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Background: The role of prolotherapy in the healing process of damaged tissues has been confirmed in patients with degenerative joint disease. Hypertonic dextrose has been introduced as the most common solution in prolotherapy for reducing pain and improving mobility in people with knee osteoarthritis (KOA). This study aimed to compare the KOA patients undergoing hypertonic dextrose prolotherapy (DPT) with the placebo in terms of pain intensity and functional level. Methods: This triple-blind study randomized clinical trial (RCT) was conducted on patients with mild to moderate KOA who were referred to the Rheumatic Diseases Research Center (RDRC), Mashhad University of Medical Sciences, Mashhad, Iran, in the year 2021. Patients were randomly assigned to two groups of the DPT (n = 47) and normal saline placebo prolotherapy (n = 50) intra- and peri-articular knee joints. Treatment was monthly for three months. Western Ontario and McMaster Universities’ Arthritis Index (WOMAC) and Anterior Knee Pain Scale (AKPS) were completed before and after intervention (weeks 0, 4, 8, 12, and 16). The variables were compared between the two study groups at a significance level of less than 0.05 (P < 0.05). Results: The WOMAC score improved significantly compared to the baseline in both groups (P < 0.005). An increase in WOMAC score (the last follow-up compared to baseline) was 97.4% and 85.7% in DPT and placebo groups, respectively (P = 0.06). Before the intervention and also after the first injection, the AKPS score in the normal saline group was significantly better than the dextrose group (P = 0.03). The AKPS score did not differ significantly between the two groups (P > 0.05) in the next two visits and two-month follow-ups. Improvement of AKPS score in the last follow-up compared to baseline was reported in 66.7% and 68.4% of patients in the normal saline group and dextrose group, respectively, (P = 0.86). Conclusion: Prolotherapy as intra- and peri-articular injections of hypertonic dextrose could be used to relieve pain and improve functional status in patients with mild to moderate KOA as much as a placebo does. Although no remarkable difference was observed between dextrose and placebo in the outcomes, the rate of improvement (last follow-up compared to the baseline) was relatively higher in the dextrose group than in the normal saline group. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: The attentive management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has attracted particular attention. The German 7-joint Ultrasound (US-7) is the first scoring system that combines bone erosions and soft tissue lesions in a single composite scoring system. This study aimed to assess the correlation between US-7 and Disease Activity Score Using 28 Joint Counts (DAS28) in clinically active RA patients. The efficacy of a novel ultrasound score-based system, the US-9 score (joints assessed with US-7 plus knees), was also compared with the standard US-7 score. Methods: All the RA patients referred to the outpatient rheumatology clinic of Ghaem Hospital, Mashhad, Iran, during 2019-2020 were included. 28 joints were clinically examined to calculate DAS28. Nine joints were assessed comprising the German US-7 plus knees using grayscale ultrasonography (GSUS) and power Doppler ultrasonography (PDUS). Retrieved data were analyzed by SPSS software, version 22. The Spearman Correlation test was used to find the correlation between DAS28 and ultrasonographic findings. The statistical significance level was set at P<0.05. Results: This study was composed of thirty-five RA patients with a mean age of 49.1±12.0 years. US-7 synovitis scores in GSUS and PDUS were significantly correlated with DAS28 (P=0.02, r=0.38 and P=0.003, r=0.48, respectively). US-9 synovitis scores in GSUS and PDUS were also significantly correlated with DAS28 (P=0.003, r=0.49 and P=0.006, r=0.45, respectively). The synovitis score measured by GSUS was significantly correlated with the GSUS knee synovial score (P=0.01, r=0.42). Conclusion: Ultrasound assessment of large joints such as knees can be an effective approach to determining RA severity. However, it can be proposed that adding more involved joints into the sonographic assessment does not necessarily provide a better clinical correlation. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: As a chronic autoimmune disease, Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) affects the joints. Studies have shown a complex and challenging link between cancer and RA. However, articles claim a significant relationship between cancer and treatment with DMARDs and biological DMARDs (e.g., Abatacept); however, the results are contradictory. Accordingly, this systematic review investigates the prevalence of cancer in RA patients taking Abatacept. Methods: We searched for articles published in four databases, namely Web of Science, Medline, PubMed, and Scopus up to September 29, 2023. The methodology followed recommendations from the Cochrane Handbook. During the search process, we selected articles using keywords such as "rheumatoid arthritis", "malignancy", and "cancer" with the Boolean operators "AND" and "OR"." Results: A total of 12 studies were considered, the majority highlighted the effectiveness of Abatacept as an anti-RA medicine in the risk of cancer prevalence. Most of the patients investigated in the trials were female. Lung cancer was the greatest malignancy in those suffering from RA diseases. However, these investigations found no significant link between Abatacept use and cancer risk. Conclusion: There is speculation regarding the potential use of rheumatoid arthritis drugs in treating RA and its potential association with cancer incidence. According to the findings presented in this review article, there was no statistically significant association between the utilization of Abatacept and the prevalence of cancer in patients who were administered Abatacept either as a standalone treatment or in combination with other anti-rheumatoid medications. However, it is advised that further clinical trials be conducted to thoroughly investigate this association. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aimed to assess the ex vivo impact of Lactobacillus delbrueckii (L. delbrueckii) and Lactobacillus rhamnosus (L. rhamnosus) on inflammatory and anti-inflammatory cytokines as well as their related molecules on the peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs) of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients. Patients and methods: This study was conducted with 20 newly diagnosed SLE patients (18 females, 2 males; mean age: 33.3±12.4 years; range, 18 to 68 years) between September 2017 and September 2018. Extracted PBMCs from each patient were divided into 4 cell groups in our study. Three cell groups act as treatment groups receiving L. rhamnosus (107 CFU/mL), L. delbrueckii (105 CFU/mL) or a mixture of both, and one group act as our untreated control group in the absence of any probiotic agents. All cell groups were cultured in RPMI 1460 medium for 48 h. Then, total RNA was extracted, and cDNA was synthesized. Results: The gene expression levels of forkhead box P3 (FOXP3), transforming growth factor beta (TGF-β), interleukin (IL)-6, IL-10, and IL-2 were evaluated by a quantitative real-time polymerase chain reaction. The results revealed that expression levels of FOXP3, TGF-β, IL-10, and IL-2 increased and the level of IL-6 decreased in probiotics-receiving groups compared to the control group. Lactobacillus delbrueckii and L. rhamnosus enhanced the expression of regulatory T cell-related molecules such as FOXP3 and IL-2 and also increased the expression of IL-10. These probiotics also reduced the expression of IL-6 as proinflammatory cytokines in the PBMCs of SLE patients. Conclusion: The results of the present study show that these probiotics could be effective in regulating the balance of cytokine gene expression ex vivo, and due to their beneficial effects, they can be an intriguing option in the production of new complement drugs for SLE [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Incomprehensive studies have examined the therapeutic and side effects of curcumin on the treatment of debilitating diseases, such as Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA). This study aimed to explore the antiinflammatory effects of curcumin on RA. Materials & Methods: This double-blind clinical trial was carried out on 64 RA patients with an erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR)-Disease Activity Score (DAS)- 28>2.6. The patients were then randomly divided into two groups of intervention and control. In addition to the routine treatment, the intervention group was treated with 80-mg/day capsules of curcumin (nano-micelles). Further, the patients were followed up for three months, and clinical-laboratory examinations were recorded in this study. Results: There was no significant difference between the intervention and control groups regarding the trends of the disease activity indicators, including DAS-28, disability index, physician assessment, and the number of tender joints (P>0.05). Further, a significant difference was found between the two groups in terms of pain score changes and the number of swollen joints. Additionally, the curcumin-treated subjects obtained lower mean pain and fewer swollen joints, compared to those in the control group (P<0.05). Conclusion: The present study revealed that curcumin had no significant therapeutic effects on reducing the activity of RA; however, no significant side effects were observed on the patients, and it also showed its analgesic effect well. