Biomimetic Proteoglycans for Intervertebral Disc (IVD) Regeneration.

Intervertebral disc degeneration, which leads to low back pain, is the most prevalent musculoskeletal condition worldwide, significantly impairing quality of life and imposing substantial socioeconomic burdens on affected individuals. A major impediment to the development of any prospective cell-driven recovery of functional properties in degenerate IVDs is the diminishing IVD cell numbers and viability with ageing which cannot sustain such a recovery process. However, if IVD proteoglycan levels, a major functional component, can be replenished through an orthobiological process which does not rely on cellular or nutritional input, then this may be an effective strategy for the re-attainment of IVD mechanical properties.

Approach to the Diagnosis and Management of Complex Fascicular Ventricular Tachycardias.

Complex ventricular tachycardias involving the fascicular system (fascicular ventricular tachycardias [FVTs]) can be challenging. In this review, we describe our approach to the diagnosis and ablation of these arrhythmias with 10 illustrative cases that involve (1) differentiation from supraventricular tachycardia; (2) assessment for atypical bundle branch reentry and other interfascicular FVTs; (3) examination of P1/P2 activation sequences in sinus rhythm, pacing, and tachycardia; and (4) entrainment techniques to establish the tachycardia mechanism and aid circuit localization. To summarize, 5 cases had prior ablation with 2 previously misdiagnosed as supraventricular tachycardia.

Development and Initial Validation of the Novel Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Activity Index.

Objective: Accurate measurement of disease activity in systemic sclerosis (SSc) remains a significant clinical challenge. The Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium (SCTC) convened an Activity Index (AI) Working Group (WG) to develop a novel measure of disease activity (SCTC-AI).

Methods: Using consensus methodology, we developed a conceptual definition of disease activity.

Outcomes of Patients With Diffuse Systemic Sclerosis Eligible for Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation Treated With Conventional Therapy.

Objective: The study objective was to determine the event-free survival (EFS) of Australian patients with diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis (dcSSc) who met eligibility criteria for autologous stem cell transplant (ASCT) in previously published randomized controlled trials but were not treated with ASCT.

Methods: Patients who met inclusion criteria for the Autologous Stem Cell Transplantation International Scleroderma (ASTIS) and Scleroderma: Cyclophosphamide Or Transplantation (SCOT) trials were identified from the multicenter Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study (ASCS). EFS (survival without cardiac, renal, or pulmonary failure or death) at 4 years was assessed.

Inflammatory Arthritis in Systemic Sclerosis: Its Epidemiology, Associations, and Morbidity.

Objective: To describe the epidemiology, associations, and impact of inflammatory arthritis (IA) in systemic sclerosis (SSc).

Methods: Patients with SSc prospectively enrolled in the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study were included. IA was defined clinically as the presence of synovitis on examination.

Structural and electro-anatomical characterization of the equine pulmonary veins: implications for atrial fibrillation.

Introduction/objectives: Spontaneous pulmonary vein (PV) activity triggers atrial fibrillation (AF) in humans. Although AF frequently occurs in horses, the origin remains unknown. This study investigated the structural and electro-anatomical properties of equine PVs to determine the potential presence of an arrhythmogenic substrate.

Efficacy and safety of 48 weeks of guselkumab for patients with Crohn's disease: maintenance results from the phase 2, randomised, double-blind GALAXI-1 trial.

Background: Many patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease do not respond to available therapies or lose response over time. The GALAXI-1 study previously found that three intravenous guselkumab dosages showed superior clinical and endoscopic outcomes over placebo at week 12 in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease. We report the safety and efficacy of subcutaneous guselkumab maintenance regimens to week 48 in the GALAXI-1 study.

Impact of the COVID-19 Pandemic on Health Care Access and Diagnosis of Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension Among Patients With Systemic Sclerosis.

Objective: Regular clinical assessment for complications of systemic sclerosis (SSc) such as pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is essential for early institution of therapy and improved outcomes. The objective of this study was to determine the impact of COVID-19 pandemic-related restrictions on health care access of patients with SSc, including screening for PAH.

Methods: South Australian and Victorian patients enrolled in the Australian Scleroderma Cohort Study were surveyed about their perceptions of the impact of the pandemic on mental well-being, access to medications, investigations, and management of SSc.

