[Objectives]To study the effect and mechanism of baicalin on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in human fibroblast like synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis(HFLS-RA).[Methods]To confirm that baicalin alleviated the...[Objectives]To study the effect and mechanism of baicalin on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in human fibroblast like synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis(HFLS-RA).[Methods]To confirm that baicalin alleviated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in HFLS-RA,the expression of NLRP3 before and after baicalin treatment was observed by immunofluorescence.Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of p-PI3K,p-Akt,NF-κB p65,NLRP3,ASC and caspase-1 after baicalin treatment for 48 h,and the contents of IL-1 and IL-18 in the supernatents were detected by ELISA.In order to explore the mechanism of baicalin alleviating the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome,the corresponding relationship between let-7i-3p and PIK3CA was verified by double luciferin and Westen blot analysis.The expression of let-7i-3p and PI3K before and after baicalin intervention was detected by RT-qPCR.let-7i-3p interference was used to verify whether baicalin mitigated the activation of enhanced NLRP3 inflammasome.[Results]Baicalin(50 and 100 mg/L)significantly reduced the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome,inhibited the protein expressions of p-PI3K,p-Akt,NF-κB p65,NLRP3,ASC and caspase-1,and the secretion of IL-1 and IL-18.let-7i-3p and PIK3CA had a targeted correspondence,and baicalin up-regulated the expression of let-7i-3p and down-regulated the expression of PIK3CA.Baicalin attenuated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome enhanced by let-7i-3p interference.[Conclusions]Baicalin can up-regulate let-7i-3p expression,inhibit PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signal transduction,and thus reduce the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in HFLS-RA.展开更多
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a prevalent autoimmune disease whose main features include chronic synovial inflammation,bone destruction,and joint degeneration.Neutrophils are often considered to be the first responders t...Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a prevalent autoimmune disease whose main features include chronic synovial inflammation,bone destruction,and joint degeneration.Neutrophils are often considered to be the first responders to inflammation and are a key presence in the inflammatory milieu of RA.Neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs),a meshwork of DNA-histone complexes and proteins released by activated neutrophils,are widely involved in the pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases,especially RA,in addition to playing a key role in the neutrophil innate immune response.NETs have been found to be an important source of citrullinated autoantigen antibodies and inflammatory factor release,which can activate RA synovial fibroblasts(FLS)and cause joint damage.This article reviews the role of NETs in the pathophysiology of RA,demonstrating the application of multiple molecules with various therapies,with a view to informing the discovery and development of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for RA.展开更多
Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, erosive and deforming inflammatory rheumatic disease. In the era of biotherapies and the arrival of biosimilars in sub-Saharan Africa, the objective of this study ...Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, erosive and deforming inflammatory rheumatic disease. In the era of biotherapies and the arrival of biosimilars in sub-Saharan Africa, the objective of this study was to describe plasma IL-6 variations in RA patients at Cité Verte District Hospital (Cameroon). Material and Methods: Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study from December 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022. We included patients over 18 years old suffering from RA (ACR/EULAR 2010). Patients with an infection were not included. The data collected were age, sex, smoking status, family history, disease duration, disease activity by DAS28, CRP, rheumatoid factor, and plasma level of IL-6. Bone erosion was sought on radiography and ultrasound. Result: We included 31 patients, 25 of whom were women (80.6%). The mean age was 47.27 ± 17.97 years. Disease activity was predominantly moderate (32.3%) and severe (32.3%). Mean IL-6 level was 15.29 ± 2.36 pg/ml (extremes: 11.26 pg/ml and 20.15 pg/ml). IL-6 levels were higher in patients with a history of smoking. Similarly, IL-6 levels were higher in patients with mildly active RA in remission than in moderately and severely active RA. Mean IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with erosive RA (16.3 pg/ml VS 14.6 pg/ml). Conclusion: IL-6 levels were significantly elevated in men, weaned smokers and patients with bone erosions.展开更多
In recent decades, several advances have been made in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) both in the diagnostic field and in the therapeutic field. Unfortunately, RA remains poorly studied in black Africa. Ep...In recent decades, several advances have been made in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) both in the diagnostic field and in the therapeutic field. Unfortunately, RA remains poorly studied in black Africa. Epidemiological data are rare and controversial. The estimated prevalence of RA in Africa is about 0% - 2.54%. Risk factors associated with RA must be studied by taking into account special features of black Africa such as the low tobacco consumption in certain regions, the tropical climate and the high frequency of endemic parasitic and viral infections. The initially supposed mildness of RA in black Africa is increasingly challenged. The diagnosis is often made too late because of the scarcity of rheumatologists and ignorance. Diagnostic tools are limited to the clinical data, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and radiographs as the other tools are poorly available. In addition, there are misconceptions in African communities, responsible for loss of sight during follow-up and treatment discontinuations. This is exacerbated by the shortage of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and the inability to afford them. Furthermore, biological agents are very difficult to access. Further studies are essential to better understand the characteristics of RA in black Africa. Thus, collaborations between African and Western research teams seem very important. In order to make available the DMARDs especially biological agents, pharmaceutical companies can contribute through research partnerships. Moreover, governments should provide a better place for chronic inflammatory diseases in the programs against non-communicable diseases. Finally, training must also be promoted to increase the number of specialists and the level of knowledge of other health workers.展开更多
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory arthritis characterized by joint pain and morning stiffness. The affected joints are typically symmetrically affected, and given the inflammatory nature of t...Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory arthritis characterized by joint pain and morning stiffness. The affected joints are typically symmetrically affected, and given the inflammatory nature of this condition, patients often present with warmth and erythema around affected joints as well as fatigue. Extra-articular manifestations, especially pleuro-pericardial inflammation, are rare initial presentations, although may be seen in advanced or undertreated disease. Case Presentation: We describe a case of a rheumatoid arthritis presenting atypically in a middle-aged male who came to the emergency department complaining of diffuse muscle pain and swelling in the distal extremities. Cardiac ultrasound revealed pleuro-pericardial inflammation and effusions. Myositis and infectious causes were ruled out and bilateral hand x-rays did not show erosions or any evidence of arthritic changes. All rheumatological auto-antibodies were negative except for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) and a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was made. The patient was started on prednisone with excellent response. Conclusions: This case highlights that rheumatoid arthritis can uncommonly present initially with extra-articular manifestations that are often manifested in advanced disease. Typically, extra-articular manifestations, especially those as severe as this patient’s, occur with untreated, advanced disease and could accompany extensive arthritic joint changes. Thus, it is important to have an understanding of rare, atypical presentations of rheumatoid arthritis so that a high index of suspicion can be maintained to make the diagnosis and initiate treatment in a timely manner.展开更多
Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic inflammatory and destructive arthropathy with a high deformity rate.Despite numerous studies and clinical trials,no curative treatment is available for large weight-bearing joints....Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic inflammatory and destructive arthropathy with a high deformity rate.Despite numerous studies and clinical trials,no curative treatment is available for large weight-bearing joints.Intra-articular(IA)injections could deliver high concentrations of drug to the afflicted joint and improve the drug efficacy while reducing systemic toxicity.However,free drugs are rapidly cleared from synovial fluid and do not significantly halt the progression of joint disease.Herein,a phospholipids-based controlledrelease gel was prepared for sustained IA delivery of celastrol(CEL)and the therapeutic efficiencywas evaluated in a rheumatoid arthritis rabbitmodel.The CEL-loaded gel(CEL-gel)contained up to 70%phospholipids yetwas easy to inject.After injecting into the joint cavity,CEL-gel achieved sol to gel phase transition without special stimuli and gelling agent.In vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies evidenced the stable and sustained release action of CEL-gel.A single IA injection of CEL-gel could maintain therapeutic efficiency for about 25 d and showed much better anti-arthritic efficacy compared to repeated injections of free drug solution(CEL-sol).Furthermore,the IA injection of CEL-gel greatly reduced the systemic toxicity of CEL.With good biocompatibility and biodegradability,CEL-gel might be a promising IA drug delivery system.展开更多
BACKGROUND Various immune-mediated inflammatory diseases consisting of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)and rheumatoid arthritis(RA),are found to have a substantial societal burden,increased healthcare costs,and progres...BACKGROUND Various immune-mediated inflammatory diseases consisting of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)and rheumatoid arthritis(RA),are found to have a substantial societal burden,increased healthcare costs,and progressive disability.Studies suggest that patients with vs without comorbid depression have a more significant disability,a lower likelihood of remission,and reduced adherence to therapy.Elevated interleukin(IL)-1β,tumor necrosis factor-α,and IL-6 contribute to developing depression by the impaired physiological responses to stress,resulting in increased pain,fever,fatigue,and lack thereof of interest,and thus poor long-term outcomes.This study emphasizes the timely recognition of the prevalence of major depressive disorder(MDD)in patients with RA and IBD combined,thus preventing disability.AIM To identify the prevalence level and temporal trends of depression in hospitalized IBD-RA patients.METHODS All adult hospitalized patients from January 2000 to December 2019 in the nationwide inpatient sample(NIS)were captured.The study population included all patients with a primary or secondary IBD-RA overlap disease using corresponding international classification of diseases(ICD)-9 and ICD-10 codes.IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.The study population was divided into IBD-RA without MDD(controls)and IBD-RA with MDD(cases).For group comparison between MDD vs no MDD,we used Student’s t-test for continuous variables and RaoScott Chi-square tests for categorical variables.For univariate analyses,we used logistic regression,and for multivariate analysis,we used a weighted multi-level mixed-effects model.We attested all hypotheses with two-tailed significance level of 0.05(P<0.05 was considered significant).The outcome is to examine the temporal trends and prevalence of depression in patients with IBD-RA by gender,race,and age.RESULTS A total of 133315 records were identified with IBD-RA overlap,of which 26155 patients(19.62%)had MDD.Among the IBD-RA patients,those who had MDD were younger[mean age of 56 years(SD±15)]to IBD-RA without MDD patients with a P<0.0001,more females(80%among cases vs 73%among controls)than males with a P<0.0001,frequent in the white race(79%among cases vs 73%among controls)than black race.Over the 19 years,the number of patients with MDD in IBDRA increased from 153(the year 2000)to 2880(the year 2019)in weighted NIS,representing a 1782%increase compared to the year 2000 with a P<0.001.Factors associated with higher MDD included younger age,female gender,white race,alcohol,opioids,esophageal disorders,peptic ulcer disease,chronic pancreatitis,paralysis,dementia,menopausal disorders,obesity,nutritional deficiencies,diabetes mellitus with chronic complications,and osteoarthritis.CONCLUSION There is a rise in the prevalence of depression in younger patients with IBD-RA combined compared to their counterparts.These patients are also at higher risk for the increased cost of care and poor treatment compliance.It is crucial to educate the involved clinicians to identify the early signs and symptoms of depression in patients with IBD or RA or IBD-RA combined and treat them to have a better overall prognosis.展开更多
BACKGROUND Sporadic cases of rheumatoid arthritis(RA)due to unsatisfactory responses to Abatacept(ABT)have been reported;however,the rescue therapy has not been finalized.Here,we present a case with difficult-to-treat...BACKGROUND Sporadic cases of rheumatoid arthritis(RA)due to unsatisfactory responses to Abatacept(ABT)have been reported;however,the rescue therapy has not been finalized.Here,we present a case with difficult-to-treat RA(D2T RA)that was resistant to either a single ABT or a Janus kinase(JAK)inhibitor(Tofacitinib),but improved with a combination of ABT and JAK inhibitor(Baricitinib,BAT).CASE SUMMARY A 46-year-old Chinese woman who had RA for ten years that was resistant to Tocilizumab,Etanercept,Adalimumab,and ABT.According to the European League Against Rheumatism definition,the patient was diagnosed with D2T RA.It was then improved with a combination of ABT and a JAK inhibitor BAT.CONCLUSION ABT combined with BAT may be an acceptable strategy for treating D2T RA.展开更多
Rheumatoid arthritis imposes a huge disease burden.Existing practice guidelines do not meet the needs of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.We establi...Rheumatoid arthritis imposes a huge disease burden.Existing practice guidelines do not meet the needs of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.We established a guideline working group consists of a steering committee,a secretary group,an evidence evaluation group,a consensus group and a review group and developed a guideline following the guidance of the World Health Organization Handbook and the Chinese Medical Association.The guideline includes 35 recommendations which reached consensus by the two rounds Delphi surveys.These recommendations were formulated to address the following themes of most concern to clinician:diagnostic imaging,disease staging,traditional Chinese medicine syndromes,effectiveness and toxicity of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.展开更多
Background:In this study,we investigated whether prophylactic treatment with Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction(GSZ)could delay the onset of rheumatoid arthritis by targeting mast cells.Methods:Collagen-induced arthritis ...Background:In this study,we investigated whether prophylactic treatment with Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction(GSZ)could delay the onset of rheumatoid arthritis by targeting mast cells.Methods:Collagen-induced arthritis was used to evaluate the effect of GSZ in preventing arthritis and joint destruction.Immunohistochemical staining revealed the accumulation of histamine H4 receptor and tryptase alpha/beta-1 in the ankle joint of the model.Then,we explored the effect of GSZ serum on fibroblast-like synoviocytes using standard transwell invasion and migration assays.Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot were used to detect the expression of toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiationfactor 88(MyD88)/nuclear factor-κB p65(NF-κB p65).Results:The results showed that pre-rheumatoid arthritis treatment with GSZ could reduce inflammation and maintain cartilage structure in the collagen-induced arthritis model.Moreover,GSZ significantly blocked mast cell degranulation and inhibited the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 pathway.Since the combined activation of mast cells via TLR4 and immune complexes enhances inflammation in synovial tissue,we concluded that GSZ may block mast cell degranulation by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 pathway and thus influence rheumatoid arthritis onset.Conclusion:Taken together,our data suggested that GSZ may be a promising therapeutic decoction for the prophylactic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.展开更多
Scutellarin(SCU)is a herbal flavonoid glucuronide with multiple pharmacological activities,including antioxidant,anti-inflammation,vascular relaxation,anti-platelet,and myocardial protection.However,the effect of SCU...Scutellarin(SCU)is a herbal flavonoid glucuronide with multiple pharmacological activities,including antioxidant,anti-inflammation,vascular relaxation,anti-platelet,and myocardial protection.However,the effect of SCU on complete Freund’s adjuvant(CFA)-induced rheumatoid arthritis(RA)had not been studied.In this study,we investigated the beneficial effects of SCU in the CFA-induced RA mice model and the anti-arthritic activity was evaluated by paw edema.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was carried out to evaluate the plasma levels of immunoglobulin(Ig)G,IgE,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL),and osteoprotegerin(OPG).Histological slides were prepared from the harvested paws of mice to determine the pathological changes in the joints.The proportions of T helper type 1(Th1)and T helper type 2(Th2)cells of CD4+T lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry.The expression of Kelch-like ECHassociated protein 1(Keap1),nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)was analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and western blotting assays.The present study demonstrated that SCU prevented CFA-induced RA,and inhibited the expression of inflammation factors,IgG,IgE,TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6.While SCU also reduced the RANKL level,it increased OPG expression in RA mice.The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly lower in mice treated with SCU.Additionally,HO-1 expression was reduced while the expression of Keap1 and Nrf2 was elevated following SCU treatment.Results provide preliminary evidence to employ SCU in arthritis treatment which might be related to the regulation of Th1/Th2 balance and the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.展开更多
