Imaging of polymyalgia rheumatica: indications on its pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis.

Objectives: Imaging is one of the most appealing techniques to explore PMR, a disease whose causes, development mechanisms and anatomical targets of inflammatory damage are still scarcely known. This review is concerned with an appraisal of PMR with different imaging modalities with a view to highlighting possible clues to its pathogenesis, diagnosis and prognosis.

Methods: A systematic literature research was performed searching PubMed until July 2010.

Differential diagnosis between rheumatoid arthritis and psoriatic arthritis: the value of ultrasound findings at metacarpophalangeal joints level.

Objective: To investigate the potential of ultrasound (US) in the differential diagnosis between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) at metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints level.

Methods: 18 RA patients and 20 PsA patients with clinical involvement of MCP joints were included. All US examinations were performed by two rheumatologists investigating: presence of joint cavity widening (JCW), synovial fluid and/or synovial hypertrophy, peritenon extensor tendon inflammation (PTI) and intra-articular or peri-tendinous power Doppler (PD) signal.

Sonographic subclinical entheseal involvement in dialysis patients.

Long-term dialysis treatment can be associated with several musculoskeletal complications. Entheseal involvement in dialysis patients remains rarely studied as its prevalence is underestimated due to its often asymptomatic presentation. The aims of the study were to determine the prevalence of subclinical enthesopathy in haemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis patients at the lower limb level, to investigate the inter-observer reliability of ultrasound assessment and to analyse the influence of biometric and biochemical parameters.

[Translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the Recent-Onset Arthritis Disability (ROAD) index into Brazilian Portuguese].

Introduction: The increasing search for the psychological treatment of patients with chronic diseases and with clinical indications for the control of physical and psychological capacities has revealed a need for instruments aimed at assessing these patients. Rheumatoid arthritis is a condition that has been widely studied with a focus on the development of new drugs and treatment approaches. However, psychometric instruments developed for this specific population are still rare.

Polymyalgia rheumatica is associated with extensor tendon tenosynovitis but not with synovitis of the hands: a magnetic resonance imaging study.

Objectives: To study with MRI the hands of consecutive PMR patients, who were not selected on the basis of peripheral arthritis, with a correlation to clinical and laboratory findings.

Methods: Twenty-six hands of 15 PMR patients and 26 hands of 13 healthy controls were studied by extremity-dedicated MRI for the presence of synovitis, tenosynovitis, soft-tissue oedema, bone marrow oedema and erosions.

Results: Sixteen (61.

[Polyarthritis flare in patient with ankylosing spondylitis treated with infliximab].

Over the last ten years, the treatment of seronegative spondyloarthropathies has changed dramatically with the introduction of the anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) agents. Nevertheless, there is a growing number of studies describing several adverse reactions in patients treated with biological agents. In the present report we describe the case of a 22-year-old male patient with ankylosing spondylitis who developed a "paradoxic" adverse reaction, while receiving infliximab.

Inter-observer reliability of high-resolution ultrasonography in the assessment of bone erosions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: experience of an intensive dedicated training programme.

Objective: The present study was aimed at testing the ability of a rheumatologist without experience in ultrasound (US) who attended an intensive 4-week training programme focused on US assessing bone erosions in the hands and feet in patients with RA.

Methods: Twenty patients diagnosed with RA according to the ACR criteria were included in the study. All US examinations were performed bilaterally by two investigators (with different experience in the field of musculoskeletal US) at the following sites: the dorsal, lateral and volar aspect of the second metacarpal, ulnar and fifth metatarsal head; and the dorsal and volar aspect of the third metacarpal and second proximal heads.

A clinical prediction rule combining routine assessment and power Doppler ultrasonography for predicting progression to rheumatoid arthritis from early-onset undifferentiated arthritis.

Objectives: The ability to predict the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in patients with an early-onset undifferentiated arthritis (UA) is highly required if the remission or an adequate response to the treatment are the main goal. The aim of the study was to develop a predictive rule combining clinical variables, serological biomarkers and power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS) for the progression from an early-onset UA to RA in daily rheumatological practice.

Methods: A prediction rule was developed after a 12 months study of 149 adult patients with a recent-onset UA.

Subclinical entheseal involvement in patients with psoriasis: an ultrasound study.

Objectives: The main aim of the present study was to determine the prevalence of subclinical entheseal involvement at lower limbs by ultrasound (US) in patients with psoriasis. The secondary aim was to determine the interobserver reliability of the Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System (GUESS) and power Doppler (PD) technique in the assessment of enthesopathy.

Methods: The study was conducted on 45 patients with psoriasis and 45 healthy sex- and age-matched controls.

Interobserver reliability of ultrasonography in the assessment of cartilage damage in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To evaluate the interobserver reliability of ultrasonography (US) in the assessment of cartilage damage at metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint level in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: US examinations were performed on 80 MCP joints of 20 patients with RA using a MyLab70 XVG (Esaote Biomedica, Genoa, Italy), equipped with a broadband linear probe (6-18 MHz). For each patient, second and third MCP joints of both hands were examined independently on the same day by two rheumatologists (an experienced musculoskeletal sonographer and an investigator with limited US training).

Changes in adiponectin and leptin concentrations during glucocorticoid treatment: a pilot study in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica.

