The prevalence of masked hypertension in patients with lone atrial fibrillation: a cross sectional analytical study.

Atrial fibrillation (AF) is prevalent in individuals with essential hypertension (HTN). Masked hypertension occurs in up to 15% of the general population and is associated with adverse clinical outcome. The aim of the current study was to evaluate the prevalence of masked hypertension in apparently normotensive individuals with lone AF. A cross sectional analytical study performed at the Rabin Medical Center included all patients > 18 years who visited the emergency department (ED) in the years 2018-2021 with idiopathic AF, had normal blood pressure (BP) values during their ED visit and did not have a history of hypertension or current use of anti-hypertensives. Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring (ABPM) was performed in all eligible patients within 30 days from ED visit. Data collected included information from the ED visit and data extracted from the monitoring device. A total of 1258 patients were screened for eligibility, of which 40 were included in the analysis. The average age was 53.4 ± 16 years, 28 patients (70%) were males. Overall, 18 individuals (46%) had abnormal BP values according to the 2017 ACC/AHA guidelines for the diagnosis of hypertension. Of these, 12 had abnormal 24-h BP average (≥ 125/75 mmHg), one had isolated daytime abnormal average (≥ 130/80 mmHg) and 11 had isolated night time abnormal average (≥ 110/65 mmHg). Masked hypertension is prevalent in patients with lone AF without a diagnosis of HTN and performing ABPM in such individuals should be strongly considered.

Elevated C-Reactive Protein Level Predicts Earlier Treatment with Tumor Necrosis Factor-Alpha Inhibitors in Psoriatic Arthritis.

BACKGROUND: Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNFα) inhibitors are indicated for patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in whom conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are insufficient to achieve disease remission. OBJECTIVES: To determine the value of acute-phase reactant levels at diagnosis of psoriatic arthritis in predicting the need for biologic treatment with TNFα inhibitors. METHODS: We conducted a longitudinal observational study of an inception cohort of 71 consecutive patients diagnosed with psoriatic arthritis. C-reactive protein (CRP) was assayed for all patients at their first visit. RESULTS: All patients were treated with one or more DMARDs, mainly methotrexate (81.6%). Thirty-seven patients (52.11%) had an inadequate response and received at least one TNF inhibitor. CRP level at diagnosis was positively correlated with need for a TNF inhibitor (P = 0.009, HR 1.8, 95% CI 1.27-1.85). Patients with CRP > 0.9 mg/dl at diagnosis started biologic treatment significantly earlier than patients with a lower level (P = 0.003, HR 2.62, 95% CI 0.393-2.5). CONCLUSIONS: In patients with psoriatic arthritis, CRP ≥ 0.9 mg/dl at diagnosis significantly predicts an earlier need for a TNF inhibitor to achieve disease control.

Soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 is a biomarker of anti-CCP-positive, early rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVES: To assess serum soluble triggering receptor expressed on myeloid cells-1 (sTREM-1) levels in disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD)-naïve early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA), to investigate the association of sTREM-1 levels with Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28) and seropositivity for anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody and to determine the predictive value of sTREM-1 with respect to clinical response to DMARD therapy. METHODS: Twenty-two consecutive patients with DMARD-naïve ERA were prospectively evaluated for serum sTREM-1 by means of ELISA at diagnosis and at the following clinic visit after prednisone and/or DMARD has been administered, and related to DAS28 and serum level of anti-CCP antibody. We compared the sTREM-1 level to that of 31 patients with established RA as well as to 24 controls. RESULTS: Serum sTREM-1 level was significantly higher in the DMARD-naïve ERA group (212.9 ± 388.9 ρg/mL) compared to established RA group (1478.0 ± 280.0 ρg/mL, P = 0.001) and normal control (34.4 ± 7.4 ρg/mL, P < 0.001). In the ERA group, elevated basal sTREM-1 level correlated with higher DAS28-CRP score (P = 0.001, HR 3.23, 95% CI 1.4-8.12), DAS28-ESR (P = 0.04, HR 2.34 95% CI 0.1-8.12), as well as predicted higher DAS28 score at the following encounter after DMARD treatment was administered (P = 0.001, HR 3.2 95% CI 1.1-7.2). Higher serum level of sTREM-1 correlated with higher titres of anti-CCP antibody (P < 0.001). CONCLUSIONS: Our results suggest that serum sTREM-1 may provide a novel biomarker for DMARD-naïve ERA as well as for seropositivity for anti-CCP antibody and RA activity.

Frequency of vascular and pregnancy morbidity in patients with low vs. moderate-to-high titers of antiphospholipid antibodies.

