BMC Rheumatology最新文献

{"title":"Is thickened hyaline cartilage on ultrasound a sign of osteoarthritis? A within-person, between-joint pilot study.","authors":"Edoardo Cipolletta, Gianluca Smerilli, Riccardo Mirza Mashadi, Peter Mandl, Emilio Filippucci","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00473-3","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00473-3","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To determine whether the presence of conventional radiography (CR)-detected osteophytes is associated with focal thickening of the hyaline cartilage by ultrasound (US) in the same area of the metacarpal head in a within-person, between-joint cross-sectional comparison in patients with hand osteoarthritis (HOA).</p><p><strong>Design: </strong>64 patients with HOA (classified using the 1990 ACR classification criteria) were screened. Participants were eligible for inclusion if they displayed osteophytes in at least one of their metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints, no osteophytes in the contralateral corresponding MCP joint and no joint space narrowing (JSN) in either MCP joint by CR. In these patients, cartilage thickness was measured by US in 2 subregions of both metacarpal heads (i.e., the central force-bearing and the proximal peripheral area). Location-specific association between osteophytes and cartilage thickness was evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>14/64 (21.9%) patients and 23 pairs of MCP joints were included in the analysis. Metacarpal heads with osteophytes had significantly thicker hyaline cartilage than contralateral ones without osteophytes in the proximal peripheral area of the hyaline cartilage [0.78 mm and 0.66 mm, respectively (p < 0.01)]. On the other hand, no difference in terms of cartilage thickness was found between the metacarpal heads with osteophytes and the contralateral ones without osteophytes in the central force-bearing area of the hyaline cartilage [0.65 mm and 0.66 mm, respectively (p = 0.53)].</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>MCP joints with early radiographic HOA display thicker hyaline cartilage than contralateral MCP joints without radiographic signs of HOA, specifically in the proximal peripheral subregion of the metacarpal head.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"24"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11863393/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143514603","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"A cohort study in HigAshi-nippon of Pulmonary hyPertensIoN in systEmic SclerosiS (HAPPINESS study): protocol and baseline data for an observational study.","authors":"Shuhei Takeyama, Hironari Hanaoka, Akiyoshi Hashimoto, Yusho Ishii, Yuka Shimizu, Toshiharu Takeuchi, Shuhei Shimoyama, Masataka Kuwana, Tomoaki Higuchi, Masaru Yoshimura, Hiroshi Kataoka, Yuko Shirota, Kazufumi Okada, Yoichi M Ito, Ryo Hisada, Kazuro Kamada, Sho Ishigaki, Tetsuya Horita, Tatsuya Atsumi, Masaru Kato","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00474-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00474-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Pulmonary hypertension (PH) is the leading cause of death among patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). Recently, early therapeutic intervention to improve the prognosis was suggested, and the definition of PH was recently revised by lowering the cut-off value of mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) from ≥ 25 to > 20 mmHg. However, the optimal threshold for therapeutic intervention remains unclear. We aim to evaluate the prognosis of patients with SSc and its relationship with mPAP.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>For this non-interventional retrospective and prospective cohort study, we enrolled patients with SSc or scleroderma spectrum disorders accompanied by other connective tissue diseases who underwent right heart catheterization (RHC) for suspected PH from 2010 to 2023. The date of the first RHC was defined as the baseline. Enrolled patients were classified into three groups based on their mPAP at the first RHC (≤ 20, 21-24, and ≥ 25 mmHg) and are being observed from baseline up to three years. The primary endpoint is the time between the first RHC and the first hospitalisation or death due to worsening PH.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hokkaido University Hospital. A total of 229 patients were enrolled from 12 participating centres, with 41 prospectively followed up and 188 retrospectively followed up. The number of patients in each group (an mPAP of ≤ 20, 21-24, and ≥ 25 mmHg) is 79, 26, and 124, respectively. The observation is expected to be completed by December 2026. Findings will be disseminated at scientific conferences, peer-reviewed journals.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>The findings of this study that we will obtain are expected to provide important information that will lead to improvements in the diagnosis of PH and the prognosis of patients.