A protocol for scoping reviews on the role of whole-body and dedicated body-part magnetic resonance imaging for assessment of adult and juvenile idiopathic inflammatory myopathies.

Currently, standardized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring systems and protocols for assessment of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) in children and adults are lacking. Therefore, we will perform a scoping review of the literature to collate and evaluate the existing semi-quantitative and quantitative MRI scoring systems and protocols for the assessment and monitoring of skeletal muscle involvement in patients with IIMs. The aim is to compile evidence-based information that will facilitate the future development of a universal standardized MRI scoring system for both research and clinical applications in IIM. A systematic search of electronic databases (PubMed, EMBASE, and Cochrane) will be undertaken to identify relevant articles published between January 2000 and October 2023. Data will be synthesized narratively. This scoping review seeks to comprehensively summarize and evaluate the evidence on the scanning protocols and scoring systems used in the assessment of diagnosis, disease activity, and damage using skeletal muscle MRI in IIMs. The results will allow the development of consensus recommendations for clinical practice and enable the standardization of research methods for the MRI assessment of skeletal muscle changes in patients with IIMs.

Spirituality, Religiosity, and Mental Health in Patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: A Brazilian Multicentric Case-Control Study.

No published studies have investigated the correlation between religiosity, spirituality, mental health, and idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM) or systemic autoimmune myopathy. Therefore, we aimed to evaluate the association between religiosity/spirituality, sociodemographic factors, and the mental health of IIM patients. This is a multicenter case-control study that included 151 patients with IIMs and 95 individuals without autoimmune diseases (controls), held between August 2022 and April 2023. This study used a semi-structured questionnaire that included sociodemographic information and the juxtaposition of the following questionnaires: the Attitudes Related to Spirituality Scale (ARES); the Duke University Religion Index (DUKE), which is composed of the organizational religious affiliation (ORA), non-organizational religious affiliation (NORA), and intrinsic religiosity (IR) domains; and the General Health Questionnaire-12 (GHQ-12). Data were analyzed using Epi Info software 7.2.5 (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, Atlanta, GA, USA). A comparison between the mean values of the ARES, DUKE, and GHQ-12 scales was made using the Wilcoxon-Mann-Whitney and Kruskal-Wallis tests. A logistic regression test was used with the variables whose difference was statistically significant in the univariate analysis. Correlation analysis was performed using the Spearman rho coefficient. A higher prevalence of evangelicals and a lower prevalence of Catholics (p < 0.050) were seen in the IIM group compared to controls. Positive association was demonstrated between IIMs and the pardo ethnicity (OR = 2.26, 95% CI = 1.20-4.25, p = 0.011), highest ORA (OR = 2.81, 95% CI = 1.53-5.15, p < 0.001), NORA (OR = 3.99, 95% CI = 1.94-8·18, p < 0.001), IR (OR = 5.27, 95% CI = 2.32-11.97, p < 0.001), and ARES values (OR = 1.08, 95% CI = 1.04-1.13, p < 0.001). Mental health levels were compared between the groups (p > 0.999). Therefore, higher levels of religiosity and spirituality were observed in the IIM group than in the control group, but there was a similar distribution of mental health levels. The following can be cited as advantages of the present study: (i) the large sample for a rare disease with the presence of a control group; (ii) the multicenter characteristic with participation from three regions of Brazil; (iii) being the first study to map aspects of religiosity, spirituality, and mental health in IIMs.

Serum osteoprotegerin and its gene polymorphisms in patients with Takayasu's arteritis: a bicentric cross-sectional study.

