Type-I interferon pathway and DNA damage accumulation in peripheral blood of patients with psoriatic arthritis.

Objectives: The abnormal DNA damage response is associated with upregulation of the type-1 interferon (IFN-I) pathway in certain rheumatic diseases. We investigated whether such aberrant mechanisms operate in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Methods: DNA damage levels were measured by alkaline comet assay in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from 52 PsA patients and age-sex-matched healthy individuals. RNA expression of IFIT1, MX1 and IFI44, which are selectively induced by IFN-I, was quantitated by real-time polymerase chain reaction and their composite normalized expression resulted in IFN-I score calculation. RNA expression of IL1ß, IL6, TNF, IL17A and IL23A was also assessed in PsA and control subgroups. Results: In PsA, DNA damage accumulation was increased by almost two-fold compared to healthy individuals (olive tail moment arbitrary units, mean ± SD; 9.42 ± 2.71 vs 4.88 ± 1.98, p<0.0001). DNA damage levels significantly correlated with serum C-Reactive-protein and IL6 RNA expression in PBMCs. Despite increased DNA damage, the IFN-I score was strikingly lower in PsA patients compared to controls (-0.49 ± 6.99 vs 4.24 ± 4.26; p<0.0001). No correlation was found between IFN-I pathway downregulation and DNA damage. However, the IFN-I score in a PsA subgroup was lower in those patients with higher IL1ß expression, as well as in those with higher TNF/IL23A PBMCs expression. Conclusion: DNA damage in PsA correlates with measures of inflammation but is not associated with the IFN-I pathway induction. The unexpected IFN-I downregulation, albeit reminiscent to findings in experimental models of spondyloarthritis, may be implicated in PsA pathogenesis and explained by operation of other cytokines.

Prevalence and Clinical Implications of Scleroderma-Specific Autoantibodies in Seronegative Patients with Sicca Complaints.

Introduction: Previous studies have revealed the presence of anticentromere antibodies in patients with Sjögren's syndrome (SS), predominantly in those serologically negative for antibodies against Ro/SSA and La/SSB antigens (seronegative). The prevalence and clinical significance of specific autoantibodies for Systemic Sclerosis (SSc) in seronegative patients with sicca complaints (dry eyes, dry mouth) have not yet been studied. Aim of the study: Investigate the prevalence and clinical significance of SSc-specific autoantibodies in seronegative patients with sicca complaints. Methods: Among 212 patients with sicca symptoms that were investigated at the Laboratory of Physiology, Medical School of Athens, National and Kapodistrian University of Athens between the years 2017-2020 for the presence of antibodies against Ro/SSA and La/SSB antigens, we found 106 patients that did not meet the criteria for SS following a thorough investigation. We have already performed serological tests of 13 specific autoantibodies for Scleroderma by using the test EUROLINE Systemic Sclerosis (Nucleoli) profile (IgG) (EUROIMMUNE Medizinische Labordiagnostika AG) in 51 of these patients. Additionally, their demographic, clinical, and laboratory data have been recorded. Results: The presence of the specific SSc-specific autoantibodies was noticed in 29/51 patients (57%). More precisely, in 7/29 patients (24%) we recorded NOR90 as well as Th/To, in 5/29 (17%) Ku & Ro52, in 4/29 (14%) CENP-B, in 3/29 (10%) CENP-A & RP155, in 2/29 (7%) RP11 & PM/Scl 75 and finally in 1/29 (3.5%) Scl70, PM/Scl 100 & Fibrillarin respectively. The subsequent follow-up of these patients revealed signs of pulmonary hypertension and interstitial lung disease in some cases. Conclusions: The high prevalence of Scleroderma-specific autoantibodies in seronegative sicca patients discloses those needing tighter follow-up and systematic treatment.

B-cell activating factor gene variants in multiple sclerosis: Possible associations with disease susceptibility among females.

