic inclusion body myositis on skeletal muscle fibre type specific morphology and markers of regeneration and inflammation.

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is a subgroup of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies characterised by progressive muscle weakness and skeletal muscle inflammation. Quantitative data on the myofibre morphology in sIBM remains scarce. Further, no previous study has examined fibre type association of satellite cells (SC), myonuclei number, macrophages, capillaries, and myonuclear domain (MD) in sIBM patients.

Quality of life in patients with myositis is associated with functional capacity, body composition, and disease activity-Baseline data from a randomized controlled trial.

Objective: To investigate the potential associations between functional capacity, muscle strength, body composition, and disease-related measures and quality of life in patients with myositis.

Methods: Baseline measures of functional capacity (functional index 3 (FI3), 2-minute walk test (2MWT), timed up and go (TUG) and 30-s sit-to-stand (30-STS)), muscle strength (incl. leg and handgrip strength), maximal leg extensor power, body composition (appendicular lean mass, fat percentage/mass) and disease-related measures (disease activity & damage core sets) were examined for their associations with quality of life (physical- and mental component summary scores, Short Form 36 questionnaire (SF-36)) by means of Spearman's correlation analysis.

Effect modification of cancer on the association between dysphagia and mortality in early idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Objective: The interplay between dysphagia, cancer, and mortality in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) has not been carefully studied. The aim of this study was to investigate possible effect modification of cancer on the association between dysphagia and mortality in early IIM.

Methods: A multi-center cohort of 230 adult IIM patients with dysphagia assessment within 6 months of disease onset was assembled.

Distinct HLA associations with autoantibody-defined subgroups in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Background: In patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM), autoantibodies are associated with specific clinical phenotypes suggesting a pathogenic role of adaptive immunity. We explored if autoantibody profiles are associated with specific HLA genetic variants and clinical manifestations in IIM.

Methods: We included 1348 IIM patients and determined the occurrence of 14 myositis-specific or -associated autoantibodies.

Comparison of clinical features between patients with anti-synthetase syndrome and dermatomyositis: results from the MYONET registry.

Objectives: To compare clinical characteristics, including the frequency of cutaneous, extramuscular manifestations and malignancy, between adults with anti-synthetase syndrome (ASyS) and DM.

Methods: Using data regarding adults from the MYONET registry, a cohort of DM patients with anti-Mi2/-TIF1γ/-NXP2/-SAE/-MDA5 autoantibodies, and a cohort of ASyS patients with anti-tRNA synthetase autoantibodies (anti-Jo1/-PL7/-PL12/-OJ/-EJ/-Zo/-KS) were identified. Patients with DM sine dermatitis or with discordant dual autoantibody specificities were excluded.

Myositis-related autoantibody profile and clinical characteristics stratified by anti-cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 1A status in connective tissue diseases.

Introduction/aims: Cytosolic 5'-nucleotidase 1A (cN-1A) autoantibodies have been recognized as myositis-related autoantibodies. However, their correlations with clinical characteristics and other myositis-specific and myositis-associated autoantibodies (MSAs/MAAs) are still unclear. We aimed to establish the prevalence and clinical and laboratory associations of cN-1A autoantibodies in a cohort of patients with connective tissue diseases.

Lack of muscle stem cell proliferation and myocellular hypertrophy in sIBM patients following blood-flow restricted resistance training.

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is characterised by skeletal muscle inflammation, progressive muscle loss and weakness, which is largely refractory to immunosuppressive treatment. Low-load blood-flow restricted (BFR) training has been shown to evoke gains in myofibre cross sectional area (mCSA) in healthy adults. This could partially be due to the activation and integration of muscle satellite cells (SC) resulting in myonuclei addition.

Complement C4 Copy Number Variation is Linked to SSA/Ro and SSB/La Autoantibodies in Systemic Inflammatory Autoimmune Diseases.

Objective: Copy number variation of the C4 complement components, C4A and C4B, has been associated with systemic inflammatory autoimmune diseases. This study was undertaken to investigate whether C4 copy number variation is connected to the autoimmune repertoire in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS), or myositis.

Methods: Using targeted DNA sequencing, we determined the copy number and genetic variants of C4 in 2,290 well-characterized Scandinavian patients with SLE, primary SS, or myositis and 1,251 healthy controls.