INTRODUCTION: Takayasu's arteritis (TAK) patients are at an elevated risk of metabolic syndrome and cardiovascular diseases (CVD). Currently, there are no well-validated biomarkers to assess this risk in this population. Previous research in different cohorts has linked serum levels of osteoprotegerin (OPG) and its polymorphisms to accelerated atherosclerosis and a marker of poor prognosis in CVD. Thus, we assessed this protein as a potential biomarker of CVD in TAK patients. OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the serum levels of OPG and its SNPs (single nucleotide polymorphisms) in TAK patients and healthy controls, and to associate these parameters with clinical data. METHODS: This bicentric cross-sectional study included TAK patients who were compared with healthy individuals (control group). The serum levels of OPG and the frequency of OPG SNPs [1181G > C (rs2073618), 245 A > C (rs3134069), 163T > C (rs3102735), and 209 C > T (rs3134070)] were compared between the both groups and associated with clinical data. RESULTS: In total, 101 TAK patients and 93 controls were included in the study. The serum levels of OPG (3.8 ± 1.9 vs. 4.3 ± 1.8pmol/L, respectively; P = 0.059), and its four polymorphisms were comparable between both groups. In an additional analysis of only TAK patients, serum OPG levels and its four genes were not associated with any CVD parameters, except for higher OPG levels among patients without dyslipidemia. CONCLUSION: No significant differences were observed in serum OPG levels or in the genotype frequencies of OPG SNPs between the patient and control groups. Similarly, no correlation was found between laboratory parameters and clinical data on CVD risk in TAK patients.

Listening to patients, for the patients: The COVAD Study-Vision, organizational structure, and challenges.

BACKGROUND: The pandemic presented unique challenges for individuals with autoimmune and rheumatic diseases (AIRDs) due to their underlying condition, the effects of immunosuppressive treatments, and increased vaccine hesitancy. OBJECTIVES: The COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune diseases (COVAD) study, a series of ongoing, patient self-reported surveys were conceived with the vision of being a unique tool to gather patient perspectives on AIRDs. It involved a multinational, multicenter collaborative effort amidst a global lockdown. METHODS: Leveraging social media as a research tool, COVAD collected data using validated patient-reported outcomes (PROs). The study, comprising a core team, steering committee, and global collaborators, facilitated data collection and analysis. A pilot-tested, validated survey, featuring questions regarding COVID-19 infection, vaccination and outcomes, patient demographics, and PROs was circulated to patients with AIRDs and healthy controls (HCs). DISCUSSION: We present the challenges encountered during this international collaborative project, including coordination, data management, funding constraints, language barriers, and authorship concerns, while highlighting the measures taken to address them. CONCLUSION: Collaborative virtual models offer a dynamic new frontier in medical research and are vital to studying rare diseases. The COVAD study demonstrates the potential of online platforms for conducting large-scale, patient-focused research and underscores the importance of integrating patient perspective into clinical care. Care of patients is our central motivation, and it is essential to recognize their voices as equal stakeholders and valued partners in the study of the conditions that affect them.

Characteristics of emerging new autoimmune diseases after COVID-19 vaccination: A sub-study by the COVAD group.

BACKGROUND: Despite the overall safety and efficacy of COVID-19 vaccinations, rare cases of systemic autoimmune diseases (SAIDs) have been reported post-vaccination. This study used a global survey to analyze SAIDs in susceptible individuals' post-vaccination. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted among participants with self-reported new-onset SAIDs using the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) 2 study dataset-a validated, patient-reported e-survey-to analyze the long-term safety of COVID-19 vaccines. Baseline characteristics of patients with new-onset SAIDs and vaccinated healthy controls (HCs) were compared after propensity score matching based on age and sex in a 1:4 ratio. RESULTS: Of 16 750 individuals, 74 (median age 52 years, 79.9% females, and 76.7% Caucasians) had new-onset SAID post-vaccination, mainly idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) (n = 23, 31.51%), arthritis (n = 15; 20.53%), and polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) (n = 12, 16.40%). Higher odds of new-onset SAIDs were noted among Caucasians (OR = 5.3; 95% CI = 2.9-9.7; p < .001) and Moderna vaccine recipients (OR = 2.7; 95% CI = 1.3-5.3; p = .004). New-onset SAIDs were associated with AID multimorbidity (OR = 1.4; 95% CI = 1.1-1.7; p < .001), mental health disorders (OR = 1.6; 95% CI = 1.3-1.9; p < .001), and mixed race (OR = 2.2; 95% CI = 1.2-4.2; p = .010), where those aged >60 years (OR = 0.6; 95% CI = 0.4-0.8; p = .007) and from high/medium human development index (HDI) countries (compared to very high HDI) reported fewer events than HCs. CONCLUSION: This study reports a low occurrence of new-onset SAIDs following COVID-19 vaccination, primarily IIMs, PMR, and inflammatory arthritis. Identified risk factors included pre-existing AID multimorbidity, mental health diseases, and mixed race. Revaccination was well tolerated by most patients; therefore, we recommend continuing COVID-19 vaccination in the general population. However, long-term studies are needed to understand the autoimmune phenomena arising post-vaccination.

