Association of validated patient reported outcome measures with patients' self-reported disease status in axial spondyloarthritis.

Objective: In axSpA, validated PROs are well-established in clinical trials, but it remains unclear whether they comprehensively reflect patients' discomfort and disease status. We aimed to investigate how patients' self-reported disease status does compare to validated clinical trial measures during routine clinical visits.

Methods: Data from axSpA patients' initial and last five visits were retrospectively analyzed.

Sustained response to guselkumab regardless of baseline characteristics in patients with active psoriatic arthritis and inadequate response to TNF inhibitors: results from the phase 3b COSMOS clinical trial.

Objectives: To prospectively evaluate the effect of guselkumab through 48 weeks across various clinical outcomes in subgroups of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and inadequate response to tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi-IR) from the phase 3b COSMOS trial. Subgroups were defined by baseline demographics, disease characteristics and prior/ongoing therapies.

Methods: Patients with active PsA (tender joint count (TJC) and swollen joint count (SJC) both ≥3) and TNFi-IR were randomised 2:1 to receive guselkumab 100 mg at week 0, week 4, then every 8 weeks through week 44 or to placebo with cross-over to guselkumab 100 mg at week 16 (early escape) or week 24 (planned).

Identification of a machine learning-based diagnostic model for axial spondyloarthritis in rheumatological routine care using a random forest approach.

Objectives: In axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), early diagnosis is crucial, but diagnostic delay remains long and diagnostic criteria do not exist. We aimed to identify a diagnostic model that distinguishes patients with axSpA from patients without axSpA with chronic back pain based on clinical data in routine care.

Methods: Clinical data from patients with chronic back pain were used, with information on rheumatological examinations based on clinical indications.

Do novel inflammation biomarkers arising from routine complete blood count play a role in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus?

Background: Laboratory-based biomarkers accurately presenting systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) disease activity may have a practical value in clinical routine. As shown in many other conditions, complete blood count (CBC)-derived biomarkers may also play a role in SLE.

Objectives: We aimed to study for the first time the pan-immune-inflammation value (PIV, monocytes x platelets x neutrophils/lymphocytes) and the more established systemic immune-inflammation index (SII, neutrophils x platelets /lymphocytes) in SLE patients and correlate it with serological and clinical findings including disease outcomes.

Performance of standardized patient reported outcomes developed for spondyloarthritis in primary and concomitant forms of fibromyalgia.

Background: In spondyloarthritides (SpA) and fibromyalgia (FM), patients suffer from generalized pain. The impact of FM on PRO validated in SpA has not been systematically studied.

Objective: Study the performance of PROs developed for SpA in patients with primary (p) FM without chronic inflammatory-rheumatic disease vs.

No difference in clinical parameters and drug retention in PsA patients receiving b/tsDMARD monotherapy versus combination with methotrexate: data from the RABBIT-SpA registry.

Background: The potential benefit of methotrexate (MTX) in combination with biologic (b) and targeted synthetic (ts) disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is still a matter of debate.

Objectives: To compare clinical and patient reported characteristics as well as drug retention rates in PsA patients receiving b/tsDMARD monotherapy or in combination with MTX.

Methods: RABBIT-SpA is a prospective longitudinal cohort study including axSpA and PsA patients.

Impact of daily physical therapy over 2 weeks on spinal mobility including objective electronic measurements and function in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

Background: Patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) are often compromised by impaired function and mobility. The standardized 2-week inpatient program 'multimodal rheumatologic complex treatment' (MRCT) was designed for patients with axSpA. The Epionics SPINE (ES) is an objective tool validated to assess mobility.

Clinically relevant differences in spinal mobility related to daytime performance in patients with axial spondyloarthritis.

Objective: Patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) suffer from clinical symptoms like morning stiffness and back pain. Mobility of patients with axSpA is often impaired. The aim of this study is to compare the performance of patients with axSpA regarding mobility measures including performance-based tests and objective electronic assessments with the Epionics SPINE device (ES) at different times of the day compared with healthy controls (HC).

High Frequency of Osteophytes Detected by High-Resolution Ultrasound at the Finger Joints of Asymptomatic Factory Workers.

Hand Osteoarthritis (HOA) is a frequently occurring musculoskeletal disease that impacts health. Diagnostic criteria often incorporate osteophytes documented through imaging procedures. Radiographic imaging is considered the gold standard; however, more sensitive and safer methods like ultrasound imaging are becoming increasingly important.

A population-based projection of psoriatic arthritis in Germany until 2050: analysis of national statutory health insurance data of 65 million German population.

The population-based prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is still unclear and not well described globally. The aim of this study was to conduct a population-based prevalence projection and provide long-term future estimations of PsA patients in Germany until 2050, using the illness-death model and based on historical data. We analyzed the national statutory health insurance data of 65 million population in the German Institute for Medical Documentation and Information between January 2009 and December 2012.

'Status Quo' on Different Aspects of Gender Distribution in Rheumatology in Germany-Results from a Nationwide Online Survey among Physicians.

Objectives: Despite the increasing number of female medical students and fellows in Europe, women are still under-represented in higher academic careers and positions in medicine. The aim of this survey was to assess the 'status quo' on gender distribution among rheumatologists in Germany.

Methods: A web-based anonymous survey (21 questions with multiple answers and free text) using QuestionPro was distributed among rheumatologists in Germany via newsletters, social media and personal contact, including questions regarding hierarchical positions and work characteristics.

Addressing the spread of health-related misinformation on social networks: an opinion article.

This article deals with the spread of misinformation in a general context and specifically in the health sector. It presents a theoretical view of the problem and analyzes its characteristics with a focus on medicine and mainly rheumatology. Finally, conclusions from the previous analysis are formulated as well as suggestions for reducing the dimensions of the problem in the health sector.

Patients' awareness towards physical activity in the treatment of axial spondyloarthritis.

Introduction: The course of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) is often characterized by impairments in physical function and mobility. Regular physical activity (PA) is a cornerstone of axSpA management. Recent European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) recommendations for PA have stressed the importance of their implementation.

[Practicable diagnostics of Sjögren's syndrome in interstitial lung disease-A discussion article].

Sjögren's syndrome (SjS) is a possible autoimmune cause of interstitial lung disease. The diagnostic pathway for SjS, however, is largely undefined in comparison to other systemic autoimmune diseases. Subjective sicca symptoms, anti-SS-A/Ro antibodies and even ANA as screening tests all have relevant limitations in sensitivity and/or specificity.

Adaptive IoU Thresholding for Improving Small Object Detection: A Proof-of-Concept Study of Hand Erosions Classification of Patients with Rheumatic Arthritis on X-ray Images.

In recent years, much research evaluating the radiographic destruction of finger joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using deep learning models was conducted. Unfortunately, most previous models were not clinically applicable due to the small object regions as well as the close spatial relationship. In recent years, a new network structure called RetinaNets, in combination with the focal loss function, proved reliable for detecting even small objects.