Geographical disparities in fibromyalgia severity: An Italian study.

Background: Geographic origin may represent a variable capable of influencing health status. This study aims to investigate the presence of differences of disease severity in Italian patients with fibromyalgia from different macro-regions.

Methods: This retrospective, cross-sectional study involved patients included in the Italian Fibromyalgia Registry.

The bone marrow side of axial spondyloarthritis.

Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is characterized by the infiltration of innate and adaptive immune cells into entheses and bone marrow. Molecular, cellular and imaging evidence demonstrates the presence of bone marrow inflammation, a hallmark of SpA. In the spine and the peripheral joints, bone marrow is critically involved in the pathogenesis of SpA.

Determining the PASS cut-off points for the FIQR, FASmod and PSD in patients with fibromyalgia: a registry-based study.

Objectives: To determine the cut-off values of Patient Acceptable Symptom State (PASS) for the revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQR), the modified Fibromyalgia Assessment Scale (FASmod), and the Polysymptomatic Distress scale (PSD) and to determine the predictors of PASS in patients with fibromyalgia (FM).

Methods: FM patients belonging to the Italian Fibromyalgia Registry (IFR) completed the FIQR, the FASmod and the PSD. The PASS was assessed using a dichotomous answer.

A real-world economic analysis of biologic therapies for psoriatic arthritis in Italy: results of the CHRONOS observational longitudinal study.

Background: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, immune-mediated, spondyloarthropathy characterised by musculoskeletal signs and symptoms with associated joint pain and tenderness. The average worldwide PsA prevalence is 133/100,000, while in the Italian population is 90-420/100,000. Traditionally, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, glucocorticoid, and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs have been used in the treatment of PsA.

Effectiveness of Golimumab as Second Anti-TNFα Drug in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis, Psoriatic Arthritis and Axial Spondyloarthritis in Italy: GO-BEYOND, a Prospective Real-World Observational Study.

In this prospective observational study, data were collected from 34 rheumatology clinics in Italy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) who started golimumab (GLM) as a second anti-TNFα drug. The primary objective was to evaluate the effectiveness of GLM after 6 months. Changes in quality of life using the EQ-5D-5L were also assessed.

Early Spondyloarthritis Clinic: Organizational Improvements in the Patient Journey.

Spondyloarthritis are chronic inflammatory diseases affecting spine, peripheral joints and enthesis, as well as extra-articular sites (bowel, eyes, skin). Diagnosis of spondyloarthritis often is slow and requires a multidisciplinary approach. The "Early SpA Clinic" project aimed at improving the patient care and journeys, by solving some organizational issues existing in Rheumatology Clinics.

The CHRONOS Real-World Evidence of Biologic Treatments in Psoriatic Arthritis in Italy: A Gender Analysis.

Phenotypic features and outcome differences between sexes have been reported in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). However, little is known about sex differences in effectiveness of biologics in clinical practice. gender analysis of the CHRONOS, a multicenter, noninterventional, retroprospective Italian real-world study assessing 6-month and 1-year effectiveness of biologics for PsA.

Quality of life and therapeutic management of axial spondyloarthritis patients in Italy: a 12-month prospective observational study.

Objectives: To evaluate the health-related quality of life (HRQoL), disease activity, treatment adherence, and work ability in the real-world setting in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA).

Methods: QUASAR was a prospective 12-month, observational study involving 23 rheumatology centres across Italy, including adult patients with axSpA according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria. Patients were followed at baseline, 3, 6, and 12 months for disease activity and health-related QoL (HRQoL), treatment adherence and work ability.

Observational study on the QUality of life of Italian Axial SpondyloARthritis patients (QUASAR): baseline data.

Objectives: To describe the baseline characteristics of the patients enrolled in the QUality of life in patients with Axial SpondyloARthritis (QUASAR) study in terms of quality of life (QoL), disease activity, therapy adherence, and work ability in a real-world setting.

Methods: QUASAR is an Italian multicentre, prospective 12-month observational study, including consecutive adult patients classified as axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) according to the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria for axSpA.

Results: Of 512 patients enrolled in 23 rheumatology centres, 80.

Ultrasonography in the diagnosis and management of patients with inflammatory arthritides.

In primary care and internal medicine settings clinicians are often reluctant to take advantage of the resources that ultrasonography (US) offers as a diagnostic tool in the initial management of patients with inflammatory arthritis, despite the recognised importance of an accurate and timely diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and of early referral to ensure optimal patient management. Both grey-scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) imaging have been extensively used in early detection of synovitis and bone erosions in patients with inflammatory arthritides. We reviewed the main data on the clinical use of US in the initial management of patients with inflammatory arthritis, focusing on RA diagnosis in patients with undifferentiated arthritis, prediction of disease severity, differential diagnoses and assessment of synovitis in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Plasmapheresis in cryoglobulinemic neuropathy: a clinical study.