Although B cells and B cell activating factor (BAFF) have been previously implicated in MS pathogenesis, data regarding the genetic influence of BAFF polymorphisms on MS susceptibility are limited. Here we aim to explore whether BAFF polymorphisms could contribute to MS susceptibility. 156 RRMS patients fulfilling the revised McDonald criteria for MS diagnosis and 220 HCs were enrolled. Clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics were recorded. BAFF rs9514827, rs1041569, and rs9514828 polymorphisms were assessed by RFLP-PCR in DNA samples extracted from whole peripheral blood. The BAFF rs1041569 TT genotype along with the CTT and TTC haplotypes were associated with significantly increased risk for MS development in female MS patients compared to healthy female counterparts. These findings were not confirmed in males. The rs1041569 BAFF variant together with the CTT and TTC BAFF haplotypes derived from the BAFF rs9514827, rs1041569, and rs9514828 polymorphisms may represent novel genetic contributors to the development of MS in females.

The Role of Myositis-Specific and Myositis-Associated Autoantibodies and the Activation of Type I Interferon Pathway in the Generation of Clinical Phenotypes of Inflammatory Myopathies.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of heterogeneous autoimmune diseases with a prevalence of 20 cases per 100000 of population. Despite their diversity, IMMs are characterised by several common clinical features such as muscle inflammation, proximal muscle weakness, abnormal electromyography and/or muscle biopsy. Over the last years, it has been increasingly recognised that an array of autoantibodies known as myositis-specific antibodies (MSAs) and myositis-associated antibodies (MAAs) are associated with distinct clinical phenotypes and diverse prognosis. Although the exact underlying mechanism of IIMs is not fully understood, accumulating data suggest that the activation of type I interferon pathway plays a central role in disease development. Previous studies have reported the upregulation of type I interferon (IFN) induced genes in peripheral blood and muscle biopsies derived from myositis patients. Given the heterogeneity of inflammatory myopathies along with the central role of type I IFN pathway in disease pathogenesis, the aim of the current study is to elucidate the link between distinct clinical phenotypes of inflammatory myopathies with the presence of serum MSAs or MAAs, as well as with type I IFN activation.

A randomized controlled trial evaluating the short-term efficacy of a single-administration intramuscular injection with the fixed combination of thiocolchicoside-diclofenac versus diclofenac monotherapy in patients with acute moderate-to-severe low back pain.

BACKGROUND: Non-specific acute low back pain (LBP) is a common health problem that may be accompanied by muscle spasm and decreased mobility. The combination of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and muscle relaxants represents an advantageous therapeutic option, however, available data on their combined use are conflicting. This prospective, randomized, single-blind, two-parallel-group trial assessed the efficacy of a single intramuscular (IM) injection of the fixed-dose combination (FDC) diclofenac (75 mg)-thiocolchicoside (4 mg/4 ml) product (test treatment) compared to diclofenac (75 mg/3 ml) alone (reference treatment) for the symptomatic relief of acute LBP. Tolerability and safety were also assessed as secondary variables. METHODS: One hundred thirty-four patients were enrolled (safety population) and randomly allocated to the combination or single-agent regimen. Pain intensity and muscle spasm, assessed respectively by the patient-reported visual analogue scale and investigator-performed finger-to-floor distance test, were determined prior to the injection as well as 1 and 3 h post-injection in 123 patients (per-protocol population). The patients were blinded to treatment. Safety was assessed up to 24 h post-injection. RESULTS: The test treatment was superior in both alleviating the pain intensity and reducing the finger-to-floor distance at both 1 (p < 0.01 and p = 0.023 respectively) and 3 h post-injection (p < 0.01). A higher percentage of patients experienced > 30% reduction in pain intensity at 1 and 3 h with the test treatment (p = 0.037 and p < 0.01 respectively). The corresponding VAS (SD) scores for the test treatment group were at baseline, 1 and 3 h post-injection 72.03 (± 11.72), 45.37 (± 16.28) and 31.56 (± 15.08) respectively and for the reference treatment group 65.20 (± 12.16), 48.98 (± 18.76) and 44.52 (± 17.33) respectively. No adverse effects were reported with the combination treatment, whereas two patients treated with diclofenac reported dizziness. CONCLUSIONS: The FDC treatment is an effective and well-tolerated option for the symptomatic treatment of LBP. Clinical and patient-reported assessments confirmed that a single IM injection of FDC diclofenac-thiocolchicoside was more effective than diclofenac alone in conferring rapid and sustained improvement in mobility and pain intensity. TRIAL REGISTRATION: EudraCT No: 2017-004530-29 Available at https://eudract.ema.europa.eu/ Registered 04 Dec 2017.

