Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis and rheumatic diseases. Pathogenesis, prevention and treatment

Glucocorticoids (GC) are diffusely used to treat a wide variety of inflammatory and autoimmune disorders, including rheumatic diseases. GC-induced osteoporosis (GIO) is the most common and serious side-effect for patients receiving GC. Loss of bone mineral density (BMD) is greatest in the first few months of GC use; fracture (Fx) risk is significantly increased at the spine and hip on doses even as low as 2.5 mg of prednisolone daily; Fx risk increases rapidly from the onset of therapy and, for a given BMD, is higher in GIO than in postmenopausal OP. General measures to reduce bone loss include use of the lowest effective dose; consideration of alternative routes of administration; adequate calcium and vitamin D supplementation. Today, results from large randomised controlled clinical trials provide evidence that bone loss and Fx may be prevented through the use of bone sparing agents (hormone therapy, bisphosphonates, PTH 1-34). Bisphosphonates (alendronate, risedronate) are first-choice therapy for the prevention and treatment of GIO; patients at high risk for Fx, for example those in post-menopausal status or aged ³65 years and those with a prior fragility Fx, should be advised to start bone-protective therapy at the time of starting GC. Due to the prevalence of GC use, it is imperative that there be a greater awareness of GIO and of therapies that may be offered to patients both for prevention and treatmen

Erratum to: MRI pattern of arthritis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative study with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy subjects

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Assessment of patient-physician interactions in psoriatic arthritis: national results of the ASSIST Study

Introduction An overarching principle for the management of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a shared decision-making process between physicians and patients. The aim of this study is to assess the patient–physician relationship in a group of patients with PsA, by using the Perceived Efficacy in Patient–Physician Interactions (PEPPI) and CollaboRATE instruments. Methods This is a cross-sectional multicenter study where consecutive patients with PsA were enrolled. For each patient, the main demographic, comorbid conditions, and clinical data were collected, including the assessment of disease activity, function, quality of life, and impact of disease. PEPPI and CollaboRATE questionnaires were used, respectively, to evaluate the patient’s perception of the patient–physician relationship and the shared decision-making process. Results A total of 81 patients with PsA were enrolled at four centers in Italy. Overall, our patients showed a high level of confidence in obtaining needed health care, with relatively high median (IQR) values of PEPPI (20; 16–23), and a good shared decision-making process, with high median (IQR) values of CollaboRATE questionnaire (7; 6–9). PEPPI and CollaboRATE scores showed a statistically significant inverse correlation with different clinical variables such as disease duration, Leeds Enthesitis Index, PsA impact of Disease, Health Assessment Questionnaire, pain, patient’s global assessment of disease activity and clinical disease activity for PsA. The presence of comorbidities did not appear to be associated with lower values of PEPPI and CollaboRATE. Conclusions In this study, few patients with PsA were at risk of suboptimal communication with their physician. This phenomenon appeared to be primarily related to higher disease activity and burden

Increased incidence of autoimmune thyroid disorders in patients with psoriatic arthritis: a longitudinal follow-up study

Contrasting results have been reported about the prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity (AT) and dysfunction (TD) in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA). In this study, we pointed to evaluate the incidence of new cases of clinical and subclinical TD in a broad group of patients with PsA versus a control group, matched by age and gender belonging to the same geographic area. PsA patients with TD were excluded firstly, and new cases of thyroid disorders were evaluated in 97 PsA patients and 97 matched controls, who had comparable iodine intake (median follow-up of 74 months in PsA versus 92 in controls). A raised rate of new cases of hypothyroidism, TD, positive antithyroid peroxidase (AbTPO) antibodies, and appearance of a small hypoechoic thyroid pattern in PsA, especially in female gender, compared to controls has been evidenced. Risk factors in female gender for the development of TD are thyroid-stimulating hormone (TSH) within the normal range but at the higher limit, positive AbTPO, and small thyroid volume. To sum up, thyroid function follow-up and suitable treatments should be performed regularly in female patients at high risk (TSH within the normal range but at the higher limit, positive AbTPO, hypoechoic and small thyroid)

