Silvia Sirotti, Anna Scanu, Tristan Pascart, Tom Niessink, Paola Maroni, Giovanni Lombardi, Georgios Filippou
{"title":"Calcium Pyrophosphate Crystal Formation and Deposition: Where Do we Stand and What Does the Future hold?","authors":"Silvia Sirotti, Anna Scanu, Tristan Pascart, Tom Niessink, Paola Maroni, Giovanni Lombardi, Georgios Filippou","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01161-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01161-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of the review: </strong>Although calcium pyrophosphate deposition (CPPD) has been known since the 1960s, our understanding of its pathogenesis remains rudimentary. This review aims to illustrate the known mechanisms underlying calcium pyrophosphate (CPP) crystal formation and deposition and explore future directions in research. By examining various perspectives, from basic research to clinical and imaging assessments, as well as new emerging methodologies, we can establish a starting point for a deeper understanding of CPPD pathogenesis.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Recent years have seen significant advances in CPPD research, particularly in the clinical field with the development of the 2023 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for CPPD disease, and in imaging with the introduction of the OMERACT ultrasonographic definitions and scoring system. However, progress in basic research has been slower. New laboratory approaches, such as Raman spectroscopy and omics sciences, offer promising insights that may help piece together the puzzle of CPPD. CPPD is a common yet understudied condition. As the population ages and CPPD becomes more prevalent, there is an urgent need to better understand the disease and the mechanisms involved in crystal formation and deposition, in order to improve diagnosis and therapeutic approaches.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"354-365"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11377473/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141859259","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Katarina J Bade, Kevin T Mueller, Jeffrey A Sparks
{"title":"Air Pollution and Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk and Progression: Implications for the Mucosal Origins Hypothesis and Climate Change for RA Pathogenesis.","authors":"Katarina J Bade, Kevin T Mueller, Jeffrey A Sparks","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01160-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01160-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>The goal of this review paper is to summarize the main research and findings regarding air pollution and its association with the risk and progression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>The most studied components of air pollution included particulate matter of ≤ 2.5 microns in diameter (PM<sub>2.5</sub>), PM<sub>10</sub>, carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO<sub>2</sub>), nitric oxide (NOx), sulfur dioxide (SO<sub>2</sub>), and ozone (O<sub>3</sub>). In addition, specific occupations and occupational inhalants have been investigated for RA risk. Several studies showed that increased exposure to air pollutants increased the risk of developing RA, particularly seropositive RA. There was evidence of gene-inhalant interactions for seropositive RA risk. Fewer studies have been conducted on RA disease activity and bone erosions. Some studies suggest that patients with RA-associated interstitial lung disease may have worse outcomes if exposed to air pollution. We summarized associations between air pollution and increased RA risk, including RA-associated interstitial lung disease. Relatively few studies investigated air pollution and RA disease activity or other outcomes. These results suggest an important role of air pollution for seropositive RA development and suggest that climate change could be a driver in increasing RA incidence as air pollution increases.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"343-353"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141874374","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Lucia M Campos, Paula S Marra, Clara R Doria, Sebastian D Cordoba, Clovis A Silva
{"title":"Updates in diagnosis and treatment of pediatric antiphospholipid syndrome.","authors":"Lucia M Campos, Paula S Marra, Clara R Doria, Sebastian D Cordoba, Clovis A Silva","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01156-7","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01156-7","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review offers an overview of the most important recent articles on pediatric APS.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Non-thrombotic extra criteria manifestations were prevalent in pediatric APS. Pregnancy morbidity has been described as the first manifestation of APS at youth age, impairing gestational outcomes. The 2023 APS criteria were developed for adult APS patients, and there is still a lack of pediatric-specific APS criteria. Catastrophic APS was more commonly reported as the initial manifestation of pediatric APS than in adults. Regarding treatment, direct oral anticoagulants have been recently approval for pediatric patients with venous thrombosis. New approaches have been proposed for severe cases, for arterial thrombosis, and rituximab for refractory cases. Recurrences typically occurred early and were associated with older age at diagnosis. Current studies highlighted the multifaceted nature of pediatric APS. Further large prospective multicenter studies evaluating new medications capable of reducing recurrence risk and improving prognosis in this population will be required.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"366-374"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-10-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141751288","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Gaining Insight into Updated MR Imaging for Quantitative Assessment of Cartilage Injury in Knee Osteoarthritis.","authors":"Peng Luo, Li Lu, Run Xu, Lei Jiang, Guanwu Li","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01152-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01152-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of the review: </strong>Knee Osteoarthritis (KOA) entails progressive cartilage degradation, reviewed via MRI for morphology, biochemical composition, and microtissue alterations, discussing clinical advantages, limitations, and research applicability.