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ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
29207757 Vitamin D Levels and Associations in Indian Patients with Primary Sjögren's Syndrome. 2017 Sep INTRODUCTION: Vitamin D is a steroid hormone belonging to the class of secosteroids with myriad immune functions and has been implicated in aetiopathogenesis of various autoimmune diseases. Although, there have been various studies showing the association of vitamin D in rheumatoid arthritis and lupus in different populations, there have been limited studies on vitamin D and primary Sjögren's Syndrome (pSS). There are no studies on association of vitamin D and pSS from any tropical country including Indian subcontinent. AIM: The purpose of the study was to look for any association between 25-hydroxyvitamin D (25(OH)D) levels and disease manifestations in Indian patients with pSS. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This is a retrospective cross-sectional study done at a tertiary teaching hospital in southern India in 235 patients with pSS. Patients satisfying the American European Consensus Group (AECG) or American College of Rheumatology (ACR) 2012 for pSS between 2008 and 2015 were included if baseline 25(OH)D levels using electrochemiluminescence were available in hospital's laboratory record, 25(OH)D <20 ng/ml,20-30 ng/ml and >30 ng/ml was defined as deficiency, insufficiency and normal, respectively. Clinical laboratory data and disease activity scoring by EULAR Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI) were retrieved retrospectively. Latitude corresponding to residence of each patient and the season of performing the assay were recorded. Chi-square statistics was done to find associations between categorized 25(OH)D and outcomes and was reported as odds ratio(95% confidence interval). RESULTS: Mean 25(OH)D for 235 patients with pSS was 19.98(12.55)ng/ml. A vitamin D deficiency, insufficiency and sufficiency was seen in 141(60%), 60(25.5%) and 34.0(14.5%), respectively. No association was noted between latitude or season of performing assay and the levels. pSS with 25(OH)D ≤30ng/ml had more than two fold risk of higher grading on lip biopsy as well as Rheumatoid Factor (RF) positivity. However, low 25(OH)D seemed to be associated with lower ESSDAI and less pulmonary involvement. CONCLUSION: Prevalence of 25(OH)D deficiency in Indian patients with pSS was comparable to that of general Indian population. Low 25(OH)D level ≤30ng/ml was associated with higher odds for RF positivity and positive grading on lip biopsy. Surprisingly, low 25(OH)D was associated with lower ESSDAI score.
28082406 Ataxia Telangiectasia and Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis. 2017 Feb We report, to the best of our knowledge, the first case of a child with typical ataxia telangiectasia (A-T) who developed juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The patient was a 15-year-old boy with A-T who presented with noninfectious polyarthritis. A-T is a rare, autosomal recessive disorder characterized by cerebellar atrophy, oculocutaneous telangiectasia, immunodeficiency, radiosensitivity, and predisposition to cancer. The gene responsible for A-T is the A-T mutated (ATM) gene. Clinical manifestations of the disorder are the result of lacking ATM protein, which is involved in DNA repair, apoptosis, various checkpoints in the cell cycle, gene regulation, translation, initiation, and telomere maintenance. There are a few articles that describe deficiency of the DNA repair enzyme, ATM, in rheumatoid arthritis, but the connection between the absence of ATM protein and JIA has not been presented or studied yet. JIA is a heterogeneous group of diseases characterized by arthritis of unknown origin with onset before the age of 16 years. It is the most common childhood chronic rheumatic disease and causes significant disability. Because immunodeficiency can be part of A-T, infectious arthritis can occur, but chronic autoimmune arthritis in these patients is rare. We report a rare case of a 15-year-old boy with A-T and JIA. This case shows a possible relationship between altered function of ATM protein and the pathogenesis of JIA.
