Baseline serum interleukin-34 levels independently predict radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The aim of our observational study was to investigate the clinical significance of interleukin (IL)-34, a novel osteoclastogenic cytokine, for predicting structural damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Serum IL-34 levels were measured in 100 RA patients, 36 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and 59 gender- and age-matched healthy individuals using an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. We also measured IL-34 concentrations in synovial fluid (SF) samples from 18 RA patients and 19 osteoarthritis (OA) patients. Progression of structural damage was assessed in 81 patients with RA by plain radiographs using the modified Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS) at baseline and after an average 1.6-year follow-up period. Serum IL-34 levels were significantly higher in patients with RA (p < 0.001) or AS (p < 0.001) than in healthy controls. SF IL-34 levels were also significantly higher in RA patients than in OA patients (p < 0.001). In RA, serum IL-34 levels were associated with rheumatoid factor positivity (p = 0.01), current smoking (p < 0.01), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p = 0.01), and C-reactive protein levels (p < 0.01), but not with disease activity score 28. ΔSHS/year was positively correlated with serum IL-34 levels (r = 0.443, p < 0.001). In multivariate logistic regression analyses, serum IL-34 level was an independent risk factor for radiographic progression. These results suggest that IL-34, a novel osteoclastogenic cytokine, plays a role in RA-associated joint damage and is a potential biomarker for predicting subsequent radiographic progression in patients with RA.

The EULAR Sjogren's syndrome patient reported index as an independent determinant of health-related quality of life in primary Sjogren's syndrome patients: in comparison with non-Sjogren's sicca patients.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the significant determinants of health-related quality of life (HRQOL) and the association of the EULAR Sjögren's syndrome patient reported index (ESSPRI) with clinical parameters including HRQOL in Korean patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) compared with non-SS sicca patients. METHODS: We prospectively analysed 104 pSS and 42 non-SS sicca patients. Clinical data including Short Form 36 (SF-36) scores, self-assessments for symptoms and ESSPRI were cross-sectionally collected. RESULTS: Although most self-assessments and HRQOL statuses were comparable, different association patterns between HRQOL and symptoms were observed in pSS and non-SS sicca patients. pSS patients with low HRQOL had significantly higher ESSPRI scores [P = 7.6 × 10(-6) for physical component summary (PCS) subgroups and P = 0.0015 for mental component summary (MCS) subgroups] and ESSPRI scores showed a significant association with all SF-36 scales in pSS patients (all P ≤ 0.0020). Moreover, in multivariate linear regression analyses, ESSPRI (P = 0.035) and depression (P = 4.1 × 10(-14)) were significantly correlated with the PCS and the MCS, respectively. However, in the non-SS sicca group, xerostomia inventory (XI) scores were higher in the low PCS subgroup (P = 0.031) and this correlated with five SF-36 scales (all P ≤ 0.046). XI scores (P = 0.0039) and anxiety (P = 7.9 × 10(-10)) were the main determinants of the PCS and MCS, respectively. CONCLUSION: HRQOL levels were differentially associated with clinical facets in pSS and non-SS sicca patients, although the groups had similar clinical symptoms and HRQOL reduction. Because depression and ESSPRI are major determinants of HRQOL in Korean pSS patients, ESSPRI is suggested to be disease-specific for pSS.

Influence of androgen deprivation therapy on serum urate levels in patients with prostate cancer: A retrospective observational study.

