Current Status of Biological Treatment in Ankylosing Spondylitis Patients and Some Related Factors.

Background: Axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is a potentially disabling inflammatory arthritis of the spine, usually presenting as chronic back pain typically before the age of 45 years. It is often associated with one or more articular features, including synovitis, enthesitis, and dactylitis. It may also be associated with several non-articular features; these include uveitis, psoriasis, and inflammatory bowel diseases1.

Tuberculin Skin Tests versus Interferon-Gamma Release Assays in Tuberculosis Screening among Immigrant Visa Applicants.

Objective. Use of tuberculin skin tests (TSTs) and interferon gamma release assays (IGRAs) as part of tuberculosis (TB) screening among immigrants from high TB-burden countries has not been fully evaluated. Methods.

Assessing the performance of overseas tuberculosis screening programs: a study among US-bound immigrants in Vietnam.

Background: Tuberculosis cases in foreign-born persons account for more than 50% of all tuberculosis cases in the United States. The Institute of Medicine has recommended enhancing overseas screening as one measure to support tuberculosis elimination efforts. We assessed the ability of overseas tuberculosis screening (chest radiograph followed by 3 acid-fast bacilli sputum smears for persons with abnormal chest radiographs [suggestive of active tuberculosis]) to detect pulmonary tuberculosis disease among US-bound immigrants with abnormal chest radiographs.