The effect of smoking on response to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis patients: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: In the current study, we aimed to investigate the effect of smoking on inadequate response to methotrexate (MTX-IR) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS: We searched PubMed, Embase, and Web of Science until 6 June 2022. Observational or interventional studies investigating MTX-IR in RA patients based on smoking status were included. Two independent reviewers assessed the risk of bias and the certainty of the evidence using the Risk of Bias in Nonrandomized Studies-of Interventions and Grades of Recommendation, Assessment, Development, and Evaluation tools, respectively. RESULTS: We included 23 studies in the systematic review and 13 in the meta-analysis. Of the 13 included studies, 6 had a moderate risk, 3 had a serious risk, and 4 had a critical risk of bias. The overall random-effect meta-analysis suggested that smokers were 58% more likely to be MTX-IR when compared with nonsmokers [odds ratio (OR) 1.58, 95% confidence interval 1.21-2.06; P = .001; I2 = 69.3%]. The common-effect meta-analysis of the adjusted ORs demonstrated an overall OR of 2.69 (1.88-3.83; P < .001; I2 = 27.1%). CONCLUSIONS: The current study showed that smoking is a significant predictor of MTX-IR, especially in disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naïve early RA patients, as most of the included studies in the meta-analysis consisted of this population.

Glomerulonephritis associated with systemic sclerosis: a case report.

BACKGROUND: Systemic sclerosis is a multiorgan autoimmune disease that can overlap with other rheumatologic disorders; however, co-occurrence with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis is rare. CASE PRESENTATION: A 39-year-old Persian female patient with systemic sclerosis according to American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2013 criteria with a disease duration of 6 years was admitted to the hospital due to a rise in creatinine level in July 2021. She had complaints of nasal speech and feeling of nasal perforation. The first symptoms of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis had started 5 years earlier with palpable purpura in the lower limbs, hemoptysis, and positive perinuclear (p)-antibody-associated vasculitis level (> 300 AU/mL). Still, the diagnosis was not achieved due to the patient's reluctance to undergo a biopsy. She was treated with azathioprine (150 mg/day) and prednisolone (10 mg/day) during the 5-year follow-up. Her renal biopsy results showed cortical renal tissue with a cellular crescent in more than 50% of the specimen, rupture of the Bowman capsule and the glomerular basement membrane, peri-glomerular inflammation, and mild tubular atrophy in microscopic examinations. The immunofluorescence study resulted in a granular pattern of immune deposits along the glomerular basement membrane, mesangial tissue, and tubular basement membranes. CONCLUSION: We reported a rare case of comorbid systemic sclerosis and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis with nasal perforation. Her renal biopsy showed immune deposits along the glomerular basement membrane, mesangial tissue, and tubular basement membranes. Overlapping with other collagen vascular diseases can occur in rheumatology patients with uncommon manifestations. In systemic sclerosis, renal involvement in the form of glomerulonephritis is infrequent, and comorbid systemic lupus erythematosus or antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis should be considered.

Association of anti-Ro52 autoantibody with interstitial lung disease in autoimmune diseases: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

OBJECTIVES: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is an important manifestation of autoimmune diseases that can lead to morbidity and mortality. Although several autoantibodies have been linked with ILD presentation and adverse outcomes, the association of anti-Ro52 antibody with ILD is less studied. Hence, we investigated this association in various autoimmune diseases in the current study. DESIGN: We designed a systematic review and meta-analysis and did a comprehensive search from inception until 2 January 2023. DATA SOURCES: A systematic search was conducted in four electronic databases: PubMed, Web of Science, Scopus and Embase. ELIGIBILITY CRITERIA: Observational studies that reported ILD diagnosis (outcome) and anti-Ro antibody (exposure) status in any autoimmune conditions (population) were included. The association between rapidly progressive ILD (RP-ILD) and anti-Ro52 was studied in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM). DATA EXTRACTION AND SYNTHESIS: Collected data included study characteristics and ORs with 95% CIs. Quality assessment was performed using a modified version of the Newcastle-Ottawa Scale for cross-sectional studies. Random effects meta-analysis was used to pool the effect estimates. RESULTS: A total of 2353 studies were identified, from which 59 articles met the eligibility criteria. Anti-Ro52/SSA positivity was associated with ILD in all autoimmune disease subgroups: IIM (OR=3.08; 95% CI: 2.18 to 4.35; p value<0.001; I2=49%), systemic lupus (OR=2.43; 95% CI: 1.02 to 5.79; p=0.046; I2=71%), Sjogren (OR=1.77; 95% CI: 1.09 to 2.87; p=0.021; I2=73%), systemic sclerosis (OR=1.71; 95% CI: 1.04 to 2.83; p=0.036; I2=43%), mixed connective tissue disease (OR=3.34; 95% CI: 1.82 to 6.13; p<0.001; I2=0%). Additionally, anti-Ro52-positive myopathy patients were more likely to have simultaneous RP-ILD (OR=2.69; 95% CI:1.50 to 4.83; p<0.001; I2=71%). CONCLUSION: Anti-Ro52/SSA positivity is associated with a higher frequency of ILD diagnosis in various autoimmune diseases. Anti-Ro52/SSA is also linked with a more severe lung involvement (RP-ILD). Future studies can investigate the benefits of screening for anti-Ro52 and its association with ILD development. PROSPERO REGISTRATION NUMBER: CRD42022381447.

