Publications by authors named "Pietro Rubortone"
Objectives: To develop an intensive training programme for ultrasound (US)-guided synovial tissue (ST) biopsy on knees and wrists in inflammatory arthritis and to assess the learning curve, patient tolerability, sample quality and trainees' expectations.
Methods: Active or remission rheumatoid arthritis patients were enrolled. Nine trainees joined the 4-month programme in a centre experienced in performing US-guided ST biopsies consisting of four sequential phases: (1) observation, (2) performance of guided step-by-step phases, (3) execution of the whole procedure on paired joints (knees or wrists) of the same patient in parallel with the trainer and (4) performance of the procedure autonomously.
Article Synopsis
- Cardiovascular events are a leading cause of death in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients, with depression recognized as a risk factor for these events.
- The study investigates the relationship between flow-mediated dilatation (FMD), which indicates endothelial dysfunction, depressive symptoms, and certain serum cytokines in 50 PsA patients aged 30-75.
- Results show that greater depressive symptoms are associated with worse endothelial function, as evidenced by a negative correlation between FMD and various factors including age, disease duration, and pain intensity, but no significant link to serum cytokine levels was found.