Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is the most prevalent chronic rheumatic disease in children, primarily affecting the joints but also influencing various organ systems, including the endocrine system. The interplay between JIA and endocrine dysfunctions remains an area of growing interest, as autoimmune and inflammatory mechanisms may contribute to the development of comorbid conditions. This review explores genetic markers associated with both JIA and endocrine disorders, the role of immune system dysregulation, and the impact of disease-modifying therapies on hormonal function. Additionally, the effects of chronic inflammation on endocrine homeostasis and metabolic regulation are discussed. Particular attention is given to conditions such as type 1 diabetes, Hashimoto's thyroiditis, and Cushing's syndrome, which may either precede JIA, arise as complications, or be exacerbated by its treatment. Effective JIA management requires an understanding of these mechanisms and a multidisciplinary approach.

Previous research has explored the uncertain association between metabolic syndrome (MetS) and bone mineral density (BMD). The objective of this study was to determine the prevalence of MetS in postmenopausal Moroccan women with osteoporosis and to examine the relationship between MetS, BMD, and bone turnover markers among this sample.

Behçet's disease (BD) presents with highly variable clinical manifestations and a heterogeneous pattern of symptom development. This study aimed to assess the chronology of symptom onset and clinical findings in BD patients at a nationally recognized Behçet's referral center and to examine associations between symptom progression and patient- and disease-related characteristics.

Biological treatments are indicated in familial Mediterranean fever (FMF) patients with colchicine resistance or intolerance. Interleukin-1 (IL-1) inhibitors may not yield sufficient efficacy and safety. Interleukin-6 inhibitors (tocilizumab - TCZ) have been suggested to be potentially beneficial. This systematic literature review aimed to evaluate the existing data on the efficacy and safety of IL-6 inhibitors in the treatment of FMF.

Biologic treatments have demonstrated increasing benefits for cardiovascular health in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including reductions in myocardial infarction risk factors, atherosclerosis progression, and the incidence of heart failure. This study aimed to compare treatment options: one combination of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (adalimumab, etanercept) with methotrexate (MTX) and second treatment with anti-interleukin-6 (tocilizumab) - to determine whether cardiovascular effects are driven primarily by disease activity reduction or through distinct effects based on the mechanism of action. Moreover, we aimed to assess the influence of treatment on heart structure.

This study aimed to evaluate the readability, quality, reliability, similarity, and length of texts generated by ChatGPT on common rheumatic diseases and compare their content with American College of Rheumatology (ACR) patient education fact sheets.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare disorder characterized by eosinophil-rich inflammation and systemic necrotizing vasculitis affecting small to medium-sized vessels. The pathogenesis of EGPA is complex, involving both eosinophilic and vasculitic mechanisms, which contribute to a wide array of clinical manifestations. Treatment strategies primarily focus on immunosuppression, including glucocorticosteroids and biologic agents targeting eosinophils, to manage the diverse manifestations and improve patient outcomes. The authors reviewed the MEDLINE and PubMed databases to provide an updated overview of the pathogenetic mechanisms and current therapeutic strategies for the management of EGPA. We emphasize the diverse pathogenetic mechanisms underlying EGPA, focusing on both eosinophilic and vasculitic phenotypes. Additionally, we highlight contemporary therapeutic strategies, particularly the use of biologic agents targeting eosinophils, which represent a significant advancement in the management of the disease.

This study evaluated the efficacy and safety of anifrolumab (ANF) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) presenting with severe manifestations such as neuropsychiatric SLE (neuro-SLE), lupus nephritis, and antiphospholipid syndrome-associated SLE (APS-SLE), based on real-world clinical practice at a single center in Poland. This study is a retrospective analysis of patients with severe SLE who failed to achieve remission following previous immunosuppressive treatment and were subsequently started on ANF therapy.

Non-adherence to medicine results in poor disease control and increased morbidity. We determined the prevalence of treatment adherence and its associated factors in Kurdish patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Kurdistan Region. Disease severity was classified as mild (20%), moderate (46%), and severe (35%). Of the patients, 53% had other chronic diseases. Fifty-four percent always took their medications, 27% most of the time, and 17% sometimes. The study found that 38% experienced some side effects and found managing the medication schedule easy (52%) or very easy (34%). The patients reported that 30% missed a dose of medication, with the frequency of missed doses being rare (60%), occasional (16%), or frequent (24%). Sixty percent had regular access to medications. The barriers were the cost (78%) and availability of medications (27%), and side effects were reported to be significant barriers to adherence (26%). This study showed that the RA patients had high adherence to the treatment, with a high satisfaction rate.

