The evaluation of right ventricle dyssynchrony by speckle tracking echocardiography in systemic sclerosis patients.

Purpose: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is associated with right ventricle (RV) remodeling and dysfunction. The primary aim of this study was to evaluate RV dyssynchrony (RV-Dys) in SSc patients using two-dimensional speckle tracking echocardiography (2D-STE).

Methods: Fifty-five SSc patients with functional class I-II and 45 healthy controls were consecutively included and underwent 2D-STE.

Validation of the adjusted global antiphospholipid syndrome score in a single centre cohort of APS patients from Turkey.

The adjusted global antiphospholipid syndrome score (aGAPSS) is a recently developed thrombotic risk assessment score that considers the antiphospholipid antibody (aPL) profile and conventional cardiovascular risk factors. In this retrospective study, we aimed to evaluate the validity of the aGAPSS in predicting clinical manifestations (criteria and extra-criteria) of antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) in a single centre cohort of patients. Ninety-eight patients with APS ± systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) were classified according to clinical manifestations as vascular thrombosis (VT), pregnancy morbidity (PM) or both (VT + PM).

Evaluation of salivary gland ultrasonography in primary Sjögren's syndrome: does it reflect clinical activity and outcome of the disease?

Objectives: To evaluate associations between salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS) and clinical characteristics, disease activity and outcome in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS).

Methods: The parotid and submandibular salivary glands were examined by ultrasonography using two different scoring systems proposed by Hocevar et al. and Milic et al.

Comparison of Disease Characteristics, Organ Damage, and Survival in Patients with Juvenile-onset and Adult-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus in a Combined Cohort from 2 Tertiary Centers in Turkey.

Objective: Age at onset has been shown to affect the clinical course and outcome of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Herein, we aimed to define the differences in clinical characteristics, organ damage, and survival between patients with juvenile-onset (jSLE) and adult-onset SLE (aSLE).

Methods: For the study, 719 patients (76.

Microscopic colitis in patients with Takayasu's arteritis: a potential association between the two disease entities.

The association of Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) has previously been reported in case series. Microscopic colitis (MC) has IBD-like symptoms with regard to clinical and histopathological feature. We aim to assess the presence of MC in TAK patients in this study.

Cluster analysis of autoantibodies in 852 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from a single center.

Objective: Associations between autoantibodies and clinical features have been described in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Herein, we aimed to define autoantibody clusters and their clinical correlations in a large cohort of patients with SLE.

Methods: We analyzed 852 patients with SLE who attended our clinic.