Collating the voice of people with autoimmune diseases: Methodology for the Third Phase of the COVAD Studies.

INTRODUCTION: The growing recognition of holistic patient care highlights the various factors shaping the quality of life of individuals with autoimmune and rheumatic diseases (AIRDs). Beyond the traditional disease measures, there is an emerging acknowledgment of the less-explored aspects, including subjective well-being, social determinants of health, comorbidities, mental health, and medication adherence. Moreover, digital health services have empowered patients to engage actively in decision-making alongside clinicians. To explore these domains within the context of AIRDs, the "Collating the Voice of People with Autoimmune Diseases" COVAD survey was conceived, a successor of the previous two COVAD surveys. In this document, we present the study protocol in comprehensive detail. METHODS: The COVAD-3 survey is a cross-sectional patient self-reported e-survey incorporating multiple widely accepted scales/scores to assess various aspects of patients' lifestyles objectively. To ensure the survey's accuracy and usability across diverse regions, it will be translated into multiple languages and subjected to rigorous vetting and pilot testing. It will be distributed by collaborators via online platforms and data will be collected from patients with AIRDs, and healthy individuals over eight months. Data analysis will focus on outcome measures related to various social, demographic, economic, and psychological factors. CONCLUSION: With the increasing awareness to adopt a holistic treatment approach encompassing all avenues of life, the COVAD-3 survey aims to gain valuable insights into the impact of social, demographic, economic, and psychological determinants of health on the subjective well-being in patients with AIRDs, which will contribute to a better understanding of their overall health and well-being.

Characteristics and risk factors of COVID-19 breakthrough infections in Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: Results from the COVAD study.

OBJECTIVES: To explore prevalence, characteristics and risk factors of COVID-19 breakthrough infections (BIs) in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) using data from the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) study. METHODS: A validated patient self-reporting e-survey was circulated by the COVAD study group to collect data on COVID-19 infection and vaccination in 2022. BIs were defined as COVID-19 occurring ≥14 days after 2 vaccine doses. We compared BIs characteristics and severity among IIMs, other autoimmune rheumatic and non-rheumatic diseases (AIRD, nrAID), and healthy controls (HC). Multivariable Cox regression models assessed the risk factors for BI, severe BI and hospitalisations among IIMs. RESULTS: Among 9449 included response, BIs occurred in 1447 (15.3%) respondents, median age 44 years (IQR 21), 77.4% female, and 182 BIs (12.9%) occurred among 1406 IIMs. Multivariable Cox regression among IIMs showed age as a protective factor for BIs [Hazard Ratio (HR)=0.98, 95%CI = 0.97-0.99], hydroxychloroquine and sulfasalazine use were risk factors (HR = 1.81, 95%CI = 1.24-2.64, and HR = 3.79, 95%CI = 1.69-8.42, respectively). Glucocorticoid use was a risk factor for severe BI (HR = 3.61, 95%CI = 1.09-11.8). Non-White ethnicity (HR = 2.61, 95%CI = 1.03-6.59) was a risk factor for hospitalisation. Compared with other groups, patients with IIMs required more supplemental oxygen therapy (IIM = 6.0% vs AIRD = 1.8%, nrAID = 2.2%, and HC = 0.9%), intensive care unit admission (IIM = 2.2% vs AIRD = 0.6%, nrAID, and HC = 0%), advanced treatment with antiviral or monoclonal antibodies (IIM = 34.1% vs AIRD = 25.8%, nrAID = 14.6%, and HC = 12.8%), and had more hospitalisation (IIM = 7.7% vs AIRD = 4.6%, nrAID = 1.1%, and HC = 1.5%). CONCLUSION: Patients with IIMs are susceptible to severe COVID-19 BI. Age and immunosuppressive treatments were related to the risk of BIs.

