The first presentation of a case of nail-patella syndrome newly diagnosed at the onset of rheumatoid arthritis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Nail-patella syndrome (NPS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder that is characterized by dysplasia of the nails, hypoplasia and/or dislocation of the patella and the presence of iliac horns. Using the CARE guidelines, we present the first reported case of NPS that was newly diagnosed at the onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). CASE PRESENTATION: A 74-year-old man was admitted to our hospital due to an 8-month history of arthralgia in bilateral wrists, elbows and fingers. He had a past history of glaucoma and left patella dislocation that had been operatively recentered at the age of 15 years. Laboratory data showed elevated levels of serum C-reactive protein and rheumatoid factor and an elevated titer of anti-SS-A antibodies, while estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), titers of other antibodies and the results of a urinary test were normal. An X-ray showed deformity of bilateral radial heads and the right elbow, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of his hands showed synovitis and erosion in the multiple swollen joints of the wrists and fingers. In addition to these typical features of RA, he had bilateral thumb nail dysplasia with mild hypoplasia of bilateral patellae and iliac horns as shown by the X-ray. He was diagnosed as having autosomal dominant disorder NPS co-existing with RA and he was treated with methotrexate in combination with an oral Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitor, leading to induction of remission. CONCLUSIONS: We have presented a rare case of NPS that was newly diagnosed at the onset of RA. Clinical and radiographic findings of NPS are highlighted in this case report for diagnosing NPS on the basis of typical manifestations.

Immunosuppressive Treatment for an anti-U1 Ribonucleoprotein Antibody-positive Patient with Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

A 34-year-old woman with pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) was admitted to the hospital. She had been diagnosed with PAH three years earlier and treated with triple vasodilator therapy. She was positive for anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein antibodies but did not show any other symptoms associated with autoimmune diseases. Corticosteroid and cyclophosphamide therapy was administered, suspecting the involvement of immunological pathophysiology. After 3 weeks, the mean pulmonary artery pressure decreased from 50 to 38 mmHg without any change in the vasodilators. Immunosuppressive therapy was effective in this patient with PAH with an anti-U1 ribonucleoprotein-antibody-positive response and might be an option for patients with these specific features.

Infliximab biosimilar-induced lupus nephritis: A case report.

We present a case of microhematuria, proteinuria and hypocomplementemia which developed in a 55-year-old female who was being treated with an infliximab biosimilar for rheumatoid arthritis. Renal biopsy showed lupus nephritis (ISN/RPS classification class IV + V). Treatment with the infliximab biosimilar was discontinued, and treatment with prednisolone, hydroxychloroquine and abatacept was started, resulting in clinical remission of lupus nephritis and RA. Although tumour necrosis factor-α α inhibitors are known to induce production of autoantibodies, symptoms are usually limited to skin involvement or arthritis, and renal complications are rare. Physicians should be aware of the risk of lupus nephritis and carefully monitor patients for the development of renal involvement during treatment with tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors.

The Association of Grit With Burnout Components (Professional Efficacy, Exhaustion, and Cynicism) Among Academic Rheumatologists: The TRUMP 2 -SLE Study.

