Preventive CCL2/CCR2 Axis Blockade Suppresses Osteoclast Activity in a Mouse Model of Rheumatoid Arthritis by Reducing Homing of CCR2 Osteoclast Progenitors to the Affected Bone.

Detailed characterization of medullary and extramedullary reservoirs of osteoclast progenitors (OCPs) is required to understand the pathophysiology of increased periarticular and systemic bone resorption in arthritis. In this study, we focused on identifying the OCP population specifically induced by arthritis and the role of circulatory OCPs in inflammatory bone loss. In addition, we determined the relevant chemokine axis responsible for their migration, and targeted the attraction signal to reduce bone resorption in murine collagen-induced arthritis (CIA).

Combined manual and automated immunophenotypisation identified disease-specific peripheral blood immune subpopulations in rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are associated with abnormal immune cell functions. We combined manual and automated profiling in subpopulations of T-cells, B-cells and monocytes, in parallel to functional testing and clinical correlation.

Methods: Using flow cytometry, we analysed the expression of CCR4, CCR6 and CXCR5 on helper and cyotoxic T-cells, CD32B and CD86 on naïve and memory B-cells, and CCR1, CCR2, CCR4 and CXCR4 on monocytes in chronic high-disease activity patients to identify peripheral blood subpopulations.

Chemokine signals are crucial for enhanced homing and differentiation of circulating osteoclast progenitor cells.

Background: The peripheral blood (PB) monocyte pool contains osteoclast progenitors (OCPs), which contribute to osteoresorption in inflammatory arthritides and are influenced by the cytokine and chemokine milieu. We aimed to define the importance of chemokine signals for migration and activation of OCPs in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods: PB and, when applicable, synovial fluid (SF) samples were collected from 129 patients with RA, 53 patients with PsA, and 110 control patients in parallel to clinical parameters of disease activity, autoantibody levels, and applied therapy.

Advanced Clinical and Radiological Features of Ankylosing Spondylitis: Relation to Gender, Onset of First Symptoms and Disease Duration.

To determine the frequency of advanced clinical and radiological features of AS with reference to gender, onset of symptoms and disease duration. Fifty-seven patients diagnosed with AS were included in this study. Functional evaluation of the musculoskeletal system detected advanced clinical features: rubber-ball phenomenon, flattening of the chest anterior wall, diastasis of rectus abdominis muscle, steel back phenomenon, umbilical extrusion, skiing posture.

Induction of osteoclast progenitors in inflammatory conditions: key to bone destruction in arthritis.

The inflammatory milieu favors recruitment and activation of osteoclasts, and leads to bone destruction as a serious complication associated with arthritis and with other inflammatory processes. The frequency and activity of osteoclast progenitors (OCPs) correspond to arthritis severity, and may be used to monitor disease progression and bone resorption, indicating the need for detailed characterization of the discrete OCP subpopulations. Collectively, current studies suggest that the most potent murine bone marrow OCP population can be identified among lymphoid negative population within the immature myeloid lineage cells, as B220(-)CD3(-)CD11b(-/lo)CD115(+)CD117(+)CX3CR1(+) and possibly also Ter119(-)CD11c(-)CD135(lo)Ly6C(+)RANK(-).

Association of systemic and intra-articular osteoclastogenic potential, pro-inflammatory mediators and disease activity with the form of inflammatory arthritis.

Purpose: We aimed to assess osteoclastogenic potential of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) and synovial fluid-derived mononuclear cells (SFMC) in different forms of arthritis and to correlate it with inflammatory mediators within intra-articular and circulatory compartments.

Methods: Paired PBMC and SFMC samples of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; n = 10) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA; n = 10), and PBMC of healthy controls were cultured to assess osteoclastogenic potential by the number of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase (TRAP)-positive osteoclasts (OCs) and expression of OC-related genes (receptor activator of nuclear factor-κΒ (RANK), cFMS, and TRAP). Osteoclastogenesis was correlated with the arthritis-related inflammatory indicators in serum and synovial fluid (SF).

Quantitative analysis of digitopalmar dermatoglyphics in fifty male psoriatic spondylitis patients.

By the quantitative dermatoglyphic analysis of digitopalmar ridge count in fifty male psoriatic spondylitis patients were researched 25 dermatoglyphics traits: number of epidermal ridges on the all ten fingers, their sum for five and ten fingers, four traits on the both palms, i.e. between a-b, b-c, c-d and a-d triradii, and atd angles and their bilateral sum in degrees.

Which clinical variables have the most significant correlation with quality of life evaluated by SF-36 survey in Croatian cohort of patient with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis?

The aim of our study was to assess clinical variables with the best correlation to quality of life (QOL) assessed by medical outcome survey Short-Form 36 (SF-36) in patients with spondyloarthritides, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA). We analyzed the cohort of 54 patients (22 patients with PsA and 32 patients with AS), who filled the Croatian version of SF-36. For each type of arthritis, patients were clinically evaluated using the extensive list of clinical variables categorized into subjective and objective group.

Monthly or weekly bisphosphonate? Evaluation of satisfaction in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis using OPSAT-Q questionnaire during the BOOSTER study in Croatia.

A prospective, open-labelled, multicentre 6-month study was designed to assess three categories that have high impact on Health-Related Quality of Life (HR-QoL). These categories were: satisfaction, preference and drug tolerability in postmenopausal patients with osteoporosis in Croatia, at first treated with weekly oral bisphosphonates, followed by monthly oral ibandronate. Three hundred eighty-five postmenopausal women who were treated with one of the weekly bisphosphonates for at least 6 months were included into the study and after they had signed written informed consent, the therapy was changed to monthly ibandronate.

Dermatoglyphics in psoriatic symmetrical polyarthritis in fifty women--quantitative analysis.

