Rheumatology international
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We report the usage of the TNF-alpha antagonist adalimumab in patients with progressive multisystem sarcoidosis. Three patients with multisystem sarcoidosis (MSS) were treated with adalimumab for 12 months. All three patients were quickly responded to adalimumab and experienced a nearly complete regression of the symptoms that lead to an intensive immunosuppression. ⋯ However, the experience with TNF-alpha antagonists in patients with sarcoidosis is still limited. Multicenter trials and a comparison of the different agents are needed to validate the safety and efficacy in these patients. Optimal dosage, duration of therapy and long-term toxicity of anti-TNF therapy in patients with refractory sarcoidosis are yet to be determined in prospective trials.
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Tumor-induced osteomalacia (TIO) is an extremely rare metabolic bone disease and the occult offending tumor arising in facies cranii is even more uncommon. In this report, we described 2 middle-aged females with TIO caused by the tumor in facies cranii, which had ever been misdiagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis. Case 1 was present with diffuse bone pain and muscle weakness for 4 years, as well as esotropia in the right eye for 1 month. ⋯ The offending tumors were resected completely in case 2, however, incompletely in case 1. Pathology examination revealed mixed connective tissue variant phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors. In conclusion, TIO should be presumed in patients presenting with unexplained persistent hypophosphatemia osteomalacia, also a thorough detection for tumor in facies cranii should be performed.
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Case Reports
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome in a patient with ANCA-associated vasculitis.
Posterior reversible encephalopathy syndrome (PRES) is a clinical syndrome that manifests with the onset of headache, confusion or decreased level of consciousness, visual changes, and seizures in conjunction with the typical neuroimaging features of posterior cerebral white matter changes, which are usually reversible. This syndrome has been associated with hypertension, eclampsia, renal insufficiency, immunosuppressive drugs, and connective-tissue diseases. To our knowledge, only four cases of PRES associated with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis have been reported in the literature. Here, we present a patient with ANCA-associated vasculitis complicated by PRES.
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The highly popular journal impact factor (JIF) is an average measure of citations within 1 year after the publication of a journal as a whole within the two preceding years. It is widely used as a proxy of a journal's quality and scientific prestige. This article discusses misuses of JIF to assess impact of separate journal articles and the effect of several manuscript versions on JIF. It also presents some newer alternative journal metrics such as SCImago Journal Rank and the h-index and analyses examples of their application in several subject categories.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Effect of Pilates training on people with ankylosing spondylitis.
The objective of this study was to investigate the effects of Pilates on pain, functional status, and quality of life in patients with ankylosing spondylitis. The study was performed as a randomized, prospective, controlled, and single-blind trial. Fifty-five participants (30 men, 25 women) who were under a regular follow-up protocol in our Rheumatology Clinic with the diagnosis of AS according to the modified New York criteria were included in the study. ⋯ We suggest Pilates exercises as an effective and safe method to improve physical capacity in AS patients. Our study is the first clinical study designed to investigate the role of Pilates method in AS treatment. We believe that further research with more participants and longer follow-up periods could help assess the therapeutic value of this popular physical exercise method in AS.