Impact of quality of life on overall work productivity impairment and activity impairment of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: the PEONY study.

Objectives: Even in a lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS), many patients with SLE continue to face residual symptoms and disease burden. We aimed to evaluate the quality of life, activity impairment and overall work productivity impairment among patients in LLDAS. Residual disease burden was also evaluated for patients in LLDAS.

Anti-survival motor neuron complex antibodies as a novel biomarker for pulmonary arterial hypertension and interstitial lung disease in mixed connective tissue disease.

Objective: The presence of anti-U1 RNP antibodies (Abs) is critical for diagnosing MCTD. The aim of this study is to evaluate the clinical relevance of anti-survival motor neuron (SMN) complex Abs, which often coexist with anti-U1 RNP Abs.

Methods: A total of 158 newly diagnosed consecutive cases of SLE, SSc or MCTD with anti-U1 RNP Abs were enrolled in this multicentre observational study between April 2014 and August 2022.

A case of giant cell arteritis complicated by polymyalgia rheumatica with scalp necrosis and refractory jaw claudication.

Scalp necrosis is a rare complication of giant cell arteritis (GCA); however, it is a predictor of severe disease. In this case study, a patient presented with GCA complicated by polymyalgia rheumatica with scalp necrosis. An 86-year-old woman was admitted to the hospital for pulsating headache, scalp pain, jaw claudication, and generalised pain.

Associations between continuous glucose monitoring-derived metrics and HbA1c in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Aims: The aim of this study was to define the relationship between time in range (TIR) and hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) levels in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM).

Methods: The glycemic profile of 999 Japanese patients was analyzed with FreeStyle Libre Pro Continuous Glucose Monitoring (FLP-CGM) while they continued their prescribed glucose-lowering medications. FLP-CGM data recorded over 8 consecutive days were analyzed.

Usefulness of ultrasound as a predictor of elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis with polymyalgia rheumatica-like onset.

Objectives: Differentiation between polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and elderly-onset rheumatoid arthritis (EORA), especially in elderly patients, is often difficult due to similarities in symptoms and serological kinetics. In this study, we aimed to analyse the predictors of EORA with PMR-like onset.

Methods: Seventy-two patients diagnosed with PMR, who attended our hospital for routine care and underwent musculoskeletal ultrasonography at that time were evaluated.

Nailfold microvascular abnormalities are associated with a higher prevalence of pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with MCTD.

Objective: MCTD manifests with microvasculopathy and overlapping clinical features of SLE, SSc and idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). The aim of this study was to investigate the clinical significance of microvasculopathy in patients with MCTD using nailfold videocapillaroscopy (NVC).

Methods: Fifty patients with newly diagnosed and untreated MCTD were enrolled in this multicentre, prospective and observational study.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis exhibits T cell activation and IgG4 immune response in the tissue; comparison with IgG4-related disease.

Objective: To study the pathophysiological differences of EGPA and IgG-related disease (RD) by clarifying their clinical, pathological and immunological features.

Methods: Clinical and pathological findings were compared in patients with EGPA and IgG-RD. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were used for comprehensive flow cytometric analysis.

Selection of treatment regimens based on shared decision-making in patients with rheumatoid arthritis on remission in the FREE-J study.

Objective: To compare the outcome of various treatment de-escalation regimens in patients with RA who achieved sustained remission.

Methods: At period 1, 436 RA patients who were treated with MTX and bDMARDs and had maintained DAS28(ESR) at <2.6 were divided into five groups based on shared patient/physician decision-making; continuation, dose reduction and discontinuation of MTX or bDMARDs.

Rituximab in remission induction and maintenance therapy for microscopic polyangiitis associated with gastric cancer: A case report.

We herein report a case of a patient with gastric cancer-associated microscopic polyangiitis (MPA) who was treated with combination glucocorticoids and rituximab (RTX) for remission induction and maintenance, and finally to discontinue glucocorticoids without recurrence of gastric cancer or MPA in a year. A 69-year-old man was suspected of having MPA because of fever, high C-reactive protein levels, neuritis, and a high titer of myeloperoxidase-anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (MPO-ANCA). Upper gastrointestinal endoscopy indicated early-stage gastric cancer, for which he underwent surgery preceded by immunosuppressive therapy for vasculitis.

Association between ultrasound images and patient-reported outcomes in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis: a retrospective study.

Background: Improvements in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have made it possible to achieve treatment goals. It has been reported that both residual synovitis caused by RA and the patients' subjective symptoms remain even after achieving the treatment goals; however, there are limited reports showing a relationship between them. Furthermore, no studies have evaluated the relationship between patient-reported outcomes (PROs) and subclinical synovitis measured by musculoskeletal ultrasonography (MSUS) in the treatment of RA.

Serum TNFα levels at 24 h after certolizumab pegol predict effectiveness at week 12 in patients with rheumatoid arthritis from TSUBAME study.

