Latent characteristics and influencing factors of stigma in rheumatoid arthritis: A latent class analysis.

To explore the latent classes of stigma in patients with rheumatoid arthritis, we analyzed the characteristics of the different categories. Adopting a convenient sampling method, socio-demographic and disease-related information from the outpatient clinics and wards of 3 tertiary care hospitals in China was collected. The Chinese version of the Internalized Stigma of Mental Illness scale-Rheumatoid Arthritis was used in this survey. Rheumatoid arthritis stigma was divided into 3 potential categories: Low Stigma-Strong Resistance (83, 41.5%), Medium Stigma-Strong Alienation (78, 39.0%), and High Stigma-Weak Resistance (39, 19.5%). Unordered multinomial logistic regression analysis showed that pain (OR = 1.540, P = .005; OR = 1.797, P < .001), elementary school education and below (OR = 4.051, P = .037), and duration of morning stiffness (OR = 0.267, P = .032) were risk factors for stigma, whereas family history was a protective factor against stigma (OR = 0.321, P = .046). Patients with longer morning stiffness, more severe pain, and less education have a greater risk of heavier stigma. Strong alienation is an early warning of heavy stigma. Resistance to stigma and family support can help patients overcome their psychological obstacles. More attention should be paid to constructing family centered support systems to help resist stigma.

12/15-Lipoxygenase inhibitor baicalein suppresses PPAR gamma expression and nuclear translocation induced by cerebral ischemia/reperfusion.

Accumulating evidences have demonstrated the beneficial actions of peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPAR gamma) in a variety of animal stroke models. Following middle cerebral artery occlusion (60 min) and 2-24 hr reperfusion in rats, we observed cerebral ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) induced up-regulation of PPAR gamma protein expression and translocation from the cytoplasm into the nucleus in a time-dependent manner. We also found that PPAR gamma agonist rosiglitazone enhanced whereas PPAR gamma antagonist GW9662 inhibited the alteration of PPAR gamma stimulated by I/R, suggesting that the changes of PPAR gamma may result from the activation by endogenous ligands. Moreover, the link between the 12/15-lipoxygenase and the production of activating ligands for PPAR gamma has been proved in various tissues. However, the relation of them in brain tissue has not been identified. We demonstrated that the I/R-induced PPAR gamma alteration was reversed by baicalein, the specific inhibitor of 12/15-lipoxygenase. Baicalein treatment significantly inhibited the up-regulation of PPAR gamma expression and, furthermore, suppressed PPAR gamma nuclear accumulation as well as maintained PPAR gamma cytoplasmic retention. Together, these results suggest that I/R induces both PPAR gamma expression and translocation, probably through the activation by endogenous ligands in a 12/15-lipoxygenase inhibitor-sensitive way.