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Objectives: Post-thrombotic syndrome (PTS) is a frequent and important consequence of deep vein thrombosis (DVT) for Behcet's disease (BD) patients. Although various clinical scales are used to diagnose PTS, Villalta scale was accepted as the standard tool to diagnose and grade the severity of PTS. Poor quality of life (Qol) in the general population was defined for patients with PTS, however, studies in BD patients with PTS is limited. Our aim was to compare the performance of different scales to assess venous disease in BD patients with a history of DVT and to assess the relationship with quality of life. Methods: Patients with BD (n = 194, M/F:157/37, age:39.1 ± 9.5 years) with a DVT history were investigated. Villalta, VCSS,CEAP scale and SF 36,Veines scales were used to assess venous disease and QoL respectively. Results: Among BD patients, 120 (61.9 %) patients were classified as having PTS by Villalta and of patients 18% had severe PTS. Half of patients with CEAP score <4 were classified as having PTS. Also, 42% of patients with CEAP>4 and almost two third of VCSS classified severe CVD patients was grouped in severe PTS by Villalta scale. VCSS and Villalta classified PTS patients had decreased disease specific and general Qol scores compared to the patients without PTS. Also, severe PTS group (by VCSS) had decreased veines QoL scores and PCS compared to mild/moderate group. Conclusion: BD patients with DVT have a high risk of PTS. Our results show that both Villalta scale and VCSS should be used to assess venous disease BD patients with DVT. However, VCSS classified severity of PTS can show better correlation with venous disease -specific QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background. Behçet's disease (BD) is a chronic inflammatory vasculitis affecting multiple organs. Uveitis is frequently seen in patients with BD, especially in Turkish population. Objectives. To investigate vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) gene polymorphisms along with the levels of VEGF and VEGF receptors in patients with Behçet's uveitis (BU). Materials and methods. Fifty-five BD-associated uveitis patients and 30 age-and sex-matched controls were included in this case-control study. The genotypes of the single nucleotide poymorphisms (SNPs): rs2010963 (+405G), rs3025039 (+936T) and rs699947 (-2598A) of the VEGF-A gene were determined using real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) and serum levels of VEGF and VEGF receptors were measured using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). Results. No associations of the VEGF gene polymorphisms were observed in BD uveitis patients, but arthritis was present in 53.3% of patients not possessing CT genotype in C3025039→T polymorphism (p = 0.024). Although there were no statistically significant differences in serum VEGF-A, VEGF-C and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-3 (sVEGFR-3) levels (p < 0.05), serum vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (VEGFR-1) and sVEGFR-3 levels were significantly higher in the BD group (p < 0.001 and p = 0.001, respectively). In addition, VEGF-C/soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-2 (sVEGFR-2) ratio was significantly higher (p < 0.001), while VEGF-A/VEGFR-1 and VEGF-C/sVEGFR-3 ratios were significantly lower (p < 0.001 and p = 0.033, respectively) in BD patients compared to controls. Also, VEGF-C/sVEGFR-3 (p = 0.024, r = 0.37) and VEGF-C/sVEGFR-2 (p = 0.020, r = 0.38) ratios were positively correlated with disease duration. Conclusions. The significant changes in sVEGFR-3 levels and VEGF-C/sVEGFR-3 ratio has shown that lymphangiogenesis processes might take place in the pathogenesis of BD uveitis, and these parameters can be important indicators of evaluation of BD patients with uveitis together with disease duration. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The course of novel coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has been of special concern in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) due to the immune dysregulation that may be associated with these diseases and the medications used for IRDs, that may affect innate immune responses. Objective: In this cohort study, we aimed to report the disease characteristics and variables associated with COVID-19 outcome among Turkish patients with IRDs. Methods: Between April and June, 2020, 167 adult IRD patients with COVID-19 were registered from 31 centers in 14 cities in Turkey. Disease outcome was classified in 4 categories; (i) outpatient management, (ii) hospitalization without oxygen requirement, (iii) hospitalization with oxygen requirement, and (iv) intensive care unit (ICU) admission or death. Multivariable ordinal logistic regression analysis was conducted to determine variables associated with a worse outcome. Results: 165 patients (mean age: 50 ± 15.6 years, 58.2% female) were included. Twenty-four patients (14.5%) recovered under outpatient management, 141 (85.5%) were hospitalized, 49 (30%) required inpatient oxygen support, 22 (13%) were treated in the ICU (17 received invasive mechanic ventilation) and 16 (10%) died. Glucocorticoid use (OR: 4.53, 95%CI 1.65-12.76), chronic kidney disease (OR: 12.8, 95%CI 2.25-103.5), pulmonary disease (OR: 2.66, 95%CI 1.08-6.61) and obesity (OR: 3.7, 95%CI 1.01-13.87) were associated with a worse outcome. Biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) do not seem to affect COVID-19 outcome while conventional synthetic DMARDs may have a protective effect (OR: 0.36, 95%CI 0.17-0.75). Estimates for the associations between IRD diagnoses and outcome were inconclusive. Conclusions: Among IRD patients with COVID-19, comorbidities and glucocorticoid use were associated with a worse outcome, while biologic DMARDs do not seem to be associated with a worse outcome. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: To evaluate the presence of sarcopenia in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method: This cross‐sectional study included 100 patients with RA and 100 gender‐matched healthy individuals. Sarcopenia was assessed by performing tests evaluating muscle strength, muscle mass, and physical performance, using the criteria determined by The European Working Group on Sarcopenia. Sarcopenia is defined as a decrease in muscle strength and muscle mass. On the other hand, presarcopenia is defined as a decrease in muscle strength with a normal muscle mass. Results: The participants comprised of 70 females and 30 males. The frequency of presarcopenia was 35% in the RA group and 9% in the control group (P <.001). Results of handgrip and gait speed tests were lower in the RA group than in the healthy control group (P =.002 and P <.001, respectively). Presarcopenia was seen at higher rates among female and older patients, and patients with longer disease duration. Disease activity scores were higher in patients with presarcopenia than in patients without sarcopenia (P <.05). In multivariate regression analysis for presarcopenia; a statistically significant association was found between handgrip test results and age, gender, and disease activity (P <.001, R2 =.62). Conclusions: Longer disease duration and higher disease activity may provoke the development of sarcopenia due to chronic inflammation in patients with RA. Physicians should be aware of the development of sarcopenia during the course of disease and take into account the preservative and preventive methods against sarcopenia by encouraging them about exercise along with controlling disease activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Behçet's disease (BD) is a relapsing systemic inflammatory disorder. The diagnosis of BD is primarily based on clinical findings. Current biomarkers are not yet sufficient to diagnose and cannot anticipate the course of the disease and response to treatment. The aim of this study was to evaluate the relationship between the thiol-disulfide balance and disease activity and organ involvement in BD.Material and Methods: A hundred fifty patients with BD and 100 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Disease activity was assessed with the BD Current Activity form score. Serum levels of native thiol (NT), total thiol (TT), and disulfide were measured and the disulfide/native thiol, disulfide/total thiol and native thiol/total thiol levels were calculated for the patient and control groups.Results: Native thiol, total thiol, native thiol/total thiol values of the BD patients were significantly lower than those of the control group. The disulfide/native thiol, disulfide/total thiol values of BD patients were higher compared to the control group and the disulfide value of the BD group was slightly higher compared to the control group. No correlation was determined between thiol levels and disease activity and organ involvement in BD.Conclusions: In patients with Behcet's disease, the thiol-disulfide homeostasis balance shifted towards disulfide formation due to thiol oxidation. It may be used as a novel marker in BD because it is easy, practical, fully automated and relatively inexpensive. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aim: The aims of the study are to investigate serum neopterin and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) levels in patients with immunoglobulin A vasculitis (IgAV) and evaluate the association of these markers with disease activity and relapse. Method: Thirty‐four consecutive adult patients (24 male and 10 female) admitted to the rheumatology clinic and met the IgAV American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria were enrolled in this cross‐sectional study. Demographic and clinical features of IgAV and a control group were recorded into a predefined protocol. Disease activity was categorized as "remission" or "active" according to Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS). BVAS ≥ 1 was accepted as "active". Serum neopterin levels, high‐sensitivity C‐reactive protein (hsCRP) and IMA were evaluated according to BVAS and compared to the healthy control group. Results: Serum median (interquartile range) neopterin, IMA levels and hsCRP were higher in the study group than in control group (2.01 [12.5] ng/mL vs 1.77 [1.37] ng/mL, 0.67 [0.2] ng/mL vs. 0.43 [0.17] ng/mL, 5.6 [17.1] mg/L vs. 1.55 [1.6] mg/L, P = .095, P < .001 and P = .002, respectively). When evaluated according to BVAS, IMA and hsCRP levels were significantly higher in the group with active disease (0.77 [0.12] vs 0.61 [0.13] and 14.85 [4.6], P = .009 and P = .03, respectively). Serum neopterin levels were significantly higher in the active group compared to BVAS (18.95 [32.36] vs 1.63 [1.48], P < .001). Conclusion: Oxidative stress is important in IgAV pathogenesis. Roles of hsCRP, neopterin and IMA as potential markers of diagnosis and disease activity seem to be worth studying in future studies with larger study groups. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: Behçet's disease (BD) is a type of systemic vasculitis and inflammatory disease of unknown etiology, which is associated with fatigue and lower quality of life (QoL). The aim of this study was to assess the relationship between Behçet's Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF) and Behçet's Disease Quality of Life (BDQoL), depression, anxiety and fatigue in Behçet's disease. Methods: We conducted a cross‐sectional study of 155 BD patients and 107 healthy subjects in a single center over a 1 year period. All participants completed the Multidimensional Assessment of Fatigue (MAF) questionnaire, and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression (HADS) scale. Disease activity in the BD patients was assessed using the BDCAF, and the physician's global assessment (PGA). BD patients also completed the BDQoL questionnaire. Results: There was no significant difference in age and gender between the groups. BD patients had significantly higher HADS‐anxiety (HADS‐A), HADS‐depression (HADS‐D) and MAF scores than the healthy control group (P < 0.05). BD patients with active disease had significantly higher MAF and HADS‐A scores compared to inactive BD patients (P < 0.05). MAF scores showed positive correlations with HADS‐A, HADS‐D, BDCAF and BDQoL. Conclusions: Fatigue and anxiety are common in clinically active BD patients compared with healthy control subjects and inactive BD patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Behçet's disease (BD) is a complex multisystemic inflammatory disorder which is characterized by recurrent attacks of acute inflammation. As there is no universally recognized pathognomonic laboratory marker of BD, its diagnosis is still based on clinical findings. Aim: To evaluate the role of calprotectin and ischemia modified albumin (IMA) as biomarkers in the assessment of disease activity of BD. Material and methods: A total of 93 patients with BD and 62 age- and gender-matched healthy controls were included in the study. Disease activity was assessed with the BD Current Activity Form (BDCAF) score. Serum levels of calprotectin, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP) and IMA were measured in the patient and control groups. Results: Serum levels of calprotectin, IMA and hsCRP in patients with BD were higher than those of the healthy control group (p < 0.001 for all). No correlations between calprotectin and IMA, hsCRP, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, CRP, or BDCAF score were found. Conclusions: As the calprotectin level are increased in BD patients, it could be a candidate biomarker which plays a role in BD pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Fatigue is a symptom that affects the 40-80% of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and impairs the quality of life. The aim of this study was to assess multidimensional fatigue scales, the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Multidimensional Questionnaire (BRAF-MDQ) and the Bristol Rheumatoid Arthritis Fatigue Numerical Rating Scale (BRAF-NRS) and to evaluate their relationship with disease activity in Turkish RA patients. The study included 180 patients with RA. The Disease Activity Score (DAS28), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) were used to evaluate disease activity. The participants comprised of 142 females and 38 males. The mean ± standard deviations of DAS28, CDAI, and SDAI were 3 ± 1.24, 9.51 ± 7.96, and 10.5 ± 8.38 respectively. All scales except the emotional subscale were correlated with disease activity. The emotional subscale correlated with CDAI and SDAI but not with DAS28. The results of the study indicated that fatigue and disease activity were correlated. Fatigue is a symptom that impairs the quality of life but it can be easily coped with by controlling disease activity. Thus, it should be assessed in a multidimensional perspective. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare, chronic, inflammatory disorder characterized by multisystemic vasculitis including mucocutaneous, neurologic, and ophthalmic involvement. Our aim is to compare vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and soluble vascular endothelial growth factor receptor-1 (sVEGFR-1) levels in BD, among the patients having or not having organ involvement, disease activation and especially vascular involvement. Fifty-five patients with BD, 25 of which were accompanied by vascular involvement, and 31 control subjects were included in the study. Disease activity was assessed with the Turkish version of Behçet Disease Current Activity Form (BDCAF) and active vasculitis lesions at the time of study were recorded. Age at diagnosis was 32.2 ± 4.6, while the mean duration of BD was 96.3 (72.3) months. The median for BDCAF score was 2.0 (range 0, 3.0), and 29 (52%) of patients had active BD. The serum VEGF and sVEGFR-1 levels in patients with BD were significantly higher than that in controls [(298 (338.5) pg/mL; 93 (93.5) pg/mL in patients and 136.2 (73) pg/mL; 56.5 (48.5) pg/mL in controls, respectively, p < .001 for both values] while difference in VEGF/sVEGFR-1 ratio was obtained close to borderline of significance (p = .03). Our study is the first report indicating elevated serum VEGF, sVEGFR-1, and more importantly VEGF/sVEGFR-1 ratio could play an important role in the development of trombosis in BD. VEGF and/or sVEGFR-1 should not be evaluated independently in the same patient group and the ratio of these two parameters is a more important indicator, especially in the evaluation of BD especially with vascular involvement together with the duration of disease. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]