28591033 Vitamin D supplementation and disease activity in patients with immune-mediated rheumatic 2017 Jun BACKGROUND: Vitamin D serum levels and the presence and activity of rheumatic conditions have been associated. However, many studies are merely observational, and the existent randomized clinical trials were never systematically analyzed. Therefore, this study aims to provide a systematic review and meta-analysis of such a topic. METHODS: MEDLINE, EMBASE, LILACS, COCHRANE, and CINAHL were explored to identify randomized trials that investigated clinical repercussions of vitamin D (or analogs) supplementation for at least 3 months in rheumatic diseases. Standardized clinical and/or laboratorial outcomes related to disease activity were analyzed according to each disease before and after supplementation. RESULTS: Database searches rendered 668 results; 9 were included-5 on rheumatoid arthritis, 3 on systemic lupus erythematosus, and 1 on systemic sclerosis. Seven of the studies were meta-analyzed. After vitamin D supplementation, rheumatoid arthritis recurrence decreased; however, not significantly (risk difference = -0.10, 95% CI = -0.21, 0.00, P = .05). No statistical significance was observed regarding visual analog scale (mean difference = 2.79, 95% CI = -1.87, 7.44, P = .24) and disease activity score28 (mean difference = -0.31, 95% CI = -0.86, 0.25, P = .28). Regarding systemic lupus erythematosus, anti-dsDNA positivity was significantly reduced (risk difference = -0.10, 95% CI = -0.18, -0.03; P = .005). CONCLUSION: Vitamin D supplementation reduced anti-dsDNA positivity on systemic lupus erythematosus and could possibly reduce rheumatoid arthritis recurrence, although novel randomized clinical trials are needed to confirm and extend the benefits of this hormone in immune-mediated rheumatic diseases.
28191456 The Short Form Score for the Assessment and Quantification of Chronic Rheumatic Affections 2017 OBJECTIVE: The SF-SACRAH was developed to assess the involvement of the hand in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and hand osteoarthritis (HOA) patients in daily clinical routines. In this pilot study, its sensitivity to change will be assessed longitudinally, and preliminary thresholds for patient relevant changes are derived. METHODS: Ninety-nine outpatients suffering from HOA (n = 55) or RA (n = 44) completed the SF-SACRAH once initially. After approximately 3 months, patients repeated the SF-SACRAH. At both visits, patients rated their satisfaction (PATSAT) with the state of their disease (1 = very good to 5 = unsatisfactory). For assessing its sensitivity to change, SF-SACRAH changes in patients with stable, improving, or worsening conditions according to PATSAT were calculated in HOA and RA patients. The respective medians and highest values were used to estimate patient relevant variation values. SF-SACRAH changes and positive or negative PATSAT changes in HOA as well as RA patients were analyzed by applying the Kruskal-Wallis test. In RA patients, the DAS28 was also calculated. Spearman's rho was calculated to correlate SF-SACRAH changes with the EULAR response criteria. RESULTS: In HOA and RA patients, a statistically high correlation between PATSAT changes and SF-SACRAH values was revealed (p < 0.0001 in HOA and p < 0.01 in RA patients, respectively). The median changes in SF-SACRAH in patients with improving, stable, or worsening conditions according to PATSAT were HOA patients: PATSAT improving: ΔSF-SACRAH -1.6, PATSAT stable: ΔSF-SACRAH +0.8, PATSAT worsening: ΔSF-SACRAH +1.0; RA patients: PATSAT improving: ΔSF-SACRAH -0.9, PATSAT stable: ΔSF-SACRAH +0.2, PATSAT worsening: ΔSF-SACRAH +0.8. In RA patients, there is a moderate, but significant, correlation between DAS28 EULAR response criteria and SF-SACRAH changes (ΔDAS28 improving >0.6: ΔSF-SACRAH -0.4, ΔDAS28 <0.6: ΔSF-SACRAH +0.0, ΔDAS28 worsening >0.6: ΔSF-SACRAH +0.5; r = 0.433, p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: The SF-SACRAH constitutes a reliable tool for the assessment of hand impairment in patients with chronic rheumatic diseases. It proved to be sensitive to change in this short-term evaluation in both HOA and RA patients. Additionally, preliminary patient variation values for improvement (-1.60) and deterioration (+1.0) could be derived.