Translation and validation of the Persian version of the scleroderma health assessment questionnaire (SHAQ).

The present study aimed to translate and validate the Scleroderma Health Assessment Questionnaire (SHAQ) for Persian-speaking patients (SHAQ-P), using a cross-sectional study. This cross-sectional study included SSc patients with 2013 ACR/EULAR criteria. The SHAQ was translated using a "forward-backward" method. HAQ-DI and SSc-HAQ scores were calculated from the patient-answered questionnaires. Rheumatology experts assessed the face and content validities of the SHAQ-P. Psychometric properties of the SHAQ-P were then assessed: Structural validity was analyzed using principal component factor analysis. Discriminant and convergent validities were measured on subgroups of the initial patient population. Test-retest reliability was measured on patients who filled the SHAQ-P again after 1 month. The Scale-CVI-average (S-CVI/Ave) score for content validity was 88.7%. Face validity was measured to be 68.17% using the QQ10 questionnaire. Factor analysis revealed a two-factor structure with 20 out of 26 questions loading on the first factor (N = 285). One-way ANOVA showed that patients with a higher number of involved organs had higher average HAQ-DI and SSc-HAQ-scores (N = 60, P = 0.019 and 0.023, respectively). HAQ-DI and SSc-HAQ-scores were significantly correlated with the physical component score of SF36 (N = 31, correlation coefficient = - 0.65 and - 0.72, respectively). Reliability testing after one month demonstrated that HAQ-DI and SSc-HAQ-scores were significantly correlated with their initial (N = 40, correlation coefficient = 0.86 and 0.84, respectively), proving that the Persian SHAQ was a valid and reliable questionnaire to evaluate scleroderma patients' quality of life.

Cardiopulmonary predictors of mortality in patients with COVID-19: What are the findings?

BACKGROUND: Since 2019, coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been the leading cause of mortality worldwide. AIMS: To determine independent predictors of mortality in COVID-19, and identify any associations between pulmonary disease severity and cardiac involvement. METHODS: Clinical, laboratory, electrocardiography and computed tomography (CT) imaging data were collected from 389 consecutive patients with COVID-19. Patients were divided into alive and deceased groups. Independent predictors of mortality were identified. Kaplan-Meier analysis was performed, based on patients having a troponin concentration>99th percentile (cardiac injury) and a CT severity score ≥18. RESULTS: The mortality rate was 29.3%. Cardiac injury (odds ratio [OR] 2.19, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.14-4.18; P=0.018), CT score ≥18 (OR 2.24, 95% CI 1.15-4.34; P=0.017), localized ST depression (OR 3.77, 95% CI 1.33-10.67; P=0.012), hemiblocks (OR 3.09, 95% CI 1.47-6.48; P=0.003) and history of leukaemia/lymphoma (OR 3.76, 95% CI 1.37-10.29; P=0.010) were identified as independent predictors of mortality. Additionally, patients with cardiac injury and CT score ≥ 18 were identified to have a significantly shorter survival time (mean 14.21 days, 95% CI 10.45-17.98 days) than all other subgroups. There were no associations between CT severity score and electrocardiogram or cardiac injury in our results. CONCLUSIONS: Our findings suggest that using CT imaging and electrocardiogram characteristics together can provide a better means of predicting mortality in patients with COVID-19. We identified cardiac injury, CT score ≥18, presence of left or right hemiblocks on initial electrocardiogram, localized ST depression and history of haematological malignancies as independent predictors of mortality in patients with COVID-19.

Two seriously ill neonates born to mothers with COVID-19 pneumonia- a case report.

BACKGROUND: Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19), a highly contagious viral disease has spread from Wuhan, Hubei Province, China to all over the world from its first recognition on December 2019. To date, only a few neonatal early-onset sepsis by SARS-COV-2 has been reported worldwide. CASE PRESENTATION: In this report, we present two seriously ill neonates who were born from mothers with stablished COVID-19 pneumonia. Laboratory tests showed lymphopenia with high LDH and hypocalcemia right after the birth. They had fever for days without responding to antibiotics and despite ruling out other potential causes. Both patients had positive RTPCR for SARS-COV-2 in the second round of testing but the first assay tested was negative. Hydroxychloroquine was used to treat both patients; the first patient was treated with it over a period of 14 days before showing signs of improvement. The second patient responded to the treatment over a period of 5 days. CONCLUSION: Although based on the available evidences, vertical transmission of COVID-19 is less likely, many aspects of pathogenesis and transmission of this novel virus are still unclear. Therefore we cannot rule out the vertical transmission totally. Further investigations are warranted to determine the exact mechanisms and routes of transmission.

