The association between radiographic progression, functional impairment, markers of dyslipidaemia and inflammation in patients with hand osteoarthritis: a five-year longitudinal study.

Objectives: This study aimed to investigate the associations between radiographic damage, serum biomarkers, and clinical assessments in Czech patients with hand osteoarthritis (HOA) over a five-year follow-up period.

Methods: The study cohort comprised 129 patients diagnosed with HOA, including 72 patients with an erosive subtype and 57 patients with a non-erosive subtype. Radiographs were evaluated using the Kallman scoring system by two independent readers.

New pro-inflammatory cytokine IL-40 is produced by activated neutrophils and plays a role in the early stages of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Interleukin (IL)-40 is a new cytokine related to immune system function and malignancies. Recently, an association of IL-40 with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and externalisation of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETosis) was found. As neutrophils are implicated in RA development, we investigated IL-40 in early stages of RA (ERA).

[Pain treatment options for osteoarthritis].

Osteoarthritis is one of the most common diseases of the joints and spine and is characterized by degenerative changes starting in the cartilage. Joint changes cause pain, stiffness, swelling, and a loss of normal joint function. Several international recommendations address the choice of treatment methods for osteoarthritis.

Circulating miRNAs in hand osteoarthritis.

Objective: Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a frequent musculoskeletal disorder with an increasing prevalence during ageing. This study aimed to evaluate circulating microRNAs (miRNAs) in the plasma of patients with hand OA compared with age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects.

Methods: In total, 238 participants (96 with erosive and 73 with non-erosive hand OA patients and 69 healthy control subjects) were included in this study.

Clusterin serum levels are elevated in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis and predict disease activity and treatment response.

Clusterin (CLU) is a molecular chaperone that participates in a variety of biological processes. Recent studies indicate its possible involvement in the development of bone erosions and autoimmunity. The aim of this study was to investigate its serum concentrations in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to explore their potential relationship with disease activity and treatment response.