Myositis-specific autoantibodies and QTc changes by ECG in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to investigate cardiac involvement detected by ECG in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) and to evaluate possible associations between the autoantibody profile and ECG changes in these patients.

Methods: In a Scandinavian cross-sectional study, patients were included from two Danish centres and one Swedish centre. Resting 12-lead ECG was investigated in 261 patients with IIM compared with 102 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and 48 healthy controls (HCs).

Effects of blood-flow restricted resistance training on mechanical muscle function and thigh lean mass in sIBM patients.

Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is an idiopathic inflammatory muscle disease associated with skeletal muscle inflammation and a parallel progressive decline in muscle strength and physical function. Eventually, most sIBM patients require use of wheelchair after about 10 years of diagnosis and assistance to perform activities of daily living. This study presents data from a randomized controlled intervention trial (NCT02317094) that examined the effect of 12 weeks low-load blood-flow restricted (BFR) resistance training on maximal muscle strength, power, rate of force development (RFD), thigh lean mass (TLM), and voluntary muscle activation (VA) in sIBM patients.

High-intensity strength training in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a randomised controlled trial protocol.

Introduction: Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are rare diseases characterised by non-suppurative inflammation of skeletal muscles and muscle weakness. Additionally, IIM is associated with a reduced quality of life. Strength training is known to promote muscle hypertrophy and increase muscle strength and physical performance in healthy young and old adults.

Cardiac arrest in anti-mitochondrial antibody associated inflammatory myopathy.

Insight into predictors of cardiac involvement in inflammatory myopathies is sparse. A negative prognostic role of anti-mitochondrial antibodies (AMA) has been noticed and is supported by the current case. We describe a male patient who at the age 40 suffered a cardiac arrest and over the following months experienced progressive heart failure, arrhythmias and proximal muscle weakness.

Conventional ultrasound and elastography as imaging outcome tools in autoimmune myositis: A systematic review by the OMERACT ultrasound group.

Aims: To analyze whether there is sufficient data from published literature to demonstrate that ultrasound, including elastography, present good metric properties (truth, discrimination and feasibility) in autoimmune myositis (AIM).

Methods: A population, intervention, comparator and outcome-structured (PICO) search was performed in Medline, Cochrane Library and Embase database from 01/01/1973 to 08/05/2019. The inclusion criteria required original research involving adult humans, reported in English, assessing ultrasound and elastography in patients with an AIM.

The immune system in sporadic inclusion body myositis patients is not compromised by blood-flow restricted exercise training.

Background: Sporadic inclusion body myositis (sIBM) is clinically characterised by progressive proximal and distal muscle weakness and impaired physical function while skeletal muscle tissue displays abnormal cellular infiltration of T cells, macrophages, and dendritic cells. Only limited knowledge exists about the effects of low-load blood flow restriction exercise in sIBM patients, and its effect on the immunological responses at the myocellular level remains unknown. The present study is the first to investigate the longitudinal effects of low-load blood flow restriction exercise on innate and adaptive immune markers in skeletal muscle from sIBM patients.

Using serum troponins to screen for cardiac involvement and assess disease activity in the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Objectives: Limitations in the methods available for identifying cardiac involvement and accurately quantifying disease activity in the idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) may contribute to poor outcomes. We investigated the utility of different serum muscle damage markers [total creatine kinase (CK), cardiac troponin T (cTnT) and cardiac troponin I (cTnI)] to address these issues.

Methods: We assessed disease activity and cardiac involvement using the International Myositis Assessment and Clinical Studies Group core set measures in 123 participants with confirmed adult-onset IIM from the UK and Denmark.

Quantitative 3D scintigraphy shows increased muscular uptake of pyrophosphate in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy.

Background: Nuclear imaging is increasingly being used in the diagnostic work-up of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). Increased muscular uptake of technetium-99m-pyrophosphate (Tc-PYP) has hitherto been assessed qualitatively by planar scintigraphy. We set out to perform quantitative tomographic scintigraphy in IIM.

The EuroMyositis registry: an international collaborative tool to facilitate myositis research.

Aims: The EuroMyositis Registry facilitates collaboration across the idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) research community. This inaugural report examines pooled Registry data.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of IIM cases from 11 countries was performed.