Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2012
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyMacrophage activation syndrome in children with systemic lupus erythematosus and children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis.
To describe patient demographics, interventions, and outcomes in hospitalized children with macrophage activation syndrome (MAS) complicating systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). ⋯ Organ system dysfunction is common in children with rheumatic diseases complicated by MAS, and more organ system support is required in children with underlying SLE than in children with JIA. Current treatment of pediatric MAS varies based on the underlying rheumatic disease.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2012
Clinical TrialBrief report: effect of ambrisentan treatment on exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension in systemic sclerosis: a prospective single-center, open-label pilot study.
Exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (ePH) may represent an early, clinically relevant phase in the spectrum of pulmonary vascular disease. The purpose of this pilot study was to describe the changes in hemodynamics and exercise capacity in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) spectrum-associated ePH treated with open-label daily ambrisentan. ⋯ Exercise hemodynamics and exercise capacity in patients with SSc spectrum-associated ePH improved over 24 weeks with exposure to ambrisentan. Placebo-controlled studies are needed to confirm whether this is a drug-related effect and to determine optimal therapeutic regimens for patients with ePH.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2012
Identification of a susceptibility locus in STAT4 for Behçet's disease in Han Chinese in a genome-wide association study.
To identify susceptibility loci for Behçet's disease (BD) and elucidate their functional role. ⋯ These findings strongly suggest that STAT4 is a novel locus underlying BD. We propose a model in which up-regulation of STAT4 expression and subsequent STAT4-driven production of inflammatory cytokines, such as IL-17, constitute a potential pathway leading to BD.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2012
Interleukin-17 sensitizes joint nociceptors to mechanical stimuli and contributes to arthritic pain through neuronal interleukin-17 receptors in rodents.
Interleukin-17 (IL-17) is considered a proinflammatory cytokine, but whether neuronal IL-17 receptors contribute to the generation of arthritic pain is unknown. This study was undertaken to explore whether IL-17A acts on neurons, whether it sensitizes joint nociceptors, and whether neutralization of IL-17 is antinociceptive. ⋯ Our findings indicate that IL-17A has the potential to act as a pain mediator by targeting IL-17 receptors in nociceptive neurons, and these receptors are particularly involved in inflammation-evoked mechanical hyperalgesia.