[Effects of repeated exposure to different concentrations of sevoflurane on the neonatal mouse hippocampus]. / Efeitos da exposição repetida a diferentes concentrações de sevoflurano sobre o hipocampo de ratos neonatos.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES: Developing brain is more vulnerable to environmental risk than is the developed brain. We evaluated the effects of repeated exposure to different concentrations of sevoflurane on the neonatal mouse hippocampus using stereological methods. METHODS: Eighteen neonatal male mice were randomly divided into three groups. Group A, inhaled sevoflurane at a concentration of 1.5%; Group B, inhaled sevoflurane at a concentration of 3%; and Group C (control group), inhaled only 100% oxygen. Treatments were applied for 30min a day for 7 consecutive days. The hippocampal volume, dendrite length, number of neurons, and number of glial cells were evaluated in each group using stereological estimations. RESULTS: We identified a ∼2% reduction in the volume of the hippocampus in Group A compared to Group C. Mean hippocampal volume was ∼11% smaller in Group B than it was in Group C. However, these differences in hippocampal volume between the groups were not statistically significant (p>0.05 for all). As for the number of neurons, we found significantly fewer neurons in Group A (∼29% less) and Group B (∼43% less) than we did in Group C (p<0.05 for both). The dendrite length was ∼8% shorter in Group A and ∼11% shorter in Group B than it was in Group C. CONCLUSIONS: Repeated exposure to sevoflurane, regardless of the concentration, reduced the volume of the neonatal mouse hippocampus, as well as the number of neurons and dendrite length.

A Rare Central Venous Catheter Malposition in a 10-Year-Old Girl.

Central venous catheters (CVCs) are placed in operating rooms worldwide via different approaches. Like any other medical procedure, CVC placement can cause a variety of complications. We report the case of an unexpected malposition of a catheter in the right internal jugular vein, where it looped back on itself during placement and went upward into the right internal jugular vein. CVC line placement should always be viewed as a procedure that could become complicated, even in the hands of the most experienced operators.

Effects of repeated exposure to different concentrations of sevoflurane on the neonatal mouse hippocampus / Efeitos da exposição repetida a diferentes concentrações de sevoflurano sobre o hipocampo de ratos neonatos

Abstract Background and objectives: Developing brain is more vulnerable to environmental risk than is the developed brain. We evaluated the effects of repeated exposure to different concentrations of sevoflurane on the neonatal mouse hippocampus using stereological methods. Methods: Eighteen neonatal male mice were randomly divided into three groups. Group A, inhaled sevoflurane at a concentration of 1.5%; Group B, inhaled sevoflurane at a concentration of 3%; and Group C (control group), inhaled only 100% oxygen. Treatments were applied for 30 min a day for 7 consecutive days. The hippocampal volume, dendrite length, number of neurons, and number of glial cells were evaluated in each group using stereological estimations. Results: We identified a ∼2% reduction in the volume of the hippocampus in Group A compared to Group C. Mean hippocampal volume was ∼11% smaller in Group B than it was in Group C. However, these differences in hippocampal volume between the groups were not statistically significant (p > 0.05 for all). As for the number of neurons, we found significantly fewer neurons in Group A (∼29% less) and Group B (∼43% less) than we did in Group C (p < 0.05 for both). The dendrite length was ∼8% shorter in Group A and ∼11% shorter in Group B than it was in Group C. Conclusions: Repeated exposure to sevoflurane, regardless of the concentration, reduced the volume of the neonatal mouse hippocampus, as well as the number of neurons and dendrite length.

Resumo Justificativa e objetivos: O cérebro em desenvolvimento é mais vulnerável ao risco ambiental do que o cérebro já desenvolvido. Avaliamos os efeitos da exposição repetida a diferentes concentrações de sevoflurano sobre o hipocampo de ratos neonatos com o uso de métodos estereológicos. Métodos: Dezoito ratos neonatos foram divididos aleatoriamente em três grupos. O Grupo A foi submetido à inalação de sevoflurano a uma concentração de 1,5%; o Grupo B foi submetido à inalação de sevoflurano a uma concentração de 3%; o Grupo C (controle) foi submetido à inalação de apenas oxigênio a 100%. Os tratamentos foram aplicados durante 30 minutos por dia, durante sete dias consecutivos. Volume do hipocampo, comprimento do dendrito, número de neurônios e número de células gliais foram avaliados em cada grupo com o uso de estimativas estereológicas. Resultados: Identificamos uma redução de ∼2% no volume do hipocampo no Grupo A em comparação com o Grupo C. O volume médio do hipocampo foi ∼11% menor no Grupo B do que no Grupo C. Entretanto, essas diferenças no volume do hipocampo entre os grupos não foram estatisticamente significativas (p > 0,05 para todos). Quanto ao número de neurônios, encontramos um número significativamente menor de neurônios no Grupo A (∼29% menos) e no Grupo B (∼43% menos) do que no Grupo C (p < 0,05 para ambos). O comprimento do dendrito foi ∼8% menor no Grupo A e ∼1% menor no Grupo B que no Grupo C. Conclusões: A exposição repetida ao sevoflurano, independentemente da concentração, reduziu o volume do hipocampo neonatal de camundongos, bem como o número de neurônios e o comprimento dos dendritos.