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This study was approved by the Ethics Committee of Hokkaido University Hospital (approval number 022-0109). It has been registered in the Japan Registry of Clinical Trials as jRCT1010220025 since November 7, 2022.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"25"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-26","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11863849/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143514584","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"The impact of anti-TNF-α therapy on leptin and inflammatory markers in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a case-control study.","authors":"Mostafa Kaboli, Manouchehr Nakhjavani, Soghra Rabizadeh, Marsa Gholamzadeh, Seyed Reza Najafizadeh","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00475-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00475-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background and objective: </strong>Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by synovial inflammation, cartilage, and bone destruction. Several studies have shown that leptin plays an important role in the pathophysiology of RA disease. This study aimed to evaluate serum levels of leptin in RA patients receiving biologic drugs compared to RA patients managed by non-biologic drugs, and healthy individuals.</p><p><strong>Methods and material: </strong>In this case-control study, three groups including RA patients receiving biological drugs (remission RA patients; n = 20), RA patients receiving DMARDs (active RA patients; n = 20), and healthy controls (n = 20) were included. Serum leptin levels and inflammatory markers, including C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), were measured in all participants. These measurements were subsequently compared across the three groups. Also, the correlation between leptin and inflammatory markers in each group was evaluated.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>In this study serum leptin levels in remission RA patients, active RA patients, and healthy individuals were 14.49 ± 6.73, 16.94 ± 7.72, and 7.59 ± 5.94, respectively. Serum leptin level was significantly higher in patients with RA compared to healthy controls. No significant difference was observed in serum leptin levels between the two groups of RA patients (P < 0.001). There was a lost correlation between leptin and inflammatory markers in patients with active RA. However, a new correlation between leptin and inflammatory markers emerged in RA patients receiving biological drugs.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Our findings suggest that anti-TNF-alpha agents do not modulate serum leptin levels in RA patients. However, these agents may change a correlation between leptin and C-reactive protein (CRP) that is absent in patients with active RA.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>Not applicable in case control study.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"22"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11849362/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490782","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Patient reported physical function, mental health, and treatment patterns in dermatomyositis: survey results from a cross-sectional study of adult dermatomyositis patients.","authors":"Lisa Christopher-Stine, Julie J Paik, Alexandra S Goriounova, Paul N Mudd","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00458-2","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00458-2","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objectives: </strong>Dermatomyositis (DM) is a rare and progressive immune-mediated disease with no cure and significant patient burden that encompasses physical, mental, and financial impacts. Patients experience debilitating symptoms that may include muscle weakness, itchy and painful rash, joint pain, and fatigue. Despite the heterogeneity of the disease and the breadth of possible symptoms, the impact of DM on a diverse range of patients' quality of life (QoL) has not been well-characterized in literature. The aim of this study was to describe the experiences of patients living with DM as they relate to physical and mental impacts, productivity, and treatment patterns and satisfaction.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>To address this deficiency, a 60-question survey was developed to capture adult patient perspectives on the impact of DM on their QoL. Members of The Myositis Association (TMA) with a self-reported diagnosis of DM who were 18-75 years old and whose disease duration was ≥ 1 year were invited to complete the online survey.