Idiopathic membranous nephropathy and synchronous mononeuritis multiplex secondary to idiopathic small vessel vasculitis.

Membranous nephropathy has been associated with demyelinating polyneuropathies and antiglomerular membrane disease; however, an association with vasculitic neuropathy has not been described. This case describes a patient with biopsy-proven idiopathic membranous nephropathy and synchronous mononeuritis multiplex secondary to idiopathic small vessel vasculitis, who presented with lower limb microvascular ischaemia, peripheral neuropathy and active urinary sediment. Her extensive non-invasive screening for immunological disease and radiological investigations for occult malignancy were unremarkable. The patient received intravenous methylprednisolone and intravenous rituximab induction therapy resulting in complete remission of both the idiopathic membranous nephropathy and small vessel vasculitis at 7 months post treatment.

A comparison of clinical examination and ultrasound enthesitis indices in patients with psoriatic arthritis, adjusted for concomitant fibromyalgia.

OBJECTIVES: To: (a) determine the extent of ultrasound (US)-detected peripheral enthesitis in a cohort of patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA); (b) compare this with three clinical examination (CE) enthesitis indices; and (c) determine the effect of concurrent fibromyalgia on the evaluation of enthesitis. METHODS: A prospective single-centre cross-sectional study of consecutive outpatients with established PsA undergoing clinical examination for enthesitis and US examination for inflammatory and structural lesions of enthesitis. Multivariable analyses tested for association between US scores, CE enthesitis indices and influence of concurrent fibromyalgia. RESULTS: A total of 106 patients were assessed. Of these, 91/106 (85.8%) had CE enthesitis and 105/106 (99.1%) had ⩾1 US feature of enthesitis. There was a moderate correlation between US entheseal inflammation and both the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI) (Spearman rank, r = 0.36) and Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada Enthesitis Index (SPARCC) (r = 0.44). US entheseal damage did not correlate with CE enthesitis indices. Twenty-eight (26.4%) patients were classified as having concurrent fibromyalgia, in whom multivariable regression analyses demonstrated no correlation between US scores and CE enthesitis indices. PsA patients without fibromyalgia demonstrated a statistically significant association between both LEI (r = 0.48, p < 0.0001) and SPARCC (r = 0.62, p < 0.0001) and US entheseal inflammation. CONCLUSION: There is a moderate association between US entheseal inflammation, but not damage, and CE enthesitis indices in patients with PsA. The presence of concurrent fibromyalgia is linked with higher CE enthesitis scores, without an increase in US inflammation, suggesting that CE enthesitis indices should be used/interpreted with caution in these patients. Imaging, including US, should be the preferred modality to detect enthesitis in PsA patients with concurrent fibromyalgia.

Improving Imaging Modalities in Early Psoriatic Arthritis: The Role of Ultrasound in Early Diagnosis of Psoriatic Arthritis.

Objective: Despite recent advances, early diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) remains a challenge in clinical practice. Ultrasound (US) could be a useful tool for the diagnosis and management of PsA. The objective of this review was to determine the role of US in early diagnosis of PsA. Methods: We have performed a literature review aiming to evaluate studies on US findings in psoriasis and their predictive value of progression to PsA, as well as studies on US features specific for PsA in comparison with other conditions. Results: A total of 40 studies were included. Sixteen studies assessed US findings in psoriasis, of which only 3 prospectively evaluated the role of US in predicting progression to PsA. Patients with PsA had a greater frequency of US abnormalities, in particular enthesitis and Power Doppler(PD) signal compared to patients with psoriasis only. In the longitudinal studies, psoriatic patients with higher enthesopathy scores at baseline were more likely to progress to PsA. Twenty-four studies evaluated US abnormalities in PsA and compared them to other conditions. Most specific US features that distinguish PsA from psoriasis were PD signal and erosions in joints and entheses. Extra-synovial changes, including peri-tendinous dermal soft tissue oedema with associated PD signal and flexor tendon enthesopathy, as well as thickening of the pulleys in the flexor tendons were highly characteristic for PsA, as they were frequently found in PsA patients, but in none of the RA patients. US-detected entheseal abnormalities in particular erosions and PD signal were more frequent in patients with PsA compared to fibromyalgia. Conclusion: Despite the wide use of US in PsA, more research is needed to identify predictive factors of progression to PsA in patients with psoriasis, as well as to determine most specific US features that differentiate PsA from other conditions.