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- Hammer, Hilde Berner, et al.
(författare)
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Rheumatoid arthritis patients with predominantly tender joints rarely achieve clinical remission despite being in ultrasound remission
- 2021
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Ingår i: Rheumatology. - : Oxford University Press. - 2514-1775. ; 5:2
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objectives. Given that subjective variables might reduce remission by composite DAS (CDAS), the main objectives were to explore whether RA patients with mainly tender vs mainly swollen joints had differences in patient-reported outcome measures (PROMs), clinical or US assessments or in achieving remission defined by CDAS or US. Methods. In a Nordic multicentre study, RA patients initiating tocilizumab were assessed by PROMs, clinical, laboratory and US assessments (36 joints and 4 tendons) at baseline, 4, 12 and 24 weeks. Remission was defined according to clinical disease activity index (CDAI)/Boolean or no Doppler activity present. Tender-swollen joint differences (TSJDs) were calculated. Statistics exploring changes over time/differences between groups included Wilcoxon, Mann-Whitney, Kruskal-Wallis and Spearman tests. Results. One hundred and ten patients were included [mean (S.D.) age 55.6 (12.1) years, RA duration 8.7 (9.5) years]. All PROMs, clinical, laboratory and US scores decreased during follow-up (P < 0.001). During follow-up, tender joint counts were correlated primarily with PROMs [r = 0.24-0.56 (P < 0.05-0.001)] and swollen joint counts with US synovitis scores [r = 0.33-0.72 (P < 0.05-0.001)]. At 24 weeks, patients with TSJD > 0 had higher PROMs and CDAI (P < 0.05-0.001) but lower US synovitis scores (P < 0.05). Remission by CDAI/Boolean was seen in 26-34% and by Doppler 53%, but only 2-3% of patients with TSJD > 0 achieved CDAI/Boolean remission. Conclusion. Patients with more tender than swollen joints scored higher on subjective assessments but had less US synovitis. They seldom achieved CDAS remission despite many being in Doppler remission. If patients with predominantly tender joints do not reach CDAS remission, objective assessments of inflammation should be performed.
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| 2. |
- Kelkka, Tiina, et al.
(författare)
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Adult-Onset Anti-Citrullinated Peptide Antibody-Negative Destructive Rheumatoid Arthritis Is Characterized by a Disease-Specific CD8+T Lymphocyte Signature
- 2020
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Ingår i: Frontiers in Immunology. - : FRONTIERS MEDIA SA. - 1664-3224. ; 11
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a complex autoimmune disease targeting synovial joints. Traditionally, RA is divided into seropositive (SP) and seronegative (SN) disease forms, the latter consisting of an array of unrelated diseases with joint involvement. Recently, we described a severe form of SN-RA that associates with characteristic joint destruction. Here, we sought biological characteristics to differentiate this rare but aggressive anti-citrullinated peptide antibody-negative destructive RA (CND-RA) from early seropositive (SP-RA) and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (SN-RA). We also aimed to study cytotoxic CD8+ lymphocytes in autoimmune arthritis. CND-RA, SP-RA and SN-RA were compared to healthy controls to reveal differences in T-cell receptor beta (TCR beta) repertoire, cytokine levels and autoantibody repertoires. Whole-exome sequencing (WES) followed by single-cell RNA-sequencing (sc-RNA-seq) was performed to study somatic mutations in a clonally expanded CD8+ lymphocyte population in an index patient. A unique TCR beta signature was detected in CND-RA patients. In addition, CND-RA patients expressed higher levels of the bone destruction-associated TNFSF14 cytokine. Blood IgG repertoire from CND-RA patients recognized fewer endogenous proteins than SP-RA patients repertoires. Using WES, we detected a stable mutation profile in the clonally expanded CD8+ T-cell population characterized by cytotoxic gene expression signature discovered by sc-RNA-sequencing. Our results identify CND-RA as an independent RA subset and reveal a CND-RA specific TCR signature in the CD8+ lymphocytes. Improved classification of seronegative RA patients underlines the heterogeneity of RA and also, facilitates development of improved therapeutic options for the treatment resistant patients.
