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Violeta Bojinca

Latest posts by Violeta Bojinca (see all)

  • OPTIMIZING EXISTING TOOLS FOR REACHING AN ADEQUATE DISEASE CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS - 07/08/2016
  • THE ASSOCIATION OF ERAP2 GENE POLYMORPHISMS WITH SERONEGATIVE SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES IN HLA-B27 NEGATIVE ROMANIANS - 07/08/2016
  • THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGES AND COMPLICATIONS IN A CASE OF ARTHRITIS MUTILANS - 12/05/2016

Articles signed on Romanian Journal of RHEUMATOLOGY:

OPTIMIZING EXISTING TOOLS FOR REACHING AN ADEQUATE DISEASE CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS

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Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXV, No. 2, 2016
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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Promoting Global Health

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OPTIMIZING EXISTING TOOLS FOR REACHING AN ADEQUATE DISEASE CONTROL IN PATIENTS WITH SPONDYLOARTHRITIS

Claudia Deaconu, Daniela Opris, Diana Mazilu, Laura Groseanu, Andreea Borangiu, Saulescu Ioana, Alexandra Peltea, Magdalena Negru, Cosmin Constantinescu, Violeta Vlad, Violeta Bojinca, Andra Balanescu, Denisa Predeteanu and Ruxandra Ionescu

ABSTRACT

Background/Objective. Disease activity in spondyloarthritis (SpA) is evaluated through conventional scores such as BASDAI or ASDAS. The aim of this study was to determine disease activity in SpA patients under biological therapy with further assessment on the quality of each activity indicator and their clinical value together with their impact on NSAID intake.
Materials and methods. Over nine months (January–August 2015) we enrolled 100 patients with SpA on anti-TNF therapy (33% IFX; 35% ADL; 32% ETA). We collected demographic, clinical (BASDAI, ASDAS, PtGA) and laboratory data (ESR, CRP). Frequency of NSAID ingestion expressed as days per week was included in a questionnaire. Considering their biologic treatment, patients were divided into disease activity groups and sample characteristics were correlated and compared. Statistical analysis was performed with SPSS 20.0, using specific tests such as Pearson, Spearman or ANOVA.
Results. Patients with active disease, stated by both activity scores had an increased NSAID intake. Out of 86% of patients with a BASDAI under 4, only 82.6% had an ASDAS-CRP lower than 1.3. BASDAI correlated to both ASDAS scores (r = 0.65 and 0.71, P<0.001) and PtGA correlated to both disease activity scales, with a stronger correlation to BASDAI (r = 0.912, P<0.01) than ASDAS (r = 0.67 and 0.71, P<0.01 for both).
Conclusion. We proved that disease activity scores have good discriminatory power, with a strong correlation between the subjective BASDAI and PtGA. However, ASDAS-CRP proves to be more rigorous than other variables when targeting high and low disease activity, thus indicating the need of an objective component in assessing these patients.

Keywords: spondyloarthritis, disease activity scores, discriminatory power, anti-TNF therapy

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THE ASSOCIATION OF ERAP2 GENE POLYMORPHISMS WITH SERONEGATIVE SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES IN HLA-B27 NEGATIVE ROMANIANS

SELECT ISSUE

Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXV, No. 2, 2016
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

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Promoting Global Health

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THE ASSOCIATION OF ERAP2 GENE POLYMORPHISMS WITH SERONEGATIVE SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES IN HLA-B27 NEGATIVE ROMANIANS

Laura Ioana Cherciu, Marius Cherciu, Luis Ovidiu Popa, Mihai Bojinca, Monica Irina Dutescu, Violeta Bojinca, Constantin Bara and Olivia Mihaela Popa