OBJECTIVES: There is a high prevalence of burnout among rheumatologists. Grit, which is defined as possessing perseverance and a passion to achieve long-term goals, is predictive of success in many professions; however, whether grit is associated with burnout remains unclear, especially among academic rheumatologists, who have multiple simultaneous responsibilities. Thus, the purpose of this study was to examine the associations between grit and self-reported burnout components-professional efficacy, exhaustion, and cynicism-in academic rheumatologists. METHODS: This cross-sectional study involved 51 rheumatologists from 5 university hospitals. The exposure was grit, measured using mean scores for the 8-item Short Grit Scale (range, 1-5 [5 = extremely high grit]). The outcome measures were mean scores for 3 burnout domains (exhaustion, professional efficacy, and cynicism; range, 1-6; measured using the 16-item Maslach Burnout Inventory-General Survey). General linear models were fitted with covariates (age, sex, job title [assistant professor or higher vs lower], marital status, and having children). RESULTS: Overall, 51 physicians (median age, 45 years; interquartile range, 36-57; 76% men) were included. Burnout positivity was found in 68.6% of participants (n = 35/51; 95% confidence interval [CI], 54.1, 80.9). Higher grit was associated with higher professional efficacy (per 1-point increase; 0.51 point; 95% CI, 0.18, 0.84) but not with exhaustion or cynicism. Being male and having children were associated with lower exhaustion (-0.69; 95% CI, -1.28, -0.10; p = 0.02; and -0.85; 95% CI, -1.46, -0.24; p = 0.006). Lower job title (fellow or part-time lecturer) was associated with higher cynicism (0.90; 95% CI, 0.04, 1.75; p = 0.04). CONCLUSIONS: Grit is associated with higher professional efficacy among academic rheumatologists. To prevent burnout among staff, supervisors who manage academic rheumatologists should assess their staff's individual grit.

Association of alcohol consumption and fatigue in SLE: A cross-sectional study from Lupus Registry of Nationwide Institution (LUNA) cohort.

OBJECTIVE: Fatigue is one of the most common complaints and is a potentially modifiable issue in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Studies suggest that alcohol consumption has a protective effect against the development of SLE; however, an association between alcohol consumption and fatigue in patients with SLE has not been studied. Here, we assessed whether alcohol consumption was associated with fatigue using lupus patient-reported outcomes (LupusPRO). METHODS: This cross-sectional study, conducted between 2018 and 2019, included 534 patients (median age, 45 years; 87.3% female) from 10 institutions in Japan. The main exposure was alcohol consumption, which was defined as the frequency of drinking [<1 day/month (none group), ≤1 day/week (moderate group), and ≥2 days/week (frequent group)]. The outcome measure was the Pain Vitality domain score in LupusPRO. Multiple regression analysis was performed as the primary analysis after adjusting for confounding factors, such as age, sex, and damage. Subsequently, the same analysis was performed as a sensitivity analysis after multiple imputations (MIs) for missing data (n = 580). RESULTS: In total, 326 (61.0%) patients were categorized into the none group, 121 (22.7%) into the moderate group, and 87 (16.3%) into the frequent group. The frequent group was independently associated with less fatigue compared with none group [ß = 5.98 (95% CI 0.19-11.76), p = 0.04], and the results did not substantially deviate after MI. CONCLUSIONS: Frequent drinking was associated with less fatigue, which highlights the need for further longitudinal studies focusing on drinking habits in patients with SLE.

Grit personality of physicians and achievement of treatment goals in patients with system lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVES: Although personality characteristics of patients with SLE affect their disease activity and damage, it is unclear whether those of attending physicians affect the outcomes of patients with SLE. Grit is a personality trait for achieving long-term goals that may influence the decision-making for continuing treatment plans for patients. We aimed to evaluate the relationship between the grit of attending physicians and achievement of treatment goals in patients with SLE. METHODS: This cross-sectional study was conducted at five referral hospitals. The main exposure was 'consistency of interest' and 'perseverance of effort' of the attending physicians, measured by the Short Grit Scale. The primary outcome was achievement of a lupus low disease activity state (LLDAS). The association between physicians' grit score and LLDAS was analysed by generalized estimating equation (GEE) logistic regression with cluster robust variance estimation, with adjustment for confounders. RESULTS: The median (interquartile range) total, consistency and perseverance scores of 37 physicians were 3.1 (2.9-3.6), 3.3 (2.8-3.8) and 3.3 (3.0-3.5), respectively. Among the 386 patients, 154 (40%) had achieved LLDAS. Low consistency score (≤2.75) in physicians was related to LLDAS achievement independently using GEE logistic regression. The score of the question 'I often set a goal but later choose to pursue a different one' was significantly higher in patients achieving LLDAS. CONCLUSIONS: Difficulty of attending physicians to change treatment goals might be related to lower LLDAS achievement in patients with SLE.