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| 5. |
- Söderlin, Maria
(författare)
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A population-based study on early arthritis in southern Sweden : Incidence, preceding infections, diagnostic markers and economic burden
- 2003
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Doktorsavhandling (övrigt vetenskapligt/konstnärligt)abstract
- The total annual incidence of arthritis in this prospective cross-sectional study on adults was 115/100 000. The annual incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) was 24/100 000, 29/100 000 for women, and 18/100 000 for men. For reactive arthritis (ReA) the annual incidence was slightly higher, 28/100 000, and for undifferentiated arthritis 41/100 000. The annual incidence of Lyme disease and sarcoid arthritis was low. The annual incidence of arthritis in this study compares well with findings in earlier reports from both registers and case review studies. Almost 50% of the patients in the series of 71 patients with arthritis of less than 3 months’ duration had a preceding infection. Campylobacter jejuni ReA dominated the enteric ReA group. We found only a few patients with preceding Chl. trachomatis, Chl. pneumoniae, Borrelia burgdorferi or parvovirus B19 infections. The arthritis patients with a preceding infection went into remission more often than the patients without a preceding infection. The disease specificity of anti-CCP antibodies for RA was high, 96%, confirming earlier results. Anti-CCP antibodies differentiated RA from other arthritides. Several patients in the different diagnosis groups had raised serum COMP levels, indicating cartilage involvement very early in the disease, even in mild and self-limiting disease with good prognosis. The economic burden of early joint inflammation was found to be considerable already during the first few months of the arthritis irrespective of diagnosis. Surprisingly, patients with ReA generated almost as high costs as patients with RA during thefirst few months of the disease, even though most of the ReA patients had a relatively mild disease. Sick leave accounted for about 50% of the costs. The distribution of costs in the different patient groups was skewed. The median cost per patient for the group of patients with RA was US$4385, for ReA US$4085, for other types of specified arthritis US$3361, and for undifferentiated arthritis US$1482. This underlines the necessity of quick referral and therapy, not only to decrease the inflammation and prevent functional impairment, but also to decrease the costs of early arthritis.
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| 6. |
- Söderlin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Annual incidence of inflammatory joint diseases in a population based study in southern Sweden
- 2002
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Ingår i: Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases. - : BMJ. - 0003-4967. ; 61, s. 911-915
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To estimate the annual incidence of inflammatory joint diseases in a population based prospective referral study in an adult population in Kronoberg County in southern Sweden. Methods: The patients were referred from primary healthcare centres to the rheumatology department in Växjö Central Hospital or to the one private rheumatologist in Växjö participating in the study. Additionally, the hospital records for patients with joint aspirates during the inclusion period were checked. The patients were registered as incident cases if the onset of the joint inflammation was between 1 May 1999 and 1 May 2000. A systematic follow up of incoming referrals was conducted up to 31 January 2001. Children under the age of 16 and patients with septic arthritis, crystal arthropathies, and osteoarthritis were excluded from the study. Results: A total of 151 new cases with inflammatory joint diseases were identified during one year, corresponding to a total annual incidence of 115/100 000. Of these, 31 patients (21%) had rheumatoid arthritis, the annual incidence being 24/100 000 (for women 29/100 000, and for men 18/100 000). Reactive arthritis was diagnosed in 37 patients (24%, annual incidence 28/100 000) and 54 patients had undifferentiated arthritis (36%, annual incidence 41/100 000). Eleven patients presented with psoriatic arthritis (7%, annual incidence 8/100 000). The incidence of Lyme arthritis was small in this non-endemic area, and the incidence of sarcoid arthritis corresponded to that in earlier studies. Conclusion: This is the first prospective population based annual incidence study of early arthritis in Sweden. In this population, 36% of the incident cases had undifferentiated arthritis, whereas rheumatoid arthritis and reactive arthritis accounted for 45% of the cases. The incidence figures compare well with figures reported from other countries.