Antiphospholipid syndrome (APLS) is an autoimmune hypercoagulable syndrome characterized by thrombotic and obstetric manifestations. We sought to determine the rate of APLS feature in patients tested positive for antiphospholipid antibodies (APLA) regardless of the serum level of anticardiolipin (ACL) and/or anti-ß2-glycoprotein I (ß2GPI) antibodies. An inception cohort of individuals who were tested positive for ACL and/or ß2GPI IgG/IgM antibody, and/or lupus anticoagulant (LAC) on two occasions of at least 12 weeks apart. A total of 243 patients were included; their mean age was 40.1 ±â€Š15.9 years. Thrombotic vascular events occurred in 118 patients (48.5%) of the entire cohort, of which 62 patients (25.5%) suffered from an arterial event and 56 patients (23%) from thrombotic venous events. Obstetrical morbidity occurred in 106 female patients (43.6%). In our cohort, we found no difference in the frequency of thrombotic or obstetric manifestations of APLS between patients with ACL IgG/IgM of low serum antibody level (<40 U) and medium-to-high level (≥40 U) and/or anti-ß2GPI IgG, IgM higher than the 99th percentile vs. lower (>20 U). We suggest that in 'real life' the diagnosis of APLS should not be excluded because of low titer of APLA.

Association of the Charlson comorbidity index with renal outcome and all-cause mortality in antineutrophil cytoplasmatic antibody-associated vasculitis.

The aim of this study is to determine the effect of comorbidity assessed by the Charlson comorbidity index (CCI) at the time of diagnosis on the outcome of antineutrophil cytoplasmatic antibody (ANCA) associated vasculitis (AAV).This is a longitudinal observational study of 30 consecutive patients with AAV who were diagnosed and followed from January 1996 to December 2011. The degree of comorbidity at diagnosis and last visit was scored according to the age-adjusted Charlson comorbidity index (CCI (a)). The post hoc analysis of increment in CCI during the study period and its predictive value for patient and renal survival were analyzed.Thirty patients with AAV were included in this study. A higher CCI (a) at diagnosis was positively correlated with higher activity score of AAV (P = 0.016), a CCI (a) >5, and with an increased risk for mortality (odds ratio 12; confidence interval 1.8-79.68, P = 0.014). The mean increment (Δ) of CCI (a) during the study period was 1.26 ±â€Š2.03 (6-5). Correlation was found between lower Δ CCI (a) and chronic kidney disease (P = 0.036) and mortality (P = 0.002).Comorbidity at the time of diagnosis of AAV is associated with reduced patient and renal survival. We suggest including the CCI score in the assessment of patients with AAV at diagnosis and at disease relapse.

Association of low serum complement C3 with reduced patient and renal survival in antimyeloperoxidase-associated small-vessel vasculitis.

OBJECTIVE: This study aimed to determine the value of hypocomplementemia in predicting the renal and patient survival of patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmatic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV). METHODS: A retrospective analysis of 30 consecutive patients who were diagnosed with AAV and followed at our hospital from 1996 to 2011 was performed. Renal outcome was determined by the Modification of Diet in Renal Disease equation. Disease outcome measures included patient survival and accrual of chronic kidney disease (CKD) defined as an estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) <60 ml/min/1.73 m(2) from the date of diagnosis. Logistic regression analysis was used to identify predictors of survival. RESULTS: At presentation, 6 (20%) patients had a low C3 level, which was significantly associated with older age (p = 0.009), higher C-reactive protein (p = 0.02), a lower eGFR (p = 0.03), and anti-MPO antibody positivity (p = 0.03). A low C3 level at presentation was significantly associated with a reduced eGFR at the last study visit (p = 0.015, OR = 11; 95% CI 1.27-95.15). During a mean follow-up of 9.0 ± 6.2 years, 8 (26.6%) patients had accrued CKD that was significantly associated with low C3 levels at presentation (p = 0.002, OR = 22; 95% CI 2.36-204.7). Mortality was significantly associated with low serum C3 levels at presentation (p = 0.02). CONCLUSION: We found that a low serum C3 level at the time of diagnosis was significantly associated with reduced renal and patient survival in patients with anti-MPO AAV. Our results suggest a role for complement activation in the pathogenesis of AAV.

Outcome of patients with rheumatoid arthritis: cross-sectional study of a single-center real-world inception cohort.

BACKGROUND: Tight control of disease activity is the recommended target of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVES: To determine the outcome of RA with respect to disease activity and the rate of remission, as measured by the DAS-28, in a real-world inception cohort. METHODS: We conducted an observational cross-sectional study of a single-center real-world inception cohort of 101 consecutive patients being treated for RA in 2009-2010 in a rheumatology outpatient clinic. Patients were managed at the discretion of the attending rheumatologist with the goal of achieving remission. DAS-28 scores were calculated and analyzed by clinical and treatment variables derived from the medical files. RESULTS: Mean patient age was 58.6 +/- 13.4 years and mean duration of disease 10.7 +/- 7.9years. Disease remission (DAS-28 < 2.6) was achieved in 26.7% of patients and low disease activity (> 2 .6 DAS-28 < 3.2) in 17%. Monotherapy with a conventional disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (C-DMARD, 21% of patients at last follow-up) was associated with a significantly lower mean DAS-28 score and C-reactive protein level than combined C-DMARD treatment (79% of patients), and with shorter disease duration than combined treatment with C-DMARDs or C-DMARD(s)+biological DMARD (40% of patients). Rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide positivity had no effect on DAS-28 scores. Time from diagnosis was inversely correlated with DAS-28 scores. CONCLUSIONS: The achievement of low disease activity and remission in a significant portion of our inception cohort of patients with RA suggests that the treat-to-target strategy is feasible and effective in routine clinical practice.