Mixed cryoglobulinemia (MC) and glomerulonephritis are the most important extrahepatic manifestations of chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection. The clinical expression of cryoglobulinemia varies from an indolent course to the development of systemic vasculitis. The renal manifestations may range from isolated proteinuria to overt nephritic or nephrotic syndrome with variable progression towards chronic renal insufficiency.

Effects of mud-bath treatment on fibromyalgia patients: a randomized clinical trial.

The efficacy of balneotherapy in fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) has been well demonstrated, while controlled studies using mud packs are lacking. We performed a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effects and the tolerability of mud-bath treatment in FS patients, who are poor responders to pharmacological therapy. Eighty patients with primary FS, according to ACR criteria, were randomly allocated to two groups: 40 were submitted to a cycle of 12 mud packs and thermal baths, and 40 were considered as controls.

Cyclophosphamide pulse regimen in the treatment of alveolitis in systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To evaluate, in a pilot study, the efficacy of a short term cyclophosphamide (CYC) pulse regimen on alveolitis in a cohort of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Twenty-three patients with SSc (17 diffuse SSc and 6 limited SSc) were selected in 5 centers in Italy, based on the findings of an abnormal bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cell analysis in association with altered pulmonary function tests (PFT) or recent deterioration in flow volume curve (FVC). Patients were also evaluated by skin score (Rodnan), esophageal manometry and barium swallow radiography, and electrocardiography and 2-mode echocardiography.

European multicentre study to define disease activity criteria for systemic sclerosis. I. Clinical and epidemiological features of 290 patients from 19 centres.

Objective: To investigate the existence of differences among European referral centres for systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the pattern of attendance and referral and in the clinical and therapeutical approaches.

Methods: In 1995 the European Scleroderma Study Group initiated a multicentre prospective one year study whose aim was to define the disease activity criteria in SSc. During the study period each participating European centre was asked to enroll consecutive patients satisfying American College of Rheumatology criteria for SSc and to fill out for each of them a standardised clinical chart.

Proximal stomach function in systemic sclerosis: relationship with autonomic nerve function.

Gastrointestinal involvement is frequent in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc); however, studies on the proximal stomach and its regulation are lacking. It has been hypothesized that the primary event in the pathogenesis of gastrointestinal involvement in SSc is an early neural lesion. This study investigates proximal stomach function and its relation to autonomic nerve function in SSc.

[Mouth opening in patients with systemic sclerosis: base analysis and during follow-up].

Background: A large number of orofacial abnormalities have been described in patients with Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) but no data are reported on the correlation with different subgroups of patients on the efficacy of different therapies.

Methods: In the present study mouth opening was retrospectively evaluated in 40 patients with SSc in whom measurement of interlabial distance was taken at the first clinical control and during follow-up. The data confirmed that the mouth opening is significantly decreased in patients with SSc independently from sclerosis subgroup, age or disease duration.

Vesical telangiectasias as a cause of macroscopic hematuria in systemic sclerosis.

A 36-year-old female with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) developed macrohematuria due to vesical telangiectasias that was responsive to diathermocoagulation of the vasal lesions. This is the first report of a patient with dcSSc and vesical telangiectasias leading to severe macrohematuria that was successfully treated with diathermocoagulation.

Right ventricular diastolic abnormalities in systemic sclerosis. Relation to left ventricular involvement and pulmonary hypertension.

Objectives: To investigate right ventricular diastolic function in systemic sclerosis (SSc) and its relation to clinical features of the disease.

Methods: Seventy seven unselected SSc patients and 33 healthy subjects were submitted to echocardiography and echo Doppler study to assess left and right systolic as well diastolic function and to estimate maximal arterial systolic pulmonary pressure (PAP). In addition, the patients were investigated to define the SSc subset and the extent of skin and internal organ involvement.

Scleroderma renal crisis analysis of prevalence and outcome in a large italian series.

During a 30-year period, 323 SSc patients were admitted to a tertiary center specialized in connective tissue diseases. Among them 13 (4|X%) developed scleroderma renal crisis (SRC). These 13 SRC patients with respect to the remaining SSc patients were older, were more often affected by diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc), and had slightly higher blood pressure and more frequent heart involvement at initial presentation.