Quantitative dermatoglyphic analysis ofdigitopalmar ridge count was used to research psoriatic symmetrical polyarthritis in fifty women. Analyzed were 25 dermatoglyphics traits: number of epidermal ridges on all ten fingers, their sum for five and ten fingers, four traits on both palms, i.e.

Health-related quality of life among patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis treated with weekly and monthly bisphosphonates.

Objective: The present study was designed to assess the effect of monthly ibandronate on health-related quality of life (HR-QoL) in patients with postmenopausal osteoporosis previously treated with weekly bisphosphonates.

Methods: HR-QoL was assessed by Euroqol (EQ-5D) and Osteoporosis Targeted Quality of Life (OPTQoL) questionnaires.

Results: The EQ-5D questionnaire showed significant improvement associated with ibandronate treatment, occurring in mobility (p < 0.

Peripheral blood expression profiles of bone morphogenetic proteins, tumor necrosis factor-superfamily molecules, and transcription factor Runx2 could be used as markers of the form of arthritis, disease activity, and therapeutic responsiveness.

Objective: To assess whether different forms of arthritis and disease activity could be distinguished by peripheral blood expression profiles of bone-regulatory factors including tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-superfamily [TNF-related apoptosis-inducing ligand (TRAIL), the Fas ligand (FasL), and the ligand for herpesvirus entry mediator (LIGHT)] and bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)-family members (BMP-2, BMP-4, BMP-6) as well as osteoblast differentiation gene Runx2.

Methods: Blood cells from healthy controls (n = 25) and patients at different disease stages with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; n = 49), osteoarthritis (OA; n = 17), or spondyloarthritis, including ankylosing spondylitis (AS; n = 27) or psoriatic arthritis (PsA; n = 23), were processed for quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Gene expression was assessed in comparison with control samples, correlated with clinical data of different forms of arthritis, and analyzed for discriminative efficacy between groups by receiver-operation characteristic (ROC) curves.

Dermatoglyphics of digitopalmar complex in forty male patients affected by rheumatoid arthritis--quantitative analysis.

Quantitative analysis of digitopalmar ridge count was performed in forty male patients with rheumatoid arthritis to evaluation of genetic factors in that disease. Twenty five variables (ridge count on each of ten fingers, their sum on five and ten fingers, four traits on each palm, i. e.

Unrecognized ochronosis--a case report.

Alkaptonuria is a rare metabolic disorder characterized by a deficiency of the homogentisic acid oxidase enzyme. The result is accumulation of homogentisic acid in collagenous structures throughout the body, especially in fibrous and cartilaginous tissue. This leads to gradual development of a phenomenon known as ochronosis.

[Proposal of Croatian Society for Rheumatology for anti-TNF-alpha therapy in adult patients with spondyloarthritides].

Spondyloarthritides (SpA) as a group are one of the most common rheumatic disorders with a predominant affection of the spine. Conventinal disease modifying antirheumatic drugs which are effective in rheumatoid arthritis have poor effect on spinal inflammation. Today there is confirmed efficacy ofbiologics in spondylitis.

[Therapeutic ultrasound in chronic low back pain treatment].

The purpose was to determine the efficacy of therapeutic ultrasound in patients with chronic low back pain. Thirty-one patients, age 38-77, with low back pain lasting more than three months and the intensity of pain on visual analogue scale at least 50 mm, are randomly divided in two groups. Ultrasound is applied on the lumbar paravertebral muscle in 16 patients and in 15 patients the machine was not switched on.

A contribution to genetic etiology of complex regional pain syndrome type I (algodystropy syndrome) based on quantitative analysis of digitopalmar dermatoglyphics in sixty men.

The patterns of the ridges of the skin of the fingers and palms were determined in sixty men with complex regional pain syndrome (type I) as a measure of disease prevention. The study included 25 dermatoglyphic traits: number of epidermal ridges on all ten fingers; their sum for five and ten fingers; four traits on both palms, i.e.

[Hip in rheumatic diseases].

The clinical diagnosis of hip pain is based on functional anatomy knowledge, detailed medical history and careful physical examination of the joints, periarticular soft tissue, nerve and blood supply, abdomen and thoracolumbal spine. Pain in the hip region may arise from the hip itself, adjacent bones or periarticular soft tissue and in addition thoracolumbal spine disorders, intraabdominal pathologies and peripheral vascular diseases can present with reffered pain in this region. Pain is the main symptom and it can be accompanied with morning stiffness and presence of systemic symptoms such as fatique, fever, weight loss or worsening of pain at night.

[Painful shoulder syndrome].

Painful shoulder syndrome was described by S.E. Duplay 1872.

[Comparison of standard and acupuncture methods of transcutaneous electric nerve stimulation (TENS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

The comparison of standard high frequency (ST-TENS) and acupuncture-like TENS (AL-TENS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is presented. Thirty-three patients (26 women and 7 men) with rheumatoid arthritis (according to modified ACR criteria), and with the duration of the disease 10.7 +/- 8.

[Prevalence of psoriatic arthritis in a population of patients with psoriasis].

Unlabelled: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory rheumatic disease characterized by arthritis associated with psoriasis.

Aim Of The Study: The aim of the study was to determine the prevalence of psoriatic arthritis in a population of patients with psoriasis. According to literature data, its prevalence varies between 1% and 7%, or only exceptionally more.

[Treatment of chronic pain--use of transdermal fentanyl (Durogesic TTS)].

Incorrect treatment of chronic pain is common cause of patient's discontentment and suffering. The problem is mostly occurring because of inappropriate pain treatment. The WHO guidelines recommends declining of prejudices and using of strong opioids in therapy after the unsatisfactory treatment with weaker analgesics.