J Rheumatol
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To define the standardized incidence ratio (SIR) of malignancy and factors associated with malignancies in Korean patients with dermatomyositis (DM) and polymyositis (PM). ⋯ DM was associated with a greater risk of concomitant malignancies, especially lung cancer, than PM. Independent factors associated with malignancies in patients with DM/PM were older age, the presence of dysphagia, and the absence of ILD.
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Inhibition of intracellular signal transduction is considered to be a therapeutic target for chronic inflammation. The new Janus kinase (JAK)3 inhibitor CP690,550 has shown efficacy in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated the influence of JAK/STAT inhibition using CP690,550 on the induction of acute-phase serum amyloid A (SAA), which is triggered by interleukin 6 (IL-6) stimulation in rheumatoid fibroblast-like synoviocytes (RA-FLS). ⋯ Our data indicated that CP690,550 blocked IL-6-induced JAK2/STAT3 activation, as well as the induction of A-SAA. Inhibition of IL-6-mediated proinflammatory signaling pathways by CP690,550 may represent a new antiinflammatory therapeutic strategy for RA and AA amyloidosis.
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The tricuspid annular plane systolic excursion (TAPSE) strongly reflects right ventricular (RV) function and predicts survival in idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH). But its role in systemic sclerosis (SSc)-associated PAH has not been established. Our objective was to validate the TAPSE in the assessment of RV function and prediction of survival in SSc-PAH. ⋯ TAPSE is a robust measure of RV function and strongly predicts survival in patients with PAH-SSc. Future studies are needed to identify the responsiveness of TAPSE to PAH-specific therapy and to assess its diagnostic utility in PAH-SSc.
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To assess the quality of nonpharmacological care received by people with knee and/or hip osteoarthritis (OA) in the community and to assess the associated factors. ⋯ The quality of nonpharmacological care for people with knee/hip OA in the community is suboptimal. Advice on exercise and weight management may not be provided equally across sex, age, disability, and formal education levels.
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Multicenter Study
Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and Recognition of Outcomes in Scleroderma (PHAROS): baseline characteristics and description of study population.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) increases mortality in systemic sclerosis (SSc). The multicenter PHAROS registry (Pulmonary Hypertension Assessment and Recognition of Outcomes in Scleroderma) prospectively follows subjects with SSc at high risk for or with incident pulmonary hypertension (PH). We describe the registry design and baseline characteristics of subjects enrolled during the first 18 months since the start of the study. ⋯ PHAROS is the largest US and Canadian cohort of subjects with SSc at high risk for or with incident PAH. PAH-specific therapies are approved for 49/71 subjects with RHC-confirmed PAH. Analyses of PHAROS registry data will permit identification of risk factors for development of PAH among SSc patients at high risk for PAH and enhance understanding of the course of SSc-PAH.