Operational characteristics of ultrasound in the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVE: To determine the operational characteristics of salivary gland ultrasound (SGU) in the diagnosis of Sjögren's syndrome (SS) in a population of colombian patients with dry symptoms. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Study of diagnostic tests in patients with dry symptoms who consecutively attended the rheumatology consultation (2018-2020). Sociodemographic and clinical data were obtained through a survey, paraclinical and ophthalmological tests, minor salivary gland biopsy, unstimulated salivary flow and SGU (score 0-6 based on De Vita) were done. Sensitivity, specificity, positive (PPV) and negative (NPV) predictive values (Stata 15®) were calculated. The receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curve was developed. RESULTS: 102 patients were included (34 SS and 68 non-SS), mean age 55.69 (±11.93) years, 94% women. Positive ultrasound (score of 2 or more) was more frequent in the SS group, (70.6% vs. 22.1%, P<0.0001). The sensitivity was the same for grade 2 and 3 (70.59%), with a higher specificity (89.71%) for grade 3 (PPV 77.42% NPV 85.92). The ROC curve from the sum of the glands by means of ultrasound was better than those of the independent glands. The ROC curve of the ultrasound presented a greater area under the curve (0.72 [0.61-0.82]) than that of the histological analysis (focus score) (0.68 [0.59-0.78]), P=0.0252. CONCLUSION: Salivary gland ultrasound is a useful and reliable method for the classification of SS. Its use could be considered in the future within the SS classification criteria.

The use of digital tomosynthesis in rheumatology: a systematic review of the literature focused on four diseases. / Uso de la tomosíntesis digital en reumatología: revisión sistemática de la literatura en cuatro patologías.

BACKGROUND AND AIMS: Digital tomosynthesis has proven useful in the evaluation of damage to joints. This study aims to describe the most common digital tomosynthesis findings for four rheumatological entities and to compare the usefulness of this technique with that of other imaging techniques. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Following the PRISMA guidelines, we systematically searched the literature for articles about the use of digital tomosynthesis in rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, spondyloarthritis, and gout. We used the QUADAS-2 (Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies) criteria to evaluate the quality of the articles included. RESULTS: We included 13 articles. For rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, and spondyloarthritis, digital tomosynthesis detected bone abnormalities better than plain-film X-rays; however, for gout, the results were variable. CONCLUSIONS: Digital tomosynthesis can play an important role in the evaluation of skeletal abnormalities in rheumatological disease, especially compared to plain-film X-rays.

Concordancia diagnóstica del sistema de graduación Chisholm Mason y Focus Score en la sialoadenitis linfocítica focal como aproximación al síndrome de Sjögren / Diagnostic agreement of the Chisholm Mason and Focus Score grading system in focal lymphocytic sialadenitis in patients with dry symptoms

RESUMEN Introducción: Existen diferentes sistemas de graduación para interpretar la biopsia de glándula salival menor (BGSM) en pacientes con síntomas secos. En la actualidad la metodología recomendada (Focus Score [FS]), aunque no se emplea de forma rutinaria, conlleva discrepancias diagnósticas. Objetivo: Determinar la concordancia de la lectura histopatológica de BGSM entre las técnicas FS y Chisholm Mason (CM) para el diagnóstico de sialoadenitis linfocítica focal en el hospital de San José, entre enero de 2017 y junio de 2018. Métodos: Estudio de concordancia. Se incluyeron BGSM de pacientes con síntomas secos. Se excluyó material no apto para el estudio, o con menos de 4 lóbulos o menos de 8 mm de área. Se clasificaron utilizando las técnicas FS y CM por 2 evaluadores independientes. Se evaluó el acuerdo interobservador, intraobsevador y global entre las pruebas mediante el coeficiente de Kappa de Cohen. Resultados: Se evaluaron 130 biopsias. Los valores K intraobservador entre FS y CM fueron 0,42 para el observador 1 y 0,23 para el observador 2. Los valores K del acuerdo interobservador fueron 0,47 para FS y 0,65 para CM. La concordancia entre los 2 sistemas de puntuación fue K de 0,13. Conclusiones: Se evidencia una probable sobreestimación de focos con CM, que resalta sus debilidades, y mayor precisión con FS. Por ende, la concordancia entre las 2 pruebas es débil. Es necesario un mayor esfuerzo para el uso del método estandarizado de lectura de BGSM con el FS para una correcta interpretación y beneficio en la clasificación de pacientes con síndrome seco.

ABSTRACT Introduction: There are different grading systems for interpreting the minor salivary gland biopsy (MSGB) in patients with dry symptoms (Sicca). The recommended methodology is currently the Focus Score (FS), which, although not performed routinely, results in diagnostic discrepancies. Objective: To determine the concordance of the histopathological reading of MSGB between the FS and Chisholm Mason (CM) techniques for diagnosis of focal lymphocytic sialadenitis at the San José Hospital between January 2017 and June 2018. Methods: Concordance study. MSGB of patients with sicca symptoms were included. Material not suitable for study and / or with less than 4 lobules and / or less than 8 mm of surface area was excluded. They were classified, using the FS and CM techniques, by two independent evaluators. The inter-observer, intra-observer, and overall agreement between the tests were evaluated using Cohen's Kappa coefficient. Results: A total of 130 biopsies were evaluated. The intra-observer K values between FS and CM were 0.42 for observer 1, and 0.23 for observer 2. The K values of the inter-observer agreement were 0.47 for FS, and 0.65 for CM. The concordance between the two scoring systems was K = 0.13. Conclusions: There is evidence of a probable over-estimation of foci with CM, highlighting its weaknesses and greater precision with FS technique, resulting in the weak concordance between the two tests. A greater effort is necessary for the use of the standardised MSGB FS reading method for a correct interpretation and benefit in the classification of patients with dry syndrome.