The role of ultrasound in systemic sclerosis: On the cutting edge to foster clinical and research advancement

Abstract Ultrasound has been widely explored in systemic sclerosis in the clinical and research settings. Ultrasound allows a non-invasive and ionising radiation-free ‘window’ into this complex disease and is well-suited to repeated examinations. Ultrasound provides novel insights into the pathogenesis and measurement of disease in systemic sclerosis, including early (preclinical) internal organ involvement. The purpose of this review is to describe the role of ultrasound to foster clinical and research advancements in systemic sclerosis relating to (1) musculoskeletal, (2) digital ulcer, (3) lung disease and (4) skin disease. We also highlight unmet needs which much be addressed for ultrasound to assume a central role in systemic sclerosis clinical care and research

Ultrasound lung comets in systemic sclerosis: a chest sonography hallmark of pulmonary interstitial fibrosis

Objective. To assess the correlation between ultrasound lung comets (ULCs, a recently described echographic sign of interstitial lung fibrosis) and the current undisputed gold-standard high-resolution CT (HRCT) to detect pulmonary fibrosis in patients with SSc. Methods. We enrolled 33 consecutive SSc patients (mean age 5413 years, 30 females) in the Rheumatology Clinic of the University of Pisa. We assessed ULCs and chest HRCT within 1 week independently in all the patients. ULC score was obtained by summing the number of lung comets on the anterior and posterior chest. Pulmonary fibrosis was quantified by HRCT with a previously described 30-point Warrick score. Results. Presence of ULCs (defined as a total number more than 10) was observed in 17 (51%) SSc patients. Mean ULC score was 3750, higher in the diffuse than in the limited form (7366 vs 2135; P<0.05). A significant positive linear correlation was found between ULCs and Warrick scores (r?0.72; P<0.001). Conclusions. ULCs are often found in SSc, are more frequent in the diffuse than the limited form and are reasonably well correlated with HRCT-derived assessment of lung fibrosis. They represent a simple, bedside, radiation-free hallmark of pulmonary fibrosis of potential diagnostic and prognostic value

Ultrasonography of Inflammatory and Structural Lesions in Hand Osteoarthritis: An OMERACT Agreement and Reliability Study

Objective: To standardize and assess the reliability of ultrasonographic assessment of inflammatory and structural lesions in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA). Methods: The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Ultrasound Working Group selected synovial hypertrophy (SH), joint effusion (JE), and power Doppler (PD) signals as the main inflammatory lesions in hand OA, and suggested osteophytes in the scapho-trapezio-trapezoid (STT) and cartilage defects in the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints as novel additions to previous structural scoring systems. A complementary imaging atlas provided detailed examples of the scores. A reliability exercise of static images was performed for the inflammatory features, followed by a patient-based exercise with six sonographers testing inflammatory and structural features in twelve hand OA patients. We used Cohen's kappa (\u3ba) for intra-reader and Light's \u3ba for inter-reader reliability for all features except PD, in which Prevalence-Adjusted Bias-Adjusted Kappa (PABAK) was applied. Percentage agreement was also assessed. Results: The web-based reliability exercise demonstrated substantial intra- and inter-reader reliability for all inflammatory features (\u3ba&gt;0.64). In the patient-based exercise, intra- and inter-reader reliability varied: SH \u3ba=0.73 and 0.45; JE \u3ba=0.70 and 0.55; PD PABAK=0.90 and 0.88; PIP cartilage \u3ba=0.56 and 0.45; STT osteophytes \u3ba=0.62 and 0.36. Percentage close agreement was high for all features (&gt;85%). Conclusion: With ultrasound, substantial to excellent intra-reader reliability was found for inflammatory features of hand OA. Inter-reader reliability was moderate, but overall high close agreement between readers suggest that better reliability is achievable after further training. Assessment of osteophytes in the STT joint and cartilage in the PIP joints achieved less good reliability and the latter is not endorsed. Keywords: Hand osteoarthritis; outcome measures; ultrasonography