Challenges for complement functional assays in the clinical laboratory: From test validation to clinical interpretation.

Complement functional assays are essential first-tier tests for a gamut of disorders spanning from inborn errors of the immune system which lead to recurrent severe infections, to angioedema attacks, presentation of autoimmune disease, thrombotic microangiopathies and rare kidney disorders. These assays evaluate the activity of the three complement pathways and specific complement components, which helps in differential diagnosis and monitoring disease progression. The rising use of complement inhibitors for treating complement-mediated thrombotic microangiopathies has heightened the demand for personalized treatment plans and laboratory assessment of complement blockage.

Neuropsychiatric manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjogren's disease.

Introduction: Autoimmune diseases often present in a systemic manner, affecting various organs and tissues. Involvement of the central and peripheral nervous system is not uncommon in these conditions and is associated with high morbidity and mortality. Therefore, early recognition of the neuropsychiatric manifestations associated with rheumatologic diseases is essential for the introduction of appropriate therapies with the objective of providing a better quality of life for individuals.

Associations of Serum Urate and Cardiovascular Events in a Clinical Trial of Interleukin-1β Blockade.

Background: Serum urate (SU) associates with cardiovascular (CV) events, mortality, and gout.

Objectives: The purpose of this study was to assess whether SU predicts CV risk in a trial of interleukin (IL)-1β inhibition with canakinumab, and whether IL-1β blockade, kidney function, or gout alter these associations.

Methods: This study is a subanalysis of the Canakinumab Antiinflammatory Thrombosis Outcome Study (CANTOS), which randomized 10,061 patients with prior myocardial infarction and elevated high-sensitivity C-reactive protein to 3 doses of canakinumab or placebo.

Arctiin suppress Th17 cells response and ameliorates experimental autoimmune uveitis through JAK/STAT signaling.

Conventional treatments for autoimmune uveitis, such as corticosteroids and systemic immunosuppressants, often result in adverse side effects, prompting the need for therapies targeting specific molecular pathways. This study investigates the effects of Arctiin, known for its diverse biological properties, on experimental autoimmune uveitis (EAU) through its action on Th17 cells and the JAK/STAT signaling pathway. Our findings reveal that Arctiin significantly alleviates EAU by reducing clinical scores, inflammatory cell infiltration, and levels of inflammatory cytokines like IL-17 and TNF-α in the eye.

Efficacy and safety of first-line targeted synthetic DMARDs in rheumatoid arthritis patients with chronic kidney disease.

Objectives: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of first-line targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (tsDMARDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic kidney disease (CKD).

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included 216 patients with RA prescribed their first tsDMARDs at two hospitals between 2013 and 2022. Dose reduction and contraindication guidelines for tsDMARDs according to kidney function were followed.

Imaging tests as predictors of progression to rheumatoid arthritis in clinically suspect arthralgia: A systematic review & meta-analysis.

Objectives: To determine and compare the diagnostic accuracy of imaging tests for the prediction of RA progression in people with inflammatory joint pain or CSA.

Methods: We searched MEDLINE, Embase and Web of Science from 1987 to March 2024. Studies evaluating any imaging tests in participants with inflammatory joint pain or CSA, without clinical synovitis were eligible.

Development of START, a novel multimedia-based symptom appraisal tool for autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Objectives: To facilitate earlier diagnosis of autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs), we aimed to 1) develop START, a novel multimedia-based symptom appraisal tool for ARDs and 2) pilot test START among established ARD cases and non-ARD controls.

Methods: We developed START using a social cognitive theory-based theoretical framework and consensus-based lists of ARDs and manifestations from our previous work. START was revised through reviews by an expert panel of rheumatologists and cognitive debriefing interviews (CDIs) with patients newly referred for assessment of ARDs.

Predictive value of insulin resistance metabolic score for cardiovascular disease in Chinese arthritis patients: a prospective cohort study.

Objectives: Although patients with arthritis have significantly increased cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk, effective prediction tools remain limited. This study aimed to evaluate the predictive value of the Metabolic Score for Insulin Resistance (METS-IR) for CVD events among Chinese patients with arthritis.

