December 2022 to March 2023
Authors: Daliya Pencheva and Cathy Melong
Lao et al (doi.org/10.1186/s13075-023-02995-y) evaluated the safety, efficacy, and maternal and fetal outcomes of assisted reproductive therapy (ART) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in a total of 322 ART cycles in 142 women, using SLE patients (pts) with natural pregnancy as controls. 66 intrauterine pregnancies out of 72 clinical pregnancies yielded 65 live infants. The leading maternal adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs) were premature delivery (21/66, 31.8%), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) (15/66, 22.7%), and disease flares (10/66, 15.2%). The incidence of APOs did not increase in patients with ART compared with planned pregnancy and reduced significantly compared with an unplanned pregnancy.
Lin et al (doi.org/10.1186/s13075-023-02999-8) investigated the subsequent risk of SLE in patients with Hashimoto’s thyroiditis (HT) in a retrospective study using the Taiwan National Health Insurance Research Database, including 15,512 HT patients and 31,024 control participants. The authors found HT was associated with higher incidence rates of SLE (incidence rate ratio [IRR], 3.58; 95% CI, 2.43-5.28; p<.01).
Monjo-Henry et al (doi.org/10.1186/s13075-023-03002-0) determined the diagnostic discriminant validity between large vessel giant cell arteritis (LV-GCA) and atherosclerosis using ultrasound (US) intima-media thickness (IMT) measurements in 44 pts with LV-GCA and 42 with high-risk atherosclerosis. The mean IMT values of all arteries included were significantly higher in LV-GCA than in atherosclerosis, with the proposed US halo count achieving an accuracy of > 95% for a differential diagnosis.
In the Swiss Clinical Quality Management cohort, Popova et al (doi.org/10.1186/s13075-023-03026-6) analysed if treatment with tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) in radiographic axial spondyloarthritis (r-axSpA) has a differential impact on structural damage progression on different spinal segments to conclude that prior use of TNFi significantly reduced the odds of progression in the cervical spine by 68% (OR 0.32, 95% CI 0.14–0.72), but not in the lumbar spine (OR 0.99, 95% CI 0.52–1.88).
Fan et al (doi.org/10.1186/s13075-023-03033-7) estimated the global prevalence of hip osteoarthritis (HOA) through a systematic review and meta-analysis of 31 studies involving 326,463 participants. The HOA prevalence varies significantly by region with the lowest prevalence observed in Africa at 1.20% (95% CI: 0.40–2.38) and highest in Europe at 12.59% (95% CI 7.17–19.25). There was no statistically significant difference between men (9.42%, 95% CI:4.81–15.34) and women (7.94%, 95% CI: 3.57–13.81).
Daliya Pencheva
Daliya is a rheumatology resident at the University Hospital “St. Ivan Rilski”, Sofia, Bulgaria. Her major interests are systemic lupus erythematosus, quality of life, patient-reported outcome measures, treat-to-target therapy. Daliya is a member of the Newsletter Sub-Committee.
Cathy Melong
Cathy Melong is an internist and rheumatologist in final training from Cameroon, currently working in Switzerland. Her main interests are systemic lupus erythematosus and gout, patient-oriented clinical epidemiology. Cathy is a member of the Newsletter Sub-committee.