J Rheumatol
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Practice Guideline
Canadian Rheumatology Association Recommendations for the Assessment and Monitoring of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.
To develop recommendations for the assessment of people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Canada. ⋯ These are considered the first guidelines using the GRADE method for the monitoring of SLE. Existing evidence is largely of low to moderate quality, resulting in more conditional than strong recommendations. Additional rigorous studies and special attention to pediatric SLE populations and patient preferences are needed.
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Anti-TNF-α agents have significantly changed the management of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). We evaluated the safety and efficacy of adalimumab (ADA) and infliximab (IFX) for the treatment of JIA-associated uveitis in patients treated for ≥ 2 years. ⋯ At the 2-year followup, ADA showed a better efficacy and safety profile than IFX for the treatment of refractory JIA-associated uveitis.
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The 2 pneumoproteins, KL-6 and CCL-18, are promising biomarkers in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-related interstitial lung disease (ILD). Our goal was to determine their predictive significance for forced vital capacity % (FVC%) decline within the first year of followup in patients with early SSc-ILD. ⋯ KL-6 but not CCL-18 is predictive of early SSc-ILD progression. KL-6 is a promising pneumoprotein that can contribute to SSc-ILD clinical trial enrichment.
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Autonomic dysfunction is a known complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc) that can affect vascular tone, gastrointestinal (GI) motility, heart rate, and blood pressure control. We sought to quantify autonomic symptom burden in SSc, and to define the characteristics of patients with SSc and autonomic dysfunction. ⋯ Symptoms of autonomic dysfunction are common in SSc. Patients with more severe GI disease in SSc report more symptoms of dysautonomia across many facets of the autonomic nervous system.