Predictors of medications-free and long-term remission in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis: Real-world evidence.

Background And Aim: In this study, we report the outcomes of anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) in daily practice based on Connective Tissue Diseases Research Center-Vasculitis Registry (CTDRC-VR) data.

Methods: Patients were included if they were 18 years or older, had a diagnosis of the groups of AAV based on 2022 American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology Classification Criteria for granulomatosis with polyangiitis, eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis and microscopic polyangiitis, and were followed for a period longer than 2 years or were died. Complete clinical remission was defined as granulomatosis with polyangiitis (BVAS/GPA) of 0.

Cigarette smoking and risk of adult-onset Still disease: a propensity score matching analysis.

Background: Environmental factors play an important role in the pathogenesis of rheumatic diseases. Smoking is thought to be a risk factor for autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Aims: The purpose of the present study was to assess the association between smoking and adult-onset Still disease (AOSD) and the effect of smoking on outcomes of this disease.

Serum salusin-β levels in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Endothelial dysfunction (ED) has an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Studies on other inflammatory diseases show that salusin-β with various mechanisms may play a role in the promotion of ED and inflammation. The aim of this study was to measure serum salusin-β levels in SLE patients and evaluate it as a potential biomarker in assessing SLE activity and predicting organ involvement.

Prevalence and predictors of long-term remission in rheumatoid arthritis in real-world practice: a longitudinal study.

Objectives: The aim of the present study was to provide real-world evidence for factors predicting long-term remission in a longitudinal study of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.

Methods: Long-term remission was defined by meeting American Rheumatism Association (ARA) criteria for remission and prednisolone dose ≤ 5 mg/d for at least 5 years. Patients in this cohort were treated by tight control strategy using step-up combination therapy with conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs), biologic DMARDs.

Survivin; a novel therapeutic target that correlates with survival of autoreactive T lymphocytes obtained from patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is progressive immune-mediated arthritis. Persistent autoreactivity of T cells with an up-regulated Survivin expression is strongly implicated in AS immunopathogenesis. Besides, Survivin can inhibit proapoptotic caspase 9 activations.

The effect of osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic individuals' T cell-derived exosomes on osteoblast cells' bone remodeling related genes expression and alkaline phosphatase activity.

Objectives: Osteoporosis is a common skeletal disorder attributed to age and is defined as a systematic degradation of bone mass and the microarchitecture leading to bone fractures. Exosomes have been reported in almost all biological fluids and during the failure of bone remodeling. 20 ml of blood samples were obtained from osteoporotic and non-osteoporotic postmenopausal women.

Clinical course, chest computed tomography severity score and outcome of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Aim Of The Work: To assess the clinical manifestations, imaging findings and outcomes of corona virus disease 2019 (COVID-19) in patients with rheumatic diseases.

Patients And Methods: In a three-center study, patients with rheumatic diseases who developed COVID-19 were included. Patients were classified into two groups, i) inflammatory arthritis including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA) and undifferentiated arthritis, ii) connective tissue diseases (CTDs) including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), vasculitis and others.

Nanocurcumin supplementation ameliorates Behcet's disease by modulating regulatory T cells: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Current research was designed to assess the effects of nanocurcumin supplementation on regulatory T (Treg) cells frequency and function in Behçet's disease (BD). In this randomized double-masked, placebo-controlled trial, 36 BD subjects were randomly put into two groups to take one 80 mg nanocurcumin capsule or placebo daily for 8 weeks. Before and after trial, disease activity, Treg cells frequency and expression of related immunologic parameters including forkhead box protein P3 (Foxp3) transcription factor messenger RNA (mRNA) and microRNAs (miRNAs) such as miRNA-25 and miRNA-106b as well as cytokines including transforming growth factor (TGF)-β and interleukin (IL)-10 were studied.

Factors associated with COVID-19 and its outcome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: We assessed the factors associated with COVID-19, clinical manifestations, and a 30-day-prognosis of COVID-19 in a cohort of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared with the index population.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, RA patients were followed in rheumatology clinics of Tabriz University of Medical Sciences, and a group of patients diagnosed with COVID-19 from index population were recruited. Outcomes of COVID-19 were assessed by the hospitalization rate and need to intensive care unit (ICU) and mortality.

Can treating rheumatoid arthritis with disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs at the window of opportunity with tight control strategy lead to long-term remission and medications free remission in real-world clinical practice? A cohort study.

Objective: The aim of this retrospective study is to compare the results of starting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment with tight control strategy in the window of opportunity and later phases of the disease in real-world clinical practice.

Methods: In this cohort, 609 RA patients were divided into three groups: (i) very early treatment (VET): ≤ 3 months; (ii) early treatment (ET): 3-12 months; and (iii) late treatment (LT) > 12 months after the onset of the disease. Four levels of remission were defined: (i) sustained remission on treatment, (ii) sustained glucocorticoids free remission, (iii) sustained disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) free remission, and (iv) long-term remission.

