Association between inflammatory back pain features, acute and structural sacroiliitis on MRI, and the diagnosis of spondyloarthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the association between inflammatory back pain (IBP) features, acute and structural MRI findings suggestive of sacroiliitis, and diagnosis of spondyloarthritis (SpA). METHODS: Data from 224 patients who underwent MRI for suspected sacroiliitis (2005-2015) was retrospectively reviewed by an expert rheumatologist for the presence of IBP features and for clinical standard of reference diagnosis. A telephone questionnaire was performed in cases of missing data. Acute and structural MRI parameters were scored by an experienced radiologist for the presence of sacroiliitis using the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria, Berlin score, and observer's global impression (GI) scores. Association between IBP features and MRI scores, and odds ratio for SpA diagnosis, were calculated. RESULTS: One hundred ninety-three subjects were included (119 F:74 M, mean age 39.7 ± 15.6, mean follow-up 49 ± 18 months). Fifty-two (26.9%) subjects were diagnosed with SpA. IBP scores were significantly higher in SpA patients (p < 0.001). IBP, ASAS, and GI MRI scores were significantly associated with the SpA diagnosis (p < 0.001 for all). The presence of night pain and morning stiffness was significantly associated with sacroiliac-joints' bone marrow edema (BME, p < 0.05). Sensitivity for diagnosis of SpA was high for IBP (96%) and low for the MRI parameters (26.9-57.4%), and specificity was low for IBP (32%) and high for the MRI parameters (88.3-94.3%). CONCLUSIONS: The presence of IBP features is highly associated with diagnosis of SpA and correlates with MRI BME, all probably reflect inflammation. The combination of IBP and MRI should be the cornerstone in the clinician's final diagnosis of SpA.

CT Abnormalities in the Sacroiliac Joints of Patients With Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal Hyperostosis.

OBJECTIVE: The purpose of this study is to characterize sacroiliac joints (SIJs) findings at CT of patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH), a condition characterized (using the Resnick classification criteria) by ossification of at least four contiguous vertebrae in the thoracic spine and preserved disk space, but without radiographic evidence of intraarticular SIJ abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Pelvic CT examinations of 104 patients with DISH (fulfilling the Resnick criteria on spinal CT) and 106 age- and sex-matched control subjects whose entire spine lacked CT evidence of DISH (total, 149 men and 61 women; mean [± SD] age, 72.3 ± 8.7 years) were retrospectively evaluated for the presence of intra- and extraarticular bridging osteophytes, spurs, subchondral cystlike changes, erosions, and sclerosis of SIJs. Excluded were patients with known ankylosing spondylitis or inflammatory-related diseases. Data were analyzed using multivariate ANOVA to examine the degree of difference between patients with DISH and control subjects. Logistic regression analysis was used to generate odds ratios to examine their discriminatory ability. ROC analysis was then applied to examine the sensitivity and specificity of the results. RESULTS: The frequency of anterior bridging, posterior bridging, entheseal bridging, and joint ankylosis was significantly higher among patients with DISH compared with control subjects (48% vs 9%, 20% vs 1%, 34% vs 4%, and 23% vs 0%, respectively; p < 0.001 for all comparisons). CONCLUSION: Intraarticular ankylosis seen at CT, an entity not included in the Resnick classification criteria, is common among patients with DISH, which implies that the radiologic classification criteria for DISH need to be revised.

Pelvic enthesopathy on CT is significantly more prevalent in patients with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH) compared with matched control patients.

The purpose of this study is to evaluate the prevalence of pelvic enthesopathy on computed tomography (CT) in patients with DISH compared to matched control group. Pelvic CT examinations of patients with DISH (Resnick criteria) were retrospectively evaluated for the presence of enthesophytes at four entheseal sites bilaterally: ischial tuberosity, pubis, greater trochanter, and anterior superior iliac spine (ASIS). This was compared with age- and gender-matched control group of consecutive patients with <2 flowing osteophytes on CT along the entire spine. Multivariate analysis of variance (ANOVA) was applied to examine the degree of difference between pelvic enthesopathy in DISH patients and controls and to estimate the potential predictive ability of the different findings. Logistic regression analysis was used to estimate the odds ratio of the studied findings. Pelvic CTs of 210 patients (149:61, M:F; average age, 72.3 years) were evaluated: DISH group, 104 patients (74:30, M:F); matched control group, 106 patients (75:31, M:F). Mean total and local enthesopathy scores were significantly higher in the DISH group compared with the control group (total 5.03:1.9; ASIS 1.58:0.55; pubis 0.94:0.36; ischial tuberosity 1.47:0.76; greater trochanter 1.04:0.24; p < 0.001). ASIS and greater trochanter enthesophytes were the most robust contributors that significantly distinguished between patients with DISH and those without DISH. Prominent enthesophytes were more common among DISH patients (DISH:controls, 52:13, p = 0.02). Prominent pelvic enthesophytes detected on CT have a strong discriminating power between DISH and non-DISH patients. Results imply that pelvic enthesopathy may be included in the radiographic criteria for DISH.

