Search for: rheumatoid arthritis methotrexate autoimmune disease biomarker gene expression GWAS HLA genes non-HLA genes
ID | PMID | Title | PublicationDate | abstract |
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16398270 | Inhibitory effect of N,O-acil-threo-DL-phenylserine derivatives on rat adjuvant arthritis. | 2005 Dec | Rat adjuvant arthritis (AA), a model of chronic inflammation and an experimental model of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been used to evaluate the possible anti-inflammatory action of seventeen N,O-acil-threo-DL-phenylserines 1-17. For this purpose experiments on 200 male Wistar rats were performed. The obtained results showed that oral administration of all compounds, except 15, inhibited the development of AA as compared with the control group. Although the level of arthritic suppression of some preparations was equivalent to aspirin or exceeded it (compounds 2-4, 6, 10, 13), only the preparation 10 in a dose of 100 mg/kg significantly change the paw swelling (P < 0.02) which decreased by 27.9-31.7% at the end of experiment. Pronounced inhibition (P < 0.05-0.01) of joint swelling and the indices of pathological process activity were revealed in earlier stages of AA under the treatment with compounds such as 6 and 11. The antiinflammatory effect of some compounds (9, 11, 13) was observed in the middle of the experiment, although only compound 9 showed significant suppression by 35.9-37.9% at this stage (P < 0.01-0.001) which also markedly decreased ESR (P < 0.05). The latter index was significantly reduced by the action of preparations 2-4, 6-8. Most of the compounds investigated improved blood indices and prevented the development of polyarthritis. | |
15695302 | Thyroid function, autoimmune thyroiditis and coeliac disease in juvenile idiopathic arthri | 2005 Apr | OBJECTIVES: Autoimmune diseases have been associated with some organ non-specific rheumatological disorders such as rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus; however, few studies have been performed in an extensive cohort of children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Our objective was to evaluate the thyroid function and the prevalence of antithyroid antibodies, autoimmune thyroiditis and coeliac disease in children with JIA. METHODS: One hundred and fifty-one children (120 female, 31 male, median age 8.3 yr, range 2.4-16.9 yr) with JIA were evaluated. All patients underwent thyroid function tests (u-TSH, free T(4) and free T(3)), antithyroglobulin (TgA) and antiperoxidase (TPOA) antibodies, antigliadin, anti-endomysium and antitransglutaminase antibodies. All patients with raised thyroid stimulating hormone levels, low thyroid hormone levels or positive TPOA and/or TgA values had a thyroid high-resolution sonography examination. Coeliac disease was confirmed by jejunal biopsy if the specific antibodies profile was positive. One hundred and fifty-eight age- and sex-matched Caucasian children from the same geographical area acted as controls. RESULTS: Fourteen (9.3%) patients showed subclinical hypothyroidism, 17 (11.9%) patients showed autoimmune thyroiditis with nine patients also showing a non-homogeneous thyroid parenchyma at ultrasound evaluation. Coeliac disease was demonstrated in 10 (6.6%) patients. Compared with controls, JIA patients had higher prevalence of subclinical hypothyroidism (P < 0.01), autoimmune thyroiditis (P < 0.0001) and coeliac disease (P < 0.005). CONCLUSIONS: JIA children have an increased prevalence of autoimmune thyroiditis, subclinical hypothyroidism and coeliac disease. These data seem to suggest careful monitoring of thyroid function, thyroid autoantibodies and coeliac disease in JIA children. | |
17135447 | TGF-beta type I receptor kinase inhibitor down-regulates rheumatoid synoviocytes and preve | 2007 Feb | Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by hypertrophic synovial tissues comprising excessively proliferating synovial fibroblasts and infiltrating inflammatory cells. Transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) is a multifunctional cytokine that regulates cell growth, inflammation and angiogenesis by acting on various cell types. In RA synovial tissues, TGF-beta is expressed at high levels. However, the precise role of TGF-beta in RA remains unclear. We herein demonstrated a causal link between the TGF-beta-induced RA synovial cell proliferation and induction of platelet-derived growth factor (PDGF)-AA. In addition, TGF-beta induced IL-6 and vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) production by RA synovial fibroblasts associated with nuclear factor-kappa B activation. These effects of TGF-beta on RA synovial fibroblasts were suppressed by TGF-beta type I receptor kinase inhibitor HTS466284. Furthermore, HTS466284 significantly prevented anti-collagen type II antibody-induced arthritis in mice according to the clinical manifestations, histology, tumor necrosis factor-alpha, PDGF and VEGF expression and 5-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation. These in vitro and in vivo results suggest that TGF-beta plays a role in the development of synovial hyperplasia consisting of synovial cell proliferation, inflammation and angiogenesis. The blockade of TGF-beta signaling may thus become an additional strategy for the treatment of RA. | |
