Guselkumab in Patients With Moderately to Severely Active Ulcerative Colitis: QUASAR Phase 2b Induction Study.

Background & Aims: The QUASAR Phase 2b Induction Study evaluated the efficacy and safety of guselkumab, an interleukin-23p19 subunit antagonist, in patients with moderately to severely active ulcerative colitis (UC) with prior inadequate response and/or intolerance to corticosteroids, immunosuppressants, and/or advanced therapy.

Methods: In this double-blind, placebo-controlled, dose-ranging, induction study, patients were randomized (1:1:1) to receive intravenous guselkumab 200 or 400 mg or placebo at weeks 0/4/8. The primary endpoint was clinical response (compared with baseline, modified Mayo score decrease ≥30% and ≥2 points, rectal bleeding subscore ≥1-point decrease or subscore of 0/1) at week 12.

Hyperlipoproteinaemia(a) in patients with spondyloarthritis: results of the Cardiovascular in Rheumatology (CARMA) project.

Objectives: Cardiovascular (CV) disease is one of the main causes of morbi-mortality in spondyloarthritis (SpA), partially explained by traditional CV risk factors. Information on lipoprotein(a) [Lp(a)], a non-conventional risk factor, in SpA is scarce. In this study we assessed the prevalence of hyperlipoproteinaemia(a) in SpA patients and analysed the possible related factors.

Incidence of first cardiovascular event in Spanish patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases: prospective data from the CARMA project.

Objectives: To determine the incidence and risk factors of first cardiovascular event (CVE) in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD).

Methods: Analysis of data after 2.5 years of follow-up from the prospective study CARMA project, that includes patients with CIRD [rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA)] and matched individuals without CIRD from 67 hospitals in Spain.

Amylin in the insulin resistance of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Amylin, which is co-secreted with insulin, plays a role in glycemic regulation and is impaired in type 2 diabetes. In the present study we assess, for the first time, the implication of amylin in the development of insulin resistance (IR) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This was a cross-sectional study involving 361 non-diabetic individuals, 151 patients with RA and 210 sex-matched controls.

Insulin resistance in systemic lupus erythematosus patients: contributing factors and relationship with subclinical atherosclerosis.

Objectives: Insulin resistance (IR) plays a role in the increased cardiovascular risk of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. This study aimed to determine the potential association of IR with disease activity, drug exposure and subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with SLE.

Methods: This cross-sectional study encompassed 87 non-diabetic SLE patients and 82 sex-matched controls.

Telomere length, endothelial activation and carotid atherosclerosis in black and white African patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Our objective was to examine associations of traditional and non-traditional cardiovascular risk factors with relative leukocyte telomere length and confounder adjusted relationships of relative telomere length with endothelial activation and carotid atherosclerosis in black and white African patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Relative telomere length of leukocyte DNA in whole blood was determined using quantitative RT-PCR in 205 (101 black) African patients with RA.

Results: In demographic characteristic adjusted analysis, relative telomere length tended to be larger in black compared to white patients (median (IQR)=0.

Acquisition of carbapenem resistance in multiresistant Klebsiella pneumoniae strains harbouring blaCTX-M-15, qnrS1 and aac(6')-Ib-cr genes.

Three closely related Klebsiella pneumoniae strains isolated from the same patient harboured bla(CTX-M-15), bla(OXA-1), bla(SHV-11), qnrS1, aac(6')-Ib-cr, oqxAB, aac(3)-II and aph(3')-Ia genes. Two of the isolates were recovered after treatment with meropenem and showed resistance to carbapenems. Sequencing of ompK35 and ompK36 porin genes of the carbapenem-resistant strains revealed the presence of premature stop codons in both, and OmpK35 and OmpK36 porins were not detected by SDS-PAGE.