Studio ecografico articolare in una popolazione di bambini sani: verso la definizione di quadri di normalita.

L'ecografia articolare è in grado di rilevare alterazioni delle strutture articolari, periarticolari e tendinee in corso di numerose patologie di natura infiammatoria o degenerativa. Le numerose osservazioni condotte sulla popolazione adulta hanno fornito abbondanti dati sulle alterazioni osservabili in corso di varie patologie articolare ma anche sull'anatomia ecografica delle articolazioni sane. Nell'ultimo decennio, l'ecografia articolare è stata impiegata, sempre più spesso e con vivo interesse, anche nell'ambito della reumatologia pediatrica ed in particolare nello studio dell'Artrite idiopatica giovanile (AIG); mancano, però, ancora conoscenza approfondite sul significato di alcune alterazioni osservate in corso di patologia e dati sufficienti sulla normale anatomia delle articolazioni sane di bambini di varie età. Abbiamo condotto uno studio ecografico articolare e tendineo su bambini sani di età compresa fra 0 e 14 anni, con l'obiettivo di descrivere l'aspetto ecografico delle strutture articolari e tendinee in condizioni di normalità, la prevalenza di versamento o sinovite articolare, la diffusione e la localizzazione di strutture vascolari

Estimation of temporal parameters during sprint running using a trunk-mounted inertial measurement unit

This research was supported by a grant of the Universit a Italo-Francese (Call Vinci) awarded to E. Bergamini.The purpose of this study was to identify consistent features in the signals supplied by a single inertial measurement unit (IMU), or thereof derived, for the identification of foot-strike and foot-off instants of time and for the estimation of stance and stride duration during the maintenance phase of sprint running. Maximal sprint runs were performed on tartan tracks by five amateur and six elite athletes, and durations derived from the IMU data were validated using force platforms and a high-speed video camera, respectively, for the two groups. The IMU was positioned on the lower back trunk (L1 level) of each athlete. The magnitudes of the acceleration and angular velocity vectors measured by the IMU, as well as their wavelet-mediated first and second derivatives were computed, and features related to foot-strike and foot-off events sought. No consistent features were found on the acceleration signal or on its first and second derivatives. Conversely, the foot-strike and foot-off events could be identified from features exhibited by the second derivative of the angular velocity magnitude. An average absolute difference of 0.005 s was found between IMU and reference estimates, for both stance and stride duration and for both amateur and elite athletes. The 95% limits of agreement of this difference were less than 0.025 s. The results proved that a single, trunk-mounted IMU is suitable to estimate stance and stride duration during sprint running, providing the opportunity to collect information in the field, without constraining or limiting athletes’ and coaches’ activities

Safety of Abatacept in Italian Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Interstitial Lung Disease: A Multicenter Retrospective Study

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-related interstitial lung disease (ILD) is challenging, and many conventional and biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) have been associated with ILD development or progression. The aim of this multicentric retrospective study was to analyze the evolution of ILD in Italian RA-ILD patients treated with abatacept (ABA)

Management of pregnancy in autoimmune rheumatic diseases: maternal disease course, gestational and neonatal outcomes and use of medications in the prospectiveItalian P-RHEUM.it study

Objectives To investigate pregnancy outcomes in women with autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARD) in the Italian prospective cohort study P-RHEUM.it. Methods Pregnant women with different ARD were enrolled for up to 20 gestational weeks in 29 Rheumatology Centres for 5 years (2018-2023). Maternal and infant information were collected in a web-based database. Results We analysed 866 pregnancies in 851 patients (systemic lupus erythematosus was the most represented disease, 19.6%). Maternal disease flares were observed in 135 (15.6%) pregnancies. 53 (6.1%) pregnancies were induced by assisted reproduction techniques, 61 (7%) ended in miscarriage and 11 (1.3%) underwent elective termination. Obstetrical complications occurred in 261 (30.1%) pregnancies, including 2.3% pre-eclampsia. Two cases of congenital heart block were observed out of 157 pregnancies (1.3%) with anti-Ro/SSA. Regarding treatments, 244 (28.2%) pregnancies were treated with glucocorticoids, 388 (44.8%) with hydroxychloroquine, 85 (9.8%) with conventional synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs and 122 (14.1%) with biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Live births were 794 (91.7%), mostly at term (84.9%); four perinatal deaths (0.5%) occurred. Among 790 newborns, 31 (3.9%) were small-for-gestational-age and 169 (21.4%) had perinatal complications. Exclusive maternal breast feeding was received by 404 (46.7%) neonates. The Edinburgh Postnatal Depression Scale was compiled by 414 women (52.4%); 89 (21.5%) scored positive for emotional distress. Conclusions Multiple factors including preconception counselling and treat-to-target with pregnancy-compatible medications may have contributed to mitigate disease-related risk factors, yielding limited disease flares, good pregnancy outcomes and frequency of complications which were similar to the Italian general obstetric population. Disease-specific issues need to be further addressed to plan preventative measures

Countermovement jump performance assessment using a wearable 3D inertial measurement unit