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Respondents were predominantly female (88%, 172/195), white (82%, 160/195), and had a median age of 57 years. Approximately 50% (98/195) of the respondents rated their overall symptoms as moderate and the three most bothersome symptoms were muscle weakness (44%, 86/195), fatigue (43%, 84/195), and muscle pain (30%, 59/195). Almost all respondents (83%, 162/195) experienced some form of mental stress due to DM and reported that this had a negative impact on interpersonal relationships. The majority (87%, 170/195) of respondents were less than satisfied with the level of support they received for DM.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Our study demonstrates the significant burden of DM on a patients' QoL and there remains a large unmet need for financial support, mental health care, and improved treatment options for patients living with DM.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"23"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-24","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11849329/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143490781","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Effect of gout on 30-day survival in ICU patients: retrospective analysis of a large cohort of critically ill patients.","authors":"Rouxin Li, Yimei Ding, Luan Xue","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00469-z","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00469-z","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Gout is a chronic disease caused by the deposition of sodium urate crystals, which is prone to multiple comorbidities, especially cardiovascular and kidney diseases. Patients with gout have higher all-cause and cause-specific mortality. However, it is unclear whether gout affects survival in ICU patients.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Data of the ICU patient cohort were obtained from the MIMIC IV database. The survival difference between the two groups was compared by Log-rank method. Cox regression was used to estimate the hazard ratio. Possible influencing factors were adjusted by matching. Quantitative variables were compared with Mann-Whitney/Wilcoxon test, and categorical variables were compared with Pearson's Chi-squared test.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The 30-day survival rate of gout patients in ICU was 87.13%, significantly higher than 84.88% in matched controls (P = 0.009), with hazard ratio (HR) of 0.83 (95% CI: 0.73-0.96). HR was reduced to 0.74 (95% CI: 0.64-0.84) after adjusting Charlson comorbidity Index (CCI) and 0.72 (95% CI: 0.63-0.82) after adjusting sequential organ failure assessment (SOFA). HR rose to 0.86 (95% CI: 0.75-0.98) after matching the first diagnosis, but the difference was still statistically significant (P = 0.029). After grouping matching for sepsis, HR decreased slightly, to 0.80.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>Gout showed a protective effect on 30-day survival in ICU patients, indicating that the understanding of gout deserves further exploration.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"21"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-21","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11844010/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143476393","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Symmetrical polyarthritis in IgG4-related sialadenitis: a diagnostic challenge with seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.","authors":"Faizan Bashir, Moiza Bashir, Moniza Rafiq, Ali Jafer, Saide Honarmand","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00471-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00471-5","url":null,"abstract":"&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Background: &lt;/strong&gt;IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a systemic fibro-inflammatory condition characterized by elevated IgG4 serum levels and tissue infiltration by IgG4-positive plasma cells. While often presenting with organ-specific involvement, such as sialadenitis or pancreatitis, its rheumatologic manifestations are rare and poorly understood. IgG4-RD often overlaps with autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA), posing a diagnostic challenge, particularly in seronegative presentations.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Case presentation: &lt;/strong&gt;We report a 48-year-old male presenting with progressive symmetrical polyarthritis mimicking rheumatoid arthritis. Laboratory findings showed elevated serum IgG4 levels and inflammatory markers, while autoantibodies (RF, ACPA, ANA, ANCA) were negative. A biopsy of a submandibular gland revealed dense lymphoplasmacytic infiltrates + fibrosis and IgG4-positive plasma cells, confirming the diagnosis of IgG4-RD. The patient responded well to a combination of glucocorticoids and methotrexate, with complete symptom resolution within one month and normalization of inflammatory markers.The therapeutic response observed in this case demonstrates the effectiveness of immunosuppression therapy in IgG4-RD management, while emphasizing the need for long-term follow-up.