Sarcopenia in Rheumatoid arthritis. A narrative review.

Sarcopenia was recently identified as an entity in the ICD-10 classification of October 2016. According to the recommendation of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2), sarcopenia is defined as low muscle strength and low muscle mass, while physical performance is used to categorize the severity of sarcopenia. In recent years, sarcopenia has become increasingly common in younger patients with autoimmune diseases such as Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Due to the chronic inflammation caused by RA, patients have reduced physical activity, immobility, stiffness, and joint destruction and all of that lead to the loss of muscle mass, muscle strength, disability and significantly lowering the patients' quality of life. This article is a narrative review about sarcopenia in RA, with a special focus in its pathogenesis and management.

Cardiovascular Magnetic Resonance Demonstrates Myocardial Inflammation of Differing Etiologies and Acuities in Patients with Genetic and Inflammatory Myopathies.

INTRODUCTION: Myopathies are heterogeneous neuromuscular diseases of genetic and/or inflammatory etiology that affect both cardiac and skeletal muscle. We investigated the prevalence of cardiac inflammation in patients with myopathies, cardiovascular symptoms, and normal echocardiography using cardiovascular magnetic resonance (CMR). METHODS: We prospectively evaluated 51 patients with various genetic (n = 23) and inflammatory (n = 28) myopathies (median age, IQR: 12 (11-15) years, 22% girls; 61 (55-65) years, 46% women, respectively) and compared their CMR findings to corresponding age- and sex-matched controls (n = 21 and 20, respectively) and to each other. RESULTS: Patients with genetic myopathy had similar biventricular morphology and function to healthy controls but showed higher late gadolinium enhancement (LGE), native T1 mapping, extracellular volume fraction (ECV), and T2 mapping values. Collectively, 22 (95.7%) patients with genetic myopathy had a positive T1-criterion and 3 (13.0%) had a positive T2-criterion according to the updated Lake Louise criteria. Compared with healthy controls, patients with inflammatory myopathy showed preserved left ventricular (LV) function and reduced LV mass, while all CMR-derived tissue characterization indices were significantly higher (p < 0.001 for all). All patients had a positive T1-criterion, and 27 (96.4%) had a positive T2-criterion. A positive T2-criterion or T2-mapping > 50 ms could discriminate between patients with genetic and inflammatory myopathies with a sensitivity of 96.4% and a specificity of 91.3% (AUC = 0.9557). CONCLUSIONS: The vast majority of symptomatic patients with inflammatory myopathies and normal echocardiography show evidence of acute myocardial inflammation. In contrast, acute inflammation is rare in patients with genetic myopathies, who show evidence of chronic low-grade inflammation.

Scleroderma specific autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis and Sjögren's syndrome patients with interstitial lung disease: Prevalence and associations.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) has been classically linked to interstitial lung disease (ILD) development, often in association with specific SSc autoantibodies. In the present report, we aimed to estimate the prevalence of SSc autoantibodies in 60 seropositive RA and 41 primary SS patients complicated or not by ILD. SSc autoantibodies were determined in patients' sera by a commercial immunoblot assay. RA ILD patients displayed higher frequency of SSc-specific antibodies at strong titers compared to RA-with no lung involvement (25% vs 3.1%, p = 0.01)[OR 95% CI:10.9 (1.2-94.5)], with no differences detected between primary SS groups. These data indicate that many seropositive RA ILD patients probably represent an overlap RA/SSc entity, requiring tailored diagnostic and therapeutic approach.