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout are common diseases, but their coexistence is rare. We describe the case of a 76-year-old man with hypertension who had been treated for gout for 20 years on allopurinol and colchici...Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout are common diseases, but their coexistence is rare. We describe the case of a 76-year-old man with hypertension who had been treated for gout for 20 years on allopurinol and colchicine. He was seen in consultation for deforming polyarthritis of the small and large joints, which had been evolving for about 2 years. The acute episode occurred 10 days earlier with the onset of bilateral and symmetrical polyarthritis affecting the large and small joints. The physical examination revealed a peripheral joint syndrome with ulnar gale force deformities of the hands and several buttonhole deformities of the fingers. In addition, there were nodules, some of which were fistulised, giving rise to a chalky slurry. The biology revealed an inflammatory syndrome in addition to rheumatoid factors and ACPA, which were elevated. Biological analysis of the nodular fluid revealed clusters of sodium urate crystals and ultrasound scans of the joints revealed a double-contour appearance in several joints. The diagnosis of RA was made using the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria. The patient was treated as an outpatient with corticosteroids before being put on methotrexate. It is important to understand that these two conditions can occur at the same time, so it is important to consider them when treating patients with gout or RA.展开更多
Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as an adjuvant noninvasive neuromodulation tool to control fatigue and pain. To date, no studies have assessed the safety and efficiency of tDCS i...Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as an adjuvant noninvasive neuromodulation tool to control fatigue and pain. To date, no studies have assessed the safety and efficiency of tDCS in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and with fatigue, poor quality of life, and refractory radicular pain associated with spinal stenosis. Case Presentation: An 85-year-old woman patient presented with rheumatoid arthritis in remission, refractory radicular pain-associated spinal stenosis, fatigue, and impaired quality of life. The patient underwent 16 daily sessions of tDCS intervention (2 mA, 20 min, positively and negatively charged electrodes were positioned at C1 and Fp2, respectively), in addition to simultaneous peripheral neuromuscular electrical stimulation (frequency of 100 Hz and amplitude of 500 μs). After the intervention, neither disease relapse nor clinical intercurrence occurred. Moreover, there was a significant and sustained improvement in her health-related quality of life, with a reduction in the level of pain and chronic fatigue. Conclusion: The present case report shows that tDCS is safe and may be an adjuvant tool for the treatment of pain and fatigue in patients with systemic autoimmune disease, as well as for improving quality of life. Further studies are required to corroborate this case report.展开更多
Background: To evaluate the effect of treatment on musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) and explore whether MSUS are associated with therapeutic response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with Tofacitinib in ...Background: To evaluate the effect of treatment on musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) and explore whether MSUS are associated with therapeutic response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with Tofacitinib in combination with methotrexate (MTX). Methods: We enrolled 102 RA patients treated with Tofacitinib in combination with MTX from a multicenter, exploratory, short-term, prospective and observational ultrasound cohort study of patients who received biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. We evaluated the patients’ clinical disease activity and musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) scores. The serum concentrations of two venous blood inflammatory indicators were evaluated (c-reactive protein [CRP], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) by multiplex bead assays at baseline, 3, and 6?months: the change over 6?months was defined as the P value. Before MSUS score treatment, an associate chief physician tested the wrist joints of each patient at the first treatment, and the attending physician with 3 years of MSUS experience and 7 years of work experience also performed semi-quantitative scores on the same RA patients and tested the consistency of the results. Results: Tofacitinib in combination with MTX significantly improved the clinical disease activity and MSUS score over 6?months. Serum ESR and CRP were significantly elevated at 6?months after the Tofacitinib in combination with MTX introduction (P P P Conclusions: MSUS scores may be useful for predicting RA patients’ therapeutic responses to abatacept.展开更多
Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that is usually manifested as inflammation in multiple joints and several extra-articular symptoms, involving the liver, kidney, eye, skin, blood, blood vesse...Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that is usually manifested as inflammation in multiple joints and several extra-articular symptoms, involving the liver, kidney, eye, skin, blood, blood vessels, heart, lungs, nervous system, and other organs. Methotrexate (MTX) is the anchor drug that treats RA. As renal and liver abnormalities are more common during disease conditions as well as during the treatment period, we tried to find out if there is any impact of MTX in these organs during the treatment of RA patients. Once the disease complications are developed, it is quite difficult to reverse the disease, and treatment in this situation is not very effective. Consequently, patients suffer a lot. So, early evaluation of renal and liver function is essential for the treatment of RA patients and it might also help prevent different complications which are usually very frequently observed. This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 150 RA patients treated with MTX were evaluated for the study where female and male respondents were 115 and 35 respectively. In this study, we found that 82% of RA patients had creatinine levels ≤ 1.1 mg/dL although the normal range of serum creatinine is below 1.4 mg/dL. Usually, a 15% increase in Serum creatinine level from the baseline is considered renal impairment. We found 4% of such cases. Moreover, 2% of RA patients had creatinine levels above the normal range of 1.4 mg/dL and those patients were hypertensive as well. So, a total (4 + 2 = 6)% had renal impairments. Among them, 5% had diabetes mellitus. On the other hand, the ultrasonogram (USG) of RA patients with kidney disease showed signs of renal parenchymal disease and 3% of RA patients having renal problems whose serum creatinine level was within the normal range showed signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD). On the other hand, 2% of RA patients showed signs of hepatic parenchymal disease. In this study, 69% of RA patients had ALT levels ≤ 50 mg/dL, 23% had 50 - 100 mg/dL, and 5% had 101 - 150 mg/dL. The remaining 3% of RA patients had ALT levels above 150 mg/dL. All those patients with ALT levels above 100 mg/dL used Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) concomitantly. Different parameters of liver and renal function should be monitored strongly in RA patients treated with MTX and NSAIDs. MTX should not be given for a prolonged period without monitoring renal and liver function. As MTX, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, etc., may cause renal complications, we could not concretely conclude which one is the actual causative agent.展开更多
