Circ-CAMTA1 regulated by Ca influx inhibited pyruvate carboxylase activity and modulate T cell function in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objectives: To investigate the roles of Ca influx-regulated circular RNAs (circRNAs) in T cells from patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: The expression profile of circRNAs in Jurkat cells, co-cultured with and without ionomycin, was analyzed by next-generation sequencing and validated using real-time polymerase chain reaction. The identified Ca influx-regulated circRNAs were further examined in T cells from 42 patients with SLE and 23 healthy controls.

An Exploration of Self-Efficacy and Its Associated Factors among Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients in Taiwan.

Self-efficacy is an important ingredient in successful disease management, especially in patients with chronic conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, the information on self-efficacy and its influencing factors among RA patients is scarce. This study investigated the level of self-efficacy and its pertinent predictors among RA patients in Taiwan.

Targeting PADI2 as a potential therapeutic strategy against metastasis in oral cancer via suppressing EMT-mediated migration and invasion and CCL3/5-induced angiogenesis.

Oral squamous cell carcinoma (OSCC) is a prevalent and aggressive malignancy, with metastasis being the leading cause of death in patients. Unfortunately, therapeutic options for metastatic OSCC remain limited. Peptidylarginine deiminases (PADI) are implicated in various tumorigenesis and metastasis processes across multiple cancers.

Dysregulated Non-Coding RNA Expression in T Cells from Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis Contributes to Its Immunopathogenesis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disorder characterized by inflammatory back pain and bony fusion of vertebral joints. Genetic associations and environmental factors have been proposed to explain the immunopathogenesis of AS. In the past few years, there have been major advances in understanding T cell dysfunction in AS.

Complementary acupuncture treatment and reduced risk of sudden sensorineural hearing loss in nasopharyngeal carcinoma patients: a retrospective, nested case-control study.

Purpose: Hearing loss is a frequently observed comorbidity in patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC). Accumulating evidence demonstrated that acupuncture can safely manage cancer and its treatment-related symptoms, but its effect in minimizing the likelihood of experiencing sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSHL) has not been established. So this work aimed to determine the risk of SSHL among NPC persons with or without acupuncture use.

Performance of a New Instrument for the Measurement of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity: The SLE-DAS.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease that affects multiple organ systems and manifests in a relapsing-remitting pattern. Consequently, it is paramount for rheumatologists to assess disease activity, identify flare-ups, and establish treatment goals for patients with SLE. In 2019, the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS) was introduced as a novel tool for measuring disease activity.

Reduced risk of dementia in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus using Chinese herbal medicine: A nested case-control study.

Background: Dementia is a prevalent condition in type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) patients. While Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) is often employed as complementary therapy for glycemic control, its effect in controlling likelihood of dementia has not yet been fully elucidated.

Aim: To compare the risk of dementia between T2DM patients with and without CHM treatment.

Rheumatic Diseases: New Progress in Clinical Research and Pathogenesis.

Rheumatic diseases encompass a group of disorders that primarily target the musculoskeletal system, including joints, bones, muscles, and connective tissue [...

Increased Expression of Long Noncoding RNA LOC100506314 in T cells from Patients with Nonsegmental Vitiligo and Its Contribution to Vitiligo Pathogenesis.

This study aimed to identify the abnormal expression of long noncoding RNAs (lncRNAs) in T cells from patients with vitiligo and to investigate their functional roles in the immune system. Using microarray analysis, the expression levels of RNA transcripts in T cells from patients with vitiligo and controls were compared. We identified several genes and validated their expression levels in T cells from 41 vitiligo patients and 41 controls.

Increased Risk of Developing Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Rheumatoid Arthritis in Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome-A Secondary Cohort Analysis of Nationwide, Population-Based Claims Data.

Background: This retrospective cohort study aimed to examine the risk of developing systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) compared to controls using data from a nationwide health claims database.