Efficacy of tight control strategy in the treatment of adult-onset Still disease.

Background: Adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) characterized by a high spiking fever, skin rash, arthritis, and leukocytosis. The aim of the present study was considering the long-term outcomes of patients with AOSD who were treated with tight control strategy with disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Methods: Fifty-six patients with AOSD treated with tight control strategy were included.

Effects of melatonin supplementation on serum oxidative stress markers and disease activity in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Background: Considering pathological significance of oxidative stress in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), current research aimed to evaluate the effects of melatonin supplementation on oxidative stress markers and disease activity in SLE.

Method: In this randomised double-blind, placebo-controlled trial, 32 SLE females were selected and randomly assigned into two groups to take 10 mg/day melatonin or placebo for 12 weeks. Before and after trial, serum malondialdehyde (MDA) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC) were measured and disease activity was determined by Systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K).

Long-term outcome and predictors of remission in Behçet's disease in daily practice.

Background: Many factors can influence the response to treatment and prognosis of Behçet's disease (BD). Identifying the predictors of response to treatment can improve the quality and decrease the cost of medical care. This analytical study was performed to identify factors affecting the remission and outcome in BD patients with long-term follow-up.

Long-term remission in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background: Remission has been introduced as a desirable outcome and the primary target of treatment in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The purpose of this study was to identify the number of patients in remission and the long-term outcome of the disease and their predictors.

Method: Of the 379 patients in our SLE Database, a total of 193 patients fulfilled the inclusion criteria.

Cigarette smoking and risk of primary systemic vasculitis: a propensity score matching analysis.

Introduction: Considering limited data about the association between smoking and primary systemic vasculitides (PSV), present study aims to investigate smoking habit in PSV patients compared to healthy subjects as well as to examine the effect of smoking on clinical characteristics, disease activity and disease outcome in PSV patients.

Methodology: We included 126 patients diagnosed with PSV and 210 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Demographic and clinical information and smoking history of patients and healthy controls were obtained by direct interview and questionnaire.

Clinical characteristics and long-term outcome of Takayasu arteritis in Iran: a multicentre study.

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the demographic, clinical, angiographic and prognostic characteristics of Takayasu arteritis (TA) in Iran.

Materials And Methods: A total of 75 patients with TA based on the American College of Rheumatology 1990 criteria for TA classification referred to the Rheumatology Centres, were followed-up from 1989 to 2019. Demographic, clinical, angiographic and prognostic characteristics were collected at baseline and last visit.

Clinical Usefulness of Hematologic Indices as Predictive Parameters for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Objective: This study assessed the neutrophil-to-lymphocyte ratio (NLR), platelet-to-lymphocyte ratio (PLR), mean platelet volume, platelet distribution width, and red cell distribution width (RDW) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients and their correlation with disease activity.

Methods: Two hundred eight SLE patients and 205 age- and sex-matched healthy controls were included. Disease activity was assessed using the systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index 2000, and hematological indices were determined.

The effects of nanocurcumin on Treg cell responses and treatment of ankylosing spondylitis patients: A randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial.

Aim: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is an inflammatory rheumatic disease with increased bone mass in the main sites of inflammation. Regulatory T (Treg) cells have been reported to involve in pathology of AS. This study designed at investigating the effects of nanocurcumin on Treg cell responses in peripheral blood (PB) of AS patients.

Is Palindromic Rheumatism a Pre-rheumatoid Arthritis Condition? Low Incidence of Rheumatoid Arthritis in Palindromic Rheumatism Patients Treated with Tight Control Strategy.

Objectives: Palindromic rheumatism (PR) is characterized by repetitive, afebrile episodes of acute arthritis and peri-arthritis. The aim of this study was considering the long-term outcomes of patients with PR who were treated with tight control strategy using Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs).

Methods: We reviewed the charts of 106 patients diagnosed with PR who were referred to the Connective Tissue Diseases Research Center (CTDRC).

Nanocurcumin: A novel strategy in treating ankylosing spondylitis by modulating Th17 cells frequency and function.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic rheumatic disease which mainly affects the axial skeleton and sacroiliac joints. T-helper 17 (Th17) cells have been reportedly involved in AS pathogenesis. Nanocurcumin is considered to be beneficial, as an anti-inflammatory compound, in AS patients treatment.

Efficacy of seeds oil in patients with Behcet's disease: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

Objective: (NS) is a herbal medicine with anti-inflammatory and anti-oxidant functions. This study was designed to evaluate the effect of oral administration of NS seeds oil on the treatment of Behcet's disease (BD).

Materials And Methods: In this double-blind randomized controlled study, 130 patients with BD were screened and 71 patients with BD were randomly allocated to the treatment (n=37) and control (n=34) groups.