Impaired health-related quality of life in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: a cross-sectional analysis from the COVAD-2 e-survey.

Objectives: To investigate health-related quality of life in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) compared with those with non-IIM autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs), non-rheumatic autoimmune diseases (nrAIDs) and without autoimmune diseases (controls) using Patient-Reported Outcome Measurement Information System (PROMIS) instrument data obtained from the second COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune disease (COVAD-2) e-survey database. Methods: Demographics, diagnosis, comorbidities, disease activity, treatments and PROMIS instrument data were analysed. Primary outcomes were PROMIS Global Physical Health (GPH) and Global Mental Health (GMH) scores. Factors affecting GPH and GMH scores in IIMs were identified using multivariable regression analysis. Results: We analysed responses from 1582 IIM, 4700 non-IIM AIRD and 545 nrAID patients and 3675 controls gathered through 23 May 2022. The median GPH scores were the lowest in IIM and non-IIM AIRD patients {13 [interquartile range (IQR) 10-15] IIMs vs 13 [11-15] non-IIM AIRDs vs 15 [13-17] nrAIDs vs 17 [15-18] controls, P < 0.001}. The median GMH scores in IIM patients were also significantly lower compared with those without autoimmune diseases [13 (IQR 10-15) IIMs vs 15 (13-17) controls, P < 0.001]. Inclusion body myositis, comorbidities, active disease and glucocorticoid use were the determinants of lower GPH scores, whereas overlap myositis, interstitial lung disease, depression, active disease, lower PROMIS Physical Function 10a and higher PROMIS Fatigue 4a scores were associated with lower GMH scores in IIM patients. Conclusion: Both physical and mental health are significantly impaired in IIM patients, particularly in those with comorbidities and increased fatigue, emphasizing the importance of patient-reported experiences and optimized multidisciplinary care to enhance well-being in people with IIMs.

Impact of Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation in Pain, Fatigue, and Health Quality of Life of Patients with Idiopathic Inflammatory Myopathies: A Randomized, Double-Blind, Sham-Controlled Crossover Clinical Trial.

Objectives: To assess the effectiveness of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for pain, fatigue, physical function, and health-related quality of life in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). Methods: This randomized, double-blind, sham-controlled, crossover clinical trial enrolled IIM patients with fatigue and pain who received tDCS (20 min, 2 mA) or sham stimulation for 10 daily sessions. Electrodes were placed according to the 10/20 EEG system. Both the groups underwent aerobic exercise training during the intervention period. The patients were evaluated for disease perception, pain, and fatigue using uni-multidimensional questionnaires and physical tests in the periods before and after the first and second interventions and after 12 weeks of follow-up. Results: After the tDCS intervention, a reduction in the general score of multidimensional pain of 32.0 (1.5-38.0) vs. 0.0 (0.0-13.4) with effect size (ES) of -0.78 was noted, and after sham intervention, a reduction of 26.0 (0.0-37.0) vs. 5.0 (0.0-19.2) with ES of -0.54 (P = 0.047) was also noted. Similar results were evidenced with fatigue (22.5 (15.4-33.2) vs. 5.5 (0.0-14.6) with ES of -0.82) and sham intervention (21.0 (15.8-29.5) vs. 4.0 (4.0-17.5) with ES of -0.80 (P = 0.012)). There were no differences in the domains of the fatigue and pain questionnaires. Adherence was observed in 88.8% of the patients without adverse events. Conclusion: The association of tDCS with aerobic training promoted additional effects in relation to the group subjected to placebo stimulation on general pain and fatigue scores, as well as on pain intensity, without changes in the subdomains of the pain and fatigue questionnaire. This trial is registered with NCT04678635.