Examining the relationship between alopecia areata, androgenetic alopecia, and emotional intelligence.

BACKGROUND: Emotional stress has been associated with the development of alopecia areata (AA) and androgenetic alopecia (AGA). Emotional intelligence (EI), a component of general intelligence, is thought to govern the recognition, expression, and control of stress and other emotions. People with low EI are unable to adequately control stress in everyday life. OBJECTIVE: To investigate EI differences between AA and AGA patients and a control population. METHODS: Thirty-five AGA patients and 42 AA patients, with patchy (n  =  28), ophiasis (n  =  5), totalis (n  =  5), and universalis (n  =  4) distribution of hair loss, completed a 133-item Emotional Quotient-Inventory (EQ-I ) psychometric assessment. Scores were compared between AA, AGA, and 77 control subjects obtained from the North American normative population sample on which the psychometric instrument was normed. RESULTS: Statistically significant differences were found in EI between AA patients and controls with the EQ-I Stress Tolerance scale (p  =  .005). AGA patients also differed significantly from the controls but to a lesser degree compared toAA patients. In overall EI, there were no apparent differences between AGA and AA patients. CONCLUSIONS: AA and AGA patients exhibit a mild depressive reaction to their condition, with AA patients demonstrating a significantly stronger deficiency in coping with stress than AGA patients. The data support a psychosomatic contribution to AA. Referral of patients for EI assessment and psychosocial counseling could help reduce stress.

Lupus nephritis: a critical review.

Lupus nephritis remains one of the most severe manifestations of systemic lupus erythematosus associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. A better understanding of the pathogenesis of lupus nephritis is an important step in identifying more targeted and less toxic therapeutic approaches. Substantial research has helped define the pathogenetic mechanisms of renal manifestations and, in particular, the complex role of type I interferons is increasingly recognized; new insights have been gained into the contribution of immune complexes containing endogenous RNA and DNA in triggering the production of type I interferons by dendritic cells via activation of endosomal toll-like receptors. At the same time, there have been considerable advances in the treatment of lupus nephritis. Corticosteroids have long been the cornerstone of therapy, and the addition of cyclophosphamide has contributed to renal function preservation in patients with severe proliferative glomerulonephritis, though at the cost of serious adverse events. More recently, in an effort to minimize drug toxicity and achieve equal effectiveness, other immunosuppressive agents, including mycophenolate mofetil, have been introduced. Herein, we provide a detailed review of the trials that established the equivalency of these agents in the induction and/or maintenance therapy of lupus nephritis, culminating in the recent publication of new treatment guidelines by the American College of Rheumatology. Although newer biologics have been approved and continue to be a focus of research, they have, for the most part, been relatively disappointing compared to the effectiveness of biologics in other autoimmune diseases. Early diagnosis and treatment are essential for renal preservation.

Immune-mediated adverse effects of biologicals used in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.

Biological agents represent a major advance in the treatment of rheumatic diseases, most particularly in the prevention of irreversible structural damage. While generally well tolerated, their increasing use continues to reveal a variety of immune-mediated adverse effects. The most frequent adverse events are infusion reactions and injection site reactions, but despite their fairly common occurrence the precise mechanisms are not fully understood. Another adverse event that became appreciated early in the era of biologicals is the increased risk of Mycobacterium tuberculosis and other granulomatous infections in patients treated with tumor necrosis factor (TNFα) antagonists. Although it is evident that this enhanced susceptibility to intracellular infections must be due to immunosuppression arising from the blockade of TNFα, the mechanisms have not been fully elucidated; such an understanding is likely to provide important insights into the role of TNFα in granulomatous and other infectious diseases. In addition, the biologicals may paradoxically induce autoimmunity. The development of autoantibodies is seen in a considerable proportion of patients, but clinical autoimmune disease develops much less commonly, including systemic lupus erythematosus, multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating diseases, psoriasis, sarcoidosis, and interstitial lung disease. The mechanisms leading to their induction are very poorly understood, but an intriguing hypothesis is that interferon α provides a common link, at least for lupus, psoriasis and possibly sarcoidosis. Finally, the potential risk of infection with use of the biologicals is an issue that clinicians should always be aware of. These comments aside, the biologics are the most important advance in the treatment of rheumatic disease in the history of rheumatology and their usage has not only greatly helped patient care, but also provided key data on the immunobiology of the disease processes.