Methods: Using data from the China Health and Retirement Longitudinal Study (CHARLS), we conducted a 7-year prospective cohort study (2011-2018) involving 1,059 patients with arthritis.

SLC39A10 is a key zinc transporter in T cells and its loss mitigates autoimmune disease.

Zinc homeostasis plays an essential role in maintaining immune function and is tightly regulated by zinc transporters. We previously reported that the zinc transporter SLC39A10, located in the cell membrane, critically regulates the susceptibility of macrophages to inflammatory stimuli; however, the functional role of SLC39A10 in T cells is currently unknown. Here, we identified two SNPs in SLC39A10 that are associated with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).

Clinical and imaging characteristics of 135 cases of infectious sacroiliitis: a retrospective cohort study in China.

To study the clinical, imaging, and computed tomography (CT)-guided biopsy pathology of patients with infectious sacroiliitis (ISI). We retrospectively analysed 135 patients diagnosed with ISI between 2008 and 2020, comprehensively evaluating clinical characteristics, laboratory test outcomes, pathological examination results, and magnetic resonance images (MRI). Among the 135 patients with ISI, 90 (66.

T Cell Dysregulation in Rheumatoid Arthritis: from Genetic Susceptibility to Established Disease.

Purpose Of Review: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation of the synovial tissue, where T cells play a central role in pathogenesis. Recent research has identified T peripheral helper (Tph) cells as critical mediators of local B cell activation in inflamed tissues. This review synthesizes the latest advancements in our understanding the of the role of T cells in RA, from initiation to established disease.

Incidence of HBV Reactivation in Psoriasis Patients Undergoing Cytokine Inhibitor Therapy: A Single-Center Study and Systematic Review with a Meta-Analysis.

Background: Psoriasis patients who are seropositive for hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or hepatitis B core antibody (HBcAb) face an elevated risk of hepatitis B virus reactivation (HBVr) when treated with cytokine inhibitors. This study aims to elucidate the risk in this population.

Methods: A retrospective chart review was conducted to assess the risk of HBVr in 73 psoriasis patients treated with cytokine inhibitors from 2013 to 2023.

Translation and Adaptation of the SCOFF Questionnaire to the Greek Language (G-SCOFF) Using a Tertiary-Setting Adolescent Sample.

Background/objectives: Feeding and eating disorders (FEDs) constitute an important mental health problem today, especially among youngsters. The Sick, Control, One, Fat, Food (SCOFF) questionnaire was developed 25 years ago and remains the most frequently applied screening tool for FEDs among adults and youngsters. The aim of the present study was to translate and adapt the SCOFF questionnaire to the Greek language, using a tertiary-setting adolescent sample.

The Effects of Oral Semaglutide on Hepatic Fibrosis in Subjects with Type 2 Diabetes in Real-World Clinical Practice: A Post Hoc Analysis of the Sapporo-Oral SEMA Study.

Background/objectives: Metabolic dysfunction-associated steatotic liver disease (MASLD) is an important common comorbidity in subjects with type 2 diabetes, and liver fibrosis is a factor directly related to its prognosis. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists are useful treatment options for MASLD; however, the efficacy of oral semaglutide in treating liver steatosis/fibrosis has not been fully elucidated.

Methods: A secondary analysis of a multicenter, retrospective, observational study investigating the efficacy and safety of oral semaglutide in Japanese subjects with type 2 diabetes in a real-world clinical setting (the Sapporo-Oral SEMA study) was conducted.

Impact in Clinical Practice of the European Medicines Agency Health Alert About the Restriction of the Use of JAK Inhibitors.

Janus kinase inhibitors (JAKi) have revolutionized the treatment of various inflammatory and immune disorders. Concerns about the potential increased risk of major adverse cardiovascular events (MACEs) associated with JAKi use led to a European Medicines Agency (EMA) health alert recommending restricting the use of JAKi in high-risk populations. This study aims to determine the proportion of patients who developed any cardiovascular, ischemic, neoplastic, or thrombotic adverse event in a cohort of patients receiving, or who have received, JAKi treatment between January 2017 and September 2023.

