Analysis of related factors for RA flares after SARS-CoV-2 infection: a retrospective study from patient survey.

SARS-CoV-2 and its variants are widely prevalent worldwide. With frequent secondary and breakthrough infections, immune dysfunction in RA patients, and long-term use of immune preparations, SARS-CoV-2 infection poses a significant challenge to patients and rheumatologists. Whether SARS-CoV-2 infection causes RA flares and what factors aggravate RA flares are poorly studied. A questionnaire survey was conducted on RA patients infected with SARS-CoV-2 after December 7, 2022, in China through a multicenter and inter-network platform regarding general personal condition, primary disease, comorbidity, SARS-CoV-2 vaccination, viral infection, and impact on the primary disease. A total of 306 RA patients were included in this study, and the patient data were analyzed, in which the general condition of RA patients, medication use before SARS-CoV-2 infection and post-infection typing and manifestations, and medication adjustment did not affect the Flare of RA patients after SARS-CoV-2 infection. The control of disease before SARS-CoV-2 infection (OR = 2.10), RA involving pulmonary lesions (OR = 2.28), and the recovery time of COVID-19 (OR = 2.50) were risk factors for RA flare. RA involving pulmonary lesions, control status of disease before infection, and recovery time of COVID-19 disease are risk factors for RA flare after SARS-CoV-2 infection.

Challenges and opportunities in animal models of psoriatic arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To review the preparation, characteristics and research progress of different PsA animal models. METHODS: Computerized searches were conducted in CNKI, PubMed and other databases to classify and discuss the relevant studies on PsA animal models. The search keywords were "PsA and animal model(s), PsA and animal(s), PsA and mouse, PsA and mice, PsA and rat(s), PsA and rabbit(s), PsA and dog(s)" RESULTS: The experimental animals currently used to study PsA are mainly rodents, including mice and rats. According to the different methods of preparing the models, the retrieved animal models were classified into spontaneous or genetic mutation, transgenic and induced animal models. These PsA animal models involve multiple pathogenesis, some experimental animals' lesions appear in a short and comprehensive cycle, some have a high success rate in molding, and some are complex and less reproducibility. This article summarizes the preparation methods, advantages and disadvantages of different models. CONCLUSIONS: The animal models of PsA aim to mimic the clinicopathological alterations of PsA patients through gene mutation, transgenesis or targeted proinflammatory factor and to reveal new pathogenic pathways and therapeutic targets by exploring the pathological features and clinical manifestations of the disease. This work will have very far-reaching implications for the in-depth understanding of PsA and the development of new drugs.

Synovial Macrophages: Past Life, Current Situation, and Application in Inflammatory Arthritis.

Inflammatory arthritis is an inflammatory disease that involves the joints and surrounding tissues. Synovial hyperplasia often presents when joints become inflamed due to immune cell infiltration. Synovial membrane is an important as well as a highly specific component of the joint, and its lesions can lead to degeneration of the joint surface, causing pain and joint disability or affecting the patients' quality of life in severe cases. Synovial macrophages (SMs) are one of the cellular components of the synovial membrane, which not only retain the function of macrophages to engulf foreign bodies in the joint cavity, but also interact with synovial fibroblasts (SFs), T cells, B cells, and other inflammatory cells to promote the production of a variety of pro-inflammatory cytokines and chemokines, such as TNF-α, IL-1ß, IL-8, and IL-6, which are involved in the pathogenic process of inflammatory arthritis. SMs from different tissue sources have differently differentiated potentials and functional expressions. This article provides a summary on studies pertaining to SMs in inflammatory arthritis, and explores their role in its treatment, in order to highlight novel treatment modalities for the disease.