Association of vitamin D status with multiple sclerosis in a case-control study from Morocco.

Background: Growing evidence suggests that hypovitaminosis D contributes to the pathogenesis of multiple sclerosis (MS).

Objective: This study aimed to evaluate whether vitamin D levels are associated with having MS and some of its characteristics in the Moroccan population.

Methods: Using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry, the 25(OH)D metabolite was measured to quantify vitamin D serum levels (DSLs) in 113 patients with MS and 146 healthy controls matched for gender and age.

Effect of body composition on bone mineral density in Moroccan patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Introduction: The link between bone mass and body composition is widely recognized, but only few works were selectively performed on subjects with juvenile idiopathic arthritis. The aim of our study was to investigate the effect of body composition on bone mineral density (BMD) in Moroccan patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Methods: Thirty three children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) were included in a cross-sectional study.

Vitamin D concentrations and disease activity in Moroccan children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Background: In addition to its important metabolic activities, vitamin D also contributes to the regulation of the immune system. The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between hypovitaminosis D and disease activity in Moroccan children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: In this cross-sectional study, forty children with JIA were included, all having been diagnosed according to the classification criteria of International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR).

Physical activity, functional ability, and disease activity in children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a chronic condition known to cause pain-related complications in youth and affect children's physical functioning. There is no data in Arabic children with JIA about the impact of illness upon their physical activity. The objective of this study was to explore physical activity (PA) in children and adolescents with JIA compared with a healthy population and to examine associations between PA, functional ability, and disease activity.

Moroccan parents caring for children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: positive and negative aspects of their experiences.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) can lead to serious disability in children and adolescents, requiring intensive home care usually provided by parents .These parents must also cope with physical, familial, social and financial constraints.The aim of this study is to evaluate the positive and negative impacts of caregiving on parents to children with JIA, and identify diseases-related variables that affect these outcomes.

Sleep and its relationship to pain, dysfunction, and disease activity in juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

The objective of this study was to determine the sleep abnormalities that may exist in Moroccan children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) and their relationship to pain, dysfunction, and disease activity. Case control study including 47 patients diagnosed with JIA, according to the criteria of the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR), and 47 healthy children, age and sex matched. Sleep was assessed by Children's Sleep Habits Questionnaire (CSHQ).

Ultrasound features of shoulder involvement in patients with ankylosing spondylitis: a case-control study.

Background: During Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) courses, shoulder involvement is common. However, etiologies of shoulder pain in patients with AS remain to be defined. The aim of this study was to investigate the prevalence of ultrasound (US) abnormalities in shoulders of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and to determine predictive factors of ultrasound shoulder enthesitis.

Metabolic syndrome in rheumatoid arthritis: case control study.

Background: Metabolic syndrome, a cluster of classical cardiovascular risk factors, including hypertension, obesity, glucose intolerance, and dyslipidemia is highly prevalent in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of the study was to assess the frequency of metabolic syndrome (MS) in RA patients, and to evaluate the relationships between metabolic syndrome and RA.

Methods: The study was conducted on 120 RA patients according to the 1987 revised American College of Rheumatology classification criteria, and 100 age and sex matched apparently healthy controls.

Sexual maturation in Moroccan patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Abnormal puberty is often reported in children suffering from many chronic diseases. Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common joint disorder in developing children. The aim of this study was to assess sexual maturation of Moroccan children with JIA and to compare the development of secondary sexual characteristics in children with JIA to children in the general population.

Impact of juvenile idiopathic arthritis on schooling.

Background: Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most common arthropathy of childhood. Different diseases affect school attendance to varying degrees. The aim of this study was to assess the impact of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) on Moroccan children's schooling.

Health-related quality of life in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

We aimed to assess the aspects of health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the disease-related parameters influencing it. Two hundred fifty-five patients with RA were consecutively included. We assessed sociodemographic characteristics, cigarette smoking status, disease duration, diagnosis delay, joint pain intensity (on a 0-100-mm visual analogue scale), disease activity (by the disease activity score (DAS 28) and biological tests), structural damage (by radiographs scored using the Sharp's method as modified by Van der Heijde), functional disability (by the Health Assessment Questionnaire), extra-articular manifestations, immunological status, and treatments.

Translation, adaptation and validation of the Moroccan version of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale.

This study aims to translate and cross-culturally adapt the Moroccan version of the Quebec Back Pain Disability Scale (QDS) and to investigate its reliability and validity in Moroccan patients with low back pain (LBP). The translation and cross-cultural adaptation of the QDS were developed in agreement with published guidelines. The QDS was translated by use of the forward and backward translation procedure.

