Background: Oxidative stress is related with digestive tract diseases – pancreatitis, duodenal ulcer, ulcerative colitis, glutenic enteropathy. Changes in the antioxidation system can be conditioned by malabsorbtion. The aim of the work was to evaluate the alterations in peroxidationantioxidation status indexes in cases of glutenic enteropathy associated with hypolactasia and ...

Aims: The aim of this analysis was to use a population approach to facilitate the understanding of the pharmacokinetics and pharmacodynamics of rivaroxaban in patients with acute coronary syndrome (ACS) and to evaluate the influence of patient covariates on the exposure of rivaroxaban in patients with ACS. Methods: A population ...

Purpose. Although esophageal capsule endoscopy (ECE) is reportedly useful in the diagnosis of esophageal varices (EV), few reports have described the benefits of this technique in Asian countries. The present paper evaluates the usefulness of ECE for diagnosing EV in Japanese patients with cirrhosis. Methods. We examined 29 patients with ...

The development of the novel γ-aminobutyric acid type-B receptor (GABA(B)) agonist lesogaberan is presented as an example of a partly successful translational strategy in the field of gastroenterology. Data on transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxations (TLESRs) and gastroesophageal reflux inhibition from preclinical models translated well to clinical studies in healthy ...

Background:  Ablation of atrial autonomic inputs exerts antifibrillatory effects. However, because ablation destroys both myocardium and nerve cells, the effect of autonomic withdrawal alone remains unclear. We therefore examined the effects of pharmacologic autonomic blockade (PAB) on frequency and fractionation in patients with atrial fibrillation (AF). Methods:  Esmolol and atropine ...

OBJECTIVE:: To present the results and experience with diagnosis and treatment of lateral sinus thrombosis, as a complication of otitis media, in a pediatric population. PATIENTS:: Five children, 2 girls and 3 boys, with age ranging from 3 to 9 years, identified as having otogenic lateral sinus thrombosis confirmed with ...

Ablation and Progression of Atrial Fibrillation. Objective: The objective was to determine the effect of radiofrequency catheter ablation (RFA) on progression of paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF). Background: Progression to persistent AF may occur in up to 50% of patients with paroxysmal AF receiving pharmacological therapy. Hypertension, age, prior transient ischemic ...

BACKGROUND: In Western countries, deep vein thrombosis (DVT) and pulmonary embolism (PE), are relatively common after THA and many surgeons recommend routine pharmacologic thromboprophylaxis. There is some suggestion in the literature that the incidences of DVT and PE may be lower in East Asian patients. Therefore, it would be important ...

The lower esophageal sphincters (LES) together with the crural diaphragm are the major antireflux barriers protecting the esophagus from reflux of gastric content. However, reflux of gastric contents into the esophagus is a normal phenomenon in healthy individuals occurring primarily during episodes of transient lower esophageal sphincter relaxation (TLESR), defined ...

BACKGROUND Previous studies have indicated that peripheral circulating markers of inflammation are elevated in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS), but thus far no studies concerning markers of inflammation in adipose tissue have been published. The aim of the study was to investigate whether patients with PCOS display increased expression ...

BACKGROUND: Patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) have a reduced coronary flow reserve (CFR) and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease. The fat cells that surround coronary arteries may play a central and underrecognized role in development of cardiovascular disease through the systemic secretion of adipokines. We therefore evaluated ...

PURPOSE: It is often assumed that cold intolerance is associated with abnormalities in the skin temperature due to changes in the blood flow of the hands. In this study, we determined whether patients with and without cold intolerance after a hand fracture or healthy controls have a diminished rewarming after ...

INTRODUCTION: The role of fat-bone interactions in the pathogenesis of osteoporosis in chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is poorly understood. Our aim was to investigate expressions of leptin and osteoprotegerin (OPG) in the adipose tissue, and their relationships to osteoporosis in patients with COPD. METHODS: In 39 patients with stable ...

Asymmetric dimethylarginine (ADMA) plays a crucial role in the arginine-nitric oxide (NO) pathway. NO plays an important role in controlling vascular tone and regulates the contractile properties of cardiac myocytes. The purpose of this study was to investigate the effect of pharmacological treatment on asymmetrical dimethylarginine (ADMA) plasma levels in ...

We undertook this study to test the hypothesis that in the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR) classification of juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), patients with similar characteristics can be classified into different categories. We sought to investigate whether antinuclear antibody (ANA)-positive patients having disease in the ILAR categories of ...

Although it has been established that nifedipine is associated with gingival overgrowth (GO), there is little information on the prevalence and severity of this condition in the Brazilian population. The aim of this study was to assess the occurrence of nifedipine-induced GO in Brazilian patients and the risk factors associated ...

The analysis of 310 Romanian spondyloarthritides patients confirmed the association of the HLA-B27 marker with the susceptibility to different diseases of this group. For ankylosing spondylitis, the HLA-B27 frequency in Romanian patients (72.1%) was similar to that found in several regions in the Mediterranean area.