Complement component C4 structural variation and quantitative traits contribute to sex-biased vulnerability in systemic sclerosis.

Copy number (CN) polymorphisms of complement C4 play distinct roles in many conditions, including immune-mediated diseases. We investigated the association of C4 CN with systemic sclerosis (SSc) risk. Imputed total C4, C4A, C4B, and HERV-K CN were analyzed in 26,633 individuals and validated in an independent cohort.

The Sound of Interconnectivity; The European Vasculitis Society 2022 Report.

The first European Vasculitis Society (EUVAS) meeting report was published in 2017. Herein, we report on developments in the past 5 years which were greatly influenced by the pandemic. The adaptability to engage virtually, at this critical time in society, embodies the importance of networks and underscores the role of global collaborations.

Female reproductive status and exogenous sex hormone use in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with tocilizumab and csDMARDs.

Objectives: Sex is well known to influence risk, severity and treatment outcomes of RA, although the underlying causes are uncertain. The aim of this research was to examine whether factors influencing female sex hormones (reproductive status and exogenous sex hormone use) are associated with the efficacy of DMARDs.

Methods: Individual participant data were pooled from five phase 3 clinical trials where RA patients were treated with tocilizumab and/or conventional synthetic DMARDs.

Prognostic factors for survival and ambulatory status at 8 weeks with metastatic spinal cord compression in the SCORAD randomised trial.

Background: Metastatic spinal cord compression (MSCC) carries a poor prognosis and management is based on the likelihood of maintaining mobility and predicted survival.

Patients And Method: SCORAD is a randomised trial of 686 patients comparing a single dose of 8 Gy radiotherapy with 20 Gy in 5 fractions. Data was split into a training set (412, 60%) and a validation set (274, 40%).

Researchers in cardiology - Why and how to get on Twitter?

Social media (SoMe) for professional use has gained importance for scientific impact. In cardiology, Twitter is among the preferred SoMe platforms for scientific dissemination. We are in the middle of a paradigm shift within scientific dissemination as more scientific content is presented on Twitter, and it is crucial to embrace it.

Guselkumab for the Treatment of Crohn's Disease: Induction Results From the Phase 2 GALAXI-1 Study.

Background & Aims: Guselkumab, a selective p19 interleukin-23 antagonist, is approved for the treatment of plaque psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis. This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of guselkumab in patients with moderately to severely active Crohn's disease with inadequate response or intolerance to conventional or biologic therapy.

Methods: GALAXI-1, a phase 2, double-blind, placebo-controlled study, randomized patients 1:1:1:1:1 to intravenous guselkumab 200 mg, 600 mg, or 1200 mg at weeks 0, 4, and 8; intravenous ustekinumab approximately 6 mg/kg at week 0 and 90 mg subcutaneously at week 8; or placebo.

Establishing a palliative Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist role: A viable alternative to a Rapid Access Palliative Radiation Therapy clinic in Australia.

Introduction: A recent survey found that Rapid Access Palliative Radiation Therapy (RAPRT) clinics have not been widely embraced in Australia and New Zealand for many reasons. The purpose of this narrative is to describe the transition of a Brisbane, Queensland, RAPRT clinic to an Advanced Practice Radiation Therapist (APRT) model to further improve access and delivery of palliative radiation therapy at that centre.

Methods: The weekly RAPRT clinic commenced in 2005, run by one Radiation Oncologist (RO).

Epidemiology of acute pancreatitis in Australia from 2007-2019.

Backgrounds: There is a paucity of information on the epidemiology of acute pancreatitis (AP) in Australia.

Methods: Data on hospital admissions for a principal diagnosis of AP were obtained from the Australian Institute of Health and Welfare; population data were extracted from the Australian Bureau of Statistics. Age-adjusted, and age and sex-specific rates for all subtypes of AP were compared.

Mobile health solutions for atrial fibrillation detection and management: a systematic review.

Aim: We aimed to systematically review the available literature on mobile Health (mHealth) solutions, including handheld and wearable devices, implantable loop recorders (ILRs), as well as mobile platforms and support systems in atrial fibrillation (AF) detection and management.

Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-analyses (PRISMA) guidelines. The electronic databases PubMed (NCBI), Embase (Ovid), and Cochrane were searched for articles published until 10 February 2021, inclusive.