Patient global assessment and inflammatory markers in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies - A longitudinal study.

AIM: To explore if patient global assessment (PGA) is associated with inflammation over time and if associations are explained by other measures of disease activity and function in patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). METHODS: PGA and systemic inflammatory markers prospectively collected over five years were retrieved from the International MyoNet registry for 1200 patients with IIM. Associations between PGA, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP) and creatine kinase (CK) were analyzed using mixed models. Mediation analysis was used to test if the association between PGA and inflammatory markers during the first year of observation could be explained by measures of disease activity and function. RESULTS: PGA improved, and inflammatory markers decreased during the first year of observation. In the mixed models, high levels of inflammatory markers were associated with worse PGA in both men and women across time points during five years of observation. In men, but not in women, the association between elevated ESR, CRP and poorer PGA was explained by measures of function and disease activity. With a few exceptions, the association between improved PGA and reduced inflammatory markers was partially mediated by improvements in all measures of function and disease activity. CONCLUSION: Increased levels of systemic inflammation are associated with poorer PGA in patients with IIM. In addition to known benefits of lowered inflammation, these findings emphasize the need to reduce systemic inflammation to improve subjective health in patients with IIM. Furthermore, the results demonstrate the importance of incorporating PGA as an outcome measure in clinical practice and clinical trials.

Correlates of breakthrough COVID-19 in vaccinated patients with systemic sclerosis: survival analysis from a multicentre international patient-reported survey.

This study aimed to assess the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of breakthrough infection (BI) following coronavirus disease (COVID-19) vaccination in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc), a risk group associated with an immune-suppressed state and high cardiopulmonary disease burden. Cross-sectional data from fully vaccinated respondents with SSc, non-SSc autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs), and healthy controls (HCs) were extracted from the COVAD database, an international self-reported online survey. BI was defined according to the Centre for Disease Control definition. Infection-free survival was compared between the groups using Kaplan-Meier curves with log-rank tests. Cox proportional regression was used to assess the association between BI and age, sex, ethnicity, and immunosuppressive drugs at the time of vaccination. The severity of BI in terms of hospitalization and requirement for oxygen supplementation was compared between groups. Of 10,900 respondents, 6836 fulfilled the following inclusion criteria: 427 SSc, 2934 other AIRDs, and 3475 HCs. BI were reported in 6.3% of SSc, 6.9% of non-SSc AIRD, and 16.1% of HCs during a median follow-up of 100 (IQR: 60-137) days. SSc had a lower risk for BI than HC [hazard ratio (HR): 0.56 (95% CI 0.46-0.74)]. BIs were associated with age [HR: 0.98 (0.97-0.98)] but not ethnicity or immunosuppressive drugs at the time of vaccination. Patients with SSc were more likely to have asymptomatic COVID-19, but symptomatic patients reported more breathlessness. Hospitalization [SSc: 4 (14.8%), HCs: 37 (6.6%), non-SSc AIRDs: 32(15.8%)] and the need for oxygenation [SSc: 1 (25%); HC: 17 (45.9%); non-SSc AIRD: 13 (40.6%)] were similar between the groups. The incidence of BI in SSc was lower than that in HCs but comparable to that in non-SSc AIRDs. The severity of BI did not differ between the groups. Advancing age, but not ethnicity or immunosuppressive medication use, was associated with BIs.

