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Objectives: This study aimed to evaluate the frequency of fibromyalgianess, fibromyalgia syndrome (FS), and widespread pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and their relationship with clinical and demographic parameters. Patients and methods: This cross-sectional multicenter trial was performed in 14 centers across Türkiye between June 2018 and November 2019. Out of 685 patients recruited from the accessible population, 661 patients (342 RA, 319 AS; 264 males, 397 females; mean age: 48.1±12.9 years; range, 17 to 88 years) met the selection criteria. In these cohorts, those who did not meet the criteria for FS and had widespread pain (widespread pain index =7) were evaluated as a separate group. Clinical status and demographic parameters of patients in both cohorts were evaluated as well as the evaluations of RA and AS patients with widespread pain (widespread pain index =7) and RA and AS patients with FS groups. In addition, correlations between polysymptomatic distress scale (PSD) scores and Visual Analog Scale (VAS), Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI), Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI), and Disease Activity Score using 28 joint counts for RA patients and VAS, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) for AS patients were analyzed. Results: Frequencies of patients with FS and patients who had PSD scores =12 were 34.1% and 44.4% in all RA patients, respectively. Moreover, FS and PSD scores =12 were found in 29.2% and 36.9% of all AS patients, respectively. PSD scores of RA patients with FS were higher than all RA patients and RA patients with widespread pain. SDAI and CDAI scores of RA patients with FS were higher than all RA patients and RA patients with widespread pain. Similarly, PSD scores of AS patients with FS were higher than all AS patients and AS patients with widespread pain. ASDAS-erythrocyte sedimentation rate and BASDAI scores of AS patients with FS were found higher than all AS patients and AS patients with widespread pain. Conclusion: Disease activity scores, including pain in RA and AS, were higher in the presence of FS or fibromyalgianess. It may be related to clinical parameters, but cohort studies with long-term follow-up are needed to reveal causality. Additionally, to avoid overtreatment, coexistence of fibromyalgianess should be kept in mind in patients who have inflammatory diseases such as RA and AS, particularly with intractable widespread pain. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: The objective of this study was to investigate the impact of the Coronavirus Disease 2019 (COVID-19) on inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) by comparing them with non-IRD (nIRD) and healthy controls (HC). Materials and Methods: In this cross-sectional study, subjects were screened for contact with COVID-19, new-onset symptoms, and adherence to precautionary measures against COVID-19. The Impact of Event Scale-Revised (IES-R) and Depression Anxiety and Stress Scales (DASS-21) were used to evaluate the psychological effect of the pandemic and health status. Additionally, therapy adherence and clinical characteristics were noted. Results: A total of 279 subjects were recruited (IRD 47.3%; nIRD 29.7%). The number of patients who believed that the risk of COVID-19 increased due to their diseases or received therapy was higher in IRD than nIRD (38.6% vs 7.2%). Maintaining physical distancing was highest in the IRD and lowest in HC (p=0.037). Approximately 40% of the patients discontinued or extended the dose interval of Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitor (TNFi) without obtaining physician's advice. DASS-21 anxiety, depression and stress rates were lowest in IRD. COVID-19 contact history was an independent risk factor for DASS-21 stress and anxiety, while female gender was an independent risk factor for DASS-21 anxiety. Conclusion: Confirmed COVID-19 infection was similar in HC, IRD, and nIRD. HC were substantially more likely to experience mental health issues than other groups. Most patients with IRD discontinued or extended the ongoing treatment without physician's recommendation during the COVID-19 outbreak. Therefore, patient adherence and disease control could be improved through closer monitoring and recognition of early signs of psychological discomfort during the COVID-19 pandemic. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objectives: This study aims to quantitatively assess the profile of the choroidal thickness (ChT) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) using optical coherence tomography (OCT), and to examine whether the posterior eye segment abnormalities in active AS patients are reversible by infliximab therapy. Patients and methods: Thirty-one patients with AS (22 males, 9 females; mean age: 39.6±12.3 years; range, 22 to 68 years) and 24 healthy controls (16 males, 8 females; mean age: 40.8±8.9 years; range, 35 to 61 years) were enrolled between October 2014 and March 2016. Patients' clinical and demographic characteristics were recorded. Using OCT, we performed retinal nerve fiber layer (RNFL) thickness, ganglion cell complex, and ChT measurements in AS patients before and six months after the initiation of infliximab therapy, and in healthy controls. Results: At baseline, patients with AS had higher ChT (mean±standard deviation: 347.5±114.4 µm) compared to healthy controls (322.1±62.8 µm), although this did not reach statistical significance level (p=0.283). At six months after the first measurement, the mean ChT was significantly decreased (under infliximab therapy: 326.5±99.7 µm vs. before: 347.5±114.4 µm, p=0.018) in AS group, while no significant change was observed in the control group (p=0.102). RNFL thickness in the AS group was significantly decreased after six months of treatment with infliximab (p=0.008). Conclusion: By evaluating the posterior eye segment of patients with AS using OCT, this study has demonstrated that active AS patients had higher ChT. The significant reduction in this ChT after infliximab therapy may be mediating the established effective suppressing action of infliximab on uveitis attacks. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

OBJECTIVE: Various cytokine polymorphisms have been associated with genetic risk factors predisposing to Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in different populations. To predict the clinical outcome as well as response to therapy in RA, studies aimed to describe genetic markers. The present study aims to search for polymorphisms of 13 cytokine coding genes in the Eastern Black Sea Region of Turkey. METHODS: DNAs of 49 patients and 96 healthy bone marrow and kidney donors were isolated from peripheral blood samples. Genotyping was performed using the Heidelberg Cytokine Typing Tray kit. PCR products were visualized on an agarose gel, and results were analyzed using the interpretation scheme provided with the kit. Arlequin 3.5 software was used for statistical analysis. RESULTS: No positive association was found between allele frequencies and the disease. However, a negative association was found for the IL-A -889 C allele (p=0.02, OR=0.533, Wald’s 95% CI=0.318–0.893). IL-12 -1188 CC (p=0.01, OR=3.667, Wald’s 95% CI=1.246–10.786), IL-4 -1098 GT (p=0.02, OR=2.405, Wald’s 95% CI=1.129–5.125) genotypes were found positively associated with the RA, while IL-4 -590 CT (p=0.02, OR=0.422, Wald’s 95% CI=0.201–0.886) was found negatively associated with the disease. In addition, IL-6 GG haplotype was found positively associated with the RA (p=0.02, OR=1.880, Wald’s 95% CI=1.086–3.254). CONCLUSION: Our findings suggest that some polymorphisms of the IL-1A, IL-2, IL-4, IL-6 and IL-12 could be responsible for the susceptibility or protective to RA in our study population. Multi-centered and large numbers of subjects containing studies that search for cytokine polymorphisms will gather more information regarding the susceptibility to RA of Turkish patients. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Background/aim: This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of vertebral Hounsfield unit (HU) values on routine contrastenhanced abdominal computed tomography (CT) scans for the assessment of osteoporosis using dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) T-scores as a reference standard. Materials and methods: A total of 111 consecutive patients who underwent contrast-enhanced abdominal CT examination for any indication and DXA within a 6-month period were retrospectively analyzed. The CT attenuation values of trabecular bone in HUs were measured in axial and sagittal planes from lumbar vertebrae 1-4 (L1-L4). The correlation between the DXA T-scores and HU values measured on the CT scans was evaluated by Pearson's correlation test. Areas under the curves (AUCs) were calculated by receiver operating characteristic analysis for diagnostic proficiency, and threshold values were determined. Paired t-test and Bland-Altman plot test were used to evaluate the correlation between axial and sagittal HU values. Results: There was a strong correlation between the DXA T-scores and HU values of all the lumbar vertebrae (P < 0.001). The highest correlation was for the L3 vertebra; L3 was thus chosen for additional analyses. The mean axial and sagittal L3 attenuations were 133.7 HU and 131.9 HU, respectively. The axial measurements were not significantly different from the sagittal measurements, with a mean difference of 1.8 HU (P > 0.05). The L3 axial CT attenuation threshold for 90% sensitivity was 170 HU and that for 90% specificity was 102 HU for distinguishing osteoporosis from osteopenia and normal bone mineral density (BMD). To distinguish the low BMD group from the normal group, the L3 axial CT attenuation threshold for approximately 90% sensitivity was 102 HU and for 90% specificity was 165 HU. Conclusion: The HUs derived from routine contrast-enhanced abdominal CT scans can be used for the evaluation of osteoporosis, without additional radiation exposure and cost. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]