Performance of the Revised Classification Criteria for Systemic Autoimmune Rheumatic Diseases and Their Overlap Syndromes.

Objective We evaluated the performance of the revised classification criteria for assessing different systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases and their overlap syndromes. Methods A total of 652 patients with or highly suspected of having systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc), polymyositis (PM)/dermatomyositis (DM) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were included in this study. The 1997 revised American College of Rheumatology (ACR) and the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/ACR criteria for SLE, the 1980 ACR and the 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria for SSc, the criteria by Bohan and Peter and the 2017 EULAR/ACR criteria for PM/DM, and the 1987 revised ACR and 2011 ACR/EULAR criteria for RA were used for disease classification.

Finger Joint Cartilage Evaluated by Semiquantitative Ultrasound Score in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) includes both bone and cartilage lesions. Since joint space narrowing (JSN) is not a direct evaluation of cartilage using radiography, we aimed to examine the validity of ultrasound (US) cartilage evaluation using a semiquantitative method in patients with RA.

Methods: We enrolled 103 patients with RA who were in remission or showing low disease activity and 42 healthy subjects.

Development and exacerbation of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial infection in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

To examine the development and exacerbation of pulmonary nontuberculous mycobacterial (NTM) infection in patients with systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD). We conducted a case-control study. Seventeen of 7013 patients with SARD fulfilling the criteria for pulmonary NTM infection were enrolled in the NTM group.

Global assessments of disease activity are age-dependent determinant factors of clinical remission in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The aim of the study is to assess the factors associated with clinical remission of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in daily clinical practice.

Methods: This analysis was based on the data of 304 RA patients in our center between May 2014 and March 2015. The following information was included: tender, swollen, and symptomatic joint counts, patient's and physician's global assessments, functional disability, laboratory and radiographic data, and RA treatments received.

Concordance of Patient-Reported Joint Symptoms, Physician-Examined Arthritic Signs, and Ultrasound-Detected Synovitis in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: Ultrasonography has been prevalently used as a valid and objective modality for joint examination in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study aimed to examine and compare the concordance between ultrasound, clinical assessment, and patient-reported assessment of joint synovitis in RA.

Methods: Fifty patients with RA (84% female, median age 69 years, median disease duration 31 months, and median Disease Activity Score in 28 joints 3.

Viability and plasma vitamin K levels in the common bile duct-ligated rats.

The common bile duct-ligated (CBDL) rat, which is widely used as a model of human cirrhosis, rapidly develops secondary biliary cirrhosis (SBC) within 4 weeks. The CBDL rat shows poor viability, however, a detailed examination of the causes of its death has not been made. In this study, we investigated the outcome of bile duct ligation in detail and attempted to extend the life span of this model by feeding the animals a diet supplemented with nutrients.

Bone density in myasthenia gravis patients receiving long-term prednisolone therapy.

Osteoporosis is an adverse effect of prednisolone therapy, although no study has been conducted on myasthenia gravis patients receiving high-dose prednisolone. We measured bone density in 36 patients (26 females and 10 males) who had undergone long-term prednisolone administration, and found a decrease in bone density in 31% of female patients and osteoporosis in only 11.5% (three cases).