Exploring a Novel Outcome Measure of Symptom Progression in Knee Osteoarthritis Utilizing a Large Randomized Trial.

Objectives: Explore a newly defined composite measure of symptom progression for knee osteoarthritis (KOA) in a large, randomized study of a potential disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD).

Design: Using longitudinal KOA studies, a potential composite endpoint of time to symptom progression was defined as the first occurrence of worsening of WOMAC Pain of ≥10 points with no improvement (≤9 point decrease) in WOMAC Function (0-100 scale). A post hoc analysis explored discrimination and association with structural outcomes in the sprifermin FORWARD trial through Years 3 and 5.

Brain functional imaging contributions in osteoarthritis-related pain: A viewpoint.

Objective: Neuroimaging investigations are critical to provide a more direct assessment of brain disturbances associated with osteoarthritis (OA)-related pain, and to better understand its pathophysiology to develop new treatment strategies. This viewpoint aims to summarize the importance of the brain in OA pain.

Method: A European working group on pain in osteoarthritis GO-PAIN (Going Inside Osteoarthritis-related Pain Phenotyping) has been created to work on a global assessment of the OA-related pain.

Focusing on ligamentous soft tissue inflammation for the future understanding of early axial psoriatic arthritis.

Imaging has transformed the understanding of inflammatory and degenerative arthritis in both peripheral and axial disease. In axial inflammation, fat suppression magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has unravelled the role of sub-fibrocartilaginous osteitis in axial spondyloarthritis and the role of peri-entheseal vertebral body osteitis and subsequent spinal new bone formation. Established or late-stage axial psoriatic arthritis (PsA) cases often exhibit impressive para-marginal or chunky syndesmophytosis on conventional X-ray that pathologically represents entheseal soft tissue ossification.

Improving the arthritis component of the SLEDAI-2K.

Objective: To propose a new definition for SLEDAI arthritis informed by imaging.

Methods: We performed a planned secondary analysis of observational data from a multicentre study evaluating SLE patients with inflammatory joint pain (swelling not required) using various clinical instruments, laboratory tests and ultrasound. For SLEDAI arthritis, assessors (blinded to ultrasound) were asked which of the glossary terms for arthritis in any version of the SLEDAI drove their decision to score for arthritis.

Biological hallmarks of systemic sclerosis are present in the skin and serum of patients with Very Early Diagnosis of SSc (VEDOSS).

Objective: The Very Early Diagnosis of Systemic Sclerosis (VEDOSS) EUSTAR study showed that, despite not showing any clinical sign of disease, patients with Raynaud's and antinuclear antibodies and/or capillaroscopy abnormalities often progress to systemic sclerosis (SSc) within 5 years. We aimed to determine whether VEDOSS biosamples show biological SSc activity pre-clinically.

Methods: Skin biopsies were histologically analysed.

Soft tissue tumor imaging in adults: European Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology-Guidelines 2024: imaging immediately after neoadjuvant therapy in soft tissue sarcoma, soft tissue tumor surveillance, and the role of interventional radiology.

Objectives: An update of the first European Society of Musculoskeletal Radiology (ESSR) consensus on soft tissue tumor imaging in 2015 became necessary due to technical advancements, further insights into specific entities, and the revised WHO classification (2020) and AJCC staging system (2017). The third part of the revised guidelines covers algorithms and techniques beyond initial imaging: (1) Imaging after neoadjuvant therapy in soft tissue sarcoma, (2) sarcoma surveillance, and (3) special aspects, including surveillance of non-malignant entities and the role of interventional radiology.

Materials And Methods: A validated Delphi method based on peer-reviewed literature was used to derive consensus among a panel of 46 specialized musculoskeletal radiologists from 12 European countries.

Benefits and challenges of the integration of haptics-enhanced virtual reality training within dental curricula.

Background: Haptics-enhanced virtual reality (VR-haptic) simulation in dental education has evolved considerably during the past decade, representing a promising resource of simulation-based training opportunities to support conventional practice. We aim to summarize current literature on the applications of VR-haptics in learning, practicing, and teaching dental education.

Methods: A literature search was performed using PubMed, focusing on research articles published between January 2010 and January 2024.

Sequelae of B-Cell Depleting Therapy: An Immunologist's Perspective.

B-cell depleting therapy (BCDT) has revolutionised the treatment of B-cell malignancies and autoimmune diseases by targeting specific B-cell surface antigens, receptors, ligands, and signalling pathways. This narrative review explores the mechanisms, applications, and complications of BCDT, focusing on the therapeutic advancements since the introduction of rituximab in 1997. Various monoclonal antibodies and kinase inhibitors are examined for their roles in depleting B cells through antibody-dependent and independent mechanisms.

A multivariable prediction model to identify anti-CCP positive people in those with non-specific musculoskeletal symptoms in primary care.

Objectives: We aimed to develop a prediction model identifying people presenting to primary care with musculoskeletal symptoms likely to be anti-CCP positive and therefore at risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Participants aged ≥16 years, with new-onset non-specific musculoskeletal symptoms and no history of clinical synovitis, completed a symptom questionnaire and had an anti-CCP test. Model development used LASSO-penalised logistic regression, performance was assessed using area under the receiver operating characteristic curve (AUROC) and decision curve analysis, model over-fit was estimated using bootstrapping and cross-validation.