Objective:To explore the abnormal expression and significance of circ-CBLB/miR-486-5p in patients with rheumatoid arthritis of spleen deficiency and dampness excess type.Methods:The 30 healthy individuals included in ...Objective:To explore the abnormal expression and significance of circ-CBLB/miR-486-5p in patients with rheumatoid arthritis of spleen deficiency and dampness excess type.Methods:The 30 healthy individuals included in the method were from the Physical Examination Center of Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,and the 60 rheumatoid arthritis patients included were from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.The disease activity score of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was evaluated using VAS score and DAS28 score,joint symptoms and spleen deficiency syndrome score were evaluated using graded quantification method,immune inflammation indicators were detected using relevant instruments,inflammatory cytokines were detected using ELISA method,macrophage markers were detected using FCM method,and pathway gene expression was detected using RT-qPCR;Evaluate the predictive effect of circ-CBLB and miR-486-5p on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis using ROC curves.Results:(1)miR-486-5p,CD14^(+)CD86^(+),ESR,CRP,RF,Anti CCP Ab,IL-6,TNF in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-αThe levels of circ-CBLB,CD14^(+)CD163^(+),IL-4,and IL-10 were significantly higher than those of healthy individuals;(2)The expression level of circ-CBLB in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is positively correlated with CD14^(+)CD163^(+),and negatively correlated with miR-486-5p and CD14^(+)CD86^(+);The expression level of miR-486-5p is negatively correlated with CD14^(+)CD163^(+)and positively correlated with CD14^(+)CD86^(+);There is a negative correlation between CD14^(+)CD86^(+)and CD14^(+)CD163^(+);ESR is negatively correlated with circ-CBLB,and positively correlated with miR-486-5p,CD14^(+)CD86^(+),CRP;CRP is negatively correlated with circ-CBLB,CD14^(+)CD163^(+),and positively correlated with CD14^(+)CD86^(+),ESR;(3)The expression level of circ-CBLB in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is negatively correlated with joint tenderness,morning stiffness,lack of qi and lazy speech,and postprandial abdominal distension score;The expression level of miR-486-5p is positively correlated with the scores of joint tenderness and decreased appetite.(4)The ROC curve shows that in terms of circ-CBLB,ESR,CRP,VAS,and DAS28 AUC are 0.662(P=0.032),0.658(P=0.035),0.516(P=0.830),and 0.791(P=0.000),respectively.In terms of miR-486-5p,ESR,CRP,VAS,and DAS28 AUC were 0.566(P=0.385),0.511(P=0.883),0.592(P=0.223),and 0.727(P=0.003),respectively.Conclusion:The abnormal expression of circ CBLB and miR-486-5p in peripheral blood mononuclear cell of patients with rheumatoid arthritis of spleen deficiency and dampness excess type is related to inflammatory polarization markers,immune inflammation,disease activity,joint symptoms and spleen deficiency syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis,and the low expression of circ CBLB and high expression of miR-486-5p have certain predictive value for disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis.展开更多
Joint deformity and dysfunction are common and serious complications in the late stage of rheumatoid arthritis,which seriously affect the quality of life of patients.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)believes that join...Joint deformity and dysfunction are common and serious complications in the late stage of rheumatoid arthritis,which seriously affect the quality of life of patients.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)believes that joint deformity and dysfunction in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis are closely related to the apraxia of meridians and tendons due to enduring illness.Based on the theory of meridians and tendons circulation,using the local and nearby therapeutic effect of acupoints as the treatment method in clinical practice,we conducted penetration needling of Houxi,Baxie,Wailaogong as well as Ashi points of interphalangeal joints of both hands through bilateral Sanjian,and used the uniform reinforcing-reducing method to soothe tendons and meridians,thus effectively improving the dysfunction of deformed joints.展开更多
Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic autoimmune disease that results in a series of inflammatory reactions in the joints,marked by pathologies such as articular bone destruction and erosive synovial infla...Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic autoimmune disease that results in a series of inflammatory reactions in the joints,marked by pathologies such as articular bone destruction and erosive synovial inflammatory cartilage[1].The bone destruction in RA arises from an imbalance between bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts[2].The pathogenesis of RA remains unknown,and studies have indicated its close relationship with genetics,the environment,immune response,and other factors.Potential genes linked to RA susceptibility include major histocompatibility complex genes,like the single nucleotide polymorphism rs9277535 in the HLA-DP subunit HLA-DPB1,which is strongly associated with RA susceptibility in the Western Chinese population[3].Furthermore,studies have also identified a correlation between major genes encoding the inflammatory CASPs(CASP1,CASP4,and CASP5)and RA[4].Environmental factors,including smoking,diet,obesity,and infections,have the ability to trigger RA in susceptible individuals[5,6].Regarding the immune response,both immune dysregulation and overactivity can result in an inflammatory response,leading to excessive proliferation of synovial tissue,imbalanced distribution of osteoblasts and osteoclasts,and an irregular proportion of immune cells,culminating in the disease.展开更多
Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease is one of the most common chronic autoimmune diseases that affect many body systems including the auditory system. Objectives: To assess hearing thresholds and to ascertai...Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease is one of the most common chronic autoimmune diseases that affect many body systems including the auditory system. Objectives: To assess hearing thresholds and to ascertain types of hearing loss among Sudanese rheumatoid arthritis patients attending rheumatology clinic in Omdurman military hospital and matching them with non-rheumatoid arthritis subjects. Methodology: This descriptive and analytic (comparative) hospital based cross sectional study conducted from October 2020 to April 2021 which include 66 RA patients with age range (21 - 60 years) matched with 41 non-rheumatoid arthritis group sharing same characteristics (nation, gender and age). Pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and acoustic reflexes were done for all RA patients and matched groups. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using the association and correlation tests for associations and t-test for independent samples. Results: Thirty-six (54.5%) of RA patients had hearing impairment versus 9 (22%) non-RA in PTA test. Twenty-four RA cases (36.3%) showed asymmetrical hearing threshold and graph in PTA between right and left ears. Thirty-four (51.5%) right and 36 (54.5%) left ears were normal degree followed by 23 (34.8%) in the right and 24 (36.4%) in the left ears were mild degree hearing loss. Among hearing impaired RA patients;20 right ears (62.5%) and 19 left ears (65.5%) had sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), conductive hearing loss 11 (34.4%) right ears and 9 (31%) left ears. Mixed HL was in 1 right ear (3.1%) and 1 left ear (3.5%). The most common degree of SNHL type was mild in (75%) and (78.9%) in right and left ears respectively, moderate and moderate severe were (20%) in the right and (15.7%) in the left ears. Fifty-eight right ears (87.9%) and 56 left ears (84.8%) had type A tympanogram while 7 (10.6%) right ears and 9 left ears (13.6%) were type As tympanogram, one right and one left ears had type Ad tympanogram. Acoustic reflex was impaired in 17 right ears and 17 left ears (25.8% for both). There were significant statistical differences in most of the specific frequency means between the study group and non-rheumatoid group in the right and left ears p-value 0.05). Also there was no significant statistical association between anti-rheumatic drugs used and hearing threshold of RA patients (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion: Hearing impairment especially sensorineural type is common in Sudanese rheumatoid arthritis patients. Conductive hearing loss is less common and most likely due to ossicles diarthrodial joint stiffness. No influence of the disease activity or used anti-rheumatic drugs on hearing threshold of the RA patients was detected in this study.展开更多
Objective: To investigate the effect of wax therapy in pain care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Convenience sampling method was used to select inpatients with rheumatoid arthritis admitted to the rheu...Objective: To investigate the effect of wax therapy in pain care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Convenience sampling method was used to select inpatients with rheumatoid arthritis admitted to the rheumatology and immunology department of a 3A hospital in Jingzhou City. 75 patients from January 2021 to June 2021 were selected as the control group, and 75 patients from January 2022 to June 2022 were selected as the observation group. The control group was given routine nursing, and the observation group was implemented wax therapy nursing on the basis of the control group. The relief of clinical symptoms (morning stiffness time, pain score) and quality of life score of the two groups were observed. Results: After intervention, there was statistical significance between the two groups (P Conclusion: Wax therapy can improve the time of morning stiffness, the degree of pain and the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.展开更多
基金Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(82360802):the Natural Science Foundation of Ningxia Province,China(2022AAC 03152).
