To explore the acceptability of an individualized risk-stratified approach to monitoring for target-organ toxicity in adult patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases established on immune-suppressing treatment(s).

APS is an autoimmune disorder with life-threatening complications that, despite therapeutic advantages, remains associated with thrombotic recurrences and treatment failure. The role of complement activation in APS pathogenesis is increasingly recognized, specifically in obstetric APS. However, its exact role in thrombotic APS and on the severity of the disease is not yet fully elucidated. Further mechanistic studies are needed to delineate the role of complement activation in the various APS clinical manifestations with aim to identify novel markers of disease severity, together with clinical trials to evaluate the efficacy of complement inhibition in APS. This could ultimately improve risk stratification in APS, patient-tailored targeted therapy with complement inhibition identified as an adjunctive treatment. This article reviews current findings and challenges about complement activation in APS, discusses the potential role of platelet-mediated complement activation in this setting and provides an overview of clinical implications and current therapeutics.

Behcet's disease (BD) is a multisystem and multifactorial autoimmune disease characterized by relapsing episodes of oral aphthae, genital ulcers, and ocular and skin lesions. Toll-like receptor 9 (TLR9) has pro-inflammatory roles and its genetic variants might be involved in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases.  METHODS: Two hundred five BD patients and 207 age and sex-matched healthy controls were evaluated for TLR9 single nucleotide polymorphisms - 1486 T/C (rs187084) and + 2848:G/A (rs352140) using polymerase chain reaction-restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP-PCR).

The uptake and safety of pneumococcal vaccination in people with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) is poorly understood. We investigated the UK-wide pneumococcal vaccine uptake in adults with IMIDs and explored the association between vaccination and IMID flare.

To assess the infant risk of major congenital malformations (MCM) associated with first-trimester exposure to hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) among mothers with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

The objective of this study was to stratify patients with MCTD, based on their immunophenotype.

To compare physical function in systemic sclerosis (SSc, scleroderma) to general population normative data and identify associated factors.

It is well-known that long-term osteoarthritis prognosis is not improved by corticosteroid treatments. Here we investigate what could underlie this phenomenon by measuring the short term corticosteroid response of osteoarthritic joint synovial macrophages (OA-Mf).

To assess whether prodromal symptoms of RA, as recorded in the Clinical Practice Research Datalink Aurum (CPRD) database of English primary care records, differ by ethnicity and socioeconomic status.

Exercise and physical activity (EPA) are recommended for people with chronic musculoskeletal disease; however, lower levels of engagement with EPA has been consistently reported in people from the South Asian community across a range of diseases. As language can pose a significant barrier in healthcare, this study aimed to understand the enablers and barriers to the acceptance of EPA among non-English speaking South Asian people who attended rheumatology clinics.

To examine disease and target engagement biomarkers in the RISE-SSc trial of riociguat in early diffuse cutaneous systemic sclerosis and their potential to predict the response to treatment.

In SLE, anti-dsDNA can co-occur with autoantibodies against other chromatin components, like histones and nucleosomes. These antibodies induce type-1 interferon production, a hallmark of SLE. We measured ANA sub-specificities and investigated their associations to inflammatory biomarkers including interferon-regulated chemokines.

Individuals positive for anti-cyclic-peptide-antibodies (anti-CCP) and musculoskeletal complaints (MSK-C) are at risk for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study we aimed to investigate factors involved in arthritis progression.

To describe the evidence of methotrexate (MTX) initiation strategies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and, in the case of non-responders, analyse the efficacy and safety of route and dose optimisation.

Sjögren's disease is a heterogenous autoimmune disease with a wide range of symptoms-including dryness, fatigue, and pain-in addition to systemic manifestations and an increased risk of lymphoma. We aimed to identify distinct subgroups of the disease, using cluster analysis based on subjective symptoms and clinical and biological manifestations, and to compare the prognoses of patients in these subgroups.

Despite continuous improvements in anti-rheumatic pharmacological treatment, people with chronic inflammatory arthritis still report substantial disease impact. Based on the framework for complex interventions, we thus developed INSELMA, a novel nurse-coordinated multidisciplinary self-management intervention for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis or axial spondyloarthritis. Based on individual biopsychosocial assessments, a rheumatology nurse facilitated goal setting and coordinated interdisciplinary support. The aim of this study was to explore the patients' experience of participating in the six-months INSELMA intervention.

To introduce and evaluate a simple method for assessing joint inflammation and structural damage on whole-body MRI (WBMRI) in juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), which is usable in clinical practice.

Impella is an advanced ventricular assist device frequently used as a bridge to heart transplantation. The association of Impella with increased rates of gout flares has not been studied. Our primary aim is to determine the rates of gout flares in patients on Impella support.

Osteoarthritis of the knee is a major cause of disability worldwide. Non-operative treatments can reduce the morbidity but adherence is poor. We hypothesised that adherence could be optimised if behavioural change was established in the preoperative period. Therefore, we aimed to assess feasibility, acceptability, and recruitment and retention rates of a preoperative package of non-operative care in patients awaiting knee replacement surgery.