This study is concerned with an evaluation of the effects of glucocorticoids (GC) on adiponectin and leptin concentrations in patients with polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR). Seven patients diagnosed with PMR were studied at baseline and after one and three months of prednisone treatment. Serum leptin and adiponectin, serum glucose and insulin, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and IL-6 were all measured by commercial assays.

[Gitelman syndrome associated with chondrocalcinosis: description of two cases].

Gitelman syndrome is a rare inherited tubulopathy, characterized by hypomagnesemia, hypokalemia, metabolic alkalosis, hypocalciuria and hyperreninemic hyperaldosteronism. The clinical spectrum is wide and includes: cramps, myalgias, muscle weakness, until episodes of carpo-podalic spasm, tetania, rhabdomyolysis and paralysis. Some cases have been described in literature underlining the association of this condition with chondrocalcinosis, as a typical example of hypomagnesemia-induced crystal deposition disease.

[Health-related quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: assessment by a Italian version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales, Version 2 (AIMS2)].

The research carried out by Censis Foundation, in collaboration with SIR (Italian Society of Rheumatology) and ANMAR (National association of rheumatic patients) involved 646 patients, diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by a rheumatologist according to ACR criteria. The patients were recruited through a representative sample of 300 general practitioners (GP). A cross-sectional survey was conducted to study the current status of health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients using a revised Italian version of a revised version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (AIMS2).

Risk factors for gouty dactylitis.

Objective: To investigate the risk factors associated with dactylitis in gout.

Methods: The questionnaires of 73 consecutive gouty patients, diagnosed according to the ACR criteria, were reviewed. They were consecutively screened for the presence of dactylitis.

[The current role of ultrasound in the assessment of crystal-related arthropathies].

Over last few years, the ultrasonography (US) generated an increasing popularity among rheumatologists due to excellent potentiality and numerous applications in rheumatology. Most of the published papers focus mainly to demonstrate the utility of US in early and chronic arthritis, short-term therapy monitoring and guidance for invasive procedures. Less attention has been paid to the potential of this technique in the field of crystal-related arthropathies.

[Socio-demographic aspects and therapeutic pathways in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Italy].

The research carried out by Censis Foundation, in collaboration with SIR (Italian Society of Rheumatology) and ANMAR (National Association of Rheumatic patients), with the sponsorship of Roche S.p.A.

Quantitative and qualitative assessment of one rheumatology trainee's experience with a self-teaching programme in videocapillaroscopy.

Objective: We have developed a self-taught course by which rheumatologists in training can learn how to conduct capillaroscopy examinations using a computerized videomicroscopy system. We assessed the effectiveness of this course by following the learning curve of one specialist trainee with no experience in capillaroscopy.

Methods: The student's training consisted of 10 practical sessions held on three consecutive days.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the hand in psoriatic arthritis.

Although magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are fewer than those of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), interest in this field is growing. The type and site of the lesions, rather than the mere severity of synovitis, can help differentiate PsA from other arthritides. Extracapsular enhancement and enthesitis are features emphasized as typical of PsA, but their relevance for the diagnosis is more quantitative than qualitative.

[Severe drug hypersensitivity syndrome due to sulphasalazine in patient with rheumatoid arthritis].

Drug Hypersensitivity Syndrome, also known as Drug Rash with Eosinophilia and Systemic Symptoms is a severe adverse reaction characterized by clinical manifestations including fever, skin eruption, lymphoadenopathy, associated with eosinophilia, leukocytosis and multiple visceral involvement, with 10% of mortality due to development of multiple organ failure. This reaction usually occurs between two and six-eight weeks after the beginning of the treatment and may not resolve with interruption of the suspected drug. Sulfonamides, anticonvulsant, allopurinol are the most frequently involved molecules, but recently cases have been described also with gabapentin and strontium ranelate.

[Clinical features of gout in a cohort of Italian patients].

Objective: To assess the clinical characteristics of gout and its diagnostic approach in a group of Italian patients.

Methods: In a retrospective analysis, we evaluated 72 consecutive gouty patients examined in the years 2000-2007. We recorded demographic data, family history, comorbidities and disease characteristics (seasonality of the attacks, joints affected, serum uric acid concentration, and treatment).

The health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis: a comparison with a selected sample of healthy people.

Background: The health-related quality of life (HRQL) is an important indicator of the burden of musculoskeletal disease. The Medical Outcome Study Short-Term 36 (SF-36) is the most used tool that evaluates HRQL as a subjective perception about psychological and physical limitations due to an underlying illness. The purpose of this study was to compare the HRQL scores among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and a selected sample of health people and determine their relationship with measures of clinical condition.

[Dynamic contrast-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist in early arthritis].

Objectives: MRI has been proposed as the imaging method of choice to evaluate the long-term outcome in patients with early arthritis. The role of dynamic MRI, performed at presentation, in predicting the outcome of patients with early arthritis has been addressed in the present study.

Methods: 39 patients with early arthritis, involving at least one wrist, were studied with clinical visits and laboratory investigations, every 3 months.

Modern imaging techniques: a revolution for rheumatology practice.

Imaging has changed rheumatology practice in terms of both diagnostic approach and knowledge of disease mechanisms. Clinical symptoms, disease signs and the results of physical examination have been more closely related to their anatomical basis. In particular, ultrasonography (US), magnetic resonance imaging and videocapillaroscopy allow diagnosis of disease in its early phase.