文摘[Objectives]To study the effect and mechanism of baicalin on the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in human fibroblast like synoviocytes of rheumatoid arthritis(HFLS-RA).[Methods]To confirm that baicalin alleviated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in HFLS-RA,the expression of NLRP3 before and after baicalin treatment was observed by immunofluorescence.Western blot was used to detect the protein expression of p-PI3K,p-Akt,NF-κB p65,NLRP3,ASC and caspase-1 after baicalin treatment for 48 h,and the contents of IL-1 and IL-18 in the supernatents were detected by ELISA.In order to explore the mechanism of baicalin alleviating the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome,the corresponding relationship between let-7i-3p and PIK3CA was verified by double luciferin and Westen blot analysis.The expression of let-7i-3p and PI3K before and after baicalin intervention was detected by RT-qPCR.let-7i-3p interference was used to verify whether baicalin mitigated the activation of enhanced NLRP3 inflammasome.[Results]Baicalin(50 and 100 mg/L)significantly reduced the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome,inhibited the protein expressions of p-PI3K,p-Akt,NF-κB p65,NLRP3,ASC and caspase-1,and the secretion of IL-1 and IL-18.let-7i-3p and PIK3CA had a targeted correspondence,and baicalin up-regulated the expression of let-7i-3p and down-regulated the expression of PIK3CA.Baicalin attenuated the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome enhanced by let-7i-3p interference.[Conclusions]Baicalin can up-regulate let-7i-3p expression,inhibit PI3K/Akt/NF-κB signal transduction,and thus reduce the activation of NLRP3 inflammasome in HFLS-RA.
基金supported by grants from the National Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance and Innovation Project Fund(Development and Reform Office[2022]366)National Key Discipline of Traditional Chinese Medicine(Traditional Chinese Medicine[2023]No.85)+2 种基金the Ministry of Science and Technology National Key Research and Development Program Chinese Medicine Modernization Research Key Project(2018YFC1705204)National Nature Fund Program(82074373,82274490,82205090)Anhui Provincial Laboratory of Applied Basis and Development of Internal Medicine of Modern Traditional Chinese Medicine(2016080503B041).
文摘Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a prevalent autoimmune disease whose main features include chronic synovial inflammation,bone destruction,and joint degeneration.Neutrophils are often considered to be the first responders to inflammation and are a key presence in the inflammatory milieu of RA.Neutrophil extracellular traps(NETs),a meshwork of DNA-histone complexes and proteins released by activated neutrophils,are widely involved in the pathophysiology of autoimmune diseases,especially RA,in addition to playing a key role in the neutrophil innate immune response.NETs have been found to be an important source of citrullinated autoantigen antibodies and inflammatory factor release,which can activate RA synovial fibroblasts(FLS)and cause joint damage.This article reviews the role of NETs in the pathophysiology of RA,demonstrating the application of multiple molecules with various therapies,with a view to informing the discovery and development of novel biomarkers and therapeutic targets for RA.
文摘Introduction: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, erosive and deforming inflammatory rheumatic disease. In the era of biotherapies and the arrival of biosimilars in sub-Saharan Africa, the objective of this study was to describe plasma IL-6 variations in RA patients at Cité Verte District Hospital (Cameroon). Material and Methods: Descriptive and analytical cross-sectional study from December 1, 2021 to May 31, 2022. We included patients over 18 years old suffering from RA (ACR/EULAR 2010). Patients with an infection were not included. The data collected were age, sex, smoking status, family history, disease duration, disease activity by DAS28, CRP, rheumatoid factor, and plasma level of IL-6. Bone erosion was sought on radiography and ultrasound. Result: We included 31 patients, 25 of whom were women (80.6%). The mean age was 47.27 ± 17.97 years. Disease activity was predominantly moderate (32.3%) and severe (32.3%). Mean IL-6 level was 15.29 ± 2.36 pg/ml (extremes: 11.26 pg/ml and 20.15 pg/ml). IL-6 levels were higher in patients with a history of smoking. Similarly, IL-6 levels were higher in patients with mildly active RA in remission than in moderately and severely active RA. Mean IL-6 levels were significantly higher in patients with erosive RA (16.3 pg/ml VS 14.6 pg/ml). Conclusion: IL-6 levels were significantly elevated in men, weaned smokers and patients with bone erosions.
文摘In recent decades, several advances have been made in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) both in the diagnostic field and in the therapeutic field. Unfortunately, RA remains poorly studied in black Africa. Epidemiological data are rare and controversial. The estimated prevalence of RA in Africa is about 0% - 2.54%. Risk factors associated with RA must be studied by taking into account special features of black Africa such as the low tobacco consumption in certain regions, the tropical climate and the high frequency of endemic parasitic and viral infections. The initially supposed mildness of RA in black Africa is increasingly challenged. The diagnosis is often made too late because of the scarcity of rheumatologists and ignorance. Diagnostic tools are limited to the clinical data, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and radiographs as the other tools are poorly available. In addition, there are misconceptions in African communities, responsible for loss of sight during follow-up and treatment discontinuations. This is exacerbated by the shortage of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and the inability to afford them. Furthermore, biological agents are very difficult to access. Further studies are essential to better understand the characteristics of RA in black Africa. Thus, collaborations between African and Western research teams seem very important. In order to make available the DMARDs especially biological agents, pharmaceutical companies can contribute through research partnerships. Moreover, governments should provide a better place for chronic inflammatory diseases in the programs against non-communicable diseases. Finally, training must also be promoted to increase the number of specialists and the level of knowledge of other health workers.
文摘Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic inflammatory arthritis characterized by joint pain and morning stiffness. The affected joints are typically symmetrically affected, and given the inflammatory nature of this condition, patients often present with warmth and erythema around affected joints as well as fatigue. Extra-articular manifestations, especially pleuro-pericardial inflammation, are rare initial presentations, although may be seen in advanced or undertreated disease. Case Presentation: We describe a case of a rheumatoid arthritis presenting atypically in a middle-aged male who came to the emergency department complaining of diffuse muscle pain and swelling in the distal extremities. Cardiac ultrasound revealed pleuro-pericardial inflammation and effusions. Myositis and infectious causes were ruled out and bilateral hand x-rays did not show erosions or any evidence of arthritic changes. All rheumatological auto-antibodies were negative except for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) and a diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis was made. The patient was started on prednisone with excellent response. Conclusions: This case highlights that rheumatoid arthritis can uncommonly present initially with extra-articular manifestations that are often manifested in advanced disease. Typically, extra-articular manifestations, especially those as severe as this patient’s, occur with untreated, advanced disease and could accompany extensive arthritic joint changes. Thus, it is important to have an understanding of rare, atypical presentations of rheumatoid arthritis so that a high index of suspicion can be maintained to make the diagnosis and initiate treatment in a timely manner.