Bcl-2 antagonist killer 1 (BAK1) polymorphisms influence the risk of developing autoimmune rheumatic diseases in women.

OBJECTIVE: Bcl-2 antagonist killer 1 (BAK1) is a Bcl-2 family proapoptotic member suggested as a candidate gene for autoimmune diseases. The influence of BAK1 polymorphisms on the risk of developing autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) in women was investigated. METHODS: A total of 719 Colombian women were included in the present study: 209 had systemic lupus erythematosus, 99 primary Sjögren syndrome, 159 rheumatoid arthritis and 252 were healthy matched controls. Tag single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) and potentially functional variants were typed by TaqMan allele discrimination assays. HLA-DRB1 and HLA-DQB1 typing was performed by reverse dot-blot hybridisation and linkage disequilibrium (LD) with BAK1 SNPs was assessed. RESULTS: SNPs rs513349 (odds ratio (OR) 0.57, 95% CI 0.46 to 0.72, p = <0.001) and rs5745582 (OR 1.61, 95% CI 1.26 to 2.04, p = <0.001) were associated with the AIRDs included in this study. There was a significant increase of the rs513349G-rs561276C-rs5745582A (GCA) haplotype in each patient cohort as compared to controls (OR 1.95, 95% CI 1.50 to 2.54, p = <0.001). These SNPs were not in LD with HLA-DRB1 or HLA-DQB1 genes. CONCLUSIONS: The results indicate that the BAK1 polymorphisms influence the risk of acquiring AIRDs in the population studied and are consistent with the paradigm that autoimmune diseases are likely to share common susceptibility variants.

Delayed lupus nephritis.

OBJECTIVE: To describe and analyse the clinical and immunological characteristics of a large series of patients with delayed lupus nephritis (LN). METHODS: A cross-sectional study was carried out. Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who developed renal involvement >or=5 years after the first manifestation(s) of the disease (delayed LN, n = 48) were compared with patients with SLE in whom LN developed within 5 years or less after SLE appeared (early-onset LN, n = 187). A control group, the no LN (NLN) group, comprised patients with longstanding SLE (duration of disease >10 years) who had never shown signs of renal involvement (n = 164). RESULTS: The group with delayed LN was positively associated with Sjögren's syndrome, lung involvement and antiphospholipid syndrome as compared with early LN. However, its renal clinical expression and histopathological patterns were similar to those of early-onset LN. The frequency of anti-dsDNA, anti-Sm and anti-RNP antibodies was higher in patients with LN than in the NLN group, as was the frequency of low complement levels. Jaccoud's arthropathy was a protective factor for nephritis. CONCLUSIONS: Delayed LN is not uncommon in patients with SLE. The identified risk factors might aid in its diagnosis and enhance the ability to identify patients at risk for this complication of SLE.

STAT4 but not TRAF1/C5 variants influence the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus in Colombians.

The aim of this study was to determine the influence of STAT4 (rs7574865) and TRAF1/C5 (rs10818488 and rs2900180) gene polymorphisms on the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a Colombian population. This was a case-control study in which 839 individuals with RA (N=274) and SLE (N=144) and matched healthy controls (N=421) were included. Genotyping was performed by using a polymerase chain reaction system with pre-developed TaqMan allelic discrimination assay. STAT4 rs7574865T allele disclosed a significant influence on the risk of developing SLE (P=0.0005; OR 1.62, 95% CI 1.22-2.16) and RA (P=0.008; OR 1.36; 95% CI 1.08-1.71), whereas no effect on these autoimmune diseases was observed for the TRAF1/C5 polymorphisms examined. Our data strengthen STAT4 rs7574865 polymorphism as a susceptibility factor for RA and SLE and provide further evidence for a common origin of autoimmune diseases.

TNF microsatellites polymorphism is associated with rheumatoid arthritis. Confirming evidence in northwestern Colombians.

OBJECTIVE: To examine the contribution of tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNF) microsatellite (a to e) polymorphism to the genetic risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a northwestern Colombian population. METHODS: This was an association study in which 108 RA patients and 222 matched individuals were enrolled. HLA-DRB1 and DQB1 polymorphisms were evaluated to examine for linkage disequilibrium between these loci and TNF micro- satellites. Genotyping was performed using denaturing polyacrylamide gels and polymerase chain reaction-sequence techniques. RESULTS: By unconditional logistic regression analysis, the TNFa6 allele (OR=2.37, 95%CI 1.07-5.24) and the TNFb4 allele (OR=3.01, 95%CI 1.07-9.00) were observed to be associated with disease. These associations were independent of HLA-DR and HLA-DQ since linkage disequilibrium between HLA class II and TNF microsatellites was not observed. In addition, patients with the TNFa8 allele had a five times greater risk of developing extra-articular manifestations as compared to patients without this allele (OR=5.07, 95%CI 1.14-22.52), regardless of age and the duration of disease. Haplotype analysis disclosed a protective effect for TNFa7/b7/c1/d4/e3/-308G/-238G. CONCLUSION: These results confirm that the TNF locus exerts a primary influence on both susceptibility to and the severity of RA.