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| 7. |
- Söderlin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) and levels of cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in very early arthritis: relation to diagnosis and disease activity
- 2004
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0300-9742 .- 1502-7732. ; 33:3, s. 185-188
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To measure serum levels of antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP antibodies) and serum cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) in patients with early joint inflammation, and to study the correlation of these two tests with clinical measurements. Methods: Adult patients with recent-onset arthritis, of <3 months' duration, were referred from primary healthcare centres to rheumatologists. Serum levels of anti-CCP antibodies and COMP at baseline were analysed by enzyme immunoassay (EIA) and compared with clinical baseline data. Results: Sixty-nine patients were included. The specificity of the anti-CCP antibody test for RA was 96%, and the sensitivity was 44%. There was a significant difference between the four diagnosis groups in the anti-CCP antibody test, probability (p)<0.001, whereas no significant differences were found concerning COMP. The baseline serum COMP test correlated with age (p=0.0001), joint score for swollen joints (p=0.02), and C-reactive protein (CRP) (p=0.02). Conclusion: This study confirms the high diagnostic specificity of anti-CCP antibodies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a prospective population-based study of very early arthritis. Raised serum COMP levels were common in all diagnosis groups in this series, indicating cartilage involvement in both self-limiting and non-erosive disease.
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| 8. |
- Söderlin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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Infections preceding early arthritis in southern Sweden : a prospective population-based study
- 2003
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Ingår i: The Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X. ; 30:3, s. 459-464
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To detect evidence of infections preceding early arthritis in Southern Sweden and to compare the clinical outcome of remission during a 6-month followup for patients with and without signs of prior infection. METHODS: Adult patients with arthritis of less than 3 months' duration were referred from primary health care centers to rheumatologists. All patients were systematically screened for infections caused by Salmonella typhimurium and Salmonella enteritidis, Yersinia enterocolitica, Campylobacter jejuni, Borrelia burgdorferi, Chlamydia trachomatis, Chlamydia pneumoniae, and parvovirus B19. RESULTS: Seventy-one patients were included in this study. Twenty-seven (38%) patients had reactive arthritis (ReA), 17 (24%) undifferentiated arthritis, 15 (21%) rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 4 (6%) psoriatic arthritis, and the rest (11%) other diagnoses. Of all the patients, 45% had evidence of a recent infection preceding the arthritis, as indicated by laboratory tests and/or disease history. C. jejuni dominated the ReA group. The occurrence of recent C. trachomatis, B. burgdorferi, C. pneumoniae, and parvovirus B19 infections was low. Overall, 58% of the patients went into remission during the 6-month followup. Of the patients with a preceding infection, 69% went into remission as compared to 38% of the patients without a preceding infection (p = 0.011). Thirty-three percent of the patients with RA were in remission after 6 months. CONCLUSION: In this population-based cohort, 45% of the patients presenting with a new-onset arthritis had had a prior infection. Campylobacter ReA dominated the ReA group. There were only a few cases preceded by infections by C. trachomatis, B. burgdorferi, C. pneumoniae, and parvovirus B19 infections. Remission during the first 6 months was especially frequent in the group of patients with a prior infection, but the remission rate was relatively high even for arthritis without prior infection.
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| 9. |
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| 10. |
- Söderlin, Maria, et al.
(författare)
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The costs of early inflammatory joint disease: a population-based study in southern Sweden
- 2003
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Ingår i: Scandinavian Journal of Rheumatology. - : Informa UK Limited. - 0300-9742 .- 1502-7732. ; 32:4, s. 216-224
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective: To study the costs and use of healthcare for patients during the first months with early joint inflammation, in a population-based prospective referral study in Southern Sweden. Methods: Adult patients with arthritis for <3 months and with onset of symptoms between 1 May 1999 and 1 May 2000 were referred from primary health centres to rheumatologists. Four clinical assessments were performed during a 6-month follow-up period. The direct medical costs for inpatient stays, outpatient visits, visits to general practitioners, and visits to health professionals, as well as costs for medication, radiographs, and laboratory tests were recorded from the onset of the disease up to 6 months of follow-up. Indirect costs for sick leave were also recorded. Results: Fifty-six of 71 referred patients agreed to participate. Thirteen (23%) had RA, 21 (38%) had reactive arthritis (ReA), 14 (25%) had undifferentiated arthritis, and eight (14%) had other arthritides. The median cost per patient in the entire group was USD 3362. The median cost per patient in the RA group was USD 4385, and USD 4085 in the ReA group. There was no statistically significant difference in the median costs per patient in the different diagnostic groups. Sick leave accounted for 44% of the total costs in the entire group, and 46% and 47%, respectively, in the RA and ReA groups. Conclusion: The costs of early arthritis are already considerable during the first months of the disease following the onset of the symptoms. The indirect costs due to sick leave accounted for nearly half of the costs.
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