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Discussion: &lt;/strong&gt;This case underscores the diagnostic challenges in recognizing arthritis in a patient with biopsy-confirmed IgG4-related sialadenitis particularly when seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remains a plausible differential diagnosis.The overlapping clinical features and shared treatment responses make it challenging to attribute the arthritis to a single etiology.This report emphasizes the importance of considering IgG4-RD in the differential diagnosis of atypical arthritis presentations, particularly in patients with systemic manifestations. Histopathological confirmation, supported by clinical and serological evaluation, remains pivotal in guiding diagnosis and management. Long-term follow-up is essential to monitor for evolving features, including the potential development of overlapping conditions, and to ensure optimal treatment outcomes. Early recognition and tailored interventions are critical to preventing complications and improving patient quality of life.&lt;/p&gt;&lt;p&gt;&lt;strong&gt;Conclusion: &lt;/strong&gt;IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) must be considered in the differential diagnosis of seronegative arthritis, especially when systemic symptoms or organ involvement are present. This case underscores the growing recognition of IgG4-RD in rheumatologic practice and the importance of a multidisciplinary approach to diagnosis and management. Clinicians should maintain heightened awareness of the overlap between IgG4-RD and rheumatoid arthritis (RA), advocating for the integration of histopathology, imaging, and serological testing to ensure accurate diagnosis. Additionally, long-term follow-up is essential to monito","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"20"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11834622/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143448143","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Efficacy and safety of upadacitinib, a selective JAK-1 inhibitor in treatment of ankylosing spondylitis: a meta-analysis.","authors":"Qi Yao, Yixuan Zhu, Yanling Ma, Yanfang Pu, Xueting Yang, Zhiqing Zhang","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00467-1","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00467-1","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Objective: </strong>To systemically assess efficacy and safety of upadacitinib (UPA), a selective inhibitor of Janus kinase 1 (JAK1) in treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>Available databases were used to retrieve literatures of randomized controlled trials (RCTs) of UPA for AS treatment until February 2024. After that, the data were extracted and the Revman 5.4 software was used to conduct a meta-analysis.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>A total of 6 articles and 1653 patients (920 in a UPA group (15 mg, q.d) and 733 in a placebo group) were selected in this study. Respectively, UPA treatment significantly increased numbers of the AS patients having 40%, 20%, or partial remission (PR) improvement in assessment of spondylo arthritis international society (ASAS) (ASAS 40: 95%CI: 2.41-4.3, p < 0.00001; ASAS 20: 95%CI: 2.12-3.62, p < 0.00001; ASAS PR: 95%CI: 2.81-7.48, p < 0.00001), Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI50) (95%CI: 2.28 ~ 4.10, p < 0.00001), quality of life (95%CI: 2.06 ~ 3.17, p < 0.00001), AS disease activity score low disease activity (ASDAS LDA) (95%CI: 3.07~9.96, p < 0.00001), ASDAS inactive disease (ID) (95%CI: 2.03 ~ 17.22, p = 0.001), short-form 36 physical component summary (SF-36PCS) (95%CI: 1.53 ~2.81, p < 0.00001), and markedly reduced ASDAS C-reactive protein (CRP) (95%CI: -1.22 ~ -0.42, p < 0.0001), total back pain score (95%CI: -2.01 ~ -0.51, p = 0.001), nighttime back pain score (95%CI: -1.96 ~ -0.54, p = 0.0006), spondylo arthritis research consortium of Canada magnetic resonance imaging (SPARCC MRI) spine score (95%CI: -7.78--3.50, p < 0.00001) and SPARCC MRI sacroiliac joint score (95%CI: -5.99 - -3.09, p < 0.00001), Bath ankylosing spondylitis function index (BASFI) score (95%CI: -1.45 ~ -0.81, p < 0.00001), Maastricht ankylosing spondylitis enthesitis score (MASES) (95%CI: -2.34~-0.35, p = 0.008). Except for neutropenia (95%CI: 1.25 ~ 15.60, p = 0.02), no other adverse effects (AEs) were significantly different between the UPA treatment and placebo.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Through a literature analysis, it reveals that UPA offers significant therapeutic benefits to AS patients with a relatively high safety profile.