Baseline and 2-year differences in spinal symptoms and spinal and hip mobility in early axial spondyloarthritis and non-axial spondyloarthritis chronic back pain patients.

Objective: To compare spinal symptoms and spinal/hip mobility at baseline and 2 years in early axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and non-axSpA chronic back pain (BP) patients.

Methods: Baseline and 2 years data of the SPondyloarthritis Caught Early cohort were analysed. Outcomes assessed: overall BP, BP at night, morning stiffness (MS) intensity, MS duration, occiput-to-wall distance (OWD), cervical rotation, chest expansion, lateral spinal flexion (LSF), modified Schober test (mSchober), intermalleolar distance (IMD) and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI).

Effectiveness of secukinumab in radiographic and non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis: a European routine-care observational study.

Objectives: To compare the treatment effectiveness of secukinumab in radiographic (r) versus non-radiographic (nr) axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) patients treated in routine care across Europe.

Methods: Prospectively collected data on secukinumab-treated axSpA patients with known radiographic status were pooled from nine countries.Remission rates based on patient-reported outcomes (PROs; Numeric Rating Scale (0-10), for example, pain ≤2/Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) ≤2 and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) inactive disease (ID) <1.

Do quality of life and work productivity change in early axial spondyloarthritis and non-axial spondyloarthritis patients after two years?

Objective: To compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and work productivity in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and non-axSpA patients with chronic back pain of < 2 years (2 y).

Methods: Baseline and 2 y data of patients included in the SPondyloArthritis Caught Early cohort were analyzed. HRQoL was assessed by the physical (PCS) and mental component summary (MCS) scores of the 36-Item Short-Form Health Survey; and presenteeism, absenteeism, work productivity loss (WPL) and activity impairment (AI) by the Work Productivity and Activity Impairment questionnaire.

Patient-reported outcomes in axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis patients treated with secukinumab for 24 months in daily clinical practice.

Objectives: In patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA) initiating secukinumab, we aimed to assess and compare the proportion of patients achieving 6-, 12- and 24-month patient-reported outcomes (PRO) remission and the 24-month retention rates.

Patients And Methods: Patients with axSpA or PsA from 16 European registries, who initiated secukinumab in routine care were included. PRO remission rates were defined as pain, fatigue, Patient Global Assessment (PGA) ≤2 (Numeric Rating Scale (NRS) 0-10) and Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) ≤0.

Can rheumatologists unequivocally diagnose axial spondyloarthritis in patients with chronic back pain of less than 2 years duration? Primary outcome of the 2-year SPondyloArthritis Caught Early (SPACE) cohort.

Objectives: To investigate the prevalence of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) in patients with chronic back pain (CBP) of less than 2 years (2y) duration referred to the rheumatologist, the development of diagnosis over time, and patient characteristics of those developing over 2y.

Methods: We analysed the 2y data from SPondyloArthritis Caught Early, a European cohort of patients (<45 years) with CBP (≥3 months, ≤2y) of unknown origin. The diagnostic workup comprised evaluation of clinical SpA features, acute phase reactants, HLA-B27, radiographs and MRI (sacroiliac joints and spine), with repeated assessments.

Pathophysiology and immunolgical basis of axial spondyloarthritis.

Over the recent years the wider availability and application of state-of-the-art immunological technologies greatly advanced the insight into the mechanisms that play an important role in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) pathophysiology. This increased understanding has facilitated the development of novel treatments that target disease relevant pathways, hereby improving outcome for axSpA patients. In axSpA pathophysiology genetic and environmental factors as well as immune activation by mechanical or bacterial stress resulting in a chronic inflammatory response have a central role.

Sex Differences in the Effectiveness of First-Line Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors in Psoriatic Arthritis: Results From the European Spondyloarthritis Research Collaboration Network.

Objective: Women with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) may have reduced tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) effectiveness compared to men. We examined sex differences in treatment response and retention rates during 24 months of follow-up among patients with PsA initiating their first TNFi.

Methods: Data from patients with PsA across 13 European Spondyloarthritis Research Collaboration Network registries starting their first TNFi were pooled.

ASAS consensus definition of early axial spondyloarthritis.

Objectives: To develop a consensual definition for the term 'early axial spondyloarthritis-axSpA'-and 'early peripheral spondyloarthritis-pSpA'.

Methods: The ASAS (Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society-Spondyloarthritis EARly definition) steering committee convened an international working group (WG). Five consecutive steps were followed: (1) systematic literature review (SLR); (2) discussion of SLR results within the WG and ASAS community; (3) a three-round Delphi survey inviting all ASAS members to select the items that should be considered for the definition; (4) presentation of Delphi results to the WG and ASAS community and (5) ASAS voting and endorsement (2023 annual meeting).