基金financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Nos. 82173758, China)Sichuan major science and technology project on biotechnology and medicine (2018SZDZX0018, China)
文摘Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic inflammatory and destructive arthropathy with a high deformity rate.Despite numerous studies and clinical trials,no curative treatment is available for large weight-bearing joints.Intra-articular(IA)injections could deliver high concentrations of drug to the afflicted joint and improve the drug efficacy while reducing systemic toxicity.However,free drugs are rapidly cleared from synovial fluid and do not significantly halt the progression of joint disease.Herein,a phospholipids-based controlledrelease gel was prepared for sustained IA delivery of celastrol(CEL)and the therapeutic efficiencywas evaluated in a rheumatoid arthritis rabbitmodel.The CEL-loaded gel(CEL-gel)contained up to 70%phospholipids yetwas easy to inject.After injecting into the joint cavity,CEL-gel achieved sol to gel phase transition without special stimuli and gelling agent.In vitro release and in vivo pharmacokinetic studies evidenced the stable and sustained release action of CEL-gel.A single IA injection of CEL-gel could maintain therapeutic efficiency for about 25 d and showed much better anti-arthritic efficacy compared to repeated injections of free drug solution(CEL-sol).Furthermore,the IA injection of CEL-gel greatly reduced the systemic toxicity of CEL.With good biocompatibility and biodegradability,CEL-gel might be a promising IA drug delivery system.
文摘BACKGROUND Various immune-mediated inflammatory diseases consisting of inflammatory bowel disease(IBD)and rheumatoid arthritis(RA),are found to have a substantial societal burden,increased healthcare costs,and progressive disability.Studies suggest that patients with vs without comorbid depression have a more significant disability,a lower likelihood of remission,and reduced adherence to therapy.Elevated interleukin(IL)-1β,tumor necrosis factor-α,and IL-6 contribute to developing depression by the impaired physiological responses to stress,resulting in increased pain,fever,fatigue,and lack thereof of interest,and thus poor long-term outcomes.This study emphasizes the timely recognition of the prevalence of major depressive disorder(MDD)in patients with RA and IBD combined,thus preventing disability.AIM To identify the prevalence level and temporal trends of depression in hospitalized IBD-RA patients.METHODS All adult hospitalized patients from January 2000 to December 2019 in the nationwide inpatient sample(NIS)were captured.The study population included all patients with a primary or secondary IBD-RA overlap disease using corresponding international classification of diseases(ICD)-9 and ICD-10 codes.IBD includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.The study population was divided into IBD-RA without MDD(controls)and IBD-RA with MDD(cases).For group comparison between MDD vs no MDD,we used Student’s t-test for continuous variables and RaoScott Chi-square tests for categorical variables.For univariate analyses,we used logistic regression,and for multivariate analysis,we used a weighted multi-level mixed-effects model.We attested all hypotheses with two-tailed significance level of 0.05(P<0.05 was considered significant).The outcome is to examine the temporal trends and prevalence of depression in patients with IBD-RA by gender,race,and age.RESULTS A total of 133315 records were identified with IBD-RA overlap,of which 26155 patients(19.62%)had MDD.Among the IBD-RA patients,those who had MDD were younger[mean age of 56 years(SD±15)]to IBD-RA without MDD patients with a P<0.0001,more females(80%among cases vs 73%among controls)than males with a P<0.0001,frequent in the white race(79%among cases vs 73%among controls)than black race.Over the 19 years,the number of patients with MDD in IBDRA increased from 153(the year 2000)to 2880(the year 2019)in weighted NIS,representing a 1782%increase compared to the year 2000 with a P<0.001.Factors associated with higher MDD included younger age,female gender,white race,alcohol,opioids,esophageal disorders,peptic ulcer disease,chronic pancreatitis,paralysis,dementia,menopausal disorders,obesity,nutritional deficiencies,diabetes mellitus with chronic complications,and osteoarthritis.CONCLUSION There is a rise in the prevalence of depression in younger patients with IBD-RA combined compared to their counterparts.These patients are also at higher risk for the increased cost of care and poor treatment compliance.It is crucial to educate the involved clinicians to identify the early signs and symptoms of depression in patients with IBD or RA or IBD-RA combined and treat them to have a better overall prognosis.
文摘BACKGROUND Sporadic cases of rheumatoid arthritis(RA)due to unsatisfactory responses to Abatacept(ABT)have been reported;however,the rescue therapy has not been finalized.Here,we present a case with difficult-to-treat RA(D2T RA)that was resistant to either a single ABT or a Janus kinase(JAK)inhibitor(Tofacitinib),but improved with a combination of ABT and JAK inhibitor(Baricitinib,BAT).CASE SUMMARY A 46-year-old Chinese woman who had RA for ten years that was resistant to Tocilizumab,Etanercept,Adalimumab,and ABT.According to the European League Against Rheumatism definition,the patient was diagnosed with D2T RA.It was then improved with a combination of ABT and a JAK inhibitor BAT.CONCLUSION ABT combined with BAT may be an acceptable strategy for treating D2T RA.
基金National Key Research and Development Program of China(No.2018YFC1705503).
文摘Rheumatoid arthritis imposes a huge disease burden.Existing practice guidelines do not meet the needs of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.We established a guideline working group consists of a steering committee,a secretary group,an evidence evaluation group,a consensus group and a review group and developed a guideline following the guidance of the World Health Organization Handbook and the Chinese Medical Association.The guideline includes 35 recommendations which reached consensus by the two rounds Delphi surveys.These recommendations were formulated to address the following themes of most concern to clinician:diagnostic imaging,disease staging,traditional Chinese medicine syndromes,effectiveness and toxicity of integrated traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine.
基金funded by Zhejiang Nature Science Foundation(LQ20H270006)National Key R&D Program of China(No.2018YFC1705500).
文摘Background:In this study,we investigated whether prophylactic treatment with Guizhi-Shaoyao-Zhimu decoction(GSZ)could delay the onset of rheumatoid arthritis by targeting mast cells.Methods:Collagen-induced arthritis was used to evaluate the effect of GSZ in preventing arthritis and joint destruction.Immunohistochemical staining revealed the accumulation of histamine H4 receptor and tryptase alpha/beta-1 in the ankle joint of the model.Then,we explored the effect of GSZ serum on fibroblast-like synoviocytes using standard transwell invasion and migration assays.Real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and western blot were used to detect the expression of toll-like receptor 4(TLR4)/myeloid differentiationfactor 88(MyD88)/nuclear factor-κB p65(NF-κB p65).Results:The results showed that pre-rheumatoid arthritis treatment with GSZ could reduce inflammation and maintain cartilage structure in the collagen-induced arthritis model.Moreover,GSZ significantly blocked mast cell degranulation and inhibited the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 pathway.Since the combined activation of mast cells via TLR4 and immune complexes enhances inflammation in synovial tissue,we concluded that GSZ may block mast cell degranulation by inhibiting the TLR4/MyD88/NF-κB p65 pathway and thus influence rheumatoid arthritis onset.Conclusion:Taken together,our data suggested that GSZ may be a promising therapeutic decoction for the prophylactic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.
文摘Scutellarin(SCU)is a herbal flavonoid glucuronide with multiple pharmacological activities,including antioxidant,anti-inflammation,vascular relaxation,anti-platelet,and myocardial protection.However,the effect of SCU on complete Freund’s adjuvant(CFA)-induced rheumatoid arthritis(RA)had not been studied.In this study,we investigated the beneficial effects of SCU in the CFA-induced RA mice model and the anti-arthritic activity was evaluated by paw edema.Enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA)was carried out to evaluate the plasma levels of immunoglobulin(Ig)G,IgE,tumor necrosis factor(TNF)-α,interleukin(IL)-1β,IL-6,receptor activator of nuclear factor-κB ligand(RANKL),and osteoprotegerin(OPG).Histological slides were prepared from the harvested paws of mice to determine the pathological changes in the joints.The proportions of T helper type 1(Th1)and T helper type 2(Th2)cells of CD4+T lymphocyte subsets were analyzed by flow cytometry.The expression of Kelch-like ECHassociated protein 1(Keap1),nuclear factor erythroid 2-related factor 2(Nrf2),and heme oxygenase-1(HO-1)was analyzed using real-time quantitative PCR(RT-qPCR)and western blotting assays.The present study demonstrated that SCU prevented CFA-induced RA,and inhibited the expression of inflammation factors,IgG,IgE,TNF-α,IL-1β,and IL-6.While SCU also reduced the RANKL level,it increased OPG expression in RA mice.The Th1/Th2 ratio was significantly lower in mice treated with SCU.Additionally,HO-1 expression was reduced while the expression of Keap1 and Nrf2 was elevated following SCU treatment.Results provide preliminary evidence to employ SCU in arthritis treatment which might be related to the regulation of Th1/Th2 balance and the Keap1/Nrf2/HO-1 pathway.