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Compositional MRI, like T2/T2* mapping, T1rho mapping, gagCEST, dGEMRIC, sodium imaging, diffusion-weighted imaging, and diffusion-tensor imaging, provide insights into cartilage injury in KOA. These methods quantitatively measure collagen, glycosaminoglycans, and water content, revealing important information about biochemical compositional and microstructural alterations. Innovative techniques like hybrid multi-dimensional MRI and diffusion-relaxation correlation spectrum imaging show potential in depicting initial cartilage changes at a sub-voxel level. Integration of automated image analysis tools addressed limitations in manual cartilage segmentation, ensuring robust and reproducible assessments of KOA cartilage. Compositional MRI techniques reveal microstructural changes in cartilage. Multi-dimensional MR imaging assesses biochemical alterations in KOA-afflicted cartilage, aiding early degeneration identification. Integrating artificial intelligence enhances cartilage analysis, optimal diagnostic accuracy for early KOA detection and monitoring.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"311-320"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141161463","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Classification Criteria for ANCA Associated Vasculitis - Ready for Prime Time?","authors":"Jens Rathmann, Aladdin J Mohammad","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01154-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01154-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review aims to summarize the evolution and recent developments in the classification of ANCA associated vasculitis (AAV) and to summarize evaluations of the 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria of AAV in several cohorts.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>The classification of AAV has been a field of controversy for some time. The parallel existence of classification criteria and disease definitions produced some overlap in classification, leading to challenges when comparing different cohorts. The 2022 ACR/EULAR classification criteria derived from the largest study ever conducted in vasculitis account for significant changes in vasculitis classification with the integration of ANCA and modern imaging. These criteria show good performance compared to previous ones but also raise questions as ANCA serotypes have substantial impact on classification. In addition, there are some discrepancies with earlier agreed histopathological features of AAV disease phenotypes. During the last 35 years, several sets of classification criteria have evolved to facilitate epidemiologic studies and clinical trials in AAV. While some of these criteria have been in use for many years, they were criticized due to either not using ANCA or not integrating surrogate markers for vasculitis but also due to overlapping when used in parallel. The long-awaited new ACR/EULAR criteria for AAV were published in 2022 and are the result of a large international study, introducing for the first time ANCA and modern imaging in the classification of AAV. Though the criteria show good performance, they bring several other challenges with practical application.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"332-342"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11310294/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141442265","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Male Fertility in Spondyloarthritis: from Clinical Issues to Cytokines Milieu. A Narrative Review.","authors":"Silvia Scriffignano, Fabio Massimo Perrotta, Ennio Lubrano","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01153-w","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01153-w","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purposeof review: </strong>Male fertility is an emergent issue that should be considered in clinical practice, when dealing with chronic inflammatory diseases in young men. As it is known, the chronic inflammation is the main pathophysiologic mechanism in some rheumatological conditions such as spondyloarthritis (SpA), Ankylosing Spondylitis (AS) and Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA). Therefore, it is paramount to be aware if these diseases could impair male fertility, both due to the inflammation or to the treatments needed: we reviewed the literature on the most relevant and recent evidence on male fertility in patients affected by SpA, AS and PsA.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Rheumatological inflammatory diseases (included SpA, AS and PsA) could impair the family planning in man life, especially when diagnosed at young age. Moreover, focusing on sperm quality, it seems that a link between sperm quality impairment and a higher disease activity exist. Focusing on therapies, Tumor Necrosis Factor inhibitors showed a safety profile on human male fertility in clinical studies. Recently, a prospective study and two double-blind placebo-controlled trials assessed the impact of methotrexate and Filgotinib on semen parameters, respectively, showing a safety profile of these drugs on human semen quality. However, there are no clinical data on the impact of Interleukin (IL)17 inhibitors(i), IL12-23i and IL23i. Concerning male fertility in SpA, AS and PsA, an unmet clinical need is still present and new studies are needed to understand the association between these diseases and male fertility, and the implication of the therapies used for these diseases. This narrative review provides an overview of the available data on male fertility in patients affected by SpA, AS and PsA.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"321-331"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-09-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11310274/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"141426547","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Julia Held, David Haschka, Pietro G Lacaita, Gudrun M Feuchtner, Werner Klotz, Hannes Stofferin, Christina Duftner, Günter Weiss, Andrea S Klauser
{"title":"Review: The Role of Dual-Energy Computed Tomography in Detecting Monosodium Urate Deposits in Vascular Tissues.","authors":"Julia Held, David Haschka, Pietro G Lacaita, Gudrun M Feuchtner, Werner Klotz, Hannes Stofferin, Christina Duftner, Günter Weiss, Andrea S Klauser","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01151-y","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01151-y","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>To highlight novel findings in the detection of monosodium urate deposits in vessels using dual energy computed tomography, and to discuss the potential clinical implications for gout and hyperuricemia patients.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Gout is an independent risk factor for cardiovascular disease. However, classical risk calculators do not take into account these hazards, and parameters to identify patients at risk are lacking. Monosodium urate measured by dual energy computed tomography is a well-established technology for the detection and quantification of monosodium urate deposits in peripheral joints and tendons. Recent findings also suggest its applicability to identify vascular urate deposits. Dual energy computed tomography is a promising tool for detection of cardiovascular monosodium urate deposits in gout patients, to better delineate individuals at increased risk for cardiovascular disease.