28411133 Clinical significance of fibromyalgia syndrome in different rheumatic diseases: Relation t 2018 Sep OBJECTIVE: To describe the frequencies of fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) in various rheumatic diseases; rheumatoid arthritis (RA), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), systemic sclerosis (SSc) and Behçets disease (BD) patients and to study the relation to clinical manifestations and quality of life (QoL). PATIENTS AND METHODS: 160 patients (50 RA, 50 SLE, 30 SSc and 30 BD) and matched corresponding healthy controls were included. Disease activity was assessed using disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) for RA, SLE Disease Activity index (SLEDAI), modified Rodnan skin score for SSc and BD Current Activity Form (BDCAF). The QoL was also recorded. Severity in FMS cases was estimated using the revised Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire score. RESULTS: In the RA, SLE, SSc and BD patients, FMS was found in 14%, 18%, 6.67% and 3.33% respectively compared to 2.1%, 3%, 3.3% and 0% in their corresponding controls. In RA patients, DAS28 was significantly higher in those with FMS (p=0.009) and significantly correlated with both Widespread Pain Index (WPI) (p=0.011) and Symptom Severity (SS) scale (p=0.012). The QoL scale in those with FMS was significantly worse (62.3±7.9) compared to those without (71.7±14.4) (p=0.023). In SLE patients, The WPI and SS both significantly correlated with the presence of thrombosis (r=0.28, p=0.049 and r=0.43, p=0.002 respectively). The SS scale tended to correlate with the SLEDAI (r=0.28, p=0.05). In BD patients, BDCAF and WPI significantly correlated (p=0.03). CONCLUSION: Fibromyalgia syndrome is more frequent in rheumatic diseases, could be related to the disease activity in RA and BD patients and to thrombosis in SLE and affected the QoL in RA.
28356746 An estimate of the cost of administering intravenous biological agents in Spanish day hosp 2017 OBJECTIVE: To estimate the unit costs of administering intravenous (IV) biological agents in day hospitals (DHs) in the Spanish National Health System. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Data were obtained from 188 patients with rheumatoid arthritis, collected from nine DHs, receiving one of the following IV therapies: infliximab (n=48), rituximab (n=38), abatacept (n=41), or tocilizumab (n=61). The fieldwork was carried out between March 2013 and March 2014. The following three groups of costs were considered: 1) structural costs, 2) material costs, and 3) staff costs. Staff costs were considered a fixed cost and were estimated according to the DH theoretical level of activity, which includes, as well as personal care of each patient, the DH general activities (complete imputation method, CIM). In addition, an alternative calculation was performed, in which the staff costs were considered a variable cost imputed according to the time spent on direct care (partial imputation method, PIM). All costs were expressed in euros for the reference year 2014. RESULTS: The average total cost was €146.12 per infusion (standard deviation [SD] ±87.11; CIM) and €29.70 per infusion (SD ±11.42; PIM). The structure-related costs per infusion varied between €2.23 and €62.35 per patient and DH; the cost of consumables oscillated between €3.48 and €20.34 per patient and DH. In terms of the care process, the average difference between the shortest and the longest time taken by different hospitals to administer an IV biological therapy was 113 minutes. CONCLUSION: The average total cost of infusion was less than that normally used in models of economic evaluation coming from secondary sources. This cost is even less when the staff costs are imputed according to the PIM. A high degree of variability was observed between different DHs in the cost of the consumables, in the structure-related costs, and in those of the care process.
28342906 Citation analysis did not provide a reliable assessment of core outcome set uptake. 2017 Jun OBJECTIVES: The aim of the study was to evaluate citation analysis as an approach to measuring core outcome set (COS) uptake, by assessing whether the number of citations for a COS report could be used as a surrogate measure of uptake of the COS by clinical trialists. STUDY DESIGN AND SETTING: Citation data were obtained for COS reports published before 2010 in five disease areas (systemic sclerosis, rheumatoid arthritis, eczema, sepsis and critical care, and female sexual dysfunction). Those publications identified as a report of a clinical trial were examined to identify whether or not all outcomes in the COS were measured in the trial. RESULTS: Clinical trials measuring the relevant COS made up a small proportion of the total number of citations for COS reports. Not all trials citing a COS report measured all the recommended outcomes. Some trials cited the COS reports for other reasons, including the definition of a condition or other trial design issues addressed by the COS report. CONCLUSION: Although citation data can be readily accessed, it should not be assumed that the citing of a COS report indicates that a trial has measured the recommended COS. Alternative methods for assessing COS uptake are needed.