16093837 | Caspase recruitment domain 15 mutations and rheumatic diseases. | 2005 Sep | PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The purpose of this article is to review the foundational work and current developments on a group of rheumatic disorders associated with mutations in the caspase recruitment domain 15/nucleotide oligomerization domain 2 gene. RECENT FINDINGS: To date, there are at least 10 arthritic conditions for which specific genetic mutations have been demonstrated. They include familial Mediterranean fever; tumor necrosis factor receptor associated periodic syndrome; hyper immunoglobulin D syndrome; neonatal onset multisystemic inflammatory disease; pyogenic arthritis pyoderma gangrenosum and acne; Muckle-Wells syndrome; familial cold autoinflammatory syndrome; immunodysregulation, polyendocrinopathy, enteropathy, X-linked syndrome; Crohn's disease; and familial and sporadic sarcoid granulomatous arthritis. This review focuses on recent progress in the last two diseases and the caspase recruitment domain 15 genetic defects with which they are associated. Up to 50% of patients with familial granulomatous arthritis (Blau's syndrome), 90% of those with sporadic granulomatous arthritis (early-onset sarcoidosis), and 40% of individuals with Crohn's disease have documented mutations in the caspase recruitment domain 15 gene. SUMMARY: Although histologically, Crohn's disease and familial and sporadic sarcoid granulomatous arthritis are distinct from rheumatoid arthritis because of the defining presence (albeit in not all cases) of non-caseating granulomata in the synovial and intestinal tissues, respectively, they still represent a promising model of both chronic synovitis and uveitis. In addition, once the actual mechanism is discovered by which defects of the caspase recruitment domain 15 gene product lead to chronic arthritis, it may uncover unsuspected biologic targets for therapeutics. | |
21783751 | Prevention of collagen-induced arthritis in mice by Cervus korean TEMMINCK var. mantchuric | 2007 Mar | The effect of water extract of deer antler (DAA) prepared from the pilose antler of Cervus korean TEMMINCK var. mantchuricus Swinhoe (Nokyong) on collagen-induced mouse rheumatoid arthritis (RA) model was studied. Identification of common DAA capable of affording protection or modulating the onset and severity of arthritis may have important human health implications. DAA has been shown to possess anti-inflammatory and anti-carcinogenic properties in experimental animals. In this study, we determined the effect of DAA-injection on collagen-induced arthritis in mice. In three independent experiments, mice given DAA in water exhibited significantly reduced incidence of arthritis (30-45%) as compared with mice not given DAA in water (86-98%). The arthritis index also was significantly lower in DAA-injected animals. Western blot analysis showed a marked reduction in the expression of inflammatory mediators such as cyclooxygenase 2, IFN-γ, and tumor necrosis factor α in arthritic joints of DAA-injected mice. The neutral endopeptidase activity was approximately six-fold higher in arthritic joints of non-DAA-injected mice in comparison to non-arthritic joints of unimmunized mice, whereas it was only two-fold higher in the arthritic joints of DAA-injected mice. Additionally, total IgG and type II collagen-specific IgG levels were lower in serum and arthritic joints of DAA-injected mice. Taken together our studies suggest that DAA may be useful in the prevention of onset and severity of arthritis. | |
16855156 | Circadian rhythms: glucocorticoids and arthritis. | 2006 Jun | Circadian rhythms are driven by biological clocks and are endogenous in origin. Therefore, circadian changes in the metabolism or secretion of endogenous glucocorticoids are certainly responsible in part for the time-dependent changes observed in the inflammatory response and arthritis. More recently, melatonin (MLT), another circadian hormone that is the secretory product of the pineal gland, has been found implicated in the time-dependent inflammatory reaction with effects opposite those of cortisol. Interestingly, cortisol and MLT show an opposite response to the light. The light conditions in the early morning have a strong impact on the morning cortisol peak, whereas MLT is synthesized in a strictly nocturnal pattern. Recently, a diurnal rhythmicity in healthy humans between cellular (Th1 type) or humoral (Th2 type) immune responses has been found and related to immunomodulatory actions of cortisol and MLT. The interferon (IFN)-gamma/interleukin (IL)-10 ratio peaked during the early morning and correlated negatively with plasma cortisol and