Global disparities in the treatment of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: results from an international online survey study.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to explore current practice and interregional differences in the treatment of idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs). We triangulated these observations considering countries' gross national income (GNI), disease subtypes, and symptoms using patient-reported information. METHODS: A cross-sectional ancillary analysis of the 'COVID-19 vaccination in auto-immune disease' (COVAD) e-survey containing demographic characteristics, IIM subtypes (DM, PM, IBM, anti-synthetase syndrome [ASSD], immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy [IMNM], overlap myopathies [OM]), current symptoms (surrogate for organ involvement) and treatments (corticosteroids [CS], immunomodulators [IM], i.e. antimalarials, immunosuppressants [IS], IVIG, biologic treatments and targeted-synthetic small molecules). Treatments were presented descriptively according to continents, GNI, IIM and organ involvement, and associated factors were analysed using multivariable binary logistic regressions. RESULTS: Of 18 851 respondents from 94 countries, 1418 with IIM were analysed (age 61 years, 62.5% females). DM (32.4%), IBM (24.5%) and OM (15.8%) were the most common subtypes. Treatment categories included IS (49.4%), CS (38.5%), IM (13.8%) and IVIG (9.4%). Notably, treatments varied across regions, GNI categories (IS mostly used in higher-middle income, IM in lower-middle income, IVIG and biologics largely limited to high-income countries), IIM subtypes (IS and CS associated with ASSD, IM with OM and DM, IVIG with IMNM, and biologic treatments with OM and ASSD) and disease manifestations (IS and CS with dyspnoea). Most inter-regional treatment disparities persisted after multivariable analysis. CONCLUSION: We identified marked regional treatment disparities in a global cohort of IIM. These observations highlight the need for international consensus-driven management guidelines considering patient-centred care and available resources.

Flares in IIMs and the timeline following COVID-19 vaccination: a combined analysis of the COVAD-1 and -2 surveys.

OBJECTIVES: Disease flares in the post-coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccination period represent a prominent concern, though risk factors are poorly understood. We studied these flares among patients with idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) and other autoimmune rheumatic diseases (AIRDs). METHODS: The COVAD-1 and -2 global surveys were circulated in early 2021 and 2022, respectively, and we captured demographics, comorbidities, AIRDs details, COVID-19 infection history and vaccination details. Flares of IIMs were defined as (a) patient self-reported, (b) immunosuppression (IS) denoted, (c) clinical sign directed and (d) with >7.9-point minimal clinically significant improvement difference worsening of Patient-Reported Outcomes Measurement Information System (PROMIS) PROMISPF10a score. Risk factors of flares were analysed using regression models. RESULTS: Of 15 165 total respondents, 1278 IIMs (age 63 years, 70.3% female, 80.8% Caucasians) and 3453 AIRDs were included. Flares of IIM were seen in 9.6%, 12.7%, 8.7% and 19.6% patients by definitions (a) to (d), respectively, with a median time to flare of 71.5 (10.7-235) days, similar to AIRDs. Patients with active IIMs pre-vaccination (OR 1.2; 95% CI 1.03, 1.6, P = 0.025) were prone to flares, while those receiving rituximab (OR 0.3; 95% CI 0.1, 0.7, P = 0.010) and AZA (OR 0.3, 95% CI 0.1, 0.8, P = 0.016) were at lower risk. Female gender and comorbidities predisposed to flares requiring changes in IS. Asthma (OR 1.62; 95% CI 1.05, 2.50, P = 0.028) and higher pain visual analogue score (OR 1.19; 95% CI 1.11, 1.27, P < 0.001) were associated with disparity between self-reported and IS-denoted flares. CONCLUSION: A diagnosis of IIMs confers an equal risk of flares in the post-COVID-19 vaccination period to AIRDs, with active disease, female gender and comorbidities conferring a higher risk. Disparity between patient- and physician-reported outcomes represents a future avenue for exploration.

