2024 Update of the Japan College of Rheumatology Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis - secondary publication.

Objectives: To update the Japan College of Rheumatology Clinical Practice Guidelines for the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (CPG for RA).

Methods: The recommendations were developed based on the evidence published until the end of June 2022 using the Grading of Recommendations Assessment, Development, and Evaluation (GRADE). The steering committee, CPG panel, systematic review (SR) group, and SR support team were organised.

Burden of rheumatic diseases among people with diabetes: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM2) is a prevalent metabolic condition affecting over 500 million people globally and associated with serious comorbidities, including various rheumatologic conditions. Some studies have reported a significant association between rheumatological conditions and DM2. However, the global burden of rheumatological conditions among people with DM2 remains unknown.

Effect of Characteristic Inflammatory and Structural Pelvic Magnetic Resonance Imaging Lesions on Expert Assessment of Axial Juvenile Spondyloarthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the influence of pelvic magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) findings on axial disease assessment in juvenile spondyloarthritis (JSpA).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of patients with JSpA with suspected axial disease. Three experts reviewed each case and rated their confidence (-3 to +3) in the presence of axial disease, first with clinical data and second with clinical and MRI data.

Late-onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune rheumatic disease (ARD) that results from the dysregulation of multiple innate and adaptive immune pathways. Late-onset SLE (Lo-SLE) is the term used when the disease is first diagnosed after 50-65 years, though the standard age cut-off remains undefined. Defining "late-onset" as lupus with onset after 50 years is more biologically plausible as this roughly corresponds to the age of menopause.

Association of C4 Null Alleles and Persistently Low C4 in Asian Indian Patients With Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

The association between heterozygous C4 deficiency and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is unclear. There is a lack of data in South Asian Indians on any possible association of C4A and C4B null alleles with lupus. We aimed to study the prevalence of C4A and C4B null alleles in a cohort of SLE patients with persistently low C4 levels compared to healthy controls (HC).

The clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of patients with systemic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN): a single centre study from India.

Objectives: To describe the clinical profile and compare the long-term outcomes of patients with S-PAN treated with various treatment regimens at our centre in the last 2 decades.

Methods: Data regarding clinical presentation, treatment allocation, relapses and outcomes of patients fulfilling American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 1990 criteria for PAN in the last 2 decades were recorded from electronic medical records. Relapse-free survival and predictors were analysed using KM survival statistics and regression analysis.

Effectiveness for remission maintenance rate and safety of different rituximab regimens for treating anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis in Japan: a J-CANVAS study.

Rituximab (RTX) has been reported to effectively maintain remission in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). In this multicenter study involving 57 patients who achieved remission after 24 weeks, we evaluated the effectiveness of RTX in maintaining remission in patients with AAV. Patients were divided into three groups based on RTX administration: continuous, induction phase-only, and maintenance phase-only groups.

Self-Reported Delayed Adverse Events and Flare Following COVID-19 Vaccination Among Patients With Autoimmune Rheumatic Disease (AIRD) in Malaysia: Results From the COVAD-2 Study.

Objectives: To determine the prevalence of self-reported delayed adverse events (DAEs), major AEs, and flares following COVID-19 vaccinations among patients with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) in Malaysia.

Methodology: An electronically validated survey from the COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) study group was distributed in July 2021 to patients with autoimmune diseases and healthy controls (HCs). The survey collected data on DAEs (any AE that persisted or occurred after 7 days of vaccination), any early or delayed major adverse events (MAEs), and flares following COVID-19 vaccination.

Yoga as an adjunctive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

This is a protocol for a Cochrane Review (intervention). The objectives are as follows: To assess the effect and safety of yoga as an adjunctive therapy for rheumatoid arthritis.

Glucocorticoid tapering pace in microscopic polyangiitis and granulomatosis with polyangiitis in Japanese real-world practice: A propensity score-matched retrospective cohort study from the J-CANVAS registry.

Objective: To assess the prevalence and outcomes among regimens of glucocorticoid tapering for microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) and granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) in real-world practice.

Methods: We retrospectively examined the Japan Collaborative Registry of ANCA-associated Vasculitis (J-CANVAS) registry, and evaluated the prevalence of glucocorticoid tapering regimens in the PEXIVAS trial. In patients with newly diagnosed MPA and GPA, we compared outcomes among standard and reduced pace regimens.