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"302-310"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11224090/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140911960","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"Kidney Failure in Pauci-immune Crescentic Glomerulonephritis: Rationale for Immunosuppression to Improve Kidney Outcome.","authors":"Faten Aqeel, Duvuru Geetha","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01150-z","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01150-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis is the hallmark finding in ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV) when the kidneys are affected. The rationale for immunosuppression in AAV is based on the underlying autoimmune nature of the disease. Overall remission rates, kidney outcomes, and the burden of disease have greatly improved since the discovery of various immunosuppressive therapies, but relapses remain common, and a significant proportion of patients continue to progress to end-stage kidney disease. Here, we review the role of immunosuppressive therapies for the treatment of pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Besides the recognized role of B and T cells in the pathogenies of AAV, the focus on the contribution of inflammatory cytokines, neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs), and the complement system allowed the discovery of new therapies. Specifically, the C5a receptor blocker (avacopan) has been approved as a glucocorticoid-sparing agent. Additionally, based on observational data, more clinicians are now using combination therapies during the induction phase. There is also an evolving understanding of the role of plasma exchange in removing ANCA antibodies. Furthermore, the recent development of risk score systems provides physicians with valuable prognostic information that can influence decisions on immunosuppression, although future validation from larger cohorts is needed. The over-activation of various immune pathways plays a significant role in the pathogenesis of pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis in AAV. Immunosuppression is, therefore, an important strategy to halt disease progression and improve overall outcomes. Relapse prevention while minimizing adverse events of immunosuppression is a major long-term goal in AAV management.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"290-301"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-08-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140862469","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
{"title":"From Psoriasis to Psoriatic Arthritis: Ultrasound Insights Connecting Psoriasis with Subclinical Musculoskeletal Inflammation and the Path to Psoriatic Arthritis.","authors":"A L Ribeiro, L Eder","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01146-9","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01146-9","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>This review summarizes the literature about the transition from psoriasis to psoriatic arthritis (PsA), focusing on musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) for detecting subclinical inflammation and its role in diagnosis and triage of high-risk patients.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>MSUS effectively detects subclinical musculoskeletal inflammation in patients with psoriasis; however, some of these lesions are non-specific and can be found in healthy individuals. Preliminary evidence suggest that subclinical sonographic findings may predict progression to PsA in psoriasis patients. MSUS can also improve referrals' accuracy and its integration in the PsA classification criteria may improve early PsA detection. MSUS is a valuable tool for detecting subclinical abnormalities in psoriasis patients, which indicate an increased likelihood of progressing to PsA. Its integration into referral protocols and clinical use could improve PsA diagnosis. We propose an MSUS-inclusive algorithm for PsA referrals and triage, which requires validation. The potential of early intervention in reducing PsA progression in psoriasis patients with subclinical inflammation remains to be established.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"235-247"},"PeriodicalIF":5.7,"publicationDate":"2024-07-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140183964","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}
Siba P Raychaudhuri, Ruchi J Shah, Sneha Banerjee, Smriti K Raychaudhuri
{"title":"JAK-STAT Signaling and Beyond in the Pathogenesis of Spondyloarthritis and Their Clinical Significance.","authors":"Siba P Raychaudhuri, Ruchi J Shah, Sneha Banerjee, Smriti K Raychaudhuri","doi":"10.1007/s11926-024-01144-x","DOIUrl":"10.1007/s11926-024-01144-x","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Purpose of review: </strong>Janus kinase-signal transducers and activators of transcription cell signaling proteins (JAK-STATs) play a key regulatory role in functioning of several inflammatory cytokines. JAK-STAT signaling proteins are the key regulators of the cytokine/cytokine receptor system involved in the pathogenesis of various autoimmune disease including spondyloarthritis (SpA). This article mainly highlights the JAK-STAT signaling system, its association with the relevant cytokine/cytokine-receptor system, and its regulatory role in pathogenesis of SpA. Also, we have briefly addressed the principle for the use JAKi in SpA and the current status of use of JAK inhibitors (JAKi) in SpA.</p><p><strong>Recent findings: </strong>Recent developments with newer JAK molecules as well as other molecules beyond JAK inhibitors are now an exciting field for the development of novel therapies for autoimmune diseases and various malignant conditions. In this article, we have provided a special emphasis on how various cell signaling systems beyond JAK/STAT pathway are relevant to SpA and have provided a comprehensive review on this upcoming field in respect to the novel TYK2 inhibitors, RORγT inhibitors, mTOR inhibitors, NGF inhibitors, and various STAT kinase inhibitors. SpA are a group of autoimmune diseases with multifactorial etiologies. SpA is linked with genetic predisposition, environmental risk factors, and the immune system-mediated systemic inflammation. Here, we have provided the regulatory role of JAK/STAT pathway and other intracellular signaling system in the pathogenesis of SpA and its therapeutic relevance.</p>","PeriodicalId":10761,"journal":{"name":"Current Rheumatology Reports","volume":" ","pages":"204-213"},"PeriodicalIF":5.0,"publicationDate":"2024-06-01","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11116266/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"140139992","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":2,"RegionCategory":"医学","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}