COVID-19 breakthrough infections in type 1 diabetes mellitus: a cross-sectional study by the COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) Group.

To investigate the frequency, profile, and severity of COVID-19 breakthrough infections (BI) in patients with type I diabetes mellitus (T1DM) compared to healthy controls (HC) after vaccination. The second COVID-19 Vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD-2) survey is a multinational cross-sectional electronic survey which has collected data on patients suffering from various autoimmune diseases including T1DM. We performed a subgroup analysis on this cohort to investigate COVID-19 BI characteristics in patients with T1DM. Logistic regression with propensity score matching analysis was performed. A total of 9595 individuals were included in the analysis, with 100 patients having T1DM. Among the fully vaccinated cohort, 16 (16%) T1DM patients had one BI and 2 (2%) had two BIs. No morbidities or deaths were reported, except for one patient who required hospitalization with oxygen without admission to intensive care. The frequency, clinical features, and severity of BIs were not significantly different between T1DM patients and HCs after adjustment for confounding factors. Our study did not show any statistically significant differences in the frequency, symptoms, duration, or critical care requirements between T1DM and HCs after COVID-19 vaccination. Further research is needed to identify factors associated with inadequate vaccine response in patients with BIs, especially in patients with autoimmune diseases.

Calcinosis in Juvenile Dermatomyositis-Epidemiology, Pathogenesis, Clinical Features, and Treatment: A Systematic Review.

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: We performed a systematic review of the literature on the epidemiology, pathogenesis, clinical and laboratory characterization, and treatment of calcinosis in patients with juvenile dermatomyositis (JDM). A qualitative systematic review was conducted from January 1975 to April 2023 according to the PRISMA protocol using three electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, and Scopus. Studies were analyzed based on the following eligibility criteria: at least one combination of the terms described in the search strategy appeared in the title, written in English, Portuguese, or Spanish, and addressed the epidemiology, pathogenesis, diagnosis, and treatment of calcinosis in juvenile dermatomyositis. Systematic or scoping reviews, letters, clinical images, book chapters, abstracts, inflammatory myopathy in other connective tissue diseases, idiopathic inflammatory myopathies in adults, and purely qualitative studies were excluded. RECENT FINDINGS: Seventy-five studies were included. According to the literature, calcinosis is common in women, around five years old, with three years of disease in association with osteoarticular, cutaneous, pulmonary manifestations, and fever. The pathogenesis is still unknown, but the participation of interleukin 1 and 6, tumor necrosis factor alpha, and innate immunity dysregulation seem to be involved. Common autoantibodies are anti-NXP-2, anti-MDA-5, and anti-Mi-2, and their treatment remains controversial. Prospective, randomized, controlled studies are needed to evaluate treatment protocols and map the natural history of this serious complication. Calcinosis seems to be more common in White female children with muscle weakness, fever, arthritis, severe pulmonary, and skin involvement with anti-NXP-2, anti-MDA-5, and anti-Mi-2 autoantibodies. The multitargets and aggressive treatment is recommended.

Effect of atorvastatin on muscle tissues of dermatomyositis and antisynthetase syndrome patients with dyslipidemia.

INTRODUCTION: In a recent study, we have shown that atorvastatin is clinically safe for dermatomyositis (DM) and antisynthetase syndrome (ASS) patients with dyslipidemia. Herein, we showed in an unprecedented way, the safety of atorvastatin on the muscular tissues of these patients. METHODS: Transcriptome analysis was performed on samples of the vastus lateralis muscle obtained at baseline and after 12 weeks of atorvastatin (20 mg/day) intervention in DM or ASS patients with dyslipidemia [6DM and 5ASS received atorvastatin, and 2DM and 3ASS received placebo]. The results were analyzed considering differences in expression fold change before and after treatment. Histological and histochemical analyses were also performed. RESULTS: In both groups, no significant changes were observed in genes related to the mitochondrial, oxidative, insulin, lipid, and fibrogenic pathways. Histological analysis showed a slight variability in the fiber size that was preserved after the intervention. In addition, the mosaic of muscle fibers was preserved in the internal architecture of the fibers and all histological regions. No fiber necrosis or atrophy, focal failures, subsarcolemmal accumulation, lipids, areas of fibrosis, or alterations in mitochondrial activity were observed. All muscle fibers were labeled for MHC I. CONCLUSION: Atorvastatin did not promote significant changes in the expression of genes related to mitochondrial, oxidative, insulin, lipid, and fibrogenic pathways in the muscle tissues of DM and ASS patients with dyslipidemia. Atorvastatin did not also promote histological and histochemical changes in muscle tissues. Our results reinforce the safety of the administration of atorvastatin to treat dyslipidemia in patients with DM and ASS.

