Publications by authors named "Mira Merashli"
Sarcoidosis is an inflammatory multisystem disease characterised by non-necrotising granulomas that typically affect the lungs, lymph nodes, eyes, skin, liver, spleen, heart, bones and joints. Although rare, necrotising granulomas can also occur. In this report, we present a case of a healthy woman in her 60s who presented with a 1-year history of fatigue and generalised body aches.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFArticle Synopsis
- A 53-year-old male developed painful necrotic patches on both ankles two weeks after his second dose of the Pfizer COVID-19 vaccine, leading to a diagnosis of leukocytoclastic vasculitis based on a punch biopsy.
- Despite normal vascular assessments, the patient experienced worsening ulcers and fever two months later, leading to the need for surgical debridement and treatment for multidrug-resistant bacteria.
- The case emphasizes the potential severity of vaccine-associated leukocytoclastic vasculitis, underlining the importance for healthcare providers to investigate sudden skin lesions that may arise post-vaccination.
Background: Primary antiphospholipid syndrome (PAPS) has been associated with an increase in clinical events associated with atherosclerotic vascular disease. Intima media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries is a surrogate marker of atherosclerotic vascular disease.
Objectives: To conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies evaluating IMT and their clinical correlates in PAPS.
Objectives: To perform a meta-analysis on articles evaluating the common femoral vein wall thickness (VWT) in Behcet's disease and its possible clinical, laboratory and treatment correlates (BD).
Methods: Systematic search of EMBASE and PubMed databases from inception to October 2023; we employed random effect meta-analyses for continuous outcomes.
Results: The meta-analysis included 9 case-control and 1 cohort study: the VWT was greater in BD (n = 650) than in controls (n = 396) (p < 0.
Objectives: Illustration of a case of systemic mastocytosis mimicking reactive arthritis in the absence of an infectious etiology.
Methods: Review of the patient's medical records.
Results: We report a case of systemic mastocytosis relapse, presenting with pancytopenia accompanied by knee monoarthritis, cystitis, and bilateral conjunctivitis occurring simultaneously at the same time interval within 2-4 days, mimicking reactive arthritis in the absence of an infectious etiology.
Article Synopsis
- Connective tissue disorders (CTD) associated with interstitial lung disease (ILD) show varied symptoms, complicating their diagnosis and treatment, highlighting the need for early detection.
- A multidisciplinary approach involving collaboration between pulmonologists and rheumatologists is essential for improving patient outcomes in CTD-ILD management.
- A panel of expert rheumatologists created a nine-item questionnaire and a biphasic algorithm to enhance early detection of CTD-ILD, though further research is required to validate this screening tool.
Background: the prevalence of venous thromboembolism (VTE) in Behcet's disease (BD) is around 40%, though recognition of BD in a thrombosis clinic has been poorly addressed.
Objective: to evaluate the prevalence of signs and symptoms leading to the diagnosis of BD in a thrombosis clinic compared to patients attending a general haematology clinic and to healthy controls. Design: cross-sectional case-double control anonymous questionnaire survey.
Eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is a rare connective-tissue disorder that is characterised by subacute onset of erythema, oedema, and induration of the skin and soft tissues of the limbs and trunk. Although several triggers have been hypothesised to be associated with EF, the aetiology of eosinophilic fasciitis (EF) is still unclear, and several treatment regimens have been proposed to treat this disease. In this article, we report a case of a 72-year-old gentleman with multiple comorbidities who presented to the clinic for diffuse skin thickening present on his forearms, thighs, legs bilaterally, and over the pelvis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFTo evaluate the intima media thickness of carotid arteries (IMT) and its clinical, laboratory and treatment correlates in Behcet's disease (BD). Systematic search of EMBASE and PubMed databases from January 2016 to October 2022; we employed random effect meta-analyses for continuous outcomes and Peto's odds ratio for rare events. The meta-analysis included 36 case control studies: the IMT was greater in BD (n = 1103) than in controls (n = 832) (p < 0.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFThrombocytopaenia in antiphospholipid syndrome: a free radical perspective.
Rheumatology (Oxford)
June 2023
Thrombosis associated with thrombocytopaenia is an apparent paradox that is present across a wide spectrum of disorders. While thrombocytopaenia has been a controversial clinical classification criterion for APS, as initial reports failed to demonstrate a relation between low platelet count with other clinical or laboratory manifestations of the syndrome, recent data highlight the association between mild-moderate thrombocytopaenia and the risk of thrombosis. Although aPL antibodies may induce platelet activation in vitro, additional stimuli may contribute to their activation in vivo, among which are reactive oxygen and nitrogen species and lipid peroxidation products, which are elevated in patients with APS; an excess of the same stimuli may induce megakaryocyte and platelet apoptosis that leads to decreased platelet production and increased destruction, resulting ultimately in thrombocytopaenia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To perform a systematic review and meta-analysis of studies reporting data on atherosclerosis and inflammatory markers in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF).