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background & Objective: Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disorder that its symptoms could affect all aspects of a patient’s quality of life (QoL).This study aimed to assess the quality of life of SLE patients and compare them with those of healthy individuals. It also attempted to compare the QoL of SLE patients suffering from minor and major organ involvement to that of healthy individuals. Materials & Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted at the Rheumatic Diseases Research Center, Mashhad, Iran, from 2018 to 2019. A total of 280 participants were selected and divided into two groups of patients with SLE (n=139, one of whom was excluded from the case group due to the lack of information.) and healthy controls (n=140). After obtaining the demographic characteristics of the general health, the groups were compared using the 36-Item Short Form Survey (SF36) and the World Health Organization Quality of Life-BREF (WHOQOL-BREF) questionnaire. Results: The mean QoL score was significantly lower in SLE patients, compared to the healthy controls (P<0.001). The total score of QoL was also lower in patients with lung involvement, compared to the healthy controls (P<0.05). Moreover, according to the WHOQOL-BREF, environmental health was lower in patients with lung and skin involvement, compared to the healthy controls (P=0.01). According to the results obtained from the SF-36 questionnaire, the total QoL status was lower in patients with both minor and major organ involvement, compared to the healthy controls (P<0.05). There was also a significant difference between patients with joint involvement and the healthy controls regarding QoL (P=0.02). Conclusion: According to the obtained results, SLE can negatively alter QoL. The severity and activity of the disease in some major organs, including the lung and joints, were associated with reduced QoL. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Glucocorticoid receptor a (GRa) gene is a transcription factor with clinically significant immune-modulating properties in various autoimmune diseases. However, the expression pattern of the GRa gene and associations with clinical features in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is controversial. This study aimed to assess the correlation between the GRa expression and different clinical and laboratory-related parameters in SLE patients. Methods: A total of 45 women with newly diagnosed SLE and 31 gender and agematched healthy controls were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. The real-time quantitative PCR (qRT-PCT) method evaluated the differences in GRa expression in peripheral blood mononuclear cells from cases and controls. The correlation between the GRa gene expression levels, clinicolaboratory features, and potential prognostic application was also analyzed. Results: Compared to the healthy individuals, the GRa gene expression in newly diagnosed SLE patients who did not receive any treatment was numerically reduced, but this reduction did not achieve statistical significance (P=0.87). No significant correlation was also found with the activity and severity of SLE according to SLEDAI2K (P=0.41). The GRa gene expression showed a negative correlation with CRP (P=0.034) and a positive correlation with lupus anticoagulant (P=0.039) levels in SLE. The receiver operating characteristic (ROC) curve analysis indicated that the GRa expression level might be a predictor biomarker for low CRP and positive lupus anticoagulant in SLE, respectively. Conclusion: This study proposed that expression of the GRa in newly diagnosed lupus patients has no statistically significant difference with healthy age and sex-matched controls. Besides, its expression does not correlate with lupus disease activity according to SLEDAI2k. However, further studies in this area are required. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: Health care systems all over the world face numerous challenges as a result of the rapid spread of the COVID-19 virus that has resulted in increased mortality rates. About 40% of ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients were not severely ill at the time of admission. Thus, by using appropriate ICU admission predictors, clinicians can identify potential critical patients early on. It can also result in suitable resource allocation and consideration for these patients. Therefore, the current study was done with the aim of identifying clinical characteristics and laboratory data that could predict ICU admission in cases with COVID-19. Methods: This two-center retrospective observational study was done in Imam Reza and Ghaem Hospitals, Mashhad, Iran. Overall, 334 COVID-19 patients who referred to these hospitals from February to May 2020 were enrolled in this study. The participants were separated into two groups according to ICU admission status. All demographic, clinical, and paraclinical information were extracted from the medical records of the patients. Results: The present study composed of 88 ICU and 246 non-ICU-admitted COVID-19 patients. No significant differences were found in age between the two groups of patients (P=0.154). Multivariate regression analysis