28358812 Periodontitis increases rheumatic factor serum levels and citrullinated proteins in gingiv 2017 This study investigated some immunological features by experimental periodontitis (EP) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease interact in destructive processes in arthritic rats. Rats were assigned to the following groups: EP +RA; RA; EP; and Negative Control. RA was induced by immunizations with type-II collagen and a local immunization with Complete Freund's adjuvant in the paw. Periodontitis was induced by ligating the right first molars. The serum level of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACCPA) were measured before the induction of EP (T1) and at 28 days after (T2) by ELISA assay. ACCPA levels were also measured in the gingival tissue at T2. The specimens were processed for morphometric analysis of bone loss, and the gingival tissue surrounding the first molar was collected for the quantification of interleukin IL-1β, IL-4, IL-6, IL-17 and TNF-α using a Luminex/MAGpix assay. Paw edema was analyzed using a plethysmometer. Periodontitis increased the RF and ACCPA levels in the serum and in the gingival tissue, respectively. Besides, the level of paw swelling was increased by EP and remained in progress until the end of the experiment, when EP was associated with RA. Greater values of IL-17 were observed only when RA was present, in spite of PE. It can be concluded that periodontitis increases rheumatic factor serum levels and citrullinated proteins level in gingival tissues and alter cytokine balance in arthritic rats; at the same time, arthritis increases periodontal destruction, confirming the bidirectional interaction between diseases.
28754008 Combination Therapy of PEG-HM-3 and Methotrexate Retards Adjuvant-Induced Arthritis. 2017 Jul 21 At present, the early phenomenon of inflammatory angiogenesis is rarely studied in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Previous research found that PEG-HM-3, an integrin inhibitor, possessed anti-angiogenesis and anti-rheumatic activity. In this study, the advantages of inhibiting angiogenesis and immune cell adhesion and migration, as well as the benefits of anti-arthritis effects, were evaluated using a combination of PEG-HM-3 and methotrexate (MTX). In vitro, spleen cell proliferation and the levels of tumor necrosis factor α (TNF-α) in macrophage supernatant were assessed. Hind paw edema, arthritis index, clinical score, body weight and immunohistochemistry (IHC) of the spleen, thymus, and joint cavity were evaluated in vivo in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats. Joints of the left hind paws were imaged by X-ray. The expression of the toll-like receptor 4 (TLR-4) protein was assessed in lipopolysaccharide (LPS)-induced synoviocytes. PEG-HM-3 combined with MTX significantly reduced primary and secondary swelling of the hind paws, the arthritis index, the clinical score and bone erosion. The results of IHC showed that the levels of interleukin-6 (IL-6) in spleens and the levels of TNF-α, CD31 (cluster of differentiation 31), and CD105 in the joint cavity were decreased. The body weight of rats was maintained during combination therapy. Ankle cavity integrity, and bone erosion and deformity were improved in combination treatment. The expression of TLR-4 was significantly reduced with combination treatment in rat synoviocytes. Co-suppression of both inflammation and angiogenesis in arthritis was achieved in this design with combination therapy. The activity of nuclear transcription factor (NF-κB) and the expression of inflammatory factors were down regulated via integrin α(v)β₃ and TLR-4 signaling pathways. In the future, the application of this combination can be a candidate in early and mid-term RA therapy.
30364878 New Drug Treatments for Osteoarthritis: What is on the Horizon? 2017 Mar 2 Osteoarthritis (OA) is the most common form of arthritis, yet has historically lagged far behind rheumatoid arthritis in terms of drug development. Despite the many challenges presented by clinical trials in OA, improvements in our understanding of disease pathogenesis and a move to treat pain, as well as underlying disease process, mean there are now many new pharmacological therapies currently in various stages of clinical trials. The medical need for these therapies and the evidence for recent tissue and molecular targets are reviewed. Current therapeutic examples in each area are discussed, including both novel therapeutics and existing agents which may be repurposed from other disease areas. Some challenges remain, but opportunities for improving symptoms and disease process in OA in the clinic with new pharmacological agents would appear to be on the close horizon.
29087892 Ultrasonographic Evidence of Persistent Synovitis in a Chikungunya-Infected Service Member 2017 Nov Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) is an arthropod-borne alphavirus initially endemic to Central and East Africa but now spreading to Asia, Europe, and most recently the Western hemisphere. CHIKV infection initially presents as an acute, nonspecific febrile syndrome with rash and polyarthralgia, later leading to a chronic arthritis clinically similar to rheumatoid arthritis. We report a case of an active duty military member infected with CHIKV while deployed to Central America, who developed chronic arthritis. Active duty military members are at higher risk of contracting CHIKV because of deployment to countries with a high prevalence of this mosquito-borne illness. Severe chronic arthritis can result from CHIKV, resulting in serious impact on fitness for military duty.
