OBJECTIVES To determine the prevalence of anti-cyclic citrullinated proteins (anti-CCP) and IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) in sera of patients with TB compared with healthy controls. PATIENTS AND METHODS 47 consecutive patients with recently diagnosed active pulmonary TB and 39 healthy controls were studied. Data were collected by questionnaire on clinical features of the disease, duration of sym...

Perforation of the nasal septum as a direct result of occupation has been recognized since the days of Rammazzini (Wampler, 1943). However, the unspectacular nature of the symptoms and its self-limiting nature have so conspired together to keep the condition from the public eye as to make references to it in the literature both few and cursory. Particularly is this true of perforation of the se...

Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) are newly approved treatments for advanced malignancies that are increasing survival. The mechanism of these drugs, non-specifically activating T cells, also leads to immune-mediated damage of tissue or immune-related adverse events (IRAE). IRAEs with rheumatic phenotypes are increasingly being recognised. Inflammatory arthritis, sicca syndrome, inflammatory ...

The incidence of lower urinary tract infection in 120 women with rheumatoid arthritis and secondary Sjögren's syndrome was evaluated retrospectively. Thirty one patients (26%) had secondary Sjögren's syndrome. Recurrent urinary tract infection was significantly more common in these patients (11/31) than in patients without Sjögren's syndrome (4/89). Habitual leucocyturia was also more common in...

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) can involve many parts of the eye, including the eyelid, ocular adnexa, sclera, cornea, uvea, retina and optic nerve. Ocular manifestations of SLE are common and may lead to permanent blindness from the underlying disease or therapeutic side effects. Keratoconjunctivitis sicca is the most common manifestation. However, vision loss may result from involvement o...

Twenty-two patients with rheumatoid arthritis and moderate to severe bilateral keratoconjunctivitis sicca were treated with artificial tears and a soluble slow-release artificial tear insert in a crossover trial. While using the inserts all but two patients reported an improvement in their symptoms. All the patients showed an improvement in the degree of conjunctival and corneal staining while ...