Conjunctival conveyance of SARS-CoV-2 in asymptomatic and non-severe symptomatic COVID-19 patients.

Introduction: The prevalence of ocular conveyance of SARS-CoV-2 has been well described for severe/hospitalized cases, but scarcely reported in asymptomatic and non-severe patients, who are unaware that they are carriers.

Material & Methods: This prospective cross-sectional study quantitatively evaluated SARS-CoV-2 shedding on the ocular surface (OS). Conjunctival testing was suggested to all hospital personnel being screened by nasopharyngeal (NP) SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Use of F FDG PET-CT to discriminate polymyalgia rheumatica and atypical spondylarthritis in clinical practice.

Objective: To evaluate the relevance of F-labeled fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography/computed tomography (F-FDG PET-CT) for discriminating polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and spondylarthritis (SpA) in atypical presentations.

Methods: In 2 rheumatology departments, we identified PMR and atypical SpA patients who underwent F-FDG PET-CT and compared the 2 groups. The relevant F-FDG PET-CT findings identified on univariate analyses as discriminant for both groups were entered into a multivariable logistic regression model to derive a composite musculoskeletal score.

Normal salivary gland ultrasonography could rule out the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome in anti-SSA-negative patients with sicca syndrome.

Objective: To evaluate the relevance of salivary gland ultrasound (SGUS) and its place in the diagnostic algorithm in patients referred with dry syndrome (DS) for a suspicion of Sjögren's syndrome (SS).

Methods: We included all patients assessed at our dedicated DS clinic from June 2015 to September 2019 for which a SGUS has been carried out. Images were read blindly and the worst salivary gland was scored according to OMERACT classification.

Immunization to rituximab is more frequent in systemic autoimmune diseases than in rheumatoid arthritis: ofatumumab as alternative therapy.

Objectives: The frequency and consequences of anti-drug antibodies to rituximab (RTX-ADA) are not well known in RA and even less in other systemic auto-immune diseases (sAID). We aimed to evaluate the frequency, consequences and predictive factors of RTX-ADA in RA and sAID.

Methods: All patients presenting with RA or other sAID treated with RTX from 2012 to 2017 in our tertiary reference centre for sAID were retrospectively studied.