Clinical rheumatology
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Clinical rheumatology · Feb 2017
Interstitial lung disease increases mortality in systemic sclerosis patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension without affecting hemodynamics and exercise capacity.
Published data suggest that coexisting interstitial lung disease (ILD) has an impact on mortality in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH), but there is scarce knowledge if this is reflected by hemodynamics, exercise capacity, autoantibody profile, or pulmonary function. In this partially retrospective study, 27 SSc-PAH patients were compared to 24 SSc-PAH patients with coexisting ILD respecting to survival, pulmonary function, hemodynamics, exercise capacity, and laboratory parameters. Survival was significantly worse in SSc-PAH-ILD patients than in SSc patients with isolated PAH (1, 5, and 10-year survival rates 86, 54, and 54% versus 96, 92, and 82%, p = 0.013). ⋯ Pulmonary function parameters can be used to distinguish PAH from PAH-ILD. The higher mortality rate cannot be explained by differences in hemodynamics, exercise capacity, or autoantibody levels. Mechanisms of mortality remain to be studied.
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Clinical rheumatology · Feb 2017
Meta AnalysisInterleukin 12B gene polymorphisms and susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis: a data synthesis.
The aim of this study was to investigate the association of two common interleukin 12B (IL-12B) polymorphisms (rs3212227 and rs6887695) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility through meta-analyses. A systematic literature search of PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, and Embase databases was conducted on articles published before 28 February 2016. ⋯ The pooled results demonstrated that IL-12B rs3212227 (homozygote model: OR = 0.96, 95 % CI = 0.81-1.15; heterozygote model: OR = 1.07, 95 % CI = 0.93-1.23; dominant model: OR = 1.05, 95 % CI = 0.91-1.20; recessive model: OR = 0.93, 95 % CI = 0.79-1.10) and rs6887695 (homozygote model: OR = 1.01, 95 % CI = 0.84-1.21; heterozygote model: OR = 1.14, 95 % CI = 0.86-1.51; dominant model: OR = 1.14, 95 % CI = 0.87-1.48; recessive model: OR = 1.01, 95 % CI = 0.85-1.21) polymorphisms may not be associated with RA risk. Our meta-analyses demonstrated that IL-12B rs3212227 and rs6887695 polymorphisms do not confer susceptibility to RA.
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Clinical rheumatology · Feb 2017
Observational StudyUse and effectiveness of tocilizumab among patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an observational study from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register for rheumatoid arthritis.
The aims of the present study are to describe the characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients selected for tocilizumab (TCZ), compare the "real-world" effectiveness of TCZ and tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) when used as a first biologic and assess the influence of past biologic exposure/concurrent methotrexate (MTX) therapy on post-TCZ treatment outcomes. The British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register (BSRBR-RA) is a prospective cohort study following RA patients starting biologics in the UK. This includes patients starting TCZ as first or subsequent biologic, alongside biologic-naïve patients starting TNFi. ⋯ Concurrent MTX use was not associated with treatment response in either first- or subsequent-line TCZ users. TCZ has been primarily used as subsequent-line biologic in the UK. When used as first line, the response appears similar to that observed in patients starting TNFi, suggesting that clinical response alone should not decide between initial biologic therapies.
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Clinical rheumatology · Feb 2017
The conversion rate of tuberculosis screening tests during biological therapies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Screening for active tuberculosis (TB) and latent TB infection (LTBI) is mandatory to the initiation of biological therapy in patients with rheumatic diseases. To determine the prevalence of LTBI in patients with rheumatoid arthritis before treatment with biological therapy (anti-TNF, abatacept, and tocilizumab) and the rate of TB conversion during treatment in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, we evaluated the file of 275 patients with RA treated with biological agents. We considered patients with negative baseline TB screening (tuberculin skin test (TST); quantiferon TB gold in tube (QFT-GIT); chest x-ray) and with rescreening for a TB assay every year. ⋯ During the follow-up period, no patients developed active TB. Our study shows that a proportion of patients (13.6%) converts at least one TB screening assay during biological therapy. This study underscores the American College of Rheumatology advice for annual screening in some or all biologically treated patients.
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Clinical rheumatology · Feb 2017
Multicenter Study Observational StudyTreatment with ustekinumab in a Spanish cohort of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in daily clinical practice.
After approval of the use of ustekinumab for treatment of moderate to severe psoriasis, patients with psoriatic arthritis have treated with this drug in daily clinical practice. The aims of this study were to describe baseline characteristics and evolution of a cohort of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis treated with ustekinumab and to compare differences between patients who discontinued treatment and those who maintained. A retrospective multicenter observational study including patients who had received ustekinumab for a minimum of 3 months from 2009 to 2015 was performed. ⋯ The main indication was dermatological (72.4% of cases), and treatment with ustekinumab was maintained in most patients (62.1% of cases) with low discontinuation by side effects and rheumatological lack of efficacy. Discontinuation of ustekinumab was correlated with more number of obese patients, less presence of plaque psoriasis and more number of previous biological therapies. Ustekinumab demonstrated efficacy and safety in the management of patients with psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis in daily clinical practice in our cohort of patients.