28804903 Targeting of tolerogenic dendritic cells towards heat-shock proteins: a novel therapeutic 2018 Jan Tolerogenic dendritic cells (tolDCs) are a promising therapeutic tool to restore immune tolerance in autoimmune diseases. The rationale of using tolDCs is that they can specifically target the pathogenic T-cell response while leaving other, protective, T-cell responses intact. Several ways of generating therapeutic tolDCs have been described, but whether these tolDCs should be loaded with autoantigen(s), and if so, with which autoantigen(s), remains unclear. Autoimmune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, are not commonly defined by a single, universal, autoantigen. A possible solution is to use surrogate autoantigens for loading of tolDCs. We propose that heat-shock proteins may be a relevant surrogate antigen, as they are evolutionarily conserved between species, ubiquitously expressed in inflamed tissues and have been shown to induce regulatory T cells, ameliorating disease in various arthritis mouse models. In this review, we provide an overview on how immune tolerance may be restored by tolDCs, the problem of selecting relevant autoantigens for loading of tolDCs, and why heat-shock proteins could be used as surrogate autoantigens.
28123776 Drug-specific risk and characteristics of lupus and vasculitis-like events in patients wit 2017 OBJECTIVE: To compare the risk of lupus-like events (LLEs) and vasculitis-like events (VLEs) in tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitor (TNFi)-treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to those receiving non-biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs). METHODS: Patients were recruited to the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Register-RA, a national prospective cohort study. Two cohorts recruited between 2001 and 2015: (1) patients starting first TNFi (adalimumab, etanercept, infliximab and certolizumab) (n=12 937) and (2) biological-naïve comparison cohort receiving nbDMARDs (n=3673). The risk of an event was compared between the two cohorts using Cox proportional-hazard models, adjusted using propensity scores. Rates of LLE/VLE were compared between TNFi and nbDMARD patients. RESULTS: The crude incidence rates for LLEs were: TNFi 10/10 000 patient-years (pyrs) (95% CI 8 to 13) and nbDMARD 2/10 000 pyrs (95% CI 1 to 6); for VLEs: TNFi 15/10 000 pyrs (95% CI 12 to 19) and nbDMARD 7/10 000 pyrs (95% CI 4 to 12). The risk of both events was highest in the first year of TNFi treatment. After adjusting for differences in baseline characteristics, there was no difference in risk of LLEs ((adj)HR 1.86; 95% CI 0.52 to 6.58) or VLEs ((adj)HR 1.27; 95% CI 0.40 to 4.04) for TNFi compared to nbDMARD-treated patients. Infliximab conferred the highest overall risk, followed by etanercept, although 95% CIs overlapped following adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: In one of the largest biological registers, the absolute risk of both events is low. The addition of TNFi to nbDMARD does not alter the risk of either event in patients with RA selected for TNFi. This is the first study to assess the risk of these outcomes in a prospective, observational cohort.
28035365 Matrine induces the apoptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes derived from rats with colla 2017 Feb The induction of apoptosis-resistant rheumatoid synovial tissue cells has been related to constitutively active Janus kinase/signal transducers and activators of transcription (JAK/STAT) signaling in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The excessive proliferation and inherent resistance to apoptosis of fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) is an important mechanism by which RA originates. However, the effects of matrine on FLS in RA is unclear. The present study aimed to investigate the mechanism of action of matrine in a rat model of collagen‑induced arthritis (CIA). The CIA model was established using bovine type II collagen. FLS were isolated from control and CIA rats, cultured in vitro, and confirmed to harbor fibroblast‑like characteristics. After treatment of FLS with varying conc-entrations of matrine, the JAK2 inhibitor AG490, or a combination of both drugs, cell proliferation, apoptosis rate, expression of apoptotic markers and the activation of the JAK/STAT pathway were assessed. Additionally, CIA rats were administered either matrine or methotrexate by oral gavage to examine the effects of therapeutic intervention on arthritis pathogenesis. The arthritis index (AI) was measured and ankle joint structure was analyzed histologically to determine the severity of CIA. Furthermore, expression levels of apoptotic markers and members of the JAK/STAT family were also examined in vivo. Compared with the CIA group, matrine reduced AI and improved ankle pathology. Matrine also inhibited FLS proliferation, induced G0/G1 cell cycle arrest, and increased the rate of apoptosis in vitro. The effects of matrine on apoptosis induction were further confirmed by observations that Bcl-2 levels were decreased, whereas Bax and caspase-3 levels were increased in the matrine-treated synovial tissues and FLS. Finally, matrine treatment also diminished the phosphorylation, and hence activation of JAK2, STAT1 and STAT3. Our results suggest that matrine induces the apoptosis of FLS from rats with CIA by inhibiting activation of the JAK/STAT signaling pathway.
