Annals of the rheumatic diseases
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Multicenter Study
Association study of a polymorphism of the CTGF gene and susceptibility to systemic sclerosis in the Japanese population.
To validate the association of a single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) of the connective tissue growth factor gene (CTGF) with susceptibility to systemic sclerosis (SSc) in the Japanese population. ⋯ This study confirms the association between an SNP in the CTGF gene and susceptibility to SSc, especially in the presence of diffuse cutaneous SSc, interstitial lung disease and anti-topoisomerase I antibody. The results strongly suggest that this SNP may be a powerful indicator of severe skin and lung involvement in patients with SSc.
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Cardiac involvement, a common and often fatal complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc), is currently detected by standard echocardiography enhanced by tissue Doppler echocardiography (TDE). ⋯ NT-proBNP reliably detected the presence of cardiac involvement and appears to be a very useful marker to risk stratify patients presenting with SSc.
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To assess the efficacy and safety of steroid injections for patients with tendonitis of the shoulder or elbow. ⋯ Steroid injections are well tolerated and more effective for tendonitis in the short-term than pooled other treatments, though similar to NSAIDs. No long-term benefit was shown.
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The present study was mainly aimed at investigating the interobserver and intraobserver reproducibility of ultrasound (US) results in the assessment of Achilles tendon enthesopathy in patients with seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SpA). ⋯ US assessment of Achilles tendon enthesopathy in patients with SpA, using the OMERACT preliminary definition, was found to be reliable. Bone irregularity and entheseal hypoechogenicity were the most difficult abnormalities to reach agreement on.