MicroRNAs as Biomarker in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Pathogenesis to Clinical Relevance.

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) have emerged as intricate players in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), holding promise as discerning biomarkers for diagnostic and prognostic purposes. The lack of sensitivity and specificity in current diagnostic techniques, such as rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA), causes diagnosis delays in RA. The miR-146a and miR-155 act in inflammatory cascades and reduce joint deterioration, and miR-223 is paradoxical, acting differently in different illness scenarios.

The climate emergency for rheumatologists: where do we stand?

Climate change and pollution are a major existential threat. Healthcare contributes a noteworthy 4-6% to the total carbon footprint and 5-7% of the total greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Environmental pollution and modern lifestyles are also contributing to the increased prevalence of autoimmune and lifestyle-related rheumatic disease.

Conventional Synthetic Disease-modifying Drugs Remain the Mainstay of Therapy for Rheumatoid Arthritis in India.

Background: There are limited data on the real-world utilization of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in Indian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of a multicentric observational cohort of RA patients across rheumatology clinics at six centers across India. Patients who met the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2010 criteria for RA were included.

Kidney Dimensions and its Correlation with Anthropometric Parameters in Healthy North Indian Adults.

Background: Knowledge of kidney size is important in the assessment of kidney function. Changes in kidney size can occur in various kidney diseases due to different causes, hence knowledge of normal kidney dimensions in a population is crucial for diagnosis, follow-up and prognostication. While data from other parts of the world does not apply to the Indian population due to differences in ethnicity, diet and body sizes, and there is also a lack of standardized data on normal kidney sizes in healthy Indian adults.

Semaphorins and its receptors: Emerging cellular biomarkers and therapeutic targets in autoimmune and inflammatory disorders.

Semaphorins have been discovered to play an array of roles in immune regulation, especially in the complex field of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. Originally discovered for their critical role in directing axon growth during brain development, semaphores have since been shown to have versatile actions. They are distinguished by a conserved extracellular sema domain with a 7-blade beta propeller structure.

Machine learning identifies cytokine signatures of disease severity and autoantibody profiles in systemic lupus erythematosus - a pilot study.

Disrupted cytokine networks and autoantibodies play an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus. However, conflicting reports and non-reproducibility have hindered progress regarding the translational potential of cytokines in SLE. This study attempts to address the existing knowledge gap using multiplex cytokine assay and machine learning.

Serum p-Glycoprotein and Monomeric C-Reactive Protein are Elevated in Takayasu Arteritis.

Purpose: Existing biomarkers including C-reactive protein (CRP) do not adequately distinguish active and inactive TAK. We compared serum p-glycoprotein (p-gp)/Multidrug Resistance Protein 1 (MDR1), monomeric CRP (mCRP), CRP, and mCRP:CRP ratio in Takayasu arteritis (TAK) and healthy controls and their relationship with disease activity.

Patients And Methods: Serum p-gp mCRP (ELISA) and CRP (nephelometry) were compared between consecutive adults with TAK (>18 years) enrolled from a prospective cohort (n = 92) and healthy controls (n = 29), and between active vs inactive TAK (n = 46 each).

Competency of Jeffrey Modell Foundation warning signs and routine laboratory tests in suspecting primary immunodeficiencies: A cross-sectional multi-centric prospective study from eastern India.

Aim: To test the efficaciousness of the 10 warning signs of Jeffrey Modell Foundation (JMF) and routine laboratory tests in predicting Primary Immunodeficiencies (PIDs).

Methods: Hospitalized children <12 years age satisfying at least two of 10 warning signs were subjected to routine and confirmatory tests.

Results: Of 35 204 admitted patients, 66 satisfied the JMF criteria and 34 had PID.

A Case of Anti-OJ Antibody-positive Antisynthetase Myopathy Diagnosed after Pulmonary Embolization.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies, such as dermatomyositis, are implicated as possible risk factors for venous thromboembolism. We herein report the first known case of a 50-year-old woman who presented to our hospital with a fever, chest pain, and elevated creatine kinase levels and was ultimately diagnosed with pulmonary embolism and anti-OJ antibody-positive antisynthetase myopathy. Dermatomyositis may increase the risk of venous thromboembolism, including pulmonary embolism.