Does our microbiota eat with or without gluten?

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Microbiota and Kidney: Is There a Correlation?

The relationship between microbiota and chronic kidney disease (CKD) has long been known [...

The “Microbiome”: A Protagonist in COVID-19 Era

Respiratory infections are among the main causes of hospitalization and mortality, particularly in elderly patients [...

Microbiota and Kidney: Is There a Correlation?

The relationship between microbiota and chronic kidney disease (CKD) has long been known [...

Influence of Mediterranean diet on human gut microbiota

Gut microbiota changes correlate with health status. Literature data on gut microbiota show that all dietary changes can induce the alteration of gut microbiota composition. Mediterranean diet (MD) is associated with a reduction of all-cause mortality and in this review, we analyzed its interactions with human microbiota. In particular, we explored the modulation of the human microbiota, in response to MD adherence, focusing the attention on polyphenols, polyunsaturated fatty acids (PUFA) ω-3 and fiber. Evidences suggest that MD is able to modulate the gut microbiota, increasing its diversity. In fact, a Mediterranean-type dietary pattern is associated with specific gut microbiota characteristics. The available evidence, suggests that gut microbiota of subjects that follow a MD is significantly different from subjects that follow a Western diet model. In fact, the latter show an increased gut permeability, which is responsible for metabolic endotoxemia. For this reason, we can speculate that the gut microbiota of the subjects following a MD is able to prevent the onset of chronic non-communicable degenerative diseases, such as cardiovascular diseases and some types of cancer. However, in order to understand these correlations with dietary patterns, controlled intervention studies on the gut microbiota composition and activity are needed

Presence of the MerTK Receptor on Human Synovial Tissue Macrophages Lowers Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Activation of the MerTK+CD206+ Subpopulation Limits the Inflammatory Response of Synovial Fibroblasts

No abstract available

Presence of the MerTK Receptor on Human Synovial Tissue Macrophages Lowers Inflammatory Cytokine Production and Activation of the MerTK+CD206+ Subpopulation Limits the Inflammatory Response of Synovial Fibroblasts

No abstract available

Bronchoalveolar lavage fluid and progression of scleroderma interstitial lung disease

not availabl

ENVIRONMENTAL POLLUTION AND SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS: A PILOT STUDY ON BENZENE AND PARTICULATE EXPOSURE AS RISK FACTORS FOR THE SYSTEMIC MANIFESTATIONS

Background: The association of systemic sclerosis (SSc) with the exposure to environmental agents is supported by a number of case reports and some case-control studies. No conclusive results have been reported, but there are some evidences that exposure to vinyl-chloride-polymers (PVC), silica dust or organic solvents such as benzene (B) and xylene (X) may be implicated. Furthermore a higher prevalence of scleroderma in boroughs in close proximity to a major airport, has been reported, but few data on air pollution exposure and risk of systemic sclerosis are available. Recently, particulate air pollution has been consistently linked to increased risk of arterial cardiovascular disease. Objectives: We studied relationships between outdoor concentration of B and particulate with clinical manifestations of SSc based, for the exposure, on the urban residence of patients. Methods: Before patient administration, the questionnaire was validated by Delphi technique (4 rheumatologists, 4 statisticians and 2 common people). A cohort study of 88 SSc patients, filled the validated self administered questionnaire (analyzing drug, work and environmental exposure) to investigate potential risk exposure before and after the onset of the disease. The average mean concentrations of B (11 monitoring sites) and environmental particulate matter with aerodynamic diameter ≤ 10 μm(PM10) (14 sites) were computed using data from monitors located throughout the Lazio region, in Italy. In a sample of 33 patients we performed correlations between the concentrations of PM10 and B with the demographic and clinical characteristics, going back to a prior exposure of 2 years before the onset of Raynaud’s phenomenon (RP). Results: The questionnaire resulted in an agreement of the overall experts of about 94% (according to11/190 disagreement for comprehension, only few lexical modifications were done to improve the questionnaire after the consensus between the experts), with an Inter-observer agreement (measured throughout K Cohen test) of 0.8019(p <0.01) showing a very good concordance. The mean disease duration from the RP onset was 13.0±9.4 years and the mean age was 55.0±12.9 years. 92.5% of patients were female. No correlations were found between different clinical disease characteristics and drug assumption and work exposure. Considering patients that lived in Lazio, SSc patients with diffuse skin disease were exposed 2 years, before the onset of RP, to a higher concentrations of benzene (8.5±1.5µg/m3 ) with respect to patients with limited skin disease (4.97±2.7µg/m3 ), which was statistically significant of p=0.02. Furthermore the concentrations of benzene correlated directly with the skin score (R=0.3, p≤0.05) and inversely with DLCO (R=-0.36,p≤0.05). SSc patients with ulcers were exposed 2 years before the onset of RP to higher concentrations of B (6.4±3.2 µg/m3 ), than the patients without ulcers (4.9±2.3µg/m3 ), but the difference did not reach statistical significance. Conclusions: This study, on the role of environmental agents in the manifestations of SSc, suggests an increased exposure to benzene in the development of a diffuse skin disease and a possible predisposing effect on the occurrence of ulcers. Disclosure of Interest: None Declare

Synovial tissue derived characteristics are included in a nomogram for the prediction of treatment response in na\uefve Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVES: This study aims to apply the synovitis assessment in routine care of naive Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and to develop a multiparametric nomogram for baseline diagnostic and treatment response prediction.METHODS: 1015 patients [545 RA, 167 Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA), 199 Undifferentiated Peripheral Inflammatory Arthritis (UPIA), 18 crystal arthritis, 26 connective tissue diseases and 60 osteoarthritis (OA)] undergoing ultrasound (US)-guided synovial tissue (ST) biopsy were enrolled (SYNGem) and stratified based on disease phase. The Krenn synovitis score(KSS) was assessed and integrated with disease characteristics and clinical outcome and a nomogram was created incorporating predictors of "DAS-Remission achievement at 6 months" in naive RA treated with a treat to target strategy.RESULTS: KSS significantly differs among patients with RA, as well as PsA and UPIA, when compared to OA. In RA, KSS directly correlated with DAS28 and was related to autoantibody positivity in naive RA. Moreover, naive RA achieving 6 months DAS-remission had, at baseline, lower KSS, shorter symptoms duration (VERA) and lower disease activity than naive RA not achieving DAS-remission. On logistic regression, being VERA, not having high disease activity and having a KSS&lt;5 at baseline, were synergistic factors of DAS-remission achievement at 6 months and a nomogram integrating baseline clinical and histological characteristics of naive RA enabled to predict up to 81.7% of probability to achieve 6 months DAS-remission.CONCLUSION: KSS is a reliable tool for synovitis assessment on US-guided ST biopsies being contingent on disease phase, autoimmune profile and integrated within a therapeutic response predictive nomogram in naive RA