Type I interferon and neutrophil transcripts in lupus nephritis renal biopsies: clinical and histopathological associations.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the expression of type I IFN (IFN-I) and neutrophil transcripts in kidney tissue from patients with different classes of LN and their association with distinct clinical and histopathological features. METHODS: Quantitation of IFN-I, defensin-α3 and formyl peptide receptor-like 1 (FPRL-1) transcripts was performed in kidney biopsy tissue from 24 patients with various classes of LN (6 class III, 14 class IV, 4 class V) and 3 control samples. Patient demographics, glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and histopathological characteristics, including activity and chronicity indices, were analysed. RESULTS: IFNα2 and IFNß transcripts were overexpressed in renal tissues from patients with proliferative forms of LN (III/IV) compared with patients with membranous nephritis and control kidneys. Patients with LN and impaired renal function, attested by eGFR, displayed higher relative expression of IFNα2 transcripts in renal tissues compared with those with normal renal function (23.0 ± 16.2 vs 12.0 ± 14.8, P = 0.04). Defensin-α3, but not FPRL-1, transcripts were overexpressed in LN tissues, particularly those with segmental necrotizing lesions, and were correlated with higher renal pathological activity indices (r = 0.61, P = 0.02), urinary protein levels (r = 0.44, P = 0.048) and IFNα2 expression (r = 0.50, P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: IFN-I transcripts are expressed locally in kidneys from patients with proliferative LN and are associated with impaired renal function. Elevated defensin-α3 transcripts, a neutrophil product associated with neutrophil extracellular traps, may identify a driver of local IFN-I expression. These findings provide insights into the mechanisms of proliferative LN and may inform therapeutic decisions regarding selection of IFN-I pathway inhibitors.

Subclinical atherosclerosis profiles in rheumatoid arthritis and primary Sjögren's syndrome: the impact of BAFF genetic variations.

OBJECTIVES: RA and primary SS carry increased atherosclerotic risk, while B-cell activating factor holds a vital role in disease pathogenesis and atherosclerosis. We aimed to compare subclinical atherosclerosis profiles between the two clinical entities and define whether BAFF genetic variants alter atherosclerotic risk. METHODS: DNA from 166 RA, 148 primary SS patients and 200 healthy controls of similar age and sex distribution was subjected to PCR-based assay for the detection of five single nucleotide polymorphisms of the BAFF gene (rs1224141, rs12583006, rs9514828, rs1041569 and rs9514827). Genotype and haplotype frequencies were determined by SNPStats software and statistical analysis was performed by SPSS and Graphpad Software. Subclinical atherosclerosis was defined by the presence of carotid/femoral plaque formation and arterial wall thickening. RESULTS: Atherosclerotic plaque formation was more frequently detected in the RA vs primary SS group (80.7% vs 62.2%, P-value <0.001), along with higher rates of family CVD history, current steroid dose and serum inflammatory markers. The TT genotype of the rs1224141 variant was more prevalent in RA but not primary SS patients with plaque and arterial wall thickening vs their counterparts without. Regarding the rs1014569 variant, among RA patients the TT genotype increased the risk for plaque formation while in primary SS patients the AT genotype conferred increased risk. Haplotype GTTTT was protective in the RA cohort, while TATTT and TTCTT haplotypes increased susceptibility for arterial wall thickening in the primary SS cohort. CONCLUSIONS: Increased inflammatory burden, higher steroid doses and distinct BAFF gene variations imply chronic inflammation and B-cell hyperactivity as key contributors for the augmented atherosclerotic risk among autoimmune patients.

The role of type I IFN in autoimmune and autoinflammatory diseases with CNS involvement.