Methods: Four distinct cohorts of patients with newly diagnosed pSS were established using Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. Cohorts I and II were created to evaluate the risk of developing SLE and RA, respectively.

Effects of a walking exercise programme on disease activity, sleep quality, and quality of life in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Aim: This quasi-experimental study aimed to explore effects of walking exercise on disease activity, sleep quality, and quality of life among individuals with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Methods: After recruiting people with systemic lupus erythematosus from a hospital in Taiwan between October 2020 and June 2021, participants were free to opt to receive one walking exercise programme plus standard care for 3 months or to membership of a control group receiving routine care. Primary outcomes included Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Scale, and a quality-of-life scale for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus, namely, LupusQoL.

Increased frequency of hospital admissions with active systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity defined by two different disease activity indices: A cohort study.

The objective of this cohort study was to evaluate the association between the frequency of hospital admissions and disease activity, as defined by two different disease activity measurements: the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS) and the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K), in adult patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLEs). Patients with SLE were recruited from the rheumatology outpatient department of a regional hospital in southern Taiwan. SLE-DAS and SLEDAI-2K were used to define SLE disease activity and the cause of hospital admissions was identified by a rheumatologist based on medical records.

Integration of Chinese Herbal Medicine into Routine Care Was Related to Lower Risk of Chronic Kidney Disease in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Nested Case-Control Study in Taiwan.

Objective: Non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are frequently used as the first-line agents for the symptomatic relief of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but it may insidiously provoke the onset of renal diseases, especially chronic kidney disease (CKD). While Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has become an increasingly popular adjunctive therapy among RA groups, there are currently no available data on the effect of CHM use towards risk of CKD. This study aimed to explore on a population-level whether CHM use decreases sequent CKD risk among them.

Relationship between Chinese Herbal Medicine Use and Risk of Sjögren's Syndrome in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Retrospective, Population-Based, Nested Case-Control Study.

: Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) is a common extra-articular feature among subjects with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). While Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) has been used to treat symptoms of RA for many years, few studies have examined its efficacy in guarding against the SS onset. This study aimed to compare risk of SS for RA patients with and without use of CHM.

Increased dental visits in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a secondary cohort analysis of population based claims data.

Objective: To study the utilization of dental care in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and compare the incidence of common dental disorders in patients with and without RA.

Methods: This data used in this study was from the population-based Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database. We identified 1337 patients with newly diagnosed RA between January 2000 and December 2012.

Increased Risk of Common Orthopedic Surgeries for Patients with Rheumatic Diseases in Taiwan.

Rheumatic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), are characterized by chronic arthritis or spondyloarthritis, which can lead to joint and spine destruction. Our previous studies showed that the risk of common orthopedic surgeries, including total knee replacement (TKR), total hip replacement (THR), or spine surgery, was increased in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis, and SLE. The aim of this review was to summarize the risk of TKR, THR, cervical spine, and lumbar spine surgery on the basis of studies conducted using data from Taiwan's National Health Insurance Research Database (NHIRD).

The Prescription of Chinese Herbal Medicine and Risk of Endometriosis in Women with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Population-Based Cohort Study.

Purpose: The systemic inflammation is believed to provide an outline of the association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and endometriosis. This retrospective cohort study aimed to explore the association of Chinese herbal medicine (CHM) use with the prevention of endometriosis onset in women diagnosed with RA.

Methods: We utilized the claims data from the National Health Insurance of Taiwan from 2000 to 2009 and excluded individuals diagnosed with endometriosis before being diagnosed with RA, using age at clinical diagnosis.

Increased risk of hospital admissions in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) classified according to two different SLE disease activity indices: a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: The aim of this prospective cohort study was to investigate the risk of hospital admissions within one year in patients with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), classified according to the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Score (SLE-DAS) or the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index 2000 (SLEDAI-2K).

Methods: This study was conducted in adult patients with SLE recruited from the rheumatology outpatient department in a regional hospital in southern Taiwan. SLE disease activity was measured with SLE-DAS and SLEDAI-2K.