Systemic sclerosis is a prototypic fibrotic disease characterised by accumulation of excessive extracellular matrix in affected tissues, including skin, lung, and walls blood vessels, that can lead to pulmonary hypertension, scleroderma renal crisis, or digital ischaemia. The constellation clinical manifestations makes systemic one the most challenging immune-mediated rheumatic diseases treat. ...

OBJECTIVES With this study we attempted to estimate the prevalence of self-reported rheumatic diseases in a Portuguese population. It was also our objective to evaluate the influence of the variables sex and age on the prevalence of these diseases. PATIENTS AND METHODS The study population was comprised of 297 individuals from a total of 573 random telephone numbers selected from the city of ...

The steadily increasing knowledge regarding pathogenetic mechanisms in autoimmune rheumatic diseases has paved the way to different therapeutic approaches. In particular, the market entry of biologics has dramatically modified the natural history of rheumatic chronic inflammatory diseases with a meaningful impact on patients' quality of life. Among the wide spectrum of available biological trea...

Monocytes migrate through the blood to the peripheral tissues, where they can develop into dendritic cells (DC) and macrophages. Studies on the phenotype of peripheral blood monocytes in rheumatic diseases revealed changes in the number of CD16+ monocytes and in the adhesive, chemotactic, antigen presenting and inflammatory properties of the cells. However, these studies often resulted in fragm...

OBJECTIVE To describe, by using video nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC), microvascular abnormalities in children with rheumatic diseases and to evaluate the capillary changes over a follow up period. METHODS 118 children suffering from rheumatic diseases: 55 juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA), 7 mixed connective tissue disease (MCTD), 6 primary Raynaud's phenomenon (PRP), 34 systemic lupus eryth...

OBJECTIVE To document the frequency and disease phenotype of various rheumatic diseases in the Australian Aborigine. METHODS A comprehensive review was performed of the archaeological, ethnohistorical, and contemporary literature relating to rheumatic diseases in these indigenous people. RESULTS No evidence was found to suggest that rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), or...

Rheumatic diseases are very prevalent, affecting about 7 million people in North America; they affect the musculoskeletal system, often with systemic involvement and potential for serious consequences and limitation on quality of life. Clinical treatment is usually long-term and includes drugs that are considered either simple or complex and are occasionally unknown to many health professionals...

OBJECTIVE Many patients seeking dental care have a significant medical condition that may alter both the course of their oral disease and the treatment provided. The aim of this study was to assess the systemic diseases profile of patients with periodontal diseases for specialized periodontal treatment. METHODS Seven hundred and forty-three patient's medical records were screened from the Per...

Background and Aim. Rheumatic diseases are commonly considered chronic conditions. However, acute manifestations can be very severe and represent a diagnostic problem. Examples are systemic lupus erythematosus with acute flare, glomerulonephritis, CNS disorders and catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome, scleroderma with interstitial lung disease, pulmonary hypertension and renal crisis and pol...