The aim of this study was to validate a wearable inertial measurement unit (IMU), containing a 3D accelerometer and gyroscope, for the estimation of countermovement jump height. The absolute vertical acceleration of the IMU positioned on the back of the participant at L5 level, compensated for trunk rotations, was used to obtain jump height by applying the equation of free-fall to the motion of the IMU. The methodology was tested on 28 participants performing five countermovement jumps each. A reference value for this quantity was obtained using stereophotogrammetry (35.4 cm, s = 4.9). Jump height scores obtained using the proposed methodology (35.9 cm, s = 5.5) presented no significant difference with respect to stereophotogrammetry (P = 0.61). A low bias of 0.6 cm confirmed the accuracy of the estimate, which also showed a high (r = 0.87) and significant (P < 0.0001) correlation with reference values. Furthermore, without compensating accelerations for trunk rotation, jump height was largely underestimated (P < 0.0001) (bias: -12.7 cm) and poorly associated (r = 0.31) with stereophotogrammetry. The results of this study show that the estimation of jump height using inertial sensors leads to accurate results when the measured accelerations are corrected for trunk rotations

Editorial: Fatigue assessment in sport

To avoid excessive exercise-induced load and overtraining, or to facilitate a proper recovery after a sport-related injury, it is essential to adequately monitor exercise intensity and manage fatigue. In this perspective, sport science and technology continuously propose advanced techniques to tackle the challenges of coaches and athletes. It is crucial to rely on objective measurements of fatigue in order to tailor training sessions and recovery programs to the specific needs of each individual professional or amateur athlete. However, fatigue is a multi-faced phenomenon requiring innovative and integrated approaches, including the evaluation of the manifestations of muscle fatigue in surface electromyograms recorded during an exercise, and the study of central and peripheral components of fatigue. This Research Topic aims to provide solutions beyond the state of the art for accurately and effectively monitoring fatigue during sporting performance and exercise training. Indeed, properly managing fatigue and fatigue-related symptoms can be a key factor for limiting athletes' musculoskeletal problems or altered proprioception that can cause traumas. This Research Topic was not limited to contributions related to elite athletes and elite para-athletes but analyzed also studies related to amateur practitioners of physical activities for fitness and recreational purposes. The present research topic collected research articles covering different sports, themes and issues. Within these articles, we identified three areas of research with respect to the impact of fatigue assessment in sport: fatigue in running, fatigue in swimming, techniques to manage fatigue

One year in review: the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis

The pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex scenario that, to date, is not fully elucidated. However, scientific progress has enabled us to understand several mechanisms underlying the development of the disease. The breakdown of self-tolerance in genetically predisposed individuals and the aberrant activation of innate and adaptive immune responses culminate in synovial hyperplasia and bone destruction. In addition, extra-articular manifestations, as well as the burden of increased cardiovascular risk (CVR), in patients with RA represent another interesting aspect of RA pathogenesis under intense investigation. The purpose of this review article is to provide an overview of the new insights in RA pathogenesis summarising the most relevant studies published over the last year

Estimation of temporal parameters during sprint running using a trunk-mounted inertial measurement unit

This research was supported by a grant ofthe Universit a Italo-Francese (Call Vinci) awarded to E. Bergamini.The purpose of this study was to identify consistent features in the signals supplied by a single inertial measurement unit (IMU), or thereof derived, for the identification of foot-strike and foot-off instants of time and for the estimation of stance and stride duration during the maintenance phase of sprint running. Maximal sprint runs were performed on tartan tracks by five amateur and six elite athletes, and durations derived from the IMU data were validated using force platforms and a high-speed video camera, respectively, for the two groups. The IMU was positioned on the lower back trunk (L1 level) of each athlete. The magnitudes of the acceleration and angular velocity vectors measured by the IMU, as well as their wavelet-mediated first and second derivatives were computed, and features related to foot-strike and foot-off events sought. No consistent features were found on the acceleration signal or on its first and second derivatives. Conversely, the foot-strike and foot-off events could be identifiedfrom features exhibited by the second derivative of the angular velocity magnitude. An average absolute difference of 0.005 s was found between IMU and reference estimates, for both stance and stride duration and for both amateur and elite athletes. The 95% limits of agreement of this difference were less than 0.025 s. The results proved that a single, trunk-mounted IMU is suitable to estimate stance and stride duration during sprint running, providing the opportunity to collect information inthe field, without constraining or limiting athletes’ and coaches’ activities.International audienceThe purpose of this study was to identify consistent features in the signals supplied by a single inertial measurement unit (IMU), or thereof derived, for the identification of foot-strike and foot-off instants of time and for the estimation of stance and stride duration during the maintenance phase of sprint running. Maximal sprint runs were performed on tartan tracks by five amateur and six elite athletes, and durations derived from the IMU data were validated using force platforms and a high-speed video camera, respectively, for the two groups. The IMU was positioned on the lower back trunk (L1 level) of each athlete. The magnitudes of the acceleration and angular velocity vectors measured by the IMU, as well as their wavelet-mediated first and second derivatives were computed, and features related to foot-strike and foot-off events sought. No consistent features were found on the acceleration signal or on its first and second derivatives. Conversely, the foot-strike and foot-off events could be identifiedfrom features exhibited by the second derivative of the angular velocity magnitude. An average absolute difference of 0.005 s was found between IMU and reference estimates, for both stance and stride duration and for both amateur and elite athletes. The 95% limits of agreement of this difference were less than 0.025 s. The results proved that a single, trunk-mounted IMU is suitable to estimate stance and stride duration during sprint running, providing the opportunity to collect information inthe field, without constraining or limiting athletes’ and coaches’ activities