newly  identified  t  helper  cell  22  (th22)  is  a  subset  of  cd4+t  cells  with  specific properties apart from other known cd4+ t cell subsets with distinguished gene expression and function. th22 cells are characterized by production of a distinct profile of effector cytokines, including interleukin (il)-22, il-13, and tumor necrosis factor-α (tnf-α). the levels of th22 and related cyto...

The present study aims to define the basic parameters of rheumatic diseases. It focuses mainly to social parameters because of the emphasis given lately to the social character of health and illness. For this purpose greek and other literature were reviewed as well as sources from the internet. The results of this review are the following: ι) family’s role is fundamental for the protection of p...

Patients with rheumatic diseases have an increased risk of mortality by cardiovascular events. In fact, several rheumatic diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus, and ankylosing spondylitis are associated with a higher prevalence of cardiovascular diseases (CVDs). Although traditional cardiovascular risk factors have been involved in the pathogenesis ...

Thyroid function abnormalities and thyroid autoantibodies have been frequently described in patients with rheumatologic autoimmune diseases, such as Sjögren's syndrome, rheumatoid arthritis, systemic lupus erythematosus and scleroderma. Limited data are available regarding the prevalence and clinical characteristics of autoimmune thyroiditis in other rheumatologic disorders, such as rheumatic f...

The Editor of Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology, Stefano Bombardieri, and the Co-Editors of this volume – Johannes W.J. Bijlsma, Jürgen Braun, Frank Buttgereit, Maurizio Cutolo, and Theodore Pincus – are pleased to present the 13th annual Supplement of Clinical and Experimental Rheumatology concerning Contemporary Topics in Rheumatic Diseases entitled “Low-dose Glucocorticoids in Rheumatic...

The form circle of rheumatic inflammatory systemic diseases includes a number of diseases, whose etiology is mostly unknown. Due to the fact that specific antibodies are often found, diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis are considered autoimmune diseases. Therefore, the diagnosis of antibodies plays a significant role in the diagnosis of rheumatic diseases. The following article features two d...