Further research
is necessary in order to clearly define the genetic susceptibility and the pathogenesis of Henoch-Schonlein purpura. Multicenter clinical trials are needed to determine the most effective treatment of Henoch-Schonlein purpura, particularly for patients with severe nephritis.”
“Objective: Estimate the frequency and spatial location of rapid femorotibial cartilage thinning or thickening in knees with, or at risk of, osteoarthritis (OA) and examine their association with clinical and radiographic covariates.
Design: Knee cartilage thickness change over 12 months was measured using magnetic resonance imaging in the right knee of 757 Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) participants that had radiographic findings of osteophytes or joint space
selleck chemicals llc narrowing (JSN). Thickness changes in individual knees were classified as having rapid thinning or thickening or no detectable OA-related change when compared to asymptomatic OAI Control cohort knees.
Results: Cartilage thinning, found in 18.5% of subjects, was more frequent in knees with OAI calculated Kellgren-Lawrence grade (cKLG) > 2 (P < 0.001) and with frequent pain (P = 0.047). No link was found between body mass index, sex, and age and cartilage thinning (P > 0.15). The percent selleck compound of knees with thickening was small (4.4%), but greater in knees with frequent pain (P = 0.02). Rapid thinning was most common in the central (36.4%) and external (32.1%) subregions of the https://www.selleckchem.com/products/BMS-777607.html medial weight-bearing femur. Mean cartilage loss in rapidly thinning subregions ranged from 11.2%/y to 24.6%/y. Knees with cKLG > 2, but classified as having no detectable OA-related change had mean cartilage loss rates significantly >0 (0.4%/y-1.3%/y) in 10 subregions.
Conclusion: Most observed subregional changes in OA knees were indistinguishable from changes found in an asymptomatic cohort, but a fraction of
subregions showed rapid progression. The relative frequency of rapid thinning increases when cKLG > 2, a classification closely associated with JSN and/or frequent knee pain are present. (C) 2012 Osteoarthritis Research Society International. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.”
“Purpose of review
To summarize recent advances in the classification of preradiographic axial spondyloarthritis (SpA).
Recent findings
Inflammation in the sacroiliac joints precedes radiographic damage that is necessary to establish a diagnosis of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Preradiographic axial SpA refers to patients with SpA who exhibit signs and symptoms of axial involvement, but lack criteria for AS. Patients with axial SpA can have remarkably similar clinical features and disease activity as those with early AS. MRI is a sensitive method for detecting sacroiliac joint inflammation, which is useful in predicting the development of AS. Whole-body MRI has emerged as a means to visualize additional areas of involvement.