COVID-19-Induced Rheumatoid Arthritis: Case Series and Systematic Review of the Literature.

COVID-19, caused by a severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2), can lead to severe infection and has been suggested to induce autoimmune phenomena. We report three cases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) occurring after COVID-19 infection and we present a systematic review of the literature of cases of RA post COVID-19. Our findings suggest that RA may be trigged by COVID-19 infection in genetically predisposed individuals.

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Introduction: Medical education has progressed considerably. Information and communication technologies have been adopted as a learning tool.

Aim: We aimed to evaluate the contribution of an educational video in the acquisition of knowledge on the measurement of the Schöber index in young medical students.

Unexpected diagnosis of vertebral osteolysis.

This is the case of a 50-year-old patient suffering from inflammatory low back pain. Radiological exploration showed posterior vertebral damage compatible with discovertebral pseudo-tumor tuberculosis. Pathological examination found no malignant cells, but caseous necrosis was present.

Eumycotic mycetoma involving the right foot: A new Tunisian case.

A Tunisian patient with painless swelling and discharging sinuses of the right foot was diagnosed with Eumycetoma after 1 year of evolution. Mycetoma is a neglected disease relatively rare in our country. An early and accurate diagnosis, based on histopathological and microbiological examinations, limits functional and esthetical damage.

Endovascular repair of inflammatory aortic aneuvrysm.

Introduction: While open repair was the gold standard treatment of atherosclerotic abdominal aortic aneurysms, its place in the treatment of inflammatory aortic aneurysms remains controversial.

Aim: To specify the place of endovascular repair in the treatment of inflammatory aneurysms.

Observation: We report 2 cases of inflammatory aortic aneurysms.

Involvement of foot in patients with spondyloarthritis: Prevalence and clinical features.

Background: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the foot involvement in a group of patients with spondyloarthritis in regard to symptoms, type and frequency of deformities, location and radiological changes.

Methods: We conducted a cross sectional study including 60 patients with spondyloarthritis over a period of six months. Anamnesis, clinical examination, podoscopic examination, biological tests and X-rays of feet were done for each patient.

Deletion of late cornified envelope genes, LCE3C_LCE3B-del, is not associated with psoriatic arthritis in Tunisian patients.

A deletion of two genes from the late cornified envelope (LCE), LCE3B and LCE3C within epidermal differentiation complex on chromosome 1 was shown to be associated with both psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in several populations. To assess whether this deletion may contribute to the genetic predisposition to PsA in Tunisia, a total of 73 patients with PsA and 120 healthy matched controls were screened for the deletion, LCE3C_LCE3B-del, and its tag SNP, rs4112788. We also evaluated a possible relationship between PSORS1 and LCE3C_LCE3B-del through genotyping two proxy markers to HLA-C (rs12191877 and rs2073048).

[Thoracic outlet syndrome].

Background: The thoracic outlet syndrome (TOS) is recognized as a cause of upper limb pain. It is often under-diagnosed and its frequency under-estimated by rheumatologists.

Aim: To report the diagnostic problems related to TOC though a literature review.

[Uncommon cervicobrachial neuralgia: about 17 cases].

Background: Cervicobrachial neuralgia (CBN) is frequent in out patient clinic as well in general medicine as in rheumatology. Even though cervical disc degeneration and osteophytosis constitute the most frequent etiology of such a trouble, the practitioner must be aware of much more serious underlying cause.

Aim: To investigate the epidemiology, clinical features, aetiologies and paraclinical characteristics of uncommon CBN.

[Obesity has a protective effect on radiographic joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis].

Background: Obesity is a state of chronic low-grade inflammation that predisposes people to several diseases and that is increasingly prevalent. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is marked by the presence of proinflammatory cytokines and, in general, the presence of high levels of inflammatory markers is associated with a severe disease course and joint damage.

Aim: To assess the impact of obesity on disease activity, quality of life and articular damage in patients with established RA.

[Morbidity of the elderly in inpatient rheumatology clinic].

Background: The improvement of life expectation in our country explains at least in part the increase of the proportion of the elderly in hospitalized patients.

Aim: The aim of this study was to identify the main diseases leading to hospitalization of the aged in a rheumatology department, to establish their clinical profiles and to evaluate the quality of their management.

Methods: Retrospective chart review about the elderly (age > or =65 years) admitted in the rheumatology department of the Charles Nicolle Hospital during a 2-year-period [January 2003-December 2004].

[Update in treatment of psoriatic arthritis].

Psoriatic arthritis is a chronic rheumatic disease making part of spondylarthropathies. It is the most frequent chronic inflammatory rheumatism after rheumatoid arthritis. Eventhough, it is usually a benign affection, it may be destructive leading to handicap.

[Septic arthritis in the elderly: about 21 cases].

Background: Septic arthritis (SA) is a serious disease especially if occurring in elderly debilitated by frequent comorbidities and diminished immunity.

Aim: The authors discuss diagnosis difficulties, prognosis and, therapeutic consequences of the occurrence of septic arthritis in elders.

Methods: It is a retrospective study about 21 cases of septic arthritis (SA) occurring in the elderly aged 65-year-old or more, hospitalized over a ten year period [1994-2005] at the department of Rheumatology of Charles Nicolle's Hospital of Tunis.

[Common lumbosciatic syndrome of the elderly. Report of 67 cases].

Background: The common lombosciatic is a disease observed at all ages. To the elderly, clinical data, treatment, clinical outcome and prognosis present sometimes some peculiarities.

Aim: Report of lombosciatic in the elderly.

[Adult onset Still's disease: about 11 cases].

Background: Adult onset Still's disease (AOS) is an inflammatory disorder which associates variable articular and systemic manifestations. Despite a better knowledge of its biological and clinical particularities; the pathogeny of this disease remains unknown. The aim of this study is to analyze the epidemiological, clinical, biological and, outcome characteristics of AOS.