Sex differences and determinants of coronary microvascular function in asymptomatic adults with type 2 diabetes.

Background: Coronary microvascular dysfunction (CMD) is a significant complication in type 2 diabetes (T2D) and may be more common in women. We aimed to evaluate the sex differences and sex-specific clinical determinants of CMD in adults with T2D without prevalent cardiovascular disease.

Methods: Single center pooled analysis of four prospective studies comparing asymptomatic people with T2D and controls.

Input device matters for measures of behaviour in online experiments.

Studies of perception, cognition, and action increasingly rely on measures derived from the movements of a cursor to investigate how psychological processes unfold over time. This method is one of the most sensitive measures available for remote experiments conducted online, but experimenters have little control over the input device used by participants, typically a mouse or trackpad. These two devices require biomechanically distinct movements to operate, so measures extracted from cursor tracking data may differ between input devices.

Brain multi-omic Mendelian randomisation to identify novel drug targets for gliomagenesis.

Background: Genetic variants associated with molecular traits that are also associated with liability to glioma can provide causal evidence for the identification and prioritisation of drug targets.

Methods: We performed comprehensive two-sample Mendelian randomisation (Wald ratio and/or IVW) and colocalisation analyses of molecular traits on glioma. Instrumentable traits (QTLs P < 5 × 10-8) were identified amongst 11 985 gene expression measures, 13 285 splicing isoforms and 10 198 protein abundance measures, derived from 15 brain regions.

Distribution of ribotypes and sequence types across humans, animals and food in 13 European countries.

is a One Health pathogen found in humans, animals, and the environment, with food representing a potential transmission route. One Health studies are often limited to a single country or selected reservoirs and ribotypes. This study provides a varied and accessible collection of isolates and sequencing data derived from human, animal, and food sources across 13 European countries.

Building trust and inclusion with under-served groups: a public involvement project employing a knowledge mobilisation approach.

Background: Certain groups are commonly under-served by health research due to exclusionary models of research design/delivery. Working in partnership with under-served groups is key to improving inclusion. This project aimed to explore the use of a knowledge mobilisation approach to start building partnerships with under-served groups based on trust and mutual understanding.

Results from the international collaborative systematic literature review informing the 2023 EULAR recommendations for the treatment of systemic sclerosis.

Background: The EULAR recommendations for the treatment of systemic sclerosis (SSc) were updated in 2017, informed by a systematic literature review (SLR) completed in 2014.

Objectives: The aim of this new SLR was to provide the most up-to-date literature to underpin contemporary EULAR recommendations for the management of SSc.

Methods: 30 searches for 30 interventions (including several outcomes/clinical questions), and 1 dedicated search (with several interventions) for calcinosis were prioritised by the task force.

Arthroplasty Follow-Up Pathways: A Qualitative Study of Current Practice and Healthcare Professionals' Attitudes and Motivations for Change.

Background: There is considerable diversity in arthroplasty follow-up pathways. This qualitative study aimed to understand healthcare professionals' practice and attitude to follow-up, their motivation for change and what evidence they considered before implementing new pathways.

Methods: The main UKSAFE study enroled 38 centres providing revision procedures across the United Kingdom.

A systematic review of networks for prognostic prediction of health outcomes and diagnostic prediction of health conditions within Electronic Health Records.

Background And Objective: Using graph theory, Electronic Health Records (EHRs) can be represented graphically to exploit the relational dependencies of the multiple information formats to improve Machine Learning (ML) prediction models. In this systematic qualitative review, we explore the question: How are graphs used on EHRs, to predict diagnosis and health outcomes?

Methodology: The search strategy identified studies that used patient-level graph representations of EHRs to utilise ML to predict health outcomes and diagnoses. We conducted our search on MEDLINE, Web of Science and Scopus.

A new instrument for the screening of psoriatic arthritis among psoriatic patients.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the performance of a dermatologist-filled-in 7-item questionnaire (called HERACLES) as a screening tool for psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in patients with psoriasis.

Methods: This study was performed in Italy in seven dermatology centres cooperating with rheumatology centres. Adults with psoriasis were consecutively recruited up to a calculated number of 750.

Theta Transcranial Alternating Current Stimulation Is Not Effective in Improving Working Memory Performance.

There is an extensive body of research showing a significant relationship between frontal midline theta activity in the 4- to 8-Hz range and working memory (WM) performance. Transcranial alternating current stimulation (tACS) is recognized for inducing lasting changes in brain oscillatory activity. Across two experiments, we tested whether WM could be improved through tACS of dorsomedial pFC and ACC, by affecting executive control networks associated with frontal midline theta.

Efficacy and safety of filgotinib in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: week 156 interim results from a long-term extension study.

Background: Janus kinase inhibitors are an effective option for achieving sustained remission or low disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) following inadequate response to conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Filgotinib is a Janus kinase 1-preferential inhibitor available in two doses for moderate-to-severe RA. We report the long-term efficacy and safety of filgotinib.