revealed that higher levels of CRP (OR=1.01, 95%CI 1.001-1.010, P=0.016), WBC (OR=1.11, 95% CI 1.01-1.22, P=0.03), and HRCT scores (OR=1.08, 95%CI=1.01-1.16, P=0.037) were linked to higher odds of ICU admission. Conclusion: This study suggests that higher levels of CRP, WBC, and LDH, as well as the HRCT score at the time of admission, were potential independent predictors of ICU admission during inpatient treatment in COVID-19 patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Pain is one of the most challenging symptoms in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthropathies (SpAs), and pain relief is one of the top priorities for improving health-related quality of life. When medication therapy does not significantly reduce pain, chronic opioid consumption becomes more prominent in such patients. This study aimed to evaluate the state of opioid use in RA and SpA patients. Methods: This cross-sectional study was performed on 316 patients with RA and spondyloarthropathies (SpAs) from January to March 2014. The convenience sampling method was used to select the participants, and by obtaining verbal consent, everyone was given 15 minutes to complete a checklist independently. Demographic and opioid use data were evaluated in terms of opioid use and its predictors. In this regard, univariate and multivariate logistic regressions were used to evaluate the predictors of opioid consumption in patients. All analyses were conducted using SPSS 21 and the significance level was set at P < 0.05. Findings: About 9.5% of all participants, including 8.8% of RA and 22.6% of SpA cases, were opioid abusers. In the first step of the analysis, it was observed that opioid abuse was significantly higher in men, married participants, urban residents, patients with no biological therapy, and patients with a negative family history of addiction. The most prevalent ways of drug abuse were smoking and ingestion. The results of univariate logistic regression analysis revealed SpA and other factors significantly increase the chance of opioid abuse. Furthermore, multivariate logistic regression analysis showed male gender (OR = 10.4) and negative family history of addiction (OR = 3.19) significantly affected addiction in RA and SpA patients with a 95% confidence interval. Conclusion: Lack of suitable responsiveness to medication therapy to relieve pain, inconsistent pain evaluation, and shame of asking direct questions about addiction in RA and SpA patients may lead to opioid consumption in some cases. Seronegative SpA may make patients more prone to addiction. However, in this study, male gender and no family history of addiction were related to opioid abuse. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Introduction: During the SARS-CoV-2 virus pandemic, immunosuppressive agents in treating chronic disease have become a concern, and rheumatic patients are not an exception. The controversies about the deteriorating effects of such medications led this study to evaluate the influence of biologic and conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) on the incidence of COVID-19 infection in rheumatic patients. Material and methods: In the present cohort-analytical study, 512 patients with rheumatic diseases were enrolled during the COVID-19 pandemic (2020-2021). The incidence of COVID-19 infection was diagnosed according to the definition of the Iranian Ministry of Health. The frequency of COVID-19 infection in patients treated with biological and conventional DMARDs and glucocorticosteroids were compared. Results: Among 512 rheumatic patients, 19.9% were definitely infected with COVID-19, and 23.3% of infected patients were hospitalized. Only one patient with vasculitis died during the two outbreaks. Our study showed that adding biologic DMARDs to conventional DMARDs did not increase the risk of COVID-19 infection. However, unlike biologic DMARDs, in conventional DMARDs, methotrexate increased, and hydroxychloroquine decreased COVID-19 infection. Regression analysis showed that prednisolone at a dosage higher than 10 mg/day increased the risk of COVID-19 infection 5-fold; hydroxychloroquine had a protective impact and reduced the risk of infection by 40%. Conclusions: Biologic DMARDs and the type of selected rheumatic diseases in our study did not in- fluence the susceptibility to COVID-19 infection. Prednisolone raised the coronavirus infection, and hydroxychloroquine played a protective role in the current study. Most of our patients showed good adherence to the health protocols. Further studies after worldwide vaccination are now required to reevaluate the influence of rheumatic diseases and DMARDs on COVID-19 infection. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The heterogeneity in systemic lupus erythematosus research topics poses a challenge for the entire lupus community, from basic geneticists to clinical investigators. As such, it is critical for medical professionals to remain up to date on directions in lupus research and the main fields in which this research is being conducted (e.g., etiology, diagnosis, treatment, and outcomes). This article develops two multi-label text-classification models using Deep Neural Networks and Convolutional Neural Networks to classify the human-based adult-onset lupus–related articles in the PubMed database based on their abstract, keywords, and MeSH terms. During training evaluation, our models correctly indicated all relevant labels for 70% of the articles. The applied machine learning models (Deep Neural Network and Convolutional Neural Network) yielded a Micro-F1 score of 0.89, meaning that it successfully labeled the most relevant medical domains and types. In addition, these types of studies help the researchers be aware of the essential topics in this field, but due to difficulties in designing, the related studies are ignored or fade. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background: Systemic lupus erythematous (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are autoimmune diseases in which the antigen-antibody system plays an important role. As blood group and Rh are determined by the presence or absence of antigens on the surface of red blood cells (RBCs), we aimed to determine the distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups in SLE and RA patients and its association with disease manifestations. Methods: This short communication is based on a study that was conducted on 434 SLE and 828 RA patients. We evaluated the distribution of ABO and Rh blood groups in RA and SLE patients. Results: This study projected that in lupus patients, Coombs-positive autoimmune hemolytic anemia and arthritis were more common among the B blood type and Rh-positive group, respectively. Furthermore, there was no relation between ABO and Rh blood group and rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide (anti-CCP) seropositivity. Moreover, there was no difference in distribution of blood groups in RA and SLE patients. Conclusion: The higher frequency of blood group B in hemolytic anemia, and positive Rh in arthritis in lupus patients, develop the hypothesis of probable role of ABO blood group antigen in some manifestations of lupus. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Redox state and immune mechanisms are two major factors implicated in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Regarding some limitations of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody in RA diagnosis, recruiting another strong marker of oxidative stress could lead to more definitive diagnosis. To evaluate the potential of protein carbonyl content as a supplementary biomarker for RA. Eighty patients with RA attending the Research Center from 2015 to 2016 were recruited in this study. Smoker and alcoholic subjects, or those with any other systemic illness were excluded from the study. Demographic information and clinical data were collected. Numbers of swollen and tender joints were determined and RA disease activity was assessed. Serum samples were used for assessing protein carbonyl level, platelet count, and anti-CCP antibody values. Statistical analyses for significant differences were performed according to parametric (Student t test) and nonparametric (Mann–Whitney test) tests. The correlation was determined by Pearson coefficient. There was a significant correlation between protein carbonyl levels and anti-CCP antibodies in active RA (p value = 0.01), but not in remission phase (p value = 0.28). A significant positive correlation was observed between protein carbonyl levels and platelets count in active RA (p value = 0.001), but not in remission phase (p value = 0.85). Protein carbonyl could be considered as a future cost-effective supplementary biomarker, alongside anti-CCP antibody, in active RA diagnosis as it showed a significant positive correlation with anti-CCP antibody and platelet, two major mediators in the disease pathogenesis. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to review the studies evaluating the therapeutic effects of rivaroxaban versus those of warfarin in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). Materials and methods: The study included randomized clinical trials, comparative studies, cross-sectional investigations, and case series that focused on the effects of warfarin and rivaroxaban and compared the effects of these anticoagulants in patients with APS. The relevant articles published until 2018 were searched in several databases, including PubMed, Scopus, ScienceDirect, Google Scholar, Embase, and Web of Science. Results: The findings of the reviewed studies showed that rivaroxaban can be used as an effective and safe alternative to warfarin in APS patients. However, the effectiveness of rivaroxaban in the prevention of thrombosis in high-risk APS patients is suspected. Conclusion: Given the high risk of using rivaroxaban in thrombotic APS patients with labile international normalized ratio (INR) or poor adherence to