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"19"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11834275/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143448130","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Evaluation of usability, feasibility and acceptance of the digital training diary Trainingslog for individuals with axSpA: a mixed-method study.","authors":"Neva Pfyl, Lea Ettlin, Karin Niedermann, Anne-Kathrin Rausch","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00463-5","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00463-5","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Physical activity (PA), including regular exercise, is essential for the successful management of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA). To promote a physically active lifestyle, a digital training diary (Trainingslog) was developed in an user-centered approach by the Swiss Ankylosing Spondylitis Association (SVMB). A training diary promotes PA through feedback, goal setting and self-monitoring, which can also be used for PA counselling by physiotherapists (PT). Usability, feasibility and acceptance are essential for the successful implementation of a mobile Health Intervention such as the Trainingslog. The study objective is to evaluate the usability, feasibility and acceptance of the Trainingslog for individuals with axSpA and PTs.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>A mixed-methods design was performed among potential end-users of the Trainingslog. Quantitative data was collected by use of questionnaires (System Usability Scale (SUS, 0-100 scale), user version of the Mobile App Rating Scale (uMARS, 5 point scale)) and number of training entries. Subsequently, qualitative data was gathered through semi-structured online focus groups or individual interviews.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>11 PTs (9 women, mean age 52.5 [SD 15.6]) and 10 individuals with axSpA (6 women, mean age 48 [SD 13.4]) participated. The quantitative data showed mean SUS scores for usability of 82.5 [SD 21.76] for PTs and 77.0 [SD 9.34] for individuals with axSpA. The mean uMARS sector B scores for feasibility were 4.2 [SD 0.49] for PTs and 4.1 [SD 0.38] for individuals with axSpA. Acceptance, as indicated by the uMARS results (mean score > 3 in Sectors E and F for both groups), was given. But there was a lower-than-expected agreement in the training entries, with 59.86% of entries matching between the Trainingslog and the paper diary. The qualitative analysis unveiled that while usability and feasibility were good, acceptance was lower, primarily due to the use of a web-based link instead of an app version.</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>The Trainingslog showed a good usability and feasibility, while the acceptance was lower than expected. Acceptance could be increased by offering the Trainingslog as an app-based version, along with implementing additional recommendations for enhancement. Consequently, the Trainingslog has the potential to be applied in PA counselling by PTs or as a self-monitoring tool for individuals with axSpA.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"18"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-18","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11834626/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143448131","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Psoriatic arthritis in Jordan: a cross-sectional study of disease characteristics, patient-reported outcomes, and disease activity.","authors":"Fatima Alnaimat, Khaldoon Alawneh, Ayman AbuHelal, Omar Hamdan, Almothana Alelaimat, Manal Al Mashaleh, Ausaylah Burqan, Wala Rababah, Rabaa Rababah, Marwan Adwan","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00468-0","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00468-0","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, inflammatory rheumatic disease. We aim to describe the characteristics of PsA patients and examine factors affecting their psychological and physical well-being.</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>This multicenter, cross-sectional study enrolled consecutive PsA patients from rheumatology clinics over six months. Data was collected through questionnaires and chart reviews. Disease activity was assessed using Disease Activity in Psoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) and Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease-12 (PsAID-12), with fibromyalgia and psychological well-being screened via Fibromyalgia Rapid Screening Tool (FiRST) and Patient Health Questionnaire-4 (PHQ-4), respectively.