Type I interferons (IFNs) are major mediators of innate immunity, with well-known antiviral, antiproliferative, and immunomodulatory properties. A growing body of evidence suggests the involvement of type I IFNs in the pathogenesis of central nervous system (CNS) manifestations in the setting of chronic autoimmune and autoinflammatory disorders, while IFN-ß has been for years, a well-established therapeutic modality for multiple sclerosis (MS). In the present review, we summarize the current evidence on the mechanisms of type I IFN production by CNS cellular populations as well as its local effects on the CNS. Additionally, the beneficial effects of IFN-ß in the pathophysiology of MS are discussed, along with the contributory role of type I IFNs in the pathogenesis of neuropsychiatric lupus erythematosus and type I interferonopathies.

Differentiating central nervous system demyelinating disorders: The role of clinical, laboratory, imaging characteristics and peripheral blood type I interferon activity.

Objective: While multiple sclerosis (MS) is considered the cornerstone of autoimmune demyelinating CNS disorders, systemic autoimmune diseases (SADs) are important MS mimickers. We sought to explore whether distinct clinical, laboratory, and imaging characteristics along with quantitation of peripheral blood type I interferon (IFN) activity could aid in differentiating between them. Methods: A total of 193 consecutive patients with imaging features suggesting the presence of CNS demyelinating disease with or without relevant clinical manifestations underwent full clinical, laboratory, and imaging evaluation, including testing for specific antibodies against 15 cellular antigens. Expression analysis of type I IFN-inducible genes (MX-1, IFIT-1, and IFI44) was performed by real-time PCR, and a type I IFN score, reflecting type I IFN peripheral activity, was calculated. After joint neurological/rheumatological evaluation and 1 year of follow-up, patients were classified into MS spectrum and CNS autoimmune disorders. Results: While 66.3% (n = 128) of the patients were diagnosed with MS spectrum disorders (predominantly relapsing-remitting MS), 24.9% (n = 48) were included in the CNS autoimmune group, and out of those, one-fourth met the criteria for SAD (6.7% of the cohort, n = 13); the rest (18.1% of the cohort, n = 35), despite showing evidence of systemic autoimmunity, did not fulfill SAD criteria and comprised the "demyelinating disease with autoimmune features" (DAF) subgroup. Compared to the MS spectrum, CNS autoimmune patients were older, more frequently females, with increased rates of hypertension/hyperlipidemia, family history of autoimmunity, cortical dysfunction, anti-nuclear antibody titers ≥1/320, anticardiolipin IgM positivity, and atypical for MS magnetic resonance imaging lesions. Conversely, lower rates of infratentorial and callosal MRI lesions, CSF T2 oligoclonal bands, and IgG-index positivity were observed in CNS autoimmune patients. Patients fulfilling SAD criteria, but not the DAF group, had significantly higher peripheral blood type I IFN scores at baseline compared to MS spectrum [median (IQR)]: 50.18 (152.50) vs. -0.64 (6.75), p-value: 0.0001. Conclusion: Our study suggests that underlying systemic autoimmunity is not uncommon in patients evaluated for possible CNS demyelination. Distinct clinical, imaging and laboratory characteristics can aid in early differentiation between MS and CNS-involving systemic autoimmunity allowing for optimal therapeutic strategies. Activated type I IFN pathway could represent a key mediator among MS-like-presenting SADs and therefore a potential therapeutic target.

Distinct type I interferon responses between younger women and older men contribute to the variability of COVID-19 outcomes: Hypothesis generating insights from COVID-19 convalescent individuals.

