Uveitis as the first symptom in spondyloarthritis and its association with the evolution of the disease. Results from the REGISPONSER registry.

Objectives: To describe the time of onset of acute anterior uveitis (AAU) relative to the appearance of rheumatic symptoms and to determine its association with the evolution of the spondyloarthritis (SpA) in terms of activity, structural damage, functional ability and treatment.

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study with data extracted from the REGISPONSER (SpA Registry of the Spanish Rheumatology Society). Thirty-one centres participated, and patients with SpA according to the ESSG criteria were included from 2004 to 2007.

Infliximab reduces myeloperoxidase concentration in chronic inflammatory joint diseases.

Unlabelled: The present study evaluated the effect of infliximab on the myeloperoxidase (MPO) concentration in chronic inflammatory joint disease. Eighteen patients were divided into active and inactive groups. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, white blood cell counts, MPO concentration, and biomarkers of oxidative stress were measured before and after the infusion of infliximab.

[Chondrocalcinosis and hypomagnesemia: clinical and radiological progression].

Hypomagnesemia is a rare secundary metabolic disorder associated with calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate cristal deposition disease in joint structures and may cause asymptomatic chondrocalcinosis (linear calcification of cartilage), pseudogout, and chronic arthropathy. We report 2 young men with relapsing acute knee monoarthritis with chondrocalcinosis and hypomagnesemia. After follow-up clinical and radiological events al least for 5 years and treatment with magnesium lactate, these patients have not shown new pseudogout attacks.

Increased efficacy of infliximab associated with methotrexate in ankylosing spondylitis.

Objectives: The aims of this study were to assess the efficacy of infliximab (IFX) combined with methotrexate (MTX) versus IFX alone in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: The study was a 30weeks open label and prospective study of parallel groups in 19 patients with active AS. These patients had shown incomplete therapeutic response to standard therapy (full dose of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs: NSAIDs) and disease modifying antirheumatic drugs: DMARDs (MTX or sulfasalazine: SLZ) for a period of at least 12 weeks and were treated with IFX (5mg/kg).

Unusual and aggressive thrombotic onset in two children with antiphospholipid-antibody syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus.

We report two pediatric patients with unusual, aggressive initial manifestation of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome secondary to systemic lupus erythematosus. The first patient, a 13-year-old girl, presented with bilateral amaurosis and ischemic cerebral lesions. The second, another 13-year-old girl, presented with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis and membranous glomerulonephritis.

Tumour necrosis factor-alpha levels in aqueous humour and serum from patients with uveitis: the involvement of HLA-B27.

Objective: To study the local and systemic levels of the tumour necrosis factor-alpha in patients with active uveitis and to determine the implication of TNF-alpha in rheumatological uveitis and to observe if this relationship is more significant in the B27 positive patients.

Patients And Methods: Patients were selected on the basis of a diagnosis of uveitis of any aetiology. Data from 23 patients were stratified into two categories according to the presence or absence of systemic rheumatic disease.

The potential of ESSG spondyloarthropathy classification criteria as a diagnostic aid in rheumatological practice.

Objective: The European Spondylarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria for the classification of spondyloarthropathies (SpA) were developed with the aim of unifying and facilitating international medical communication. We assessed the potential of ESSG criteria as a diagnostic aid for rheumatology practices in terms of sex and prevalence rate.

Methods: Data from 2 similarly designed and developed studies conducted in France and Spain were examined.