The spectrum of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies in Western Australia: epidemiological characteristics and mortality over time.

To determine long term overall and subgroup specific incidence rates and associated mortality for idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) in a population wide study. We included patients hospitalised between 1980 and 2015 with incident IIM as defined by relevant diagnostic codes for dermatomyositis (DM) polymyositis (PM), inclusion body myositis (IBM), other IIM and overlap myositis (OM) in the Western Australia Health Hospital Morbidity Data Collection (n = 846). Trends over time for annual incidence rate per million population (AIR) were analysed by least square regression and Kaplan-Meier survival and mortality rates (MR)/100 person years compared with a matched control group (n = 3681).

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis: frequency and long-term outcome in Western Australia.

Systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (S-JIA) is a rare but potentially life threatening autoinflammatory condition of childhood. Given the limited data on S-JIA from the Australasian region, we investigated the epidemiological characteristics and long-term disease outcome in S-JIA. All hospitalised patients under the age of 16 years registered with ICD-10-AM code M08.

The effect of TNF treatment uptake on incident hospital admission in Western Australia.

Objective: Treatment strategies for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) have shifted significantly over the last 20 years. We examined the effect of the introduction of government-subsidised TNF inhibitor (TNFi) treatment on incident hospitalisation for JIA.

Methods: Western Australian (WA) hospital data were used to identify patients < 16 years hospitalised with JIA between 1990 and 2012.

Trends in Hospitalization for Tuberculosis and Other Opportunistic Infections in Australian Patients with Inflammatory Joint Diseases.

Objective: As immune-modulating therapy has become the standard of care for idiopathic inflammatory joint diseases (IJD), we investigated whether this has changed the rates for hospitalization with opportunistic infections (OI).

Methods: Administrative longitudinal state-wide health data identified patients hospitalized at least twice with diagnostic codes for rheumatoid arthritis (RA, n = 7730), psoriatic arthritis (PsA, n = 529) or axial spondylarthritis (AS, n = 1126) in Western Australia in the period 1985-2015. Overall incidence rates/1000 person-years (IR with 95% CI) for microbiologically confirmed OI (mycobacterial, fungal, and viral infections) during 180,963 person-years were analyzed across 10-year periods with IR trend rates analyzed by least square regression (R) for all IJD categories.

Total Hip Replacement in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Trends in Incidence and Complication Rates Over 35 Years.

Introduction: Advances in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) management have made disease remission achievable. We evaluated trends in total hip replacement (THR) and postoperative outcomes in patients with RA in Western Australia (WA) over more than three decades.

Methods: This was a retrospective analysis of routinely collected prospective data from a state-wide registry containing longitudinally linked administrative health data based on International Classification of Diseases (ICD) diagnostic and procedural codes.

The Association Between TNF Inhibitor Therapy Availability and Hospital Admission Rates for Patients with Ankylosing Spondylitis. A Longitudinal Population-Based Study.

Background: TNF inhibiting drugs (TNFi) provide symptomatic relief for patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), but uncertainty remains about long-term benefits. We compared hospital admissions, emergency department (ED) presentations, and direct health care costs before and after the availability of subsidized TNFi therapy for AS patients.

Methods: State-specific dispensing and cost data for TNFi therapy for AS in Western Australia (WA) were obtained from Pharmaceutical Benefits Scheme (PBS) and expressed as the number of defined daily doses (DDD)/1000 population/day.

Septic Arthritis in Children: A Longitudinal Population-Based Study in Western Australia.

Objective: To describe the incidence, risk factors and long-term outcomes in children hospitalised with septic arthritis (SA) in Western Australia (WA).

Methods: We extracted state-wide longitudinally linked administrative health data for patients aged < 16 years with a first diagnostic code of 711.X (ICD9-CM) and M00.

Zeolites ameliorate asbestos toxicity in a transgenic model of malignant mesothelioma.

Malignant mesothelioma (MM) is an almost invariably fatal cancer caused by asbestos exposure. The toxicity of asbestos fibers is related to their physicochemical properties and the generation of free radicals. We set up a pilot study to investigate the potential of the zeolite clinoptilolite to counteract the asbestos carcinogenesis by preventing the generation of reactive nitrogen and oxygen radicals.

Late-onset riboflavin-responsive multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD): case reports and epidemiology of ETFDH gene mutations.

Background: Multiple acyl-CoA dehydrogenase deficiency (MADD) is a riboflavin-responsive lipid-storage myopathy caused by mutations in the EFTA, EFTB or ETFDH genes. We report a Chinese family of Southern Min origin with two affected siblings with late-onset riboflavin-responsive MADD due to a homozygous c.250G > A EFTDH mutation and review the genetic epidemiology of the c.

Neo-antigen specific T cell responses indicate the presence of metastases before imaging.

Non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) causes 19% of all Australian cancer deaths, with a 5-year survival post-resection of around 60%. Post-operative recurrence is due to metastases that were undetectable pre-operatively, or growth of microscopic locoregional residual disease. However, post-operative imaging modalities typically only detect more advanced tumours; where PET-CT has a detection limit of 6-7 mm.

The role and therapeutic implications of T cells in cancer of the lung.

Lung cancer remains the leading cause of cancer-related death worldwide. The disease is classified into two major subtypes, small-cell lung cancer (SCLC) and the more prevalent non-small-cell lung cancer (NSCLC). First-line conventional therapies, such as chemotherapy, radiotherapy and surgery, have offered limited benefit, and patient prognosis remains poor with post-treatment recurrences representing a major cause of morbidity.