positively with plasma MLT. Accordingly, the intensity of the arthritic pain varies consistently as a function of the hour of the day: pain is greater after waking up in the morning than in the afternoon or evening. The reduced cortisol and adrenal androgen secretion, observed during testing in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients not treated with glucocoticoids, should be clearly considered as a "relative adrenal insufficiency" in the presence of a sustained inflammatory process, and allows Th1 type cytokines to be produced in higher amounts during the late night. In conclusion, the right timing (early morning) for the glucocorticoid therapy in arthritis is fundamental and well justified by the circadian rhythms of the inflammatory mechanisms. | |
15984050 | Quality of arthritis information on the Internet. | 2005 Jun 1 | PURPOSE: The quality and reliability of Internet-based arthritis information were studied. METHODS: The search terms "arthritis," "osteoarthritis," and 'rheumatoid arthritis" were entered into the AOL, MSN, Yahoo, Google, and Lycos search engines. The Web sites for the first 40 matches generated by each search engine were grouped by URL suffix and evaluated on the basis of four categories of criteria: disease and medication information content, Web-site navigability, required literacy level, and currentness of information. Ratings were assigned by using an assessment tool derived from published literature (maximum score of 15 points). RESULTS: Of the 600 arthritis Web sites identified, only 69 were unique and included in the analysis. Fifty-seven percent were .com sites, 20% .org sites, 7% .gov sites, 6% .edu sites, and 10% other sites. Total scores for individual sites reviewed ranged from 3 to 14. Eighty percent of .gov sites, 75% of .edu sites, 29% of other sites, 36% of .com sites, and 21% of .org sites were within the top tertile of scores. No Web site met the criterion for being understandable to people with no more than a sixth-grade reading ability. .Gov sites scored significantly higher overall than .com sites, .org sites, and other sites. .Edu sites also scored relatively well. CONCLUSION: The quality of arthritis information on the Internet varied widely. Sites with URLs having suffixes of .gov and .edu were ranked higher than other types of sites. | |
16237274 | TNF-alpha and pathologic bone resorption. | 2005 Sep | Chronic inflammatory bone diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal disease and aseptic periprosthetic osteolysis, are characterized by bone loss around affected joints and teeth caused by increased osteoclastic bone resorption. This resorption is mediated largely by the increased local production of pro-inflammatory cytokines, such as tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFa). These cytokines may induce resorption indirectly by affecting the production of the essential osteoclast differentiation factor, receptor activator of NF-kB ligand, and/or its soluble decoy receptor, osteoprotegerin, by osteoblast/stromal cells or directly by enhancing proliferation and/or activity of cells in the osteoclast lineage. The importance of TNFa in the pathogenesis of various forms of bone loss is supported by both experimental and clinical evidence. However, TNFa is not absolutely required for osteoclastogenesis, erosive arthritis, or osteolysis, as all these events could occur in the absence of TNFa and whether TNFa promotes osteoclast formation independently of RANK signaling is still a topic of debate. Here we review our current understanding of the mechanisms whereby TNFa increases osteoclastogenesis in vitro and in vivo. | |
17029057 | Locking compression plating: a new solution for fractures in rheumatoid patients. | 2005 | Osteoporosis is a well-known phenomenon in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) that is characterized by marked loss of peripheral bone. It was found that the frequency of osteoporosis in RA can be increased significantly compared with the reference population, which implies a higher risk of fracture in this group of patients. Osteoporosis makes the treatment of fracture in RA patients more challenging, including the difficulty of fracture fixation, delayed union, secondary loss of reduction, and fixation failure. The locking compression plate was designed using the concept of "internal fixator," which provides a new solution for the fixation of osteoporotic fractures. The fixed angle between the screw and the plate increases the pull-out strength of the system, so the stability of the fixation no longer depends totally on the quality of the bone. The other benefits of this system include the fact that no accurate contouring is required, it protects the local blood supply, and it supports minimally invasive plate osteosynthesis. | |
