April 2025 to July 2025
Author: Omar Dhrif
Increasing the number of minor salivary glands from patients with Sjögren’s disease improves the diagnostic and measurement precision of the histological focus score
Tryposkiadis et al. (10.1002/art.42860) examined how the number of minor salivary glands (MSGs) affects Sjögren’s disease diagnosis and research outcomes. Monte Carlo simulations (2–7 MSGs) showed that reproducibility improved with more glands, as the median absolute difference between two focus score (FS) measurements decreased from 1.05 with 2 glands to 0.52 with 7. The probability of FS ≥1 rose from 0.67 with 2 glands to 0.77 with ≥5. Clinical trial sample size needs were reduced, requiring 62 patients per group with 2 glands versus 25 with 7.
Mitochondrial transplantation as a novel therapeutic approach in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy
Kim et al. (10.1016/j.ard.2024.11.005) evaluated mitochondrial transplantation (PN-101, derived from umbilical cord mesenchymal stem cells) as therapy for idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). In vitro, PN-101 improved mitochondrial function, adenosine triphosphate content, viability, and myogenesis in patient-derived and C2C12 myoblasts. In vivo, PN-101 reduced inflammation and metabolic shifts in a mouse model of myositis. In a phase 1/2a trial with 9 patients with refractory polymyositis/dermatomyositis, PN-101 showed no severe adverse reactions and led to at least minimal improvement in disease activity scores.
Post hoc comparison of the effectiveness of tocilizumab, rituximab, mycophenolate mofetil, and cyclophosphamide in patients with SSc-ILD from the EUSTAR database
Yan et al. (10.1016/j.ard.2025.01.014) in this post hoc study compared the effectiveness of tocilizumab (TCZ), rituximab (RTX), mycophenolate mofetil (MMF), and cyclophosphamide (CYC) in systemic sclerosis–associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) using the EUSTAR database. Among 955 patients (997 treatment observations, median follow-up 11 months), inverse probability of treatment weighting showed no significant difference in change of forced vital capacity (FVC) percent predicted across groups (P = 0.101). Paired and subgroup analyses confirmed no differences, although CYC was associated with stable FVC in logistic regression.
The giant cell arteritis (GCA) ultrasound score (OGUS) at diagnosis and after initial treatment predicts future relapses in GCA patients: results of a multicentre prospective study
Monti et al. (10.1016/j.ard.2025.01.018) in this prospective multicentre study assessed the prognostic value of ultrasonography in giant cell arteritis (GCA). Ninety-seven patients underwent serial ultrasound with the OMERACT GCA ultrasonography score (OGUS). Over 849 visits, 35 patients (36%) had 66 relapses. Higher OGUS at diagnosis increased relapse risk (IRR per 1-point increase: 1.85; 95% CI 1.05–3.32). OGUS normalisation within 3 weeks reduced relapse risk (IRR 0.44; 95% CI 0.22–0.88), while OGUS reduction over 12 weeks was inversely associated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) initiation.
Novel IgG and IgA autoantibodies validated in two independent cohorts are associated with disease activity and determine organ manifestations in systemic lupus erythematosus: implications for anti-LIN28A, anti-HMGN5, anti-IRF5, and anti-TGIF1
Lindblow et al. (10.1016/j.ard.2025.04.008) identified and validated novel autoantibodies linked to systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) activity. Plasma from discovery (n = 196) and validation (n = 30) SLE cohorts versus controls revealed 89 IgG and 66 IgA differentially abundant autoantibodies (daAAbs). IgG anti-LIN28A, IgG anti-HMGN5, and IgG/IgA anti-IRF5 and anti-TGIF1 correlated with high disease activity (SLEDAI-2K ≥ 10) and were prevalent across organ manifestations. IgG anti-LIN28A was positive in 53% with CNS involvement (vs 20% for anti-dsDNA) and 47% with renal activity. IgA anti-FOSL2 is uniquely associated with musculoskeletal activity.
Omar Dhrif
Omar is a Clinical Immunology and Internal Medicine MD, from University Tunis El Manar, currently working in University Hospital Dijon Bourgogne, France. His main clinical and research interests focus on vasculitis, global access to health care, and educational therapy. Omar is the past-Treasurer of the Tunisian Association of Young Internists, Co-Founder of the Francophonic Young Internists Group, member of the Research Committee of the Tunisian Society of Internal Medicine and American College of Rheumatology Social Media Ambassador. Omar is a member of the EMEUNET Social Media Sub-committee.