INR monitoring, it is not suggested to use this agent for these patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The present study aimed to determine the relationship between the serum hepcidin level and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: This study was conducted on 80 patients with RA (36 cases with anemia of chronic disease [ACD] and 44 patients without ACD). Disease activity was measured by the 28-joint Disease Activity Score based on the erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR). According to the DAS28-ESR score, 52 and 28 cases were categorized as inactive to moderately active RA (DAS28-ESR=5.1) and highly active RA (DAS28-ESR>5.1), respectively. In addition, the serum hepcidin level was evaluated in all patients to determine its correlation with the DAS28-ESR score. Results: There was no significant difference between the RA with ACD and RA without ACD groups in terms of the median (interquartile range) hepcidin level (1207 [985.2] vs. 923.8 [677.3] ng/mL; P=0.57). Likewise, no significant difference was observed between the active RA and inactive to moderately active RA groups in this regard (1131.8 [991.3] vs. 1090.9 [631.4] ng/mL; P=0.53). Conclusion: Hepcidin has no association with disease activity in RA. Therefore, it is not necessary to measure hepcidin to determine the RA activity. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The aim of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of acceptance and commitment therapy (ACT) in the reduction of disappointment, psychological distress, and psychasthenia among patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Method: This quasi-experimental study was conducted on 24 females with lupus who referred to the Rheumatoid Disease Research Center (RDRC) of Ghaem hospital in Mashhad, Iran. This study had a pretest-posttest control group design. The participants were randomly assigned into 2 groups of experimental and control. The experimental group was treated with ACT. Data were collected using the Beck's Hopelessness Scale, Kessler's Psychological Distress Inventory, and Krupp's Psychasthenia Inventory. Results: Mean age and mean duration of illness were 37.25±4.61 and 5.12±2.33 years, respectively. The mean disappointment score and psychological distress in the experimental group were lower compared to those in control group at the post experimental stage (P<0.001). Moreover, there was a significant difference between the experimental and control groups in the mean scores of psychasthenia in the posttest stage (P<0.001 ). Conclusion: According to the obtained results of this study, the enhancement of psychological flexibility based on ACT positively affected disappointment, psychological distress, and psychasthenia among the lupus patients. Therefore, it can be concluded that this therapeutic approach could reduce psychasthenia in patients through clarification of the values. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: One of the most important long-term side effects of therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the elevation of liver function tests, with earlier studies reporting an elevation of more than 1× the upper limit of normal (>1 × ULN). The current study expands the literature by comparing the trends of transaminase changes caused by conventional and biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs).Patients and Methods: The drug categories examined were methotrexate (MTX) and all other nonbiologic DMARDs. Where RA patients exhibited inadequate response to conventional DMARDs (cDMARDs), we added biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) to the treatment. We compared the trend of changes in alanine aminotransferase (ALT) and aspartate aminotransferase (AST) in the patients receiving MTX with the trend observed in the patients whose treatment encompassed both bDMARDs and MTX. The comparison was conducted using random intercept models, which are a type of linear mixed effects model.Results: This work involved 512 RA patients (MTX: 450, MTX + infliximab [INF]: 26, MTX + etanercept [ETA]: 36), whose ALT and/or AST levels were measured in 1,786 visits (MTX: 1,543, MTX + INF: 107, MTX + ETA: 136). ALT and/or AST elevations greater than 1 × ULN were observed in 344 (19.3%) visits (MTX: 295 [19.1%], MTX + INF/ETA: 49 [20.2%]). In this study, the trends of ALT and AST changes increased when receiving MTX, while the INF/ETA addition decreased these trends. The random intercept models indicated that changes in the mean ALT levels were significantly different over the time for MTX and MTX + INF/ETA groups (β [SE] =-0.190 [0.093], P= 0.040) but changes in the mean AST levels were nonsignificantly different over the time for such groups (β [SE] =-0.099 [0.064], P=0.120).Conclusion: Despite a higher incidence of elevated transaminases during the use of MTX + INF/ETA, the combination of INF/ETA with MTX reduced transaminase levels and returned ALT levels to normal concentrations. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Aim: Sarcoidosis is an autoimmune multiorgan granulomatosis disease with unknown origin. Some environmental factors such as viruses may induce the disease in genetically susceptible individuals. Human T cell lymphotropic virus type 1 (HTLV‐1) can dysregulate the human immune system and the role of this virus in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases has been investigated and documented, such as in uveitis. In this study, we have focused on the seroprevalence of HTLV‐1 in sarcoidosis in comparison to the normal population in the northeast of Iran, an endemic area for HTLV‐1. Methods: This cross‐sectional study enrolled 125 patients with established sarcoidosis to evaluate the frequency of HTLV‐1 and compare it with the normal population of Mashhad, Iran. Participants’ blood samples were analyzed for HTLV‐1 antibody by an enzyme‐linked immunosorbent assay kit. Positive results were confirmed by polymerase chain reaction method. Finally, data were analyzed using SPSS 11. Results: Among sarcoidosis patients 106 (84.8%) patients had a history of acute course and 19 (15.2%) had chronic sarcoidosis. Four percent of the patients versus 2.12% of the Mashhad population were HTLV‐1 positive with no statistical difference (P = 0.201). In age‐ and sex‐matched selected controls, 3.6% were HTLV‐1 positive again with no statistical difference by sarcoidosis group (P = 0.52). There was no statistical difference between arthritis, erythema nodusom, uveitis, constitutional symptoms, abnormal chest radiography (parahilar lymphadenopathy) and computed tomography scan findings, respiratory symptoms, sex, the course of the sarcoidosis in HTLV‐1 positive and negative sarcoidosis patients. Conclusion: The frequency of HTLV‐1 in 125 sarcoidosis patients was 4%. In comparison with prevalence of HTLV‐1 in Mashhad, HTLV‐1 seroprevalence did not show any significant difference. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Autoimmune diseases are characterized by the attack of the immune system to normal tissues. Patients with autoimmune diseases usually have the deficiency of dietary factors that may be related to the etiology of these conditions. Given the role of vitamin E as a physiologic stabilizer of lysosomal membranes, its deficiency can initiate the process of autoimmune diseases or accelerate its progress. It is supposed that vitamin E could reduce oxidative stress, which is an important factor in the pathogenesis of autoimmune diseases. The literature review is indicative of a decrease in the serum levels of vitamin E in almost all autoimmune diseases. Furthermore, there is evidence regarding the possible therapeutic value of vitamin E in the management of autoimmune diseases. Owing to the anti-inflammatory and protective effect of vitamin E against free radicals, and also its important effect on cytokines levels, this vitamin may play a powerful role in the prevention and treatment of rheumatoid arthritis, as well as joint inflammation and damage. Moreover, increased vitamin E intake might decrease the incidence and severity of certain autoimmune diseases through the regulation of the immune system. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective(s): Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease with a wide range of clinical manifestations. Cognitive dysfunction is one of the manifestations that could present prior to the emergence of any other neuropsychiatric involvements in SLE. Cognitive dysfunction is a subtle condition occurring with a high frequency. However, there is no data on the correlation of cognitive dysfunction with central nervous system (CNS) imaging findings, in particular single-photon emission computed tomography scan (SPECT) and functional MRI. We decided to perform a systematic review of brain SPECT and fMRI in SLE patients with cognitive dysfunction. Methods: PubMed, Scopus, and Google Scholar databases were searched until April 2017 with the following keywords: "SLE OR systemic lupus erythematous OR lupus" AND "functional MRI OR functional magnetic resonance imaging OR fMRI OR SPECT or SCAN". A total of 1,767articles were found. Two rheumatologists reviewed the articles and finally 14 articles were selected for the final systematic review. Results: The fMRI and SPECT imaging techniques could provide valuable information regarding the SLE patients with cognitive dysfunction at the early stages of the disease. Conclusion: Brain SPECT scan and fMRI are used as functional imaging tools in SLE. Both of these diagnostic modalities are sensitive in reflecting the subtle brain damages in SLE patients with cognitive dysfunction. Brain fMRI and SPECT scan could be significantly beneficial in the diagnosis and initial management of cognitive dysfunction in SLE. Nevertheless, prospective studies could be useful in confirming the application of these diagnostic modalities in the clinical setting. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]