Systemic Inflammation and Gastrointestinal Complications in HIV Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study on the Role of Type II Diabetes.

(1) Background: This study aimed to assess the association between inflammatory biomarkers and gastrointestinal side effects in HIV-positive patients on antiretroviral therapy (ART), with a specific focus on the impact of type II diabetes. (2) Methods: A total of 320 participants were divided into three groups: 120 HIV-positive without diabetes, 80 HIV-positive with type II diabetes, and 120 controls. Biomarkers such as CRP, IL-6, and TNF-α, along with gastrointestinal symptoms, were measured before and six months after ART.

Predictive Value of the DETECT Algorithm for Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension in Systemic Sclerosis: Findings from an Italian Observational Study.

Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc), and several screening algorithms have been proposed for the early detection of PAH in SSc. This study aimed to evaluate the predicting values of the DETECT algorithm for SSc-PAH screening in patients with SSc undergoing right heart catheterization (RHC) based on 2015 ESC/ERS echocardiographic criteria in a real-life setting. Patients fulfilling the 2013 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for SSc and with available data for PAH screening with the DETECT algorithm and the 2015 ESC/ERS echocardiographic criteria were retrospectively enrolled from January to June 2017 and then followed for 5 years.

A Review of the Impact of Sjögren's Syndrome and/or the Presence of Anti-Ro/SS-A Antibodies on Therapeutic Strategies for Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune-mediated disease characterized by polyarthritis that affects the small joints of the bilateral upper and lower extremities. RA shares several common clinical symptoms with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), another rheumatic disease caused by the lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine glands, with dry eye and dry mouth being the two most common symptoms. Anti-Ro/SS-A antibodies, a diagnostic biomarker of SS, are positive in patients with RA at a certain rate.

Morphological Variability of the Thigh Muscle Traps in an Ultrasound That Awaits Clinicians.

Muscles and their tendons present a considerable diversity of morphological variations. The aim of this study was to explore variants of muscles and tendons from compartments of the thigh and to raise awareness about potential problems during ultrasound examination. This comprehensive review of the literature was created on the basis of scientific articles sourced from PubMed.

Safety Profile of SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination in Patients with Lupus Nephritis: A Retrospective Study.

Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 has been vital in alleviating the spread of the recent pandemic. We aimed to estimate the frequency and type of adverse events related to SARS-CoV-2 vaccine in patients with lupus nephritis (LN), and assess its impact, if any, on the risk of subsequent reactivation of nephritis. This was a retrospective, multicenter study which included patients with biopsy-proven LN, who had received at least one vaccine dose.

Prevalence of Knee Pain and Its Relation to Depression, Anxiety, and Health-Related Quality of Life Among Maintenance Hemodialysis Patients.

: Knee pain in hemodialysis (HD) patients might affect health-related quality of life (HRQoL) and may be related to anxiety and depressive symptoms. The aim of this study was to assess the prevalence of knee pain in chronic HD patients and to determine its relationship with anxiety, depression, and HRQoL, : This multicenter cross-sectional study was carried out on chronic HD patients. Sociodemographic, clinical, and therapeutic data were collected.

Variabilities in Retinal Hemodynamics Across the Menstrual Cycle in Healthy Women Identified Using Optical Coherence Tomography Angiography.

Numerous conditions, both physiological and pathological, can influence changes in the retinal vascular architecture. In order to be able to highlight pathological aspects of systemic diseases with ocular activity, it is necessary to understand how physiological fluctuations can influence circulation at the retinal level. The present study attempts to evaluate retinal and choroidal vascular and structural changes in healthy female subjects over the course of a menstrual cycle using OCT-A.

Modelling Endometriosis Using In Vitro and In Vivo Systems.

Endometriosis is a chronic inflammatory condition characterised by the presence of endometrium-like tissue outside the uterus. Despite its high prevalence and recent advances in molecular science, many aspects of endometriosis and its pathophysiology are still poorly understood. Previously, in vitro and in vivo modelling have been instrumental in establishing our current understanding of endometriosis.