Assessment of fatigue and its relationships with disease-related parameters in patients with systemic sclerosis.

We aimed to assess the prevalence and severity of fatigue in Moroccan patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and its relationship with disease-related parameters of activity and severity and quality of life (QoL). Patients with SSc according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria (diffuse disease) and/or the LeRoy and Medsger criteria (limited disease) for SSc were recruited. The multidimensional assessment of fatigue (MAF), a self-administered questionnaire developed to measure five dimensions of fatigue with a total score ranged from 0 (no fatigue) to 50 (severe fatigue), was used to assess fatigue.

Prevalence of overweight in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis and its relationships with disease features.

We aimed to estimate the prevalence of overweight in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its relationships with disease activity, functional disability, structural damage, and immunological status. Two hundred fifty patients with RA were consecutively included. Patients' characteristics were specified.

Bone density in Moroccan women with systemic scleroderma and its relationships with disease-related parameters and vitamin D status.

In this case-control study, our first aim was to evaluate the bone mineral density (BMD) in women with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and its correlates. Secondarily, we aimed to evaluate 25-hydroxyvitamin D3 status and its relationships with disease parameters and BMD. Sixty patients with SSc and 60 age-and gender-matched controls were included in the absence of confounding factors that interfere with bone metabolism.

Rheumatoid factor and antibodies against citrullinated peptides in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis: association with disease parameters and quality of life.

We aimed to evaluate the immunological status and its relationships with disease-related parameters of activity, severity and quality of life in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Two hundred forty-five consecutive patients with RA were recruited. The following data were collected: demographic characteristics, disease duration (years), disease activity (evaluated by the disease activity score, DAS28), structural damage (evaluated by Sharp's method as modified by van der Heijde), functional disability (assessed by using the Moroccan version of the Health Assessment Questionnaire, HAQ) and quality of life (by using the Arabic version of the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 36 Health Survey: the SF-36).

Spinsterhood and its impact on disease features in women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of spinsterhood on disease characteristics and quality of life (QoL) in Moroccan women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: 185 women with RA were recruited in this study. Marital status was specified as follow: 1.

Gender and disease features in Moroccan patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

This study was conducted to determine differences in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) between men and women in terms of clinical characteristics, biological features, structural severity and quality of life (QoL). A total of 130 consecutive AS patients fulfilling the modified New York criteria were included. Sociodemographic data were collected.

Septic polyarthritis caused by group A streptococcus in an immunocompetent adult: rare case.

We report a rare case of multifocal septic arthritis associated to spondylodiscitis and endocarditis caused by group A beta-hemolytic streptococcus (GABHS) in an immunocompetent adult, and we discuss diagnosis and therapeutic difficulties, while insisting into the rational use of corticosteroids that seems to be the only risk factor in our patient.

Primary Sjögren's syndrome in Moroccan patients: characteristics, fatigue and quality of life.

Our aim was to evaluate fatigue and quality of life (QoL) in Moroccan patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) and determine their correlates with disease-related parameters. Fifty-seven consecutive patients with PSS according to the American-European Consensus group (AEGG) criteria were included. Demographic, clinical, biological and immunological characteristics for all patients were collected.

A comparison of ultrasound and clinical examination in the detection of flexor tenosynovitis in early arthritis.

Background: Tenosynovitis is widely accepted to be common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and postulated to be the first manifestation of RA, but its true prevalence in early disease and in particular the hand has not been firmly established. The aims of this study were first to investigate the frequency and distribution of finger flexor tenosynovitis using ultrasound in early arthritis, second to compare clinical examination with ultrasound (US) using the latter as the gold standard.

Methods: 33 consecutive patients who had who were initially diagnosed with polyarthritis and suspected of polyarthritis and clinical suspicion of inflammatory arthritis of the hands and wrists were assessed during consecutive, routine presentations to the rheumatology outpatient clinic.

Fatigue and severity of rheumatoid arthritis in Moroccan patients.

The aim of this study was to assess fatigue aspects in Moroccan patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its relationships with disease-specific variables especially parameters of functional and structural severity. A total of 248 patients with RA were included. Patients' and disease characteristics were identified.

Prevalence of overweight among Moroccan children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: We aimed to estimate the prevalence of overweight among Moroccan children and adolescents with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA).

Methods: Fifty-eight patients with JIA according to the International League of Association of Rheumatology (ILAR) criteria were included consecutively in this study. The median age of patients was 11±3.