文摘Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and gout are common diseases, but their coexistence is rare. We describe the case of a 76-year-old man with hypertension who had been treated for gout for 20 years on allopurinol and colchicine. He was seen in consultation for deforming polyarthritis of the small and large joints, which had been evolving for about 2 years. The acute episode occurred 10 days earlier with the onset of bilateral and symmetrical polyarthritis affecting the large and small joints. The physical examination revealed a peripheral joint syndrome with ulnar gale force deformities of the hands and several buttonhole deformities of the fingers. In addition, there were nodules, some of which were fistulised, giving rise to a chalky slurry. The biology revealed an inflammatory syndrome in addition to rheumatoid factors and ACPA, which were elevated. Biological analysis of the nodular fluid revealed clusters of sodium urate crystals and ultrasound scans of the joints revealed a double-contour appearance in several joints. The diagnosis of RA was made using the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria. The patient was treated as an outpatient with corticosteroids before being put on methotrexate. It is important to understand that these two conditions can occur at the same time, so it is important to consider them when treating patients with gout or RA.
文摘Background: Transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) has emerged as an adjuvant noninvasive neuromodulation tool to control fatigue and pain. To date, no studies have assessed the safety and efficiency of tDCS in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and with fatigue, poor quality of life, and refractory radicular pain associated with spinal stenosis. Case Presentation: An 85-year-old woman patient presented with rheumatoid arthritis in remission, refractory radicular pain-associated spinal stenosis, fatigue, and impaired quality of life. The patient underwent 16 daily sessions of tDCS intervention (2 mA, 20 min, positively and negatively charged electrodes were positioned at C1 and Fp2, respectively), in addition to simultaneous peripheral neuromuscular electrical stimulation (frequency of 100 Hz and amplitude of 500 μs). After the intervention, neither disease relapse nor clinical intercurrence occurred. Moreover, there was a significant and sustained improvement in her health-related quality of life, with a reduction in the level of pain and chronic fatigue. Conclusion: The present case report shows that tDCS is safe and may be an adjuvant tool for the treatment of pain and fatigue in patients with systemic autoimmune disease, as well as for improving quality of life. Further studies are required to corroborate this case report.
文摘Background: To evaluate the effect of treatment on musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) and explore whether MSUS are associated with therapeutic response in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with Tofacitinib in combination with methotrexate (MTX). Methods: We enrolled 102 RA patients treated with Tofacitinib in combination with MTX from a multicenter, exploratory, short-term, prospective and observational ultrasound cohort study of patients who received biologic or targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) therapy. We evaluated the patients’ clinical disease activity and musculoskeletal ultrasound (MSUS) scores. The serum concentrations of two venous blood inflammatory indicators were evaluated (c-reactive protein [CRP], erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) by multiplex bead assays at baseline, 3, and 6?months: the change over 6?months was defined as the P value. Before MSUS score treatment, an associate chief physician tested the wrist joints of each patient at the first treatment, and the attending physician with 3 years of MSUS experience and 7 years of work experience also performed semi-quantitative scores on the same RA patients and tested the consistency of the results. Results: Tofacitinib in combination with MTX significantly improved the clinical disease activity and MSUS score over 6?months. Serum ESR and CRP were significantly elevated at 6?months after the Tofacitinib in combination with MTX introduction (P P P Conclusions: MSUS scores may be useful for predicting RA patients’ therapeutic responses to abatacept.
文摘Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disorder that is usually manifested as inflammation in multiple joints and several extra-articular symptoms, involving the liver, kidney, eye, skin, blood, blood vessels, heart, lungs, nervous system, and other organs. Methotrexate (MTX) is the anchor drug that treats RA. As renal and liver abnormalities are more common during disease conditions as well as during the treatment period, we tried to find out if there is any impact of MTX in these organs during the treatment of RA patients. Once the disease complications are developed, it is quite difficult to reverse the disease, and treatment in this situation is not very effective. Consequently, patients suffer a lot. So, early evaluation of renal and liver function is essential for the treatment of RA patients and it might also help prevent different complications which are usually very frequently observed. This was a cross-sectional study. A total of 150 RA patients treated with MTX were evaluated for the study where female and male respondents were 115 and 35 respectively. In this study, we found that 82% of RA patients had creatinine levels ≤ 1.1 mg/dL although the normal range of serum creatinine is below 1.4 mg/dL. Usually, a 15% increase in Serum creatinine level from the baseline is considered renal impairment. We found 4% of such cases. Moreover, 2% of RA patients had creatinine levels above the normal range of 1.4 mg/dL and those patients were hypertensive as well. So, a total (4 + 2 = 6)% had renal impairments. Among them, 5% had diabetes mellitus. On the other hand, the ultrasonogram (USG) of RA patients with kidney disease showed signs of renal parenchymal disease and 3% of RA patients having renal problems whose serum creatinine level was within the normal range showed signs of chronic kidney disease (CKD). On the other hand, 2% of RA patients showed signs of hepatic parenchymal disease. In this study, 69% of RA patients had ALT levels ≤ 50 mg/dL, 23% had 50 - 100 mg/dL, and 5% had 101 - 150 mg/dL. The remaining 3% of RA patients had ALT levels above 150 mg/dL. All those patients with ALT levels above 100 mg/dL used Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) concomitantly. Different parameters of liver and renal function should be monitored strongly in RA patients treated with MTX and NSAIDs. MTX should not be given for a prolonged period without monitoring renal and liver function. As MTX, Diabetes Mellitus, Hypertension, etc., may cause renal complications, we could not concretely conclude which one is the actual causative agent.