Correction to: End-points for drug treatment in NASH.

In the original article the title was incorrectly published. This has been corrected and the original article has been updated.

End-points for drug treatment in NASH.

Non-alcoholic steatohepatitis (NASH) is an increasingly common cause of cirrhosis, hepatocellular carcinoma, and liver-related death (LRD). Consequently, there is a critical need for effective drug therapy that improves clinically relevant end-points. Hepatic steatosis assessed by magnetic resonance imaging-proton density fat fraction is increasingly used in the early phase trials examining drugs with anti-steatotic effects.

Combination immune checkpoint blockade as an effective therapy for mesothelioma.

Mesothelioma is an aggressive asbestos induced cancer with extremely poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Immune checkpoint blockade (ICPB) has demonstrated effective therapy in melanoma and is now being applied to other cancers, including mesothelioma. However, the efficacy of ICPB and which immune checkpoint combinations constitute the best therapeutic option for mesothelioma have yet to be fully elucidated.

Rheumatoid factors do not predict cardiovascular disease and mortality in the general population in the Busselton Health Survey.

Background: Rheumatoid Factors (RF) are antibodies directed against the Fc portion of IgG and are involved in clearance of immune complexes. While RF can develop in a wide range of conditions, higher RF levels indicate a greater risk for a severe disease course in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients including cardiovascular complications and premature death. We investigated whether RF also constitute a risk factor for these outcomes in the general population.

In vitro data support the investigation of vinegar as an antimicrobial agent for PD-associated Pseudomonas exit site infections.

Peritoneal dialysis exit site infections caused by Pseudomonas spp. are difficult to treat and can lead to peritonitis and/or modality failure. Effective alternative or adjunct non-antibiotic antimicrobial agents could improve treatment as well as reduce the use of antibiotics and contribute to a reduction in antibiotic selection pressure and the further development of antibiotic resistance.

Asymptomatic hyperuricemia is not an independent risk factor for cardiovascular events or overall mortality in the general population of the Busselton Health Study.

Background: To investigate the impact of uric acid (UA) levels on cardiovascular disease and mortality at a population level.

Methods: Prospective analysis of baseline serum UA measurement and 15 year follow-up data from the Busselton Health Survey (n = 4,173), stratified by existence or absence of baseline cardiovascular disease. Outcomes were ascertained from state-wide hospital discharge and mortality registries.

Is the incidence of heart attack still decreasing in Australia? Developing reliable methods for monitoring trends in myocardial infarction and coronary heart disease (AUS-MOCHA): a study protocol.

Introduction: Accurate monitoring of acute coronary heart disease (CHD) is essential for understanding the effects of primary and secondary prevention and for planning of healthcare services. The ability to reliably monitor acute CHD has been affected by new diagnostic tests for myocardial infarction (MI) and changing clinical classifications and management of CHD. Our study will develop new and reliable methods for monitoring population trends in incidence, outcomes and health service usage for acute CHD and chest pain.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma: an update on diagnosis and treatment options.

Malignant pleural mesothelioma (MPM) represents a significant diagnostic and therapeutic challenge and is almost always a fatal disease. Imaging abnormalities are common, but have a limited role in distinguishing mesothelioma from metastatic pleural disease. Similarly, minimally invasive biomarkers have shown promise but also have limitations in the diagnosis of mesothelioma.

Consistent gene expression profiles in MexTAg transgenic mouse and wild type mouse asbestos-induced mesothelioma.

Background: The MexTAg transgenic mouse model of mesothelioma replicates many aspects of human mesothelioma, including induction by asbestos, pathogenicity and response to cytotoxic chemotherapy, despite high levels of the SV40 large T Antigen (TAg) in the mesothelial compartment. This model enables analysis of the molecular events associated with asbestos induced mesothelioma and is utilised here to investigate the molecular dynamics of tumours induced in these mice, using gene expression patterns as a read out.

Methods: Gene expression of MexTAg mesothelioma cell lines bearing a high or low number of copies of the TAg transgene were compared to wild type mouse mesotheliomas and normal mouse mesothelial cells using Affymetrix microarray.

Low stromal Foxp3+ regulatory T-cell density is associated with complete response to neoadjuvant chemoradiotherapy in rectal cancer.

Background: Foxp3+ regulatory T cells (Tregs) play a vital role in preventing autoimmunity, but also suppress antitumour immune responses. Tumour infiltration by Tregs has strong prognostic significance in colorectal cancer, and accumulating evidence suggests that chemotherapy and radiotherapy efficacy has an immune-mediated component. Whether Tregs play an inhibitory role in chemoradiotherapy (CRT) response in rectal cancer remains unknown.

No Zinc Deficiency But a Putative Immunosuppressive Role for Labile Zn in Patients with Systemic Autoimmune Disease.

Background: Zn (Zn) is an essential trace element with important roles in protein structure and function. Labile Zn is the fraction available for regulatory functions through it loose binding to albumin. As Zn deprivation reduces labile Zn levels and leads to an immune compromised state, we investigated labile Zn levels in the context of systemic autoimmune disease.

Scabies: an ancient global disease with a need for new therapies.

Background: Scabies is an ancient disease (documented as far back as 2500 years ago). It affects about 300 million people annually worldwide, and the prevalence is as high as about 60% in Indigenous and Torres Strait Islander children in Australia. This is more than six times the rate seen in the rest of the developed world.