ABSTRACT

Objective. Our aim was to investigate whether two ERAP2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (rs2910686 and rs2248374) influence spondyloarthritis (SpA) susceptibility in Romanians.
Methods. The case control study included 139 controls and 192 SpA patients. The two polymorphisms were genotyped by real time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). The association tests for allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies for each polymorphism were performed with PLINK 1.9.
Results. The genotypes and allele frequencies of the two SNPs in general SpA group vs. controls showed no association except for a possible marginal one for the minor allele A of rs2248374 (p = 0.08). In HLA-B27 negative SpA cohort the minor allele (A) frequency (55.4%) of SNP rs2248374 was significantly higher than the one in HLA-B27 controls (44.5%) (p = 0.012). HLA-B27 negative carriers of minor allele A present a higher risk of developing SpA (p = 0.015). Also for the second ERAP2 gene variant investigated (rs2910686) the minor allele T frequency was significantly higher (46.5%) in HLA-B27 negative SPA patients when compared with HLA-B27 negative controls (36%) (p = 0.02). The haplotype of the minor alleles (AC) is a risk factor for HLA-B27 negative SpA (p = 0.019), while the haplotype of the major alleles (GT) is a protective one against the disease in HLA-B27 negative cohorts (p = 0.009).
Conclusions. Both ERAP2 gene polymorphisms investigated, especially rs2248374, influence SpA susceptibility, but this influence is limited only to the HLA-B27 negative individuals.

Keywords: ERAP2 gene, seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SpA), human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)

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THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGES AND COMPLICATIONS IN A CASE OF ARTHRITIS MUTILANS

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Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXV, No. 1, 2016
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

Read the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.

Promoting Global Health

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THERAPEUTIC CHALLENGES AND COMPLICATIONS IN A CASE OF ARTHRITIS MUTILANS

Violeta Bojinca, Raluca Malitchi, Madalina Duna, Cristina Capusa and Ruxandra Ionescu

ABSTRACT

The most dramatic and severe form of arthritis associated with psoriasis is arthritis mutilans (AM), which is a rare disorder, affecting very few patients with psoriasis. AM has a predilection for the small joints of the hands and feet. It is generally characterized by seronegative degenerative joint disease, leading to osteolytic changes in the carpal and digital bones. The bone and joint lesions rapidly and progressively cause bone lysis and joint ankylosis with loss of digits, soft-tissue deformities, telescoping of fingers and toes and the hallmark “la main en lorgnette” deformity (opera-glass hand). Arthritis mutilans is characterized by an asymmetric pattern of peripheral joint involvement, with a predilection for the interphalangeal and metacarpophalangeal joints of the hand and small joints of the feet. Characteristic features of AM are severe deformity of the hands, foreshortened fingers with excessive skin folds, hypermobile joints and digits that can be elongated by traction. Radiologically, AM is characterized by severe resorption of the joint with an attendant loss of function, sometimes to a dramatic degree. We present the case of a male patient who with psoriatic lesions onset from almost four decades, followed by involvement of hand and feet joint with important deformities. The treatment was difficult due to important comorbidities.

Keywords: arthritis mutilans, psoriatic arthropathy, anti TNF-α teraphy

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ATYPICAL PRESENTATION IN A CASE OF GRANULOMATOSIS WITH POLYANGIITIS

SELECT ISSUE

Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXV, No. 1, 2016
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

Read the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.

Promoting Global Health

The published medical research literature is a global public good. Medical journal editors have a social responsibility to promote global health by publishing, whenever possible, research that furthers health worldwide.

ATYPICAL PRESENTATION IN A CASE OF GRANULOMATOSIS WITH POLYANGIITIS

Cristina Capusa, Ana-Maria Mehedinti, Claudia Toma and Violeta Bojinca

ABSTRACT

Granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA) is part of the anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) associated vasculitis, mostly being ANCA-c (anti proteinase 3) positive. Primarily it involves the upper respiratory tract and kidneys having an increased mortality in the absence of early diagnosis and correct treatment. The most common renal involvement is pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis. We present the case of a patient with GPA with a particular onset of interstitial nephritis, possible by vasa recta vasculitis, in the absence of glomerulonephritis.

Keywords: Acute kidney injury, Deep vein thrombophlebitis, Granulomatosis with polyangiitis, Vasa recta vasculitis

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INTERLEUKIN 1A GENE POLYMORPHISMS IN ROMANIAN PATIENTS WITH SERONEGATIVE SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES

SELECT ISSUE

Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXV, No. 1, 2016
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

Read the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.