BACKGROUND/OBJECTIVE: Older age and male sex have been consistently found to be associated with dismal outcomes among COVID-19 infected patients. In contrast, premenopausal females present the lowest mortality among adults infected by SARS-CoV-2. The goal of the present study was to investigate whether peripheral blood type I interferon (IFN) signature and interleukin (IL)-6 serum levels -previously shown to contribute to COVID-19-related outcomes in hospitalized patients- is shaped by demographic contributors among COVID-19 convalescent individuals. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Type I IFN-inducible genes in peripheral blood, as well as serum IL-6 levels were quantified in 61 COVID-19 convalescent healthy individuals (34 females, 27 males; age range 18-70 years, mean 35.7 ± 15.9 years) who recovered from COVID-19 without requiring hospitalization within a median of 3 months prior to inclusion in the present study. Among those, 17 were older than 50 years (11 males, 6 females) and 44 equal to or less than 50 years (16 males, 28 females). Expression analysis of type I IFN-inducible genes (MX-1, IFIT-1, IFI44) was performed by real time PCR and a type I IFN score, reflecting type I IFN peripheral activity, was calculated. IL-6 and C-reactive protein levels were determined by a commercially available ELISA. RESULTS: COVID-19 convalescent individuals older than 50 years exhibited significantly decreased peripheral blood type I IFN scores along with significantly increased IL-6 serum levels compared to their younger counterparts less than 50 years old (5.4 ± 4.3 vs 16.8 ± 24.7, p = 0.02 and 10.6 ± 16.9 vs 2.9 ± 8.0 ng/L, p = 0.03, respectively). Following sex stratification, peripheral blood type I IFN score was found to be significantly higher in younger females compared to both younger and older males (22.9 ± 29.2 vs 6.3 ± 4.6 vs 4.5 ± 3.7, p = 0.01 and p = 0.002, respectively). Regarding IL-6, an opposite pattern was observed, with the highest levels being detected among older males and the lowest levels among younger females (11.6 ± 18.9 vs 2.5 ± 7.8 ng/L, p = 0.03). CONCLUSION: Constitutive higher type I IFN responses and dampened IL-6 production observed in younger women of premenopausal age, along with lower type I IFN responses and increased IL-6 levels in older males, could account for the discrete clinical outcomes seen in the two population groups, as consistently revealed in COVID-19 epidemiological studies.

COVID-19: Clinical features and outcomes in unvaccinated 2-dose and 3-dose vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 patients with systemic autoimmune and autoinflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Clinical data on vaccinated patients with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) who have systemic autoimmune and autoinflammatory rheumatic diseases (SAARD) are limited. This observational study aimed to report the clinical features and outcomes of COVID-19 among cases with SAARD that were unvaccinated or were 2- and 3-dose vaccinated against SARS-CoV-2 and were consecutively recorded by the treating physician. Unvaccinated and 2- and 3-dose vaccinated patients were compared in terms of COVID-19 symptomatology, hospitalizations, oxygen supplementation requirements, and death rates. From the beginning of the pandemic to February 15, 2022, 134 vaccine-naïve COVID-19 cases were recorded among our study cohort. From March 1, 2021 to February 15, 2022, 89 2-dose vaccinated and 105 3-dose vaccinated patients who were infected with SARS-CoV-2 ≥14 days after the second dose were included. The hospitalization rate was higher in the unvaccinated (n = 36, 26.9%) than in the 2-dose (n = 13, 14.6%, p = 0.03) or 3-dose (n = 5, 4.8%, p < 0.001) vaccinated patients. Severe/critical COVID-19 cases requiring oxygen supplementation were the least among 3-dose vaccinated (n = 4, 3.8%) compared to both 2-dose vaccinated (n = 12, 13.5%, p = 0.018) and unvaccinated (n = 25, 18.7%, p < 0.001) patients. ICU admission and death rates were similar among unvaccinated (n = 5, 3.7% and n = 3, 2.2%, respectively) and 2-dose vaccinated patients (n = 4, 4.5%; and n = 2, 2.2%, respectively), while no 3-dose vaccinated patients died or required ICU admission. Logistic regression analysis revealed a significant inverse association between 3-dose vaccination and severe/critical COVID-19 (OR = 0.078, 95% CI: 0.022-0.273, p < 0.001). In conclusion, these findings argue in favor of booster vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in patients with SAARD.

Osteoprotegerin and MTHFR gene variations in rheumatoid arthritis: association with disease susceptibility and markers of subclinical atherosclerosis.

