"It means almost forgetting that you've got a disease": An OMERACT study to define independence in the context of rheumatoid arthritis remission from the patient perspective.

Aims: Our previous work identified pain, fatigue, and independence as missing from the ACR/EULAR rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remission criteria from the patient perspective. Validated measures exist for pain and fatigue, but not for independence. As a first step towards developing such a measure, this study aimed to understand 'Independence' in the context of RA remission from the patient perspective.

Disease-specific definitions of new bone formation on spine radiographs: a systematic literature review.

Objectives: We aimed to explore the radiographic definitions of types of New Bone formation (NBF) by focusing on the terminology, description and location of the findings.

Methods: Three systematic literature reviews were conducted in parallel to identify the radiographic spinal NBF definitions for spondyloarthritis (SpA), Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis (DISH) and Osteorathritis (OA). Study characteristics and definitions were extracted independently by two reviewers.

Traditional and Disease-Specific Risk Factors for Cardiovascular Events in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-Associated Vasculitis: A Multinational Retrospective Study.

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of cardiovascular events (CVEs) in a large cohort of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) across the European Union, China, Turkey, Russia, the United Kingdom, and the USA.

Methods: Patients with a definite diagnosis of AAV who were followed for ≥ 3 months and had sufficient documentation were included. Data on myocardial infarction (MI) and stroke were collected retrospectively from tertiary vasculitis centers.

Defining independence: A scoping review by the OMERACT patient perspective of remission in rheumatoid arthritis group.

Aims: The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Trials (OMERACT) Remission in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patient perspective working group has previously found that patients prioritised independence, pain, and fatigue as key domains of remission in RA. However, there is currently no clear definition of independence. Consequently, this scoping review aimed to explore how independence is represented in the RA literature.

Musculoskeletal Point-of-Care Ultrasonography Training Among Canadian Postgraduate Rheumatology Programs.

Objective: This study aimed to assess the current state of musculoskeletal point-of-care ultrasonography training among the rheumatology postgraduate programs in Canada and explored the interest in developing a national curriculum.

Method: A Canadian survey was developed by academic rheumatologists including point-of-care ultrasonography experts and point-of-care ultrasonography non-users. Across Canada, all 15 adult and 3 pediatric rheumatology English and French postgraduate programs were surveyed via Survey Monkey with a standardized questionnaire.

Factors affecting patient satisfaction with outpatient rheumatology phone visits during the COVID-19 pandemic.

The aim was to evaluate patient satisfaction with virtual care, and identify factors associated with level of satisfaction. Surveys were mailed to all patients who had a phone visit at The Ottawa Hospital Rheumatology division. Patients' satisfaction with various aspects of the phone visits was assessed on a 5-point scale and analyzed according to demographic variables using chi-square and regression analyses.

Limited added value of whole spine MRI in spondyloarthritis for disease activity assessment.

Objective: To evaluate the added value of whole spine magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) for disease activity assessment in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Method: Spine and sacroiliac joint (SIJ) MRI scans requested by rheumatologists between 2012 and 2018 were screened retrospectively, and patients who had known diagnosis of AS or PsA were included, if the MRI was done for disease activity assessment. All MRI scans were reviewed by two experienced musculoskeletal radiologists independently, blinded to patients' diagnosis and to the other MRI.

Patient characteristics and minimal disease activity in psoriatic arthritis: a transcontinental comparison.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous disease with both environmental and genetic factors playing a role in this diversity. The aim of this study is to compare the patient profiles and outcomes in PsA patients in three countries from three continents. PsA patients from Turkey (n = 184), Canada (n = 200), and Italy (n = 177) from the Psoriatic Arthritis-International Database (PsArt-ID) were compared for patient demographics, disease features, treatments, and minimal disease activity (MDA) rates.

Risk of tuberculosis is increased in Behçet’s disease compared to other rheumatological disorders after anti-TNFα treatments: a case series and review of the literature.

Background/aim: Tumor necrosis factor-alfa (TNF-a) antagonists are extensively utilized in the treatment of inflammatory rheumatic diseases and also shown to be effective in Behçet’s disease (BD) patients with major organ involvement. In this study, we aimed to re- evaluate the incidence of tuberculosis (TB) infection after anti-TNFa treatments and to reveal the risk of TB in BD.

Methods: Data of patients who received anti-TNFa treatment between 2005 and 2018 were assessed retrospectively.

Association of venous thromboembolic events with skin, pulmonary and kidney involvement in ANCA-associated vasculitis: a multinational study.

Objective: To investigate the occurrence of venous thromboembolic events (VTE) in a large cohort of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) across the European Union, Turkey, Russia, UK and North America.

Methods: Patients with a definite diagnosis of AAV who were followed for at least 3 months and had sufficient documentation were included. Data on VTE, including either deep vein thrombosis or pulmonary embolism, were collected retrospectively from tertiary vasculitis centres.

Disease activity at the entheses and joints are correlated in psoriatic arthritis when explored with ultrasound.

Objectives: The aim of this study is to explore the link between the severity of the joint and entheses involvement in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) using musculoskeletal ultrasound (US).

Methods: PsA patients from two centres in the Psoriatic Arthritis International Database (PsArt-ID) (n=126) underwent an ultrasound assessment of 46 joints and 12 large entheses. The correlation between joint and enthesitis scores on the US was analysed, in addition to the clinical indices versus the US.

Accuracy of Physical Examination to Detect Synovial and Extra-Synovial Pathologies in Psoriatic Arthritis in Comparison to Ultrasonography.

We aimed to explore the accuracy of physical examination (PE) to detect the synovial and extra-synovial pathologies in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in comparison to ultrasonography (US). Twenty-nine PsA patients with hand pain were included in the study. A detailed PE of the hands was performed and US scans were performed for the joints, extensor and flexor tendons, and entheses of the second to fifth fingers of both hands.

The impact of smoking on prevalence of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: In this systematic literature review and meta-analysis, we aimed to investigate the impact of cigarette smoking on the prevalence and incidence of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Method: We performed a systematic literature review using the MEDLINE, EMBASE and Cochrane Central Register databases. The literature included publications from January 1980 to July 2019.

Damage assessment in adult IgA vasculitis. Cross-sectional results of a multicentre cohort.

Objectives: Immunoglobulin (Ig) A vasculitis affects children more commonly than adults and previous literature lacks any formal damage assessment. Our aim in this study is to investigate the disease course, relapse rates and prognostic factors in adult patients with IgA vasculitis and to evaluate the disease-related damage.

Methods: We assembled a retrospective cohort of adult IgA vasculitis from six tertiary Rheumatology Centres in Turkey.

Predictors and the optimal duration of sustained remission in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To determine predictors and optimal duration of sustained remission (SR) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: A total of 428 consecutive patients with RA visiting our clinic routinely between 2012 and 2013 were evaluated. Seventy seven of these patients in DAS28 remission were enrolled and followed up for 62.