Trabecular Bone Score Significantly Influences Treatment Decisions in Secondary Osteoporosis.

The trabecular bone score (TBS) can be determined in addition to the Dual Energy X-ray Absorptiometry (DXA) for bone mineral density (BMD) measurement to diagnose, evaluate, and stratify bone loss and decide on appropriate treatment in patients at risk. Especially in patients with secondary osteoporosis, TBS detects restricted bone quality. To investigate the influence of an additional evaluation of TBS on patients' treatment strategy decisions, we enrolled 292 patients, with a high proportion of patients with secondary osteoporosis, from one outpatient unit over one year. Patients eligible for BMD measurement had the option to opt-in for TBS measurement. We analyzed demographic data, leading diagnoses, bone metabolism parameters, and results of BMD and TBS measurements. More than 90% of patients consented to TBS measurement. TBS measurement influenced the decision in approximately 40% of patients with a treatment indication for anti-osteoporotic drugs. We demonstrate that depending on the underlying disease/risk spectrum, 21-25.5% of patients had an unremarkable BMD measurement with poor bone quality shown in the TBS measurement. In patients with secondary osteoporosis, the use of TBS supplementary to DXA seems useful to better assess fracture risk and, thus, to initiate therapy for osteoporosis in these patients in time.

Extrapulmonary symptoms of patients with asthma treated in specialist pulmonary care.

OBJECTIVE: Patients seeking treatment for their asthma are most likely motivated by a change in their experience of symptoms, but primary complaints are not always related to the pulmonary system. This study aimed to determine the frequency of such extrapulmonary symptoms in asthma outpatients and their association with psychopathology and asthma outcomes. METHODS: This cross-sectional study utilized data collected as part of a nationwide, clinical-epidemiological study. The final sample of 572 asthma patients represented all levels of asthma control and severity. Information on demographics and respiratory function was obtained from physicians' documentation. Symptoms were explored using a standardized checklist. RESULTS: Primary symptoms reported by asthma patients were not necessarily airway-related. Patients reported feeling at least occasionally "tired" (72.1%) and "exhausted" (66.8%) more than any other asthma symptom. Hyperventilation and mood symptoms were experienced by 34.4-42.6% of patients. Anxiety or depression diagnoses indicated higher scores in all symptom domains. Controlling for asthma-related factors and psychopathology, fatigue had a small but significant effect on both asthma-related quality of life (AQLQ) (rsp2 = 0.02, P < .001) and asthma control (rsp2 = 0.01, P = .003). Mood symptoms also showed a small but significant effect on AQLQ (rsp2 = 0.02, P < .001). CONCLUSION: Findings suggest that extrapulmonary symptoms are endorsed more frequently than previously reported. Symptoms nonspecific to asthma can play a substantial role in clinical presentation and exclusive focus on airway symptoms may miss important information related to patients' well-being. Surveillance of extrapulmonary symptoms alongside pulmonary function is warranted for an integrated medicine approach to asthma management.

Long-term surveillance of biologic therapies in systemic-onset juvenile idiopathic arthritis: data from the German BIKER registry.

OBJECTIVE: Using data from the German Biologics JIA Registry (BIKER), long-term safety of biologics for systemic-onset JIA with regard to adverse events of special interest was assessed. METHODS: Safety assessments were based on adverse event reports after first dose through 90 days after last dose. Rates of adverse event, serious adverse event and 25 predefined adverse events of special interest were analysed. Incidence rates were compared for each biologic against all other biologics combined applying a mixed-effect Poisson model. RESULTS: Of 260 systemic-onset JIA patients in this analysis, 151 patients received etanercept, 109 tocilizumab, 71 anakinra and 51 canakinumab. Patients with etanercept had higher clinical Juvenile Arthritis Disease Activity Score 10 scores, active joint counts and steroid use at therapy start. Serious adverse events were reported with higher frequency in patients receiving canakinumab [20/100 patient years (PY)] and tocilizumab (21/100 PY). Cytopenia and hepatic events occurred with a higher frequency with tocilizumab and canakinumab. Medically important infections were seen more often in patients with IL-6 or IL-1 inhibition. Macrophage activation syndrome occurred in all cohorts with a higher frequency in patients with canakinumab (3.2/100 PY) and tocilizumab (2.5/100 PY) vs anakinra (0.83/100 PY) and etanercept (0.5/100 PY). After adjustment only an elevated risk for infections in anakinra-treated patients remained significant. Three definite malignancies were reported in patients ever exposed to biologics. Two deaths occurred in patients treated with etanercept. CONCLUSION: Surveillance of pharmacotherapy as provided by BIKER is an import approach especially for patients on long-term treatment. Overall, tolerance was acceptable. Differences between several biologics were noted and should be considered in daily patient care.

Asthma Trigger Reports Are Associated with Low Quality of Life, Exacerbations, and Emergency Treatments.

RATIONALE: Despite the importance of trigger perceptions for asthma diagnosis and management, associations among asthma triggers, affective disorders, and asthma outcome have received little attention. OBJECTIVES: Because anxiety and depression are known to influence patients' health reports, we measured and controlled for these affective disorders in analyzing associations among patient perceptions of asthma triggers and asthma treatment outcomes. METHODS: Patients from a nationally representative sample of respiratory specialist practices (N = 459) were assessed for clinically significant anxiety and depression and completed questionnaires on asthma triggers, quality of life, and asthma control. Physicians recorded exacerbation and emergency treatment frequencies in the prior year, spirometric lung function, and allergy test results. Hierarchical multiple regressions examined associations among reported trigger factors, anxiety, depression, and asthma outcomes, including quality of life, asthma control, exacerbations, emergencies, and spirometry. MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS: Patients across asthma severity levels were well represented. Anxiety and depression were associated with more frequent nonallergic, in particular psychological, triggers. Controlling for demographics, asthma severity, anxiety, and depression, nonallergic asthma triggers (including psychological triggers) explained substantial portions of variance in asthma control (total of 19.5%, odds ratios [ORs] = 2.07-1.37 for individual triggers), asthma-related quality of life (total of 27.5%, ORs = 3.21-1.49), and general quality of life (total of 11.3%, ORs = 1.93-1.55). Psychological triggers were consistently associated with exacerbations and emergency treatments (ORs = 1.96-2.04) over and above other triggers and affective disorders. Spirometric lung function was largely unrelated to perceived asthma triggers. CONCLUSIONS: Patients' perceptions of asthma triggers are important determinants of asthma outcomes, which can help identify individuals at risk for suboptimal asthma management.