Objective: To estimate the relationship between serum TNFα, IL-6, and serum CZP levels and the clinical response to CZP in RA patients in the TSUBAME study.

Methods: One hundred patients with RA who received CZP were enrolled and multiple clinical parameters, serum TNFα, IL-6, and CZP levels, were assessed at 0, 24, and 48 h and 12 weeks after first administration of CZP.

Results: The CZP therapy significantly improved the DAS28(ESR) at 12 weeks.

Clinicopathological characteristics of lymphoproliferative disorders in 232 patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Japan: A retrospective, multicenter, descriptive study.

Objective: To describe the clinicopathological characteristics of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: In this multicenter case series, we retrospectively reviewed the medical records of RA patients who were newly diagnosed as having LPDs with or without biopsy confirmation between 2000 and 2017 in eight hospitals in Japan.

Results: We included 232 patients with LPDs.

Characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis with immunodeficiency-associated lymphoproliferative disorders to regress spontaneously by the withdrawal of methotrexate and their clinical course: A retrospective, multicenter, case-control study.

Objective: To investigate clinical characteristics and time course of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients after methotrexate (MTX) discontinuation, in those who achieved spontaneous regression (SR).

Methods: We retrospectively reviewed clinical data from RA patients with LPDs obtained from eight institutions between 2000 and 2017 and compared clinical and pathological findings between SR and non-SR groups.

Results: Among 232 RA patients with LPDs, 216 were treated with MTX at the onset of LPD and 144 (66.

Overall survival and post-spontaneous regression relapse-free survival of patients with lymphoproliferative disorders associated with rheumatoid arthritis: a multi-center retrospective cohort study.

Objectives: To clarify factors affecting 5-year survival rates and relapse rates after spontaneous regression (SR) of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: This retrospective longitudinal study comprised 232 patients with RA diagnosed with LPDs between January 2000 and March 2017 at eight hospitals in Japan. The Kaplan-Meier method was used to analyze survival and the Cox proportional hazard model was applied to identify predictive factors.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis after regression of lymphoproliferative disorders in patients treated with methotrexate: a retrospective, multi-center descriptive study.

Objectives: To identify the optimal treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after the regression of lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs).

Methods: The subjects were 232 patients with RA who developed LPD between 2000 and 2017 at seven hospitals participating in the LPD-WG study. Kaplan-Meier and Cox proportional regression analyses were performed to determine the factors associated with the rate of LPD relapse and the retention of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs).

Short-term effectiveness of ixekizumab to refractory psoriatic arthritis with spondyloarthritis: two case reports.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) manifests not only skin lesion but also peripheral and axial joint involvements, thus the disease is considered to be part of spondyloarthritis. In patients with active spondyloarthritis, tumour necrosis factor inhibitors biologics are often considered, but there is not sufficient evidence about other type of biologics. Ixekizumab (IXE) is a humanised monoclonal antibody, which acts against interleukin-17A, a cytokine involved in psoriasis pathogenesis.

Severe pulmonary arterial hypertension and interstitial pneumonia related to systemic lupus erythematosus successfully treated with mycophenolate mofetil: A novel case report.

Background: Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and interstitial pneumonia (IP) are relatively rare complications of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and are associated with a poor prognosis. Overcoming these complications is a challenge for improving the prognosis.

Case Report: A 41-year-old woman was diagnosed with SLE complicated by IP at the age of 21 years and with antiphospholipid syndrome at the age of 32 years at another hospital.

Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis after introduction of certolizumab pegol: a case report.

Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors are used against a variety of connective tissue diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis. Contrarily, although rare, TNF inhibitors are known to induce autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus and psoriasis as a paradoxical reaction. We experienced a case of rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis after introduction of certolizumab pegol.

Zoledronic acid sequential therapy could avoid disadvantages due to the discontinuation of less than 3-year denosumab treatment.

Introduction: Rapid descent in bone mineral density (BMD) and ascent in bone turnover marker (BTM) occur within the short period following denosumab (Dmab) discontinuation. In addition, the incidence of vertebral fracture also rises within the short period. The purpose of this study is to investigate the effects of sequential therapy using zoledronic acid (ZOL) on any adverse events after Dmab discontinuation.

Clinical aspects in patients with rheumatoid arthritis complicated with lymphoproliferative disorders without regression after methotrexate withdrawal and treatment for arthritis after regression of lymphoproliferative disorders.

Objectives: To identify predictive factors for lymphoproliferative disorders (LPDs) that persist after methotrexate (MTX) withdrawal (Persistent-LPD) and the optimal treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after LPD regression.

Methods: Among 3666 patients with RA treated with MTX in our department from 2006 to 2017, 26 cases of LPD that regressed after MTX withdrawal (Regressive-LPD) and 25 cases of Persistent-LPD were compared. Multivariate logistic analysis was performed to identify predictive factors for Persistent-LPD.