Promoting Global Health

The published medical research literature is a global public good. Medical journal editors have a social responsibility to promote global health by publishing, whenever possible, research that furthers health worldwide.

INTERLEUKIN 1A GENE POLYMORPHISMS IN ROMANIAN PATIENTS WITH SERONEGATIVE SPONDYLOARTHROPATHIES

Laura Ioana Cherciu, Marius Cherciu, Luis Ovidiu Popa, Mihai Bojinca, Monica Irina Dutescu, Violeta Bojinca, Constantin Bara and Olivia Mihaela Popa

ABSTRACT

Objective. The aim of this study was to investigate whether two IL1A gene polymorphisms, rs17561 and rs1800587, influence disease susceptibility for seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SpA) in Romanians. Subsequently, we analysed separately ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) subgroups in relation with the two IL1A gene variants.

Methods. The study included 240 SpA patients (140 AS and 100 PsA patients) and 160 healthy controls. Real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) was used to genotype the two single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). Allele, genotype and haplotype frequencies of each SNP were compared between SpA patients and controls and also between AS and PsA cohorts and controls. The PLINK 1.9 software package was used to assess the potential associations; p values ≤ 0.05 were considered significant.

Results. The minor allele T frequency for rs17561 polymorphism was similar in general SpA cohort (31.4%) compared with controls (32.8%), the statistical analyses confirming the lack of association (p=0.67). Almost identical results were found for rs1800587: minor allele T frequency was 29.1% in SpA patients and 29.7% in controls (p=0.85). The same pattern persisted for the separate analysis of HLA-B27 positive SpA patients or AS and PsA cases against controls.

Conclusions. The IL1A gene polymorphisms (rs17561 and rs1800587) do not influence the disease predisposition for seronegative spondyloarthropathies in general, nor for ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis in particular, in Romanians.

Keywords: IL1A gene, seronegative spondyloarthropathies (SpA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), psoriatic arthritis (PsA), single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs)

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THE SPECTRUM OF RENAL OSTEODYSTROPHY – NOVEL AND OLD PARADIGMS

SELECT ISSUE

Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXV, No. 1, 2016
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

Read the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.

Promoting Global Health

The published medical research literature is a global public good. Medical journal editors have a social responsibility to promote global health by publishing, whenever possible, research that furthers health worldwide.

THE SPECTRUM OF RENAL OSTEODYSTROPHY – NOVEL AND OLD PARADIGMS

Violeta Bojinca, Daria Popescu and Cristina Capusa

ABSTRACT

Chronic kidney disease-related mineral and bone disorder” is a newly introduced concept which replaced the former term of “renal osteodystrophy” or “renal bone disease”. It highlights the need for understanding the complex relationships among calcium-phosphate axis, bone metabolism, ectopic calcification and cardiovascular morbidity and mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease. It has the merit to shift the focus from monitoring and treating separate biochemical abnormalities at all costs to the greater aim of improvement survival and reducing major cardiovascular events. However, mainly because of the lack of reliable assessment tools, the bone disorders component is discussed to a much lesser extent even it accounts for major physical disabilities and result in significant impairment of the quality of life. Therefore, the current review aimed to briefly remind the older and newer knowledge in the field of bone changes that occur during the course of chronic kidney disease.

Keywords: Adynamic bone disease, Chronic kidney disease-related mineral and bone disorder, Mineral metabolism, Osteitis fibrosa cystica, Renal osteodystrophy

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CORELATII ÎNTRE ULTRASONOGRAFIE SI IMAGISTICA PRIN REZONANTA MAGNETICA. FACTORI DE PREDICTIE IMAGISTICI PENTRU PROGRESIA EROZIUNILOR ÎN POLIARTRITA REUMATOIDA

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Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXIII, No. 3, 2014
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

Read the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.

Promoting Global Health

The published medical research literature is a global public good. Medical journal editors have a social responsibility to promote global health by publishing, whenever possible, research that furthers health worldwide.