27849141 Eight-year follow-up of airway hyperresponsiveness in patients with primary Sjögren's syn 2017 Mar OBJECTIVE: To evaluate in a longitudinal study the influence of airway hyperresponsiveness (AHR) on lung function in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: Lung function was studied over an eight-year period in 15 patients who fulfilled the Copenhagen criteria for primary Sjögren's syndrome and who were covered in our earlier published study on AHR in patients with Sjögren's syndrome. Standard spirometry and measurements of lung volumes, diffusing capacity (DLCO), and AHR to methacholine were performed. RESULTS: A significant decline over time was found in total lung capacity (TLC), vital capacity (VC), forced vital capacity (FVC), functional residual capacity (FRC), and expiratory midflows (FEF(50)). A sign of small airway obstruction (decrease in FEF(50)) at entry correlated with VC at follow-up (r = .8, P < .003), and the individual change in FEF(50) during the observation period correlated with the individual change in VC (r = .6, P < .05). Six patients had increased AHR, and three of them had decreased DLCO. Six of the patients progressively reduced DLCO over time, and five of them had spirometric signs of increased small airway obstruction. CONCLUSIONS: During this eight-year follow-up we observed that one-third of the patients with pSS developed a significant reduction in lung function. Our findings suggest that small airways obstruction and AHR are associated with reduction of VC and development of impaired DLCO as a sign of interstitial lung disease in this group of patients.
29054585 [Influence of epigenetic in Sjögren's syndrome]. 2018 May Sjögren's syndrome (SS) is a systemic autoimmune epithelitis with a major female incidence, and characterized by a dry syndrome, impaired quality of life, visceral involvement, and lymphoma for the most aggressive cases. During this process, epithelial cells acquire the capacity to produce cytokines, chemokines, and autoantigens which can in turn be presented to the immune system. Consequently, this epithelitis is accompanied by lymphocytic infiltrations leading to the formation of pseudo-follicles in which self-reactive B lymphocytes are present. The recent integration of genomic and especially of epigenomic data, which make it possible to analyze the different cellular partners, opens new perspectives and allows to a better understanding of this complex and still incurable disease.
28704397 Impact of Sjogren's syndrome on Parkinson's disease: A nationwide case-control study. 2017 OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether Sjogren's syndrome would have an influence on the development of Parkinson's disease. METHODS: A population-based case-control study was conducted. Participants consisted of 7716 subjects with newly diagnosed Parkinson's disease and a population of 75129 matched control subjects between 2000 and 2010. We measured the risk of Parkinson's disease in association with Sjogren's syndrome by using adjusted odds ratios. RESULTS: A total of 143 Parkinson's disease subjects (1.9%) and 893 control subjects (1.2%) suffered from Sjogren's syndrome (p < 0.001). The crude odds ratio for Parkinson's disease among subjects with Sjogren's syndrome was 1.56 (95% CI 1.30-1.86; p < 0.01). After adjustment for potential confounders which have been proposed that would increase the risk of development of Parkinson's disease, Sjogren's syndrome was found to be significantly associated with the risk of Parkinson's disease with an odds ratio of 1.37 (95% CI 1.15-1.65; p < 0.01). CONCLUSION: This study preliminarily proposed that Sjogren's syndrome was significant associated with an increased risk of Parkinson's disease.