基金the Seventh Batch of Inheritance Project of Academic Experience of National Veteran TCM Experts of the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine (GZYYRJH[2022]No. 76)National Natural Science Foundation General Project (No.81973655)+4 种基金National Natural Science Foundation General Project (No.82274501)Anhui Provincial Excellent Youth Talent Support Program for Universities (Anhui Education Secretary [2022]No. 11)Key Laboratory of Xin'an Medical Education Department (No.2020xayx04)Natural Science Research Project of Universities in Anhui Province (No.KJ2020A0397)Anhui NewEra Education Quality Engineering Project (No.2022xscx103)。
文摘Objective:To explore the abnormal expression and significance of circ-CBLB/miR-486-5p in patients with rheumatoid arthritis of spleen deficiency and dampness excess type.Methods:The 30 healthy individuals included in the method were from the Physical Examination Center of Anhui Provincial Hospital of Traditional Chinese Medicine,and the 60 rheumatoid arthritis patients included were from the First Affiliated Hospital of Anhui University of Traditional Chinese Medicine.The disease activity score of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was evaluated using VAS score and DAS28 score,joint symptoms and spleen deficiency syndrome score were evaluated using graded quantification method,immune inflammation indicators were detected using relevant instruments,inflammatory cytokines were detected using ELISA method,macrophage markers were detected using FCM method,and pathway gene expression was detected using RT-qPCR;Evaluate the predictive effect of circ-CBLB and miR-486-5p on disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis using ROC curves.Results:(1)miR-486-5p,CD14^(+)CD86^(+),ESR,CRP,RF,Anti CCP Ab,IL-6,TNF in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-αThe levels of circ-CBLB,CD14^(+)CD163^(+),IL-4,and IL-10 were significantly higher than those of healthy individuals;(2)The expression level of circ-CBLB in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is positively correlated with CD14^(+)CD163^(+),and negatively correlated with miR-486-5p and CD14^(+)CD86^(+);The expression level of miR-486-5p is negatively correlated with CD14^(+)CD163^(+)and positively correlated with CD14^(+)CD86^(+);There is a negative correlation between CD14^(+)CD86^(+)and CD14^(+)CD163^(+);ESR is negatively correlated with circ-CBLB,and positively correlated with miR-486-5p,CD14^(+)CD86^(+),CRP;CRP is negatively correlated with circ-CBLB,CD14^(+)CD163^(+),and positively correlated with CD14^(+)CD86^(+),ESR;(3)The expression level of circ-CBLB in patients with rheumatoid arthritis is negatively correlated with joint tenderness,morning stiffness,lack of qi and lazy speech,and postprandial abdominal distension score;The expression level of miR-486-5p is positively correlated with the scores of joint tenderness and decreased appetite.(4)The ROC curve shows that in terms of circ-CBLB,ESR,CRP,VAS,and DAS28 AUC are 0.662(P=0.032),0.658(P=0.035),0.516(P=0.830),and 0.791(P=0.000),respectively.In terms of miR-486-5p,ESR,CRP,VAS,and DAS28 AUC were 0.566(P=0.385),0.511(P=0.883),0.592(P=0.223),and 0.727(P=0.003),respectively.Conclusion:The abnormal expression of circ CBLB and miR-486-5p in peripheral blood mononuclear cell of patients with rheumatoid arthritis of spleen deficiency and dampness excess type is related to inflammatory polarization markers,immune inflammation,disease activity,joint symptoms and spleen deficiency syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis,and the low expression of circ CBLB and high expression of miR-486-5p have certain predictive value for disease activity of rheumatoid arthritis.
基金Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China(82205105).
文摘Joint deformity and dysfunction are common and serious complications in the late stage of rheumatoid arthritis,which seriously affect the quality of life of patients.Traditional Chinese medicine(TCM)believes that joint deformity and dysfunction in some patients with rheumatoid arthritis are closely related to the apraxia of meridians and tendons due to enduring illness.Based on the theory of meridians and tendons circulation,using the local and nearby therapeutic effect of acupoints as the treatment method in clinical practice,we conducted penetration needling of Houxi,Baxie,Wailaogong as well as Ashi points of interphalangeal joints of both hands through bilateral Sanjian,and used the uniform reinforcing-reducing method to soothe tendons and meridians,thus effectively improving the dysfunction of deformed joints.
文摘Introduction Rheumatoid arthritis(RA)is a chronic autoimmune disease that results in a series of inflammatory reactions in the joints,marked by pathologies such as articular bone destruction and erosive synovial inflammatory cartilage[1].The bone destruction in RA arises from an imbalance between bone resorption by osteoclasts and bone formation by osteoblasts[2].The pathogenesis of RA remains unknown,and studies have indicated its close relationship with genetics,the environment,immune response,and other factors.Potential genes linked to RA susceptibility include major histocompatibility complex genes,like the single nucleotide polymorphism rs9277535 in the HLA-DP subunit HLA-DPB1,which is strongly associated with RA susceptibility in the Western Chinese population[3].Furthermore,studies have also identified a correlation between major genes encoding the inflammatory CASPs(CASP1,CASP4,and CASP5)and RA[4].Environmental factors,including smoking,diet,obesity,and infections,have the ability to trigger RA in susceptible individuals[5,6].Regarding the immune response,both immune dysregulation and overactivity can result in an inflammatory response,leading to excessive proliferation of synovial tissue,imbalanced distribution of osteoblasts and osteoclasts,and an irregular proportion of immune cells,culminating in the disease.
文摘Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease is one of the most common chronic autoimmune diseases that affect many body systems including the auditory system. Objectives: To assess hearing thresholds and to ascertain types of hearing loss among Sudanese rheumatoid arthritis patients attending rheumatology clinic in Omdurman military hospital and matching them with non-rheumatoid arthritis subjects. Methodology: This descriptive and analytic (comparative) hospital based cross sectional study conducted from October 2020 to April 2021 which include 66 RA patients with age range (21 - 60 years) matched with 41 non-rheumatoid arthritis group sharing same characteristics (nation, gender and age). Pure tone audiometry, tympanometry and acoustic reflexes were done for all RA patients and matched groups. Statistical analysis of the data was carried out using the association and correlation tests for associations and t-test for independent samples. Results: Thirty-six (54.5%) of RA patients had hearing impairment versus 9 (22%) non-RA in PTA test. Twenty-four RA cases (36.3%) showed asymmetrical hearing threshold and graph in PTA between right and left ears. Thirty-four (51.5%) right and 36 (54.5%) left ears were normal degree followed by 23 (34.8%) in the right and 24 (36.4%) in the left ears were mild degree hearing loss. Among hearing impaired RA patients;20 right ears (62.5%) and 19 left ears (65.5%) had sensorineural hearing loss (SNHL), conductive hearing loss 11 (34.4%) right ears and 9 (31%) left ears. Mixed HL was in 1 right ear (3.1%) and 1 left ear (3.5%). The most common degree of SNHL type was mild in (75%) and (78.9%) in right and left ears respectively, moderate and moderate severe were (20%) in the right and (15.7%) in the left ears. Fifty-eight right ears (87.9%) and 56 left ears (84.8%) had type A tympanogram while 7 (10.6%) right ears and 9 left ears (13.6%) were type As tympanogram, one right and one left ears had type Ad tympanogram. Acoustic reflex was impaired in 17 right ears and 17 left ears (25.8% for both). There were significant statistical differences in most of the specific frequency means between the study group and non-rheumatoid group in the right and left ears p-value 0.05). Also there was no significant statistical association between anti-rheumatic drugs used and hearing threshold of RA patients (p-value > 0.05). Conclusion: Hearing impairment especially sensorineural type is common in Sudanese rheumatoid arthritis patients. Conductive hearing loss is less common and most likely due to ossicles diarthrodial joint stiffness. No influence of the disease activity or used anti-rheumatic drugs on hearing threshold of the RA patients was detected in this study.
文摘Objective: To investigate the effect of wax therapy in pain care of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: Convenience sampling method was used to select inpatients with rheumatoid arthritis admitted to the rheumatology and immunology department of a 3A hospital in Jingzhou City. 75 patients from January 2021 to June 2021 were selected as the control group, and 75 patients from January 2022 to June 2022 were selected as the observation group. The control group was given routine nursing, and the observation group was implemented wax therapy nursing on the basis of the control group. The relief of clinical symptoms (morning stiffness time, pain score) and quality of life score of the two groups were observed. Results: After intervention, there was statistical significance between the two groups (P Conclusion: Wax therapy can improve the time of morning stiffness, the degree of pain and the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