16463708 | [Role of neopterin in clinical diagnostics]. | 2005 | Neopterin is a low-molecular mass substance synthesized from guanosine triphosphate (GTP) in monocytes/macrophages due to IFNgamma stimulation. The cellular immune system is involved in or affected by the disease process in various conditions such as viral infections (AIDS), autoimmune disorders (rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosis, Crohn's disease), malignancy and monitoring after solid organ transplants. Similar to procalcitonin, neopterin determination can assist in the differential diagnosis between viral and bacterial infection and as an indicator for impending septic complications (MODS vs. sepsis). Because of fact that reduced glamerular filtration rate neopterin accumulates in the blood, neopterin determination in multiorgan failure or sepsis patients are limited. The aim of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of neopterin in clinical diagnostics. | |
16980211 | New cytokine targets in inflammatory rheumatic diseases. | 2006 Oct | With the advent of biological therapies, considerable advances have been achieved in the treatment of inflammatory arthritis. These have arisen primarily from studies elucidating mechanisms of pathophysiology and are best exemplified in the wide use of tumour necrosis factor (TNF) blockade in several rheumatic diseases. The identification of additional pro-inflammatory factors in rheumatic diseases and an understanding of their effector function, now offers major possibilities for the generation of novel therapeutics. To address unmet clinical need, such interventions will ideally fulfil several of the following criteria: (1) control of inflammation, (2) modulation of underlying immune dysfunction - promoting the re-establishment of immune tolerance, (3) protection of targeted tissues such as bone and cartilage - this should encompass promoting healing of previously damaged tissues, (4) preservation of host immune capability - to avoid profound immune suppression and (5) amelioration of co-morbidity associated with underlying inflammatory arthritis. This short review will consider those novel cytokine activities that represent optimal utility as therapeutic targets. Since we wish to reflect the current predominant research effort, we will focus primarily on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based studies. | |
16601456 | Echocardiographic measures of diastolic function in pediatric heart disease. | 2006 May | PURPOSE OF REVIEW: The past year has seen a continued evolution in the echocardiographic assessment of diastolic function in children. This paper reviews published studies from the past year that have helped characterize diastolic function using echocardiography in children. RECENT FINDINGS: Characterization of diastolic function using Doppler and Doppler tissue imaging in the normal infant and child was a primary focus of pediatric echocardiographic investigation. These technologies appear to hold significant promise as tools to improve understanding of diastolic function in the normal child as the heart matures. Diastolic function in children with congenital heart disease has also been better characterized using these tools, specifically in patients with atrial septal defects, tetralogy of Fallot, single ventricle physiology, and following cardiac transplantation. Finally, diastolic function in acquired heart disease or with systemic disease in the child has been evaluated using echocardiography, with recent reports describing findings in children with dilated cardiomyopathy, chronic renal disease, obesity, type I diabetes, juvenile rheumatoid arthritis, obstructive sleep apnea, and after anthracycline exposure for childhood cancer. SUMMARY: Pediatric echocardiography has clearly become the primary tool for describing and characterizing diastolic function in infants and children both with and without heart disease. It is becoming an important noninvasive diastolic monitoring tool that allows serial assessment of pathologic diastolic disease in both primary myocardial and systemic disease states. | |
16889732 | [Arthroscopic assisted diagnosis and treatment of knee extension limitation]. | 2006 Jun 15 | OBJECTIVE: To figure out the incidence and etiology of knee extension limitation and then to find out the proper methods of arthroscopic assisted diagnosis and treatment. METHODS: We reviewed 303 cases of arthroscopic assisted operation from January to October 2003, 95 cases of which suffered from knee extension limitation before operation, including 54 male and 41female and the mean age was 36.2 years old. The direct reasons of knee extension limitation were identified by routine arthroscopic examination and operations were carried out according to results of the examination. RESULTS: Incidence of knee extension limitation in this group of patients was 31.4%. Trauma, mainly meniscus and ligament injury accounted for 67.4%, which was the most common reason of knee extension limitation. Acute or chronic arthritis like degenerative arthritis, non-specific synovitis, synovial chondromatosis, rheumatoid arthritis, pigmented villonodular synovitis, gouty arthritis and acute pyogenic arthritis formed another common reason. The follow-up period ranged from 3 to 20 months, average 13.3 months. 82 cases gained full extension immediately after operation, 9 cases gained full extension after 3 weeks rehabilitation post-operation, 4 cases did not gain full extension 1 year after operation, recurrence was observed in 4 cases. CONCLUSIONS: Arthroscopy is the best method for diagnosis of knee extension limitation at present. Satisfactory results can be expected after early arthroscopic assisted treatment. | |