28177920 Predictable biomarkers of developing lymphoma in patients with Sjögren syndrome: a nation 2017 Jul 25 Sjögren syndrome (SS) is commonly known to be correlated with lymphoma. This study included 16,396 individuals in the SS cohort and 65,584 individuals in the non-SS cohort, all of whom were enrolled in the Taiwan National Health Insurance database between 2000 and 2010. We evaluated the risk factors of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) in the primary SS cohort by applying a Cox multivariable proportional-hazards model. We increased the correlation of patients with SS and NHL, with an adjusted HR of 4.314 (95% CI 2.784 - 6.685). Of the 16,396 SS patients, 66 individuals had salivary gland slices without NHL development, while the other 16,330 individuals that did not have salivary gland slices revealed 30 individuals that developed NHL. Of the 16,396 SS patients, 128 individuals underwent immunomodulator agent therapy (including hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine, cyclosporine, methotrexate, and rituximab) without NHL development. None of the 30 individuals that developed NHL from SS received immunomodulator agents. We found that patients with SS were at an increased risk of developing NHL, with the most common NHL subgroup being diffused large B-cell lymphoma. SS patients who were candidates for salivary gland slices or immunomodulator agents were associated with a lower risk of developing lymphoma over time. We recommend that patients at a higher risk upon diagnosis of SS receive close follow-up and aggressive treatment.
27838793 Evaluation of Swallowing Functions in Patients with Sjögren's Syndrome. 2017 Apr Patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS) manifest symptoms such as dry eyes, dry mouth, and dysphagia. This study aims to evaluate the swallowing functions of the patients with SS. 69 patients with SS (65 females, 4 males) and 40 healthy individuals (33 females, 7 males) were included as study and control groups, respectively. Mean ages were 52.86 and 48.25 years for study and control groups, respectively. Swallowing functions were evaluated by fiberoptic endoscopic evaluation of swallowing (FEES). All the patients underwent FEES and were given 3, 5, and 10 ml water, yogurt, and fish-shaped crackers twice, respectively. The presence of bolus control, residue, penetration, and aspiration were evaluated. Additionally, certain types of foods triggering the dysphagia, any difficulties in bolus control, need to clean the throat, sensation of having a lump in the throat, sensation of choking, and xerostomia were included in the questionnaire. The MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory and the Beck Depression Inventory were administered to patients. Considering the presence of residue with yogurt and fish cracker, there was a significant difference between groups (P < 0.05). Penetration was present in two patients in the study group; however, the difference was not significant (P > 0.05). Regarding the MD Anderson Dysphagia Inventory, the average scores were 48.18 ± 13.21 and 87.6 ± 10.67 for study and control groups, respectively, and a statistically significant difference was detected (P < 0.05). Regarding the Beck Depression Inventory, the average scores were 11.83 ± 9.37 and 8.03 ± 6.84 for study and control groups, respectively (P < 0.05). SS affected the swallowing functions significantly. The presence of residue with yogurt and cracker was the most obvious finding, whereas penetration/aspiration was not clinically significant. Swallowing dysfunction reduced the quality of life in patients with SS.
27561784 Mastitis associated with Sjögren's syndrome: a series of nine cases. 2017 Feb Sjögren's syndrome is well known to target exocrine glands, especially lacrimal and salivary glands, which share with mammary glands anatomical, histological, and immunological features. Herein, we investigated the mammary involvement in patients with Sjögren's syndrome and compared the histological findings with minor salivary gland involvement. We reviewed the charts of patients with Sjögren's syndrome (followed in Montpellier University Hospital, between January 2000 and January 2015), in whom minor salivary gland and mammary tissues were available. Two expert pathologists analysed retrospectively these tissues in order to identify inflammatory patterns. Immunohistochemical stainings were performed to precise leucocyte distribution. Sixteen Sjögren's syndrome patients with available salivary and breast tissue samples were included. All were women, with a median age of 60.1 ± 11.3 years at Sjögren's syndrome diagnosis. Mammary biopsy was conducted because of breast symptoms in 6 patients and following imaging screening strategies for breast cancer in 10 patients. Nine patients exhibited an inflammatory breast pattern (lymphocytic infiltrates or duct ectasia), close to minor salivary gland histological findings. Immunohistochemical stainings (n = 5) revealed B and T cell infiltrates within breast tissue, with a higher proportion of T CD4+ cells, but no IgG4-secreting plasma cells were found. This is the first series to describe breast inflammatory patterns in Sjögren's syndrome. Mastitis is in line with the classical involvement of exocrine glands in this disease. These findings are consistent with the literature data considering Sjögren's syndrome as an "autoimmune epithelitis".