CORELATII ÎNTRE ULTRASONOGRAFIE SI IMAGISTICA PRIN REZONANTA MAGNETICA. FACTORI DE PREDICTIE IMAGISTICI PENTRU PROGRESIA EROZIUNILOR ÎN POLIARTRITA REUMATOIDA

Andreea Borangiu, V. Moldoveanu, Tania Gudu, Daniela Opris, M. Abobului, Alexandra Kosevoi, Diana Mazilu, Alexandra Peltea, Ioana Săulescu, Violeta Bojinca and Ruxandra Ionescu

REZUMAT

Introducere. Existenţa unei progresii radiologice în poliartrita reumatoidă chiar şi la pacienţii încadraţi în remisiune cu impact asupra prognosticului, gradului de dizabilitate şi a costurilor socio-economice a impus utilizarea unor metode imagistice care alături de examenul clinic şi biologic să crească acurateţea evaluării pacientului. Au fost elaborate 10 recomandări EULAR de implementare a ultrasonografiei şi imagisticii prin rezonanţă magnetică în diagnosticul, tratamentul şi monitorizarea pacienţilor cu poliartrită reumatoidă. Acestea au la bază numeroase studii ale căror rezultate certifică capacitatea celor două metode de a identifica inflamaţia subclinică şi existenţa unor factori de prognostic imagistici pentru progresia eroziunilor.

Obiective. Principalul obiectiv al studiului a fost identificarea unei corelaţii între ultrasonografie şi IRM comparând capacitatea fiecărei metode de a detecta inflamaţia articulară, de a identifica prezenţa eroziunilor şi de a urmări progresia lor la 3 luni. Alte obiective au fost identificarea unor factori predictivi imagistici pentru progresia eroziunilor.

Material şi metodă. Lucrarea de faţă reprezintă o analiză a 26 de pacienţi cu poliartrită reumatoidă luaţi în evidenţa clinicii „Sfânta Maria“. Studiul se bazează pe analiza foilor de observaţie ale pacienţilor, pe evaluarea clinică şi imagistică la momentul prezentării şi ulterior la 3 luni. Tehnicile imagistice folosite au fost ultrasonografia şi imagistica prin rezonanţă magnetică. Pentru prelucrarea statistică a datelor s-a folosit programul IBM SPPS 20.0 pentru Windows.

Rezultate. În rândul pacienţilor luaţi în studiu, 22 erau femei şi 4 bărbaţi; durata medie a bolii fiind de 12 ani. S-a obţinut o corespondenţă bună pentru identificarea eroziunilor între ecografie şi IRM, atât la baseline, cât şi la 3 luni, pentru toate articulaţiile urmărite, cu o excepţie (pentru MCF3 la evaluarea iniţială). S-au obţinut corelaţii semnificative din punct de vedere statistic între edemul osos identifi cat la IRM la evaluarea iniţială şi prezenţa eroziunilor la 3 luni, la acelaşi nivel, pentru toate articulaţiile examinate, cu excepţia MCF3 (la acest nivel corelaţia a fost nesemnificativă statistic: r = 0,191, p = 0,372).

Concluzii. Concluzionând, edemul osos reprezintă un factor de predicţie pentru progresia eroziunilor şi la 3 luni. De asemenea, rezultatele studiului actual au arătat concordanţe între ultrasonografie şi IRM, cu semnificaţie statistică în ceea ce priveşte identificarea eroziunilor la nivelul articulaţiilor luate în studiu (excepţie făcând MCF III la evaluarea iniţială) la ambele determinări. Conform analizei actuale, sinovita monitorizată ecografic şi prezenţa semnalului Doppler nu prezintă valoare predictivă pentru apariţia/progresia eroziunilor la 3 luni.

Cuvinte cheie: poliartrită reumatoidă, imagistică prin rezonanţă magnetică, ultrasonografie, eroziuni osoase, progresie

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ERAP1 GENE POLYMORPHISMS INFLUENCE THE CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

SELECT ISSUE

Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXIV, No. 2, 2015
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

Read the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.

Promoting Global Health

The published medical research literature is a global public good. Medical journal editors have a social responsibility to promote global health by publishing, whenever possible, research that furthers health worldwide.