OBJECTIVES: Although estrogenic modulation of serum urate levels is well-known, the androgenic effect on urate homeostasis remains controversial. We investigated the effect of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) on serum urate levels. METHODS: We retrospectively enrolled a total of 489 prostate cancer patients with available serum urate levels at baseline and 3 and 6 months after ADT (n = 150) or prostate surgery (n = 339). We extracted the demographic, clinical, and laboratory data from a data warehouse and compared the changes in urate levels between the two treatment groups and between the different ADT regimens (with versus without luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LHRH) agonists) using generalized estimating equation (GEE). RESULTS: The baseline urate levels and the proportion of hyperuricemic subjects were comparable between the two groups. After 6 months, the urate levels were significantly decreased (by -0.66 mg/dL, 95% confidence interval (CI) [-0.81 to -0.51]) in the ADT group, whereas they did not significantly change in the surgery group in the univariate GEE analysis. The ADT group (4.7% from 18.0% at baseline) had a significantly lower proportion of hyperuricemic patients than surgery group (16.5% from 15.9% at baseline) at 6-month (p < 0.001). Regardless of whether LHRH agonists were used, the serial urate levels were lowered by the ADT. Temporal changes in the urate levels were significantly associated with the treatment group, baseline hyperuricemia, and poor functional or advanced cancer status. The ADT-related serum urate level reduction also remained significant in the multivariate GEE analysis (regression coefficient = -0.43 [-0.67 to -0.19] after 3 months and -0.37 [-0.64 to -0.10] after 6 months). Moreover, propensity-score-matched analyses yielded the same results. CONCLUSIONS: Our results showed that longitudinal serum urate levels were significantly reduced in men receiving ADT. This finding suggests that androgen could have an independent role in urate homeostasis.

Chronic Periodontitis Is Associated With Spinal Dysmobility in Patients With Ankylosing Spondylitis.

BACKGROUND: Although microbes have been suggested to play a role in the pathogenesis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), several studies present contradictory results regarding the association between AS and chronic periodontitis (CP). METHODS: Clinical, laboratory, and medication data were collected from 84 patients with AS and 84 age- and sex-matched controls. Periodontal measurements, including probing depths (PDs), clinical attachment loss (AL), serum anti-Porphyromonas gingivalis titers, and the detection of P. gingivalis DNA in gingival crevicular fluid, were recorded. All participants with periodontitis with PD ≥4 to <7 mm received scaling and root planing and were re-evaluated at 12 weeks; those still exhibiting periodontitis with PD of ≥4 to <7 mm at 12 weeks were followed at 24 weeks. RESULTS: The prevalence of moderate-to-severe CP was not different between patients with AS and controls (70.2% versus 66.6%). The P. gingivalis detection rate was not different between patients with AS and controls or between patients with AS receiving and not receiving anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α agents. However, CP was positively associated with impaired spinal mobility of patients with AS in multivariate analyses. After periodontal treatment, PD and AL levels were improved in both groups, but the change was significantly greater in patients with AS than in controls. Patients with AS receiving anti-TNF-α agents exhibited a greater improvement in PD and AL than those who did not. CONCLUSIONS: Although AS was not associated with the presence of CP, CP was associated positively with the severity of spinal dysmobility in Korean patients with AS. These results suggest that periodontitis can have a negative effect on axial movement in AS.

Clinical factors and treatment outcomes associated with failure in the detection of urate crystal in patients with acute gouty arthritis.

BACKGROUND/AIMS: To investigate the rate of detection of monosodium urate (MSU) crystals in the synovial fluid (SF) of patients with acute gouty arthritis and factors associated with false-negative results. METHODS: A total of 179 patients with acute gouty arthritis who had undergone SF crystal examination were identified from the data warehouse of two university hospitals. Clinical and laboratory data were obtained from the medical records. RESULTS: The overall rate of detection of MSU crystals was 78.8%. In univariate analyses, the only significant differences between the variables of crystal-negative and crystal-positive patients were a lower C-reactive protein level (p = 0.040) and fewer patients undergoing emergent surgery in the crystal-positive group (p = 4.5 × 10(-6)). In logistic regression analyses, MSU crystal-negative results were significantly associated with the interval from arthritis onset to crystal examination (p = 0.042), and this was the most significant risk factor for arthroscopic surgery (p = 2.1 × 10(-4)). Seventeen patients who underwent arthroscopic surgery had a significantly longer hospital stay (p = 0.007) and a significant delay in gout treatment (p = 8.74 × 10(-5)). The distribution of crystal-negative patients differed significantly between the SF samples that were evaluated by both the laboratory medicine and the rheumatology departments (p = 1.2 × 10(-14)), and the κ value was 0.108. CONCLUSIONS: Although several clinical features were associated with detection failure, SF MSU crystal identification was critically dependent on the observer. Considering the impact on the treatment outcomes, implementation of a quality control program is essential.