Scandinavian journal of rheumatology
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Scand. J. Rheumatol. · Jan 2013
Heart rate variability in fibromyalgia patients and healthy controls during non-REM and REM sleep: a case-control study.
To investigate heart rate variability (HRV) in fibromyalgia (FM) patients and healthy controls (HCs) during different sleep stages, and to examine the association of HRV with pain and sleep quality. ⋯ RMSSD, indicative of parasympathetic predominance, is attenuated in FM patients compared to HCs during N2 sleep and REM sleep. This difference was not present for the HF component. HRV during sleep in FM patients is moderately and positively associated with sleep quality and moderately and negatively associated with neck/shoulder pain.
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Scand. J. Rheumatol. · Jan 2013
Multicenter StudyLong-term outcome of severe alveolar haemorrhage in ANCA-associated vasculitis: a retrospective cohort study.
Alveolar haemorrhage (AH) is a major cause of early death in anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). There is a paucity of information regarding the outcomes of AAV patients presenting with severe AH. ⋯ Severe AH was more commonly associated with PR3-ANCA (vs. MPO-ANCA) and strongly correlated with renal vasculitis. Current treatment of severe AH leads to remission but long-term mortality remains high. Concurrent renal failure and older age were associated with higher mortality.
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Scand. J. Rheumatol. · Jan 2013
Comparative StudyElevated serum and synovial fluid TNF-like ligand 1A (TL1A) is associated with autoantibody production in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Tumour necrosis factor (TNF)-like ligand 1A (TL1A) is involved in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) but its clinical relevance in RA has not been fully elucidated. We analysed TL1A levels in the serum and synovial fluid (SF) of RA patients and investigated its clinical significance. ⋯ TL1A levels are significantly elevated in RA serum and SF and positively correlated with autoantibody production in RA, but failed as a disease activity marker. TL1A promotes antibody production by PBMCs from RA patients. The role of TL1A in the humoral autoimmune response may be important in the development of RA.
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Scand. J. Rheumatol. · Jan 2013
Circulating microparticles and plasma levels of soluble E- and P-selectins in patients with systemic sclerosis.
Microparticles (MPs) may be involved in the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc), which includes vasculopathy, endothelial cell activation, and coagulation activation. Circulating MPs from SSc patients were characterized and their relationship with soluble markers of vascular activation investigated. ⋯ While the total number of MPs was decreased, the number of F-AnxV(-) MPs increased in SSc patients. The F-AnxV(-) EMPs were associated with plasma levels of markers of vascular activation in patients with dcSSc.