The CCR5 chemokine receptor occurs in a wild-type (wt) and a nonfunctional deleted form (Δ32). Reports suggested that Chlamydia-induced reproductive tract pathology is attenuated in women bearing Δ32. The authors asked whether the mutation affects synovial prevalence and burden of Chlamydia trachomatis. Polymerase chain reaction (PCR) defined CCR5 genotype in ...

Familial transthyretin (TTR) amyloidosis is caused by a mutation in the TTR gene, although wild-type (wt) TTR is also incorporated into the amyloid fibrils. Liver transplantation (LT) is the prevailing treatment of the disease and is performed in order to eliminate the mutant TTR from plasma. The outcome of the ...

To assess the effectiveness of switching to a second tumour necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Data were extracted from an ongoing longitudinal observational multicentre study in Norway. This study included anti-TNF naïve patients with AS starting treatment with a TNFi as well as treatment with ...

Kynurenine, the major degradation product of tryptophan has been shown to directly damage various tissues. Its potential contribution to septic arthritis is unknown. In this study, we analyzed the putative diagnostic value of kynurenine for bacterial joint infection and its potential harmful effects on cartilage. In a prospective study 41 ...

OBJECTIVE: To determine the prevalence of hand and wrist symptoms and impairments, and the resulting activity limitations in relation to disease duration in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. DESIGN AND PATIENTS: A cross-sectional study included 200 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis in 4 categories of disease duration: 2-4, 4-6, 6-8 and ...

In the present study, we evaluated 42 wrists using the semi-quantitative scales power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) and gray scale ultrasound (GSUS) with scores ranging from 0 to 3 and correlated the results with clinical, laboratory and radiographic data. Twenty-one patients (17 women and 4 men) with rheumatoid arthritis according to ...

The antisynthetase syndrome is a systemic inflammatory disease associated with anti-tRNA synthetase antibodies and consisting of the clinical features of inflammatory myopathy arthritis, interstitial lung disease (ILD), fever, Raynaud syndrome, and rash. It rarely presents with symmetric arthritis as the initial manifestation of the disease. The aim of the study ...

Familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent attacks of febrile peritonitis, pleuritis and synovitis. Arthritis is a common and important feature of FMF. The clinical spectrum of arthritis in 71 FMF patients was retrospectively investigated. Mutations in the familial Mediterranean (MEFV) gene were screened. Unlike ...

As interleukin-15 (IL-15) has been implicated in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis, we analysed the serum IL-15 (sIL-15) levels in healthy subjects and patients with early arthritis to establish a cut-off point that might serve to define elevated sIL-15. This is an initial step to determine whether sIL-15 has the ...

Rheumatoid arthritis affects primarily the synovial joints, but is often accompanied by extra-articular manifestations, including lacrimal and salivary gland involvement. The aim of the present study was to estimate the prevalence of ocular and oral sicca symptoms and reduced lacrimal and salivary flow in rheumatoid arthritis and the relation between ...

Around 1.4% of the UK population have gout, the prevalence of which increases with age to around 3% in women and 7% in men aged over 75 years. Acute gout is intensely painful and can reduce patients' quality of life. It occurs when the serum uric acid concentration (SUA) rises ...

In a murine model of antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis, the numbers of Treg cells are dramatically reduced. The aim of this study was to examine Treg cell numbers and function in patients with antibiotic-refractory Lyme arthritis. CD4+ T cell subsets were enumerated in the peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF) ...

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) has many clinical and radiological manifestations but lacks a specific laboratory marker. The aim of the present study was to identify noteworthy features in PsA patients on routine clinical examinations. The subjects were 25 PsA patients who were classified based on the Classification of Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR) ...

To investigate whether methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) C677T and A1298C polymorphisms and erythrocyte concentration of methotrexate (EMTX) could serve as predictors of methotrexate (MTX) efficacy and toxicity in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Genetic analyses and EMTX and folate assessment were performed in 69 patients with JIA aged 2.5-19.6 years ...

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether baseline demographic, clinical, articular and laboratory variables predict methotrexate (MTX) poor response in polyarticular-course juvenile idiopathic arthritis. METHODS: Patients newly treated for 6 months with MTX enrolled in the Paediatric Rheumatology International Trials Organization (PRINTO) MTX trial. Bivariate and logistic regression analyses were used to identify ...

OBJECTIVES: Crohn's disease (CD) and ulcerative colitis are chronic idiopathic inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) often associated with axial and/or peripheral arthritis. Antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) are highly specific for rheumatoid arthritis, whereas their role in IBD remains unclear. Antitumour necrosis factor-alpha agents such as infliximab (IFX) may achieve ...