Individuals with clinically suspect arthralgia (CSA, EULAR definition) are at increased risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and early therapeutic intervention may delay or prevent progression. However, improved identification of likely progressors is needed to avoid unnecessary treatment. CD4+CXCR5+PD-1hi follicular helper (Tfh) and CD4+CXCR5-PD-1hi peripheral helper (Tph) T cells are implicated in RA pathogenesis. Notably, Tfh associate with favourable responses to co-stimulation blockade. Profiling these subsets in CSA could enhance our understanding of the RA preclinical phase, help identify progressors and select targeted therapies. Our objective was to assess circulating Tfh (cTfh) and Tph (cTph) cell frequencies in CSA.

Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) is the second most frequent inflammatory rheumatic disease in older adults, after rheumatoid arthritis. Recommendations for the management of PMR, developed by the German, Austrian and Swiss societies of rheumatology and other organizations were published in 2018.

Inflammatory arthritis refers to a group of related clinical entities marked mainly by inflammation of the joints, the spine, or both. Rheumatoid arthritis and spondyloarthritis (which includes psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis) are the most common forms of inflammatory arthritis. As more studies are conducted, there are accumulating data suggesting the elevated risk of skin cancer, including both melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer, in inflammatory arthritis compared with the general population. In this context, the question of whether screening for skin cancer should be recommended in individuals with inflammatory arthritis is more relevant than ever. In this Review, we discuss the current knowledge on the risk and possible associations of melanoma and non-melanoma skin cancer in inflammatory arthritis with the aim of raising awareness within the rheumatology community about the risk of skin cancer, screening, and guidance.

Physical activity is internationally recommended as an effective component of inflammatory arthritis (IA) care. It contributes to managing IA symptoms, enhancing quality of life, and reducing cardiovascular disease risk. However, many individuals with IA are insufficiently active to realize these multi-faceted benefits. Supporting physical activity behavior change remains a major challenge within IA care. Therefore, we conducted an umbrella review to understand current evidence on: (1) physical activity levels and associated patient characteristics, (2) barriers and facilitators, and (3) effectiveness and characteristics of physical activity behavior change interventions.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a painful disorder of the synovial joints characterized by dysfunctional cellular metabolism and extracellular matrix degradation that activates maladaptive repair responses, including pro-inflammatory pathways of innate immunity. OA has historically been viewed as an unavoidable consequence of ageing owing to wear-and-tear of the joint. Most strategies to mitigate OA have primarily focused on the articular cartilage and, more recently, other specific joint tissues, which limits understanding of OA as a systemic disease beyond the joint. Preclinical and clinical data support a paradigm shift in understanding OA as a disease of the whole person, focusing on changes throughout the body that both promote and are caused by OA. This shift provides novel insights into why preclinical research findings have not been successfully translated into clinical therapies. Moreover, a viable strategy for OA drug development could be to treat pain separately from OA structural damage. Challenging classically held views that lack evidence or have been disproven is required for progress. We explore some key emerging questions that should be carefully considered in future OA studies. Adapting and integrating new technologies, techniques, and tools into the rapidly evolving understanding of OA could lead to the development of drugs that might not only treat OA but also provide mechanistic insight into other conditions that result from the dysregulation of systemic factors or from the communication breakdown in inter-organ crosstalk. Such developments would reposition OA researchers from adapting approaches from other fields of science and medicine to leaders in the fight against chronic disease.

The role of autoantibody-producing B cells in connective tissue diseases (CTD) has recently been highlighted by the successful treatment with CD19-targeting CAR T cells. Detrimental effects of autoantibodies are linked to the formation of deposited IgG complexes and the activation of immune cells via Fcγ receptors (FcγRs). The role of circulating immune complexes (cICs) as a link between adaptive and innate immunity has remained understudied. Clinical testing of cICs has been hindered by the lack of reliable detection methods. The aim of this study was to determine the potential of IgG-containing cICs to activate FcγRs (their bioactivity) using a new detection method.

Insulin resistance (IR) is frequently observed and associated with complications of cardiovascular disease among the RA population. Triglyceride-glucose (TyG)-related indexes, serving as surrogates for assessing IR, have been significantly associated with mortality in some chronic diseases. However, their prognostic roles in the RA population have not been validated to date.