ERAP1 GENE POLYMORPHISMS INFLUENCE THE CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF ANKYLOSING SPONDYLITIS

Marius Cherciu, Luis Ovidiu Popa, Mihai Bojinca, Monica Irina Dutescu, Violeta Bojinca, Teodora Serban, Constantin Bara and Olivia Mihaela Popa

ABSTRACT

Objective. Our aim was to investigate whether two ERAP1 gene variants, rs30187 and rs27044, influence the clinical characteristics of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) (the age of onset and the type of articular manifestations - axial or mixed) in Romanian patients.

Methods. We studied 94 AS patients and 139 healthy controls. The method used for genotyping the two nonsynonymous single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was real-time polymerase chain reaction. Association tests were carried out using PLINK 1.07 software. We analyzed separately the subgroups of AS patients with early onset (age <30 years) and late onset (age > 30 years), as well as the subgroups of patients with axial manifestations and mixed manifestations (axial and peripheral).

Results. Significant association between ERAP1 polymorphisms and AS is only present for patients who experienced an early onset (p = 0.04 for rs30187 and p = 0.007 for rs27044) and not for those with late onset (p = 0.32 for rs30187 and p = 0.29 for rs27044). Polymorphism rs30187 is associated only with the axial form of AS (p = 0.02), while rs27044 is associated only with the mixed form of the disease (p = 0.02)

Conclusions. Our findings demonstrate a consistent association between the studied ERAP1 gene SNPs and certain phenotypic characteristics of AS, suggesting that these gene variants may influence the AS onset and the presence of axial or mixed manifestations of AS.

Keywords: ERAP1, ankylosing spondylitis, single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs), age of onset, clinical characteristics

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DISEASE ACTIVITY PREDICTS WHOLE BODY AND REGIONAL LEAN TISSUE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

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Romanian Journal of Rheumatology, Volume XXIV, No. 2, 2015
ISSN 1843-0791  |  e-ISSN 2069-6086
ISSN-L 1843-0791
DOI: 10.37897/RJR

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HIGHLIGHTS

National Awards “Science and Research”

NEW! RJR has announced the annually National Award for "Science and Research" for the best scientific articles published throughout the year in the official journal.

ICMJE- Recommendations

Read the Recommendations for the Conduct, Reporting, Editing, and Publication of Scholarly work in Medical Journals.

Promoting Global Health

The published medical research literature is a global public good. Medical journal editors have a social responsibility to promote global health by publishing, whenever possible, research that furthers health worldwide.

DISEASE ACTIVITY PREDICTS WHOLE BODY AND REGIONAL LEAN TISSUE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS – A CROSS-SECTIONAL STUDY

Claudiu Popescu, Violeta Bojinca, Daniela Opris and Ruxandra Ionescu

ABSTRACT

Aim. The study aims to assess the potential influences of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its specific disease measures on lean body composition phenotypes of female patients.

Methods. The study was cross-sectionally designed to include Caucasian postmenopausal female RA patients and age-matched postmenopausal female controls. All the subjects gave written informed consent and the study was approved by the local ethics committee. Each subject underwent in the same day a clinical examination, laboratory tests, whole body dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) composition and physical activity estimation using a self-administered questionnaire. Correlations, differences and predictive power were analyzed with appropriate statistical tests.

Results. The study included 107 RA patients and 104 controls. Compared to the normal subjects, who recorded higher levels of physical activity, the RA patients had significantly lower appendicular lean tissue absolute and relative indices and higher prevalence of sarcopenia. The whole body and appendicular lean tissue indices showed significant negative correlations with measures of disease severity (duration, inflammation, quality of life and radiographic progression), independent of age, levels of physical activity, body mass index and smoking.

Conclusions. The measures of disease activity and severity independently predict lean tissue phenotypes in RA patients, behaving as risk factors for sarcopenia and rheumatoid cachexia. The diagnosis of RA in itself is a significant predictive factor of sarcopenia.

Keywords: rheumatoid arthritis, dual X-ray absorptiometry, sarcopenia, cachexia

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