Methods: EMBASE and PubMed databases were screened according to PRISMA guidelines from inception to January 2022 for articles reporting measurements of the intima media thickness (IMT) of carotid arteries and eventually carotid plaques; random effect meta-analyses for continuous outcomes and Peto's odds ratio for rare events were employed.
Results: The screening and selection search strategy yielded 18 case controls studies (16 full papers and 2 abstracts); the IMT was greater in FMF (n = 1112) than in controls (n = 901) (p < 0.
Objective: To evaluate the relationship between clinical examination/US synovitis in DMARD-naïve early PsA.
Methods: Eligible patients underwent matched clinical/US 44-joint assessment for tender and/or swollen joints (TJ/SJ) and US synovitis [grey scale (GS) ≥ 2 or power Doppler (PD) ≥ 1]. Statistical agreement between TJ/SJ, GS ≥ 2 and PD ≥ 1 was calculated by prevalence-adjusted and bias-adjusted κ (PABAK).
Aim: To evaluate the relevance of plasma homocysteine (HC) in Behcet's disease (BD) and its clinical manifestations.
Methods: Systematic review of EMBASE and PubMed databases according to PRISMA guidelines from inception to July 2021; random-effects meta-analyses for continuous outcomes.
Results: The search strategy retrieved 48 case-control (2,669 BD and 2,245 control participants) and 5 cohort studies (708 BD participants).
Objectives: The primary objective was to develop an educational video to teach patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) self-assessment of their disease activity. Secondary objectives were to validate the video, identify the challenges in producing it, and the responses to these challenges.
Methods: Rheumatologists from 7 Middle Eastern Arab countries (MEAC) discussed unmet needs in the education of patients with RA.
Article Synopsis
- The study explored how some patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) experience subjective symptom deterioration before their scheduled doses of three different TNF inhibitors (TNFis): etanercept, adalimumab, and infliximab.
- By analyzing MRI scans and clinical assessments, it was found that many patients showed high disease activity and a notable presence of bone marrow edema (MRI-BMO) before their doses.
- The results indicated that shorter periods between doses correlated with fewer new lesions and improved clinical responses, but further research is necessary to understand the implications of these findings.
The relationship between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and sickle cell disease (SCD) has never been systematically addressed. Our aim was to evaluate potential links between SCD and aPL in all age groups. EMBASE/PubMed was screened from inception to May 2020 and Peto odds ratios for rare events were calculated.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFAim: To evaluate the clinical relevance of antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in patients with lower extremity peripheral artery disease (PAD).
Data Sources: EMBASE and MEDLINE databases were searched from inception to March 2020 for clinical studies reporting on the association between of aPL [IgG/IgM anticardiolipin (aCL) and lupus anticoagulant (LA)] and PAD.
Methods: We determined the pooled prevalence (PP) of patients positive for aPL in PAD or the PP of PAD in patients positive for aPL; we employed Peto's odds ratio with random effect for the meta-analysis.
The dual positivity (DP) and triple positivity (TP) concepts bypass the poor comparability of immune/clotting assay for the laboratory classification of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). To evaluate intensity of immune/clotting assays and DP/TP through different clinical severity groups (CSG) as follows: (1) non-thrombotic asymptomatic carriers of aPL (N-THR), thrombotic primary APS (THR), deceased (D) for recurrent and fatal thrombosis. Activated partial thromboplastin time ratio (aPTTr), dilute Russell viper venom time ratio (DRVVTr), IgG/IgM anticardiolipin (aCL) and anti β-2-glycoprotein-I (aβ2GPI).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction/objective: The relationship between autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) and antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) has never been addressed via a meta-analysis in the paediatric age group. We evaluated the link between AIHA and aPL in childhood systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).
Methods: EMBASE and PubMed were screened from inception to May 2020 and Peto's odds ratio for rare events was employed for the between group comparisons.
The relationship between antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and autoimmune haemolytic anaemia (AIHA) has never been systematically addressed. The aim of this study is to assess the link between aPL and AIHA in adult systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). This study performed an EMBASE/PubMed search from inception to June 2019 and meta-analysis using Peto's odds ratios.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: The relationship between autoimmune hemolytic anemia and antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) and/or antiphospholipid syndrome has never been systematically addressed.
Methods: Systematic review of EMBASE and PubMed databases performed according to PRISMA guidelines from inception to March 2020; meta-analysis performed by Peto's odds ratio for rare events.
Findings: Forty-five studies with different outcomes met the inclusion/exclusion criteria.