16038012 | A novel approach for gene therapy: engraftment of fibroblasts containing the artificial ch | 2006 Jan | BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by inflammation of the synovial tissue. High systemic doses are necessary to achieve therapeutic levels of anti-rheumatic drugs in the joints. Gene transfer might provide a more efficient delivery system for genes encoding therapeutic proteins. METHODS: The artificial chromosome expression system (ACE System) is a new non-integrating, non-viral gene expression system which functions like a natural chromosome. This technology offers advantages over current expression systems because it allows stable and predictable expression of proteins encoded by single or multiple genes over long periods of time. We are developing ex vivo gene therapy using murine artificial chromosomes containing a reporter gene (LacZ and red fluorescent protein (RFP)) for local delivery of genes in rats with adjuvant arthritis (AA). RESULTS: The delivery of the intact ACE System into rat fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) and rat skin fibroblasts (RSF) was detected within 24 to 48 h post-transfection. After growing cells under selection, clones expressing LacZ and RFP were identified. Furthermore, we investigated the feasibility of local delivery of a reporter gene to the joints of rats with AA by ex vivo gene therapy. This resulted in engraftment of the injected cells in the synovial tissue microarchitecture and expression of the reporter gene. CONCLUSIONS: This work demonstrates the potential feasibility of treating arthritis and other inflammatory diseases using fibroblasts containing the ACE System as a non-viral vector for gene therapy. | |
16879255 | Arthritogenicity of collagen type II is increased by chlorination. | 2006 Aug | During inflammation, activated neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages produce and release myeloperoxidase (MPO). MPO converts hydrogen peroxide to hypochlorous acid, a highly reactive and oxidizing agent. Proteins subjected to hypochlorous acid become chlorinated. We analysed how chlorination of the cartilage antigen collagen type II (CII) affects its immunogenic and arthritogenic properties by studying immune responses to chlorinated CII in comparison to immune responses to CII and by studying the development of arthritis in rats immunized with CII-Cl. CII-Cl immunization of LEW.1AV1 rats caused a 100% incidence of arthritis with a mean maximum score of 9.2 (maximal score possible 16). The same dose of non-chlorinated CII did not induce arthritis at all. Rats immunized with CII-Cl developed high anti-CII-Cl IgG titres and also developed IgG antibodies recognizing the non-chlorinated form of CII. Analysis of cytokine mRNA expression in lymph nodes 10 days after immunzation revealed an increased expression of interferon (IFN)-gamma mRNA and interleukin (IL)-1beta mRNA in CII-Cl-immunized rats compared to CII-immunized rats. Thus, chlorination of CII increased its immunogenicity as well as its arthritogenicity. As neutrophils, monocytes and macrophages are abundant cells in arthritic joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, chlorination might be a mechanism by which immunoreactivity to CII is induced and by which chronic joint inflammation is supported. | |
16095121 | Low dose of infliximab is inadequate in most patients with spondylarthropathies. | 2005 Jul | OBJECTIVES: The recommended starting dose for infliximab for ankylosing spondylitis 5mg/kg is higher than that for rheumatoid arthritis. Because of the high expense of the drug lower doses may be considered. We report our experience with lower initial doses. METHODS: Thirty patients with active SpA (16 psoriatic arthritis, 12 ankylosing spondylitis and 2 undifferentiated) received 6 infliximab infusions. Patients had substantial axial disease (mean BASDAI at baseline 5.5). Concomitant therapy (methotrexate or prednisolone) remained stable throughout treatment period. The mean initial dose of infliximab was 3.5 mg/kg/infusion. Clinical efficacy was assessed by BASDAI. The criterion for dose adjustment was a BASDAI improvement of less than 50%. The primary end-points were the proportion of patients requiring a dose adjustment and the percentage of patients achieving 50% improvement in BASDAI after 6 infusions. RESULTS: In this cohort, 2 patients discontinued therapy, 1 for pulmonary infection and 1 for allergic reaction. Twelve patients (40%) showed 50% improvement in BASDAI between baseline and prior to the 7th infusion, while 15 patients (50%) had an improvement > 2 points. To achieve clinical response the frequency and/or the dose of infliximab infusions were increased in 63% of patients. The mean infliximab dose increased from 3.5 mg/kg at the first infusion to 4.3 mg/kg (p < 0.001) at the 7th infusion, resulting in a cumulative dose at the end of the study period comparable to the recommended one. CONCLUSIONS: In the majority of our SpA patients low starting doses of infliximab required subsequent adjustment. In these patients infliximab should be administered at the recommended dose of 5mg/kg/infusion. | |
