Objective: To evaluate the performance of the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS) in the assessment of disease activity in giant cell arteritis (GCA).
Methods: Patients with GCA enrolled in a prospective, multicenter, longitudinal study with symptoms of active vasculitis during any visit were included. Spearman's rank correlation was used to explore the association of the BVAS with other measures of disease activity.
Results: During a mean (SD) followup of 2.3 (1.6) years, symptoms of active GCA were present in 236 visits in 136 subjects (100 female, 74%). Median (range) BVAS1 (new/worse symptoms) was 1 (0-10) and median (range) BVAS2 (persistent symptoms) was 0 (0-5). Median (range) physician's global assessment (PGA) was 4 (0-9) for disease activity in the past 28 days and 2 (0-9) for activity on the day of the visit. Important ischemic manifestations of active vasculitis not recorded by the BVAS included tongue/jaw claudication (27%), upper extremity claudication (15%), lower extremity claudication (5%), carotidynia (7%), and ischemic retinopathy (5%). During 25 visits (11%) with active disease, all symptoms of active vasculitis were placed in the "Other" category yet still resulted in a BVAS1 and BVAS2 of 0. BVAS1 moderately correlated with PGA for the past 28 days (Spearman's correlation 0.50) and physician-rated disease activity for the past 28 days (Spearman's correlation 0.46).
Conclusion: The BVAS has limited utility in GCA. Patients with active GCA can have a BVAS of 0. Many important ischemic symptoms attributable to active vasculitis are not included in the composite score.
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http://dx.doi.org/10.3899/jrheum.151063 | DOI Listing |
Physiol Plant
January 2025
College of Life Sciences/ College of Agriculture, Yangtze University, Jingzhou, China.
Rac/Rop proteins, a kind of unique small GTPases in plants, play crucial roles in plant growth and development and in response to abiotic and biotic stresses. However, it is poorly understood whether cotton Rac/Rop protein genes are involved in mediating cotton resistance to Verticillium dahliae. Here, we focused on the function and mechanism of cotton Rac/Rop gene GhRac9 in the defense response to Verticillium dahliae infection.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFPharmazie
December 2024
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Fourth Affiliated Hospital, Harbin Medical University Harbin, Heilongjiang, China.
Cigarette smoke extract (CSE)-induced airway mucus hypersecretion and inflammation are prominent features of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD). As a factor associated with inflammation regulation, T cell immunoglobulin and mucin domain-1 (TIM-1) is found to be involved in various inflammatory disorders such as asthma and COPD. In this study, the GEO database provides two human COPD gene expression datasets (GSE67472, n = 62) along with the relevant controls (n = 43) for differentially expressed gene (DEG) analyses.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFClin Rev Allergy Immunol
January 2025
Department of Dermatology and Venereology, Sir Run Run Shaw Hospital, School of Medicine, Zhejiang University, Hangzhou, China.
In recent years, epigenetic modifications have attracted significant attention due to their unique regulatory mechanisms and profound biological implications. Acting as a bridge between environmental stimuli and changes in gene activity, they reshape gene expression patterns, providing organisms with regulatory mechanisms to respond to environmental changes. A growing body of evidence indicates that epigenetic regulation plays a crucial role in the pathogenesis and progression of psoriasis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFInflammation
January 2025
The Key Laboratory of Spine and Spinal Cord Disease of Jiangxi Province, Nanchang, 330006, China.
Inflammatory bone resorption represents a pathological condition marked by an increase in bone loss, commonly associated with chronic inflammatory conditions such as rheumatoid arthritis and periodontitis. Current therapies primarily focus on anti-inflammatory drugs and bisphosphonates; however, these treatments are limited due to side effects, inadequate efficacy, and unpredictable long-term complications. Kurarinone (KR), a bioactive compound isolated from the traditional Chinese herb Sophora flavescens, exhibits a range of biological activities, including anti-inflammatory, anticancer, and cardiovascular protective effects.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFSports Med Open
January 2025
Institute of Primary Care, University of Zurich, Zurich, Switzerland.
Background: Marathon training and running have many beneficial effects on human health and physical fitness; however, they also pose risks. To date, no comprehensive review regarding both the benefits and risks of marathon running on different organ systems has been published.
Main Body: The aim of this review was to provide a comprehensive review of the benefits and risks of marathon training and racing on different organ systems.
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