Two-year imaging outcomes from a phase 3 randomized trial of secukinumab in patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis.

Background: Radiographic progression and course of inflammation over 2 years in patients with non-radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (nr-axSpA) from the phase 3, randomized, PREVENT study are reported here.

Methods: In the PREVENT study, adult patients fulfilling the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society classification criteria for nr-axSpA with elevated CRP and/or MRI inflammation received secukinumab 150 mg or placebo. All patients received open-label secukinumab from week 52 onward.

Treatment decisions in axial spondyloarthritis daily clinical practice are more than treat-to-target.

Objective: 'Treat-to-target principles' are advised for axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), although a clear target is not yet defined and targets do not always reflect inflammation. Treat-to-target use and motives for treatment choices in clinics are unknown. Therefore, we studied the presence of residual disease activity according physician's opinion, patient's opinion and composite indices and compared them to the subsequent treatment decisions.

Hyaluronic Acid in Synovial Fluid Prevents Neutrophil Activation in Spondyloarthritis.

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) patients suffer from joint inflammation resulting in tissue damage, characterized by the presence of numerous neutrophils in the synovium and synovial fluid (SF). As it is yet unclear to what extent neutrophils contribute to the pathogenesis of SpA, we set out to study SF neutrophils in more detail. We analyzed the functionality of SF neutrophils of 20 SpA patients and 7 disease controls, determining ROS production and degranulation in response to various stimuli.

Lower Metabolic Potential and Impaired Metabolic Flexibility in Human Lymph Node Stromal Cells from Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Cellular metabolism is important for determining cell function and shaping immune responses. Studies have shown a crucial role for stromal cells in steering proper immune responses in the lymph node microenvironment. These lymph node stromal cells (LNSCs) tightly regulate immune tolerance.

Immunogenicity and 1-year boostability of a three-dose intramuscular rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis schedule in adults receiving immunosuppressive monotherapy: a prospective single-centre clinical trial.

Background: For immunocompromised patients (ICPs), administration of rabies immunoglobulins (RIG) after exposure is still recommended regardless of prior vaccination, due to a lack of data. We aimed to assess the 1-year boostability of a three-dose rabies pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) schedule in individuals using immunosuppressive monotherapy.

Methods: In this prospective study, individuals on immunosuppressive monotherapy with a conventional immunomodulator (cIM) or a TNF-alpha inhibitor (TNFi) for a chronic inflammatory disease received a three-dose intramuscular PrEP schedule (days 0,7,21-28) with 1 mL Rabipur®, followed by a two-dose simulated post-exposure prophylaxis (PEP) schedule (days 0,3) after 12 months.

F-sodium fluoride PET-CT visualizes both axial and peripheral new bone formation in psoriatic arthritis patients.

Purpose: As bone formation is associated with psoriatic arthritis (PsA), positron emission tomography (PET) using a F-Fluoride tracer may enable sensitive detection of disease activity. Our primary aim was to determine the feasibility of whole-body F-sodium fluoride PET-CT in clinically active PsA patients to depict new bone formation (as a reflection of disease activity) at peripheral joints and entheses. Our secondary aim was to describe F-sodium fluoride findings in the axial skeleton.

Synovial gene signatures associated with the development of rheumatoid arthritis in at risk individuals: A prospective study.

Objective: To identify molecular changes in synovium before arthritis development in individuals at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Materials And Methods: We included 67 IgM rheumatoid factor and/or anti-citrullinated protein antibody positive individuals with arthralgia but without arthritis. Synovial biopsies were collected after which individuals were prospectively followed for at least 2 years during which 17 developed arthritis.

Measuring quality of life of patients with axial spondyloarthritis for economic evaluation.

Objectives: To estimate the relationship between EQ5D (three levels, UK version) and the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) for use in the economic evaluation of health technologies for people with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). To compare against the relationship with the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI).

Methods: An electronic, prospective, Portuguese, nationwide, rheumatic disease register (Reuma.

The Role of the Lymphatic System in the Pathogenesis and Treatment of Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

Although the number of therapeutic options for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has increased in recent years, patients suffer from decreased quality of life due to non-response or loss of response to the currently available treatments. An increased understanding of the disease's etiology could provide novel insights for treatment strategies in IBD. Lymphatic system components are generally linked to immune responses and presumably related to inflammatory diseases pathophysiology.

Ultrasound-guided lymph node biopsy sampling to study the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis: a well-tolerated valuable research tool.

Background: Analyses of lymphoid organs are required to further elucidate the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Yet, invasive tissue collection methods are scarcely applied, because they are often considered burdensome, although patients do not always consider invasive methods as a high burden. We aimed to investigate the perspectives of study participants undergoing ultrasound-guided inguinal lymph node (LN) needle biopsy sampling and determine the molecular and cellular quantity and quality of LN biopsies.