15682451 | The major T cell epitope on type II collagen is glycosylated in normal cartilage but modif | 2005 Feb | Type II collagen (CII) is a target for autoreactive T cells in both rheumatoid arthritis and the murine model collagen-induced arthritis. The determinant core of CII has been identified as CII260-270, and the alteration of this T cell epitope by posttranslational modifications is known to be critical for development of arthritis in mice. Using CII-specific T cell hybridomas we have now shown that the immunodominant T cell epitope in the normal (healthy) human and rat joint cartilage is O-glycosylated at the critical T cell receptor recognition position 264 with a mono- or di-saccharide attached to a hydroxylysine. In contrast, in the arthritic human and rat joint cartilage there are both glycosylated and non-glycosylated CII forms. Glycosylated CII from normal cartilage could not be recognized by T cells reactive to peptides having only lysine or hydroxylysine at position 264, showing that antigen-presenting cells could not degrade the O-linked carbohydrate. Thus, the variable forms of the glycosylated epitope are determined by the structures present in cartilage, and these vary during the disease course. We conclude that the chondrocyte determines the structures presented to the immune system and that these structures are different in normal versus arthritic states. | |
16249085 | Pyrazoloheteroaryls: novel p38alpha MAP kinase inhibiting scaffolds with oral activity. | 2006 Jan 15 | A test library with three novel p38alpha inhibitory scaffolds and a narrow set of substituents was prepared. Appropriate combination of substituent and scaffold generated potent p38alpha inhibitors, for example, pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyridine 9, pyrazolo[3,4-d]pyrimidine 18a and pyrazolo[3,4-b]pyrazine 23b with potent in vivo activity upon oral administration in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis. | |
17345806 | [Lacrimal proteins electrophoretic analysis--diagnostic method in secondary Sjogren syndro | 2006 | PURPOSE: We analysed and compared electrophoretic tear protein patterns of healthy subjects and patients with different autoimmune diseases associated with secondary Sjogren's syndrome. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Tears were collected using the Schirmer's method. Proteins were separated by sodium-dodecyl sulfate poliacrylamide gel electrophoresis. The lanes were stained by Coomassie blue and/or silver. RESULTS: Lactoferrin, albumin, lipocalin and lysozyme were found to be the main components being identified using molecular weight markers. CONCLUSIONS: Electrophoretic analysis of tear proteins patterns is a fast, reproducible and simple method which provides information about the possibility of lacrimal gland involvement in autoimmmune diseases. | |
16095856 | Laryngeal findings and voice quality in Sjögren's syndrome. | 2005 Dec | OBJECTIVE: The effect of Sjögren syndrome (SS) on perceptual ratings of the laryngeal findings using the Reflux Finding Score (RFS) and the Reflux Symptom Index (RSI) and the objective voice quality using Jitter (JITT), Pitch Period Perturbation Quotient (PPQ), Shimmer (Shim), Amplitude Perturbation Quotient (APQ) and Noise-to-Harmonic Ratio (NHR) was examined. METHODS: Seventy-seven patients with SS and seventy-seven healthy individuals for the control group were studied. The Reflux Symptom Index (RSI); nine-item outcomes instrument for assessment of symptoms in patients and the Reflux Finding Score (RFS), eight-item laryngoscopic-based scale for evaluation of laryngeal findings in patients were realised. The Multi Dimensional Voice Program (MDVP) was used for capturing and analysis of the voice samples. For comparison of all parameters of patients and control group subjects, the independent sample t-test was used. RESULTS: The difference of RSI and RFS between patients with SS and control subjects was statistically significant. The difference of voice quality parameters between patients with SS and control subjects expect NHR were statistically significant. CONCLUSION: There is a significant association between SS and a variety of laryngeal pathologies. The SS patients with reflux symptoms and voice problems must be examined by an ENT specialist and local laryngeal manifestations of SS can be treated symptomatically. |