A 65-year-old female was admitted to our hospital for evaluation of transfusion-dependent progressive anemia. She had a history of rheumatoid arthritis for twenty-four years. Two years earlier, MDS (refractory anemia) was diagnosed based on laboratory findings and bone marrow examination. After diagnosis, the patient received anabolic steroid, Vitamin D3 and ...

Advances in treatment of rheumatoid arthritis have made it possible to profoundly influence signs and symptoms as well as the course of joint destruction in inflammatory arthritis. Earlier and more efficient treatment appears to significantly improve the prognosis of this disease. Despite these advances, cure (the absence of signs and ...

This study was designed to assess the degree of liver fibrosis with transient elastography and noninvasive biochemical methods in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with methotrexate. We reviewed the medical records of rheumatoid arthritis patients who were administered methotrexate for more than 3 years. Transient elastography was performed and serological markers ...

INTRODUCTION: Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) typically presents with inflammatory back pain and stiffness, but severe hip involvement may also be present. In this study, we evaluated the frequency of severe hip arthritis mimicking septic arthritis as initial presenting symptom of AS. METHODS: Utilising billing records, we retrospectively studied all AS patients ...

Cysteine cathepsins and matrix metalloproteases are considered to play important roles in the development of arthritic diseases. Their accumulation in synovial fluid of primarily rheumatoid arthritis patients is also well documented. However, a detailed comparison between the protease levels and activities between rheumatoid arthritis samples and osteoarthritis samples has never ...

BACKGROUND: Early recognition and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis is important to prevent irreversible joint damage. Anti-citrullinated peptide antibodies (ACPA) have been suggested for early diagnosis. PURPOSE: To compare the accuracy of ACPA and rheumatoid factor in diagnosing rheumatoid arthritis in patients with early symptoms of the disease. DATA SOURCES: 10 ...

PURPOSE: To evaluate the discrepancy between the anatomical axis of the distal femur of Japanese patients and the stem position of 5 types of femoral components. METHODS: Lateral radiographs of 12 men and 88 women aged 31 to 83 (mean, 59) years with rheumatoid arthritis were evaluated. The discrepancy between ...

Infliximab is a chimeric monoclonal antibody that binds to human tumor necrosis factor alpha and is approved for refractory rheumatoid arthritis. We studied the association between infliximab concentration and long-term control of disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated on a routine basis both in cross-sectional analysis and over ...

PURPOSE: Autoimmune diseases usually manifest in genetically predisposed individuals following an environmental trigger. There are several viral infections including Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) implicated in the pathogenesis of autoimmune disorders. The aim of this study was to look at the antibody pattern to EBV proteins in the plasma of both systemic ...

To characterize T-cell large granular leukemia in Asia, 22 Chinese patients from a single institute were reported, together with an analysis of 88 Asian and 272 Western patients identified from the literature. In our cohort, anemia due to pure red cell aplasia (PRCA) occurred in 15/22 (68%) of cases, being ...

BACKGROUND: The cause of secondary amenorrhea in the following case cannot be explained by traditional etiologies. We therefore questioned whether long-term methotrexate treatment played a role as an endometrial inhibitor. CASE: A 44-year-old G4P2, with a 5-year history of rheumatoid arthritis, presented with a 2-year history of secondary amenorrhea. The ...

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the psychometric properties of an index based on 3 patient reported outcomes measures, termed PRO-CLinical ARthritis Activity (PRO-CLARA), in order to facilitate rapid and easy rheumatoid arthritis (RA) activity assessment in daily routine. METHODS: 196 patients partially or not responding to disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs), consented ...

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study was to investigate the role of dynamic contrast-enhanced MRI in the differential diagnosis of psoriatic and rheumatoid arthritis in the hand and wrist. SUBJECTS AND METHODS: Forty-five consecutive patients (31 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and 14 patients with psoriatic arthritis) were examined in a ...

Although considered a "joint disease," rheumatoid arthritis is associated with the involvement of extra-articular manifestations. The aim of the study is the investigation and comparison of frequency and type of extra-articular manifestations in a well defined community based cohort of patients with seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis. Using the ACR ...

Brucellosis, an endemic disease in certain parts of the world is usually accompanied by osteoarticular involvement. The present study was performed to determine the types and frequency of rheumatologic manifestations in patients with brucellosis diagnosed in the north of Iran. Diagnosis of active brucellosis was based on the serological tests ...

This report describes the clinical, biochemical and molecular data of a 78-year-old patient with xanthine dehydrogenase deficiency presenting as rheumatoid arthritis. BACKGROUND: Xanthinuria type I is a rare disorder of purine metabolism caused by xanthine dehydrogenase (XDH) deficiency; fewer than 150 cases have been described in the literature so far. ...

We report a case of reactive arthritis in a 21-year-old man who was successfully treated with methotrexate. In July 2008, the patient experienced arthritis in the left knee 3 days after being diagnosed as having urethritis by the urology clinic. The patient was treated with loxoprofen sodium and fosfomycin calcium ...