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>The study enrolled 105 patients with a mean age of 45.6 ± 12.9, and 46.7% (N = 49) were males. The predominant disease type was polyarthritis (80%, N = 84), with 90.5% (N = 95) having psoriasis (PSO). Arthritis and PSO were diagnosed simultaneously in 18 patients (17.1%), arthritis preceded PSO in 11 patients (10.5%) by 3.5 ± 3.8 years, and PSO preceded arthritis in 76 patients (72.4%) by 10.65 ± 11.27 years. The diagnostic delay of PsA was 3.1 ± 4.9 years. Methotrexate was used by 50.5% (N = 53) and 20% (N = 21) used anti-TNF. Severe disease activity, according to DAPSA scores, was present in 38.1%, positive screening for fibromyalgia in 29.5% (N = 31), and 35.2% (N = 37) had severe depression and anxiety-related symptoms. Using multivariate regression analysis, Obesity (OR = 3.267, 95% CI: 1.015-10.513) and the presence of CVD (OR = 4.769, 95% CI: 1.121-20.293) were predictors of bone erosions. PsAID-12 scores and ESR were associated with severe depression and anxiety-related symptoms (95% OR: 1.443-4.459 and 1.001:1.078), respectively.</p><p><strong>Conclusions: </strong>Patients with PsA often face diagnostic delays, with fibromyalgia, depression, and anxiety being common, resulting in poorer patient-reported outcomes.</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"16"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11831762/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439887","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}

{"title":"Preparing to deliver a stepped wedge cluster-randomised trial to test the effectiveness of daily symptom tracking integrated into electronic health records for managing rheumatoid arthritis: a mixed-methods feasibility trial.","authors":"Katie L Druce, Yumna Masood, Helen Chadwick, Sarah Skyrme, Deb Griffiths-Jones, Ramiro D Bravo Santisteban, Peter Bower, Jill Firth, Charlotte A Sharp, Christopher J Armitage, Dawn Dowding, John McBeth, Caroline Sanders, William G Dixon, Sabine N van der Veer","doi":"10.1186/s41927-025-00464-4","DOIUrl":"10.1186/s41927-025-00464-4","url":null,"abstract":"<p><strong>Background: </strong>We sought to assess the feasibility of a stepped-wedge cluster-randomised trial testing the effectiveness of a complex mHealth intervention called REMORA: a co-designed smartphone app enabling daily, weekly and monthly symptom tracking integrated into electronic health records for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).</p><p><strong>Methods: </strong>We conducted a mixed-methods feasibility trial using a convergent approach with some explanatory sequential elements. Patients were eligible to take part if they were older than ≥18 years of age, had (suspected) RA or undifferentiated inflammatory arthritis, and consented to take part from two outpatient departments. We analysed quantitative app and electronic health record data descriptively. We analysed qualitative data from interviews and clinic observations thematically. We assessed four feasibility domains: recruitment and consent (target: 15 patients per site), intervention uptake (≥70% of recruited participants completed on-boarding, i.e., registered with the app and submitted at least one symptom report), intervention adherence (>50% daily symptom reports provided), and measuring disease activity as the primary outcome (scores available for ≥80% of people with a follow-up clinic visit). Due to time constraints, we only recruited patients to the intervention group, leaving us unable to test the logistics of randomising sites in accordance with the trial's cluster stepped wedge design.</p><p><strong>Results: </strong>Of 130 people screened, 52 consented. Of those, 32 (62%) completed on-boarding. On-boarded participants provided symptom data on 2384/3771 (63%) of possible days. Among the 48 people who had ≥1 follow-up appointment, at least one disease activity scored was obtained for 46 (96%) of them. Factors related to intervention uptake formed the biggest threat to trial feasibility, including lack of clarity of communication and guidance, access to technology, and personal challenges (e.g., being busy or unwell).</p><p><strong>Conclusion: </strong>We found that delivering a trial to test the effectiveness of integrated symptom tracking in rheumatology outpatient settings was feasible. The future REMORA trial will contribute to the much-needed evidence base for the impact of integrated symptom tracking on care delivery and patient outcomes, including decision-making, patient experience, disease activity, and symptom burden.</p><p><strong>Trial registration: </strong>This feasibility trial was registered at https://www.isrctn.com/ on 23-Jan-2023 (ISRCTN21226438).</p>","PeriodicalId":9150,"journal":{"name":"BMC Rheumatology","volume":"9 1","pages":"17"},"PeriodicalIF":2.1,"publicationDate":"2025-02-17","publicationTypes":"Journal Article","fieldsOfStudy":null,"isOpenAccess":false,"openAccessPdf":"https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC11834673/pdf/","citationCount":null,"resultStr":null,"platform":"Semanticscholar","paperid":"143439820","PeriodicalName":null,"FirstCategoryId":null,"ListUrlMain":null,"RegionNum":0,"RegionCategory":"","ArticlePicture":[],"TitleCN":null,"AbstractTextCN":null,"PMCID":"OA","EPubDate":null,"PubModel":null,"JCR":null,"JCRName":null,"Score":null,"Total":0}