Type 1 diabetes, COVID-19 vaccines and short-term safety: Subgroup analysis from the global COVAD study.

AIMS/INTRODUCTION: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) vaccinations have been proven to be generally safe in healthy populations. However, the data on vaccine safety in patients with type 1 diabetes are scarce. This study aimed to evaluate the frequency and severity of short-term (<7-day) adverse vaccination events (AEs) and their risk factors among type 1 diabetes patients. MATERIALS AND METHODS: This study analyzed data from the COVID-19 vaccination in Autoimmune Diseases (COVAD) survey database (May to December 2021; 110 collaborators, 94 countries), comparing <7-day COVID-19 vaccine AE among type 1 diabetes patients and healthy controls (HCs). Descriptive statistics; propensity score matching (1:4) using the variables age, sex and ethnicity; and multivariate analyses were carried out. RESULTS: This study analyzed 5,480 completed survey responses. Of all responses, 5,408 were HCs, 72 were type 1 diabetes patients (43 females, 48.0% white European ancestry) and Pfizer was the most administered vaccine (39%). A total of 4,052 (73.9%) respondents had received two vaccine doses. Patients with type 1 diabetes had a comparable risk of injection site pain, minor and major vaccine AEs, as well as associated hospitalizations to HCs. However, type 1 diabetes patients had a higher risk of severe rashes (3% vs 0.4%, OR 8.0, 95% confidence interval 1.7-36), P = 0.007), although reassuringly, these were rare (n = 2 among type 1 diabetes patients). CONCLUSIONS: COVID-19 vaccination was safe and well tolerated in patients with type 1 diabetes with similar AE profiles compared with HCs, although severe rashes were more common in type 1 diabetes patients.

Gender differences in patient experience in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies: Sub analysis from the COVAD dataset.

OBJECTIVES: We aimed to investigate gender-based differences in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs), with a particular focus on patient-reported outcomes, utilizing data obtained through the international COVID-19 vaccination in autoimmune disease (COVAD) e-survey. METHODS: Patient-reported outcomes including fatigue, pain, and physical function were extracted from the COVAD database and compared between genders, adjusting for demographics and IIM subgroups by multivariable analysis. Inclusion body myositis (IBM) was analysed separately because of substantial differences in outcomes. RESULTS: 1197 complete responses from patients with IIMs as of 31 August 2021 were analysed. Seventy percent were women. Women were younger (58 [48-68] vs. 69 [58-75] years old, median [IQR], p < 0.001) and more likely to suffer from autoimmune multimorbidity, defined as three or more autoimmune diseases in an individual patient (11.4% vs. 2.8%, p < 0.001). In non-IBM IIMs, fatigue visual analogue scale scores were higher in women (5 [3-7] vs. 4 [2-6], median [IQR], p = 0.004), whereas no significant gender-based differences were noted in IBM. Multivariable analysis in non-IBM IIMs revealed women, residence in high-income countries, overlap myositis, and autoimmune multimorbidity were independently associated with increased fatigue. CONCLUSIONS: Women with IIMs suffer from autoimmune multimorbidity and experience increased fatigue compared to men.