We aimed to explore whether the rs2073618 variant (G1181C) of the osteoprotegerin (OPG) gene and the methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase (MTHFR) rs1801131 (A1298AC) and rs1801133 (C677T) gene polymorphisms contribute to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility and RA related subclinical atherosclerosis. Overall 283 RA patients and 595 healthy controls (HC) were genotyped for common variants of the OPG and MTHFR genes using PCR based assays. Clinical and laboratory parameters were recorded following thorough chart review. Surrogate markers of subclinical atherosclerosis (Carotid/Femoral intima media thickness/plaque formation) along with traditional risk factors for atherosclerosis were assessed in all RA patients and 280HC. Increased prevalence of the CC genotype of the rs2073618 variant was detected in RA patients vs HC (42.4% vs. 33%, p-value: 0.04). RA patients with high serum titers of rheumatoid factor (RF) or anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibodies displayed increased prevalence of the CC genotype of the rs2073618 variant of the OPG gene compared to HC (48.6% and 47.5 vs 33.3%, p-values: 0.0029and 0.0077 respectively). Of interest, this genotype turned to be associated with higher carotid IMT scores (0.872 ± 0.264 vs 0.816 ± 0.284, p-value: 0.01) and marginally with higher rates of carotid plaque formation (66% vs 54.1%, p = 0.06). The MTHFR 1298CC genotype was more prevalent only in the anti-CCP positive group compared to HC, with no associations detected with markers of subclinical atherosclerosis, following adjustment for traditional cardiovascular (CVD) risk factors. Reduced rates of carotid/femoral plaque formation were detected among RA patients harboring the MTHFR TT genotype (52.4 vs 72.7, p-value: 0.009, respectively). This association remained significant following adjustment for classical CVD risk factors (OR [95% CI 0.364 [0.173-0.765], p-value: 0.008). Genetic variations of the osteoprotegerin and MTHFR genes seem to increase susceptibility for seropositive RA and potentially contribute to subclinical atherosclerosis linked to RA. Larger studies are needed to confirm these findings.

Scleroderma-specific autoantibodies: Should they be included in the diagnostic work-up for Sjögren's syndrome?

OBJECTIVES: Sicca complaints are a frequent reason for rheumatologic consultation. Testing for specific antibodies against Ro/SSA and La/SSB antigens and minor salivary gland (MSG) biopsy are among the main tools implemented in the diagnostic work-up. Anticentromere antibodies and sicca manifestations are frequently detected in Sjögren's syndrome (SS) and systemic sclerosis (SSc), respectively. Herein, we aimed to determine the frequency and clinical associations of a wide spectrum of scleroderma (SSc)-specific autoantibodies in consecutive patients referred for evaluation of possible SS. METHODS: Demographic, clinico-pathological, and laboratory data were recorded in 216 consecutive patients with sicca complaints. All study participants were tested for SSc-specific autoantibodies (against CENP, PM/Scl, Scl-70, Ku, NOR90, RP11, RP155, fibrillarin, PDGFR, and Th/To) using a commercially available immunoblot kit. According to band intensity, the identified autoantibodies were further classified in those with strong and medium titers. RESULTS: SSc-specific autoantibodies were detected in 41.7% (90/216) patients evaluated (19% at strong, 22.7% at medium titers) without significant differences between anti-Ro/SSA positive and negative groups. At strong titers was significantly higher in patients with MSG biopsies fulfilling SS histopathological criteria (30% vs 12.5%, p = 0.009). This association remained significant after adjustment for antibodies against Ro/SSA and La/SSB autoantigens [OR 95% (CI): 4.1 (1.5-10.6)]. CONCLUSION: SSc-specific autoantibodies are frequently detected among patients presenting with sicca complaints and at strong but not medium titers are independently associated with MSG biopsy positivity. Taken together, these data imply a useful role of SSc antibody testing in the diagnostic work-up and possibly in the classification criteria for SS.

The Immunomodulatory Properties of Vitamin D.

Since its discovery, vitamin D was shown to have both immunostimulatory and immunomodulatory effects on the immune system. A growing body of evidence so far linked vitamin D deficiency with the development and severity of several systemic and organ specific autoimmune/inflammatory diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, inflammatory bowel disease, and multiple sclerosis. In the present report, the multiple and diverse effects of vitamin D on the immune system are reviewed.