Middle east pain syndrome is a pollution-induced new disease mimicking rheumatoid arthritis

Musculoskeletal pains are sometimes misdiagnosed in some diseases, like rheumatoid and psoriatic arthritis, erosive OA, etc. Secondary hyperparathyroidism was not considered a differential diagnosis for RA, despite the fact that it can cause arthralgia or arthritis. Also, fibromyalgia is a psychosomatic condition marked by widespread pain and tenderness. This study included 400 patients attended certain outpatient clinics of Rheumatology in Egypt and Saudi Arabia, who were not fulfilling criteria for RA diagnosis. Criteria for classification of fibromyalgia syndrome were applied to all patients. We did lab tests and radiological imaging modalities for diagnosis or exclusion of suspected diseases were applied. All patients were fulfilling both old and new criteria of fibromyalgia syndrome, and not fulfilling any RA criteria, and had vitamin D3 deficiency or insufficiency. 75% of patients had abnormally high levels of PTH, without parathyroid gland pathology. Radiology showed subperiosteal and subchondral resorption of mainly thumbs, subchondral osteopenia of proximal and middle phalanges, mild subperiosteal resorption along the radial aspect of the middle phalanx and mild tuft erosions, besides changes in the carpus closely resembling those of rheumatoid arthritis, of ulnar styloid resorption, radiocarpal and scapho-trapezoid joint arthritis. Of special interest, the presence of tuft spur-like excrescences.

Effects of Abdominal Aortic Calcification and Facet Joint Arthritis On Lumbar Bone Mineral Density Using Dual-Energy X-Ray Absorptiometry

Background Abdominal aortic calcification (AAC) may overestimate lumbar bone mineral density (BMD) examined by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA); however, the degree of effect of AAC on lumbar BMD has not been quantified. In particular, no study has quantitatively compared and analysed segmental BMD and AAC using computed tomography (CT) scan. Thus, this study aimed to quantify the effect of AAC on BMD measurements using DXA via multiple linear regression analysis. Methods This study retrospectively reviewed participants >30 years of age who underwent DXA and spinal CT scans between 2014 and 2016. Variables that significantly affected the BMD of each lumbar segment were identified. Additionally, segmental facet joint arthritis (FJA) and AAC volume were evaluated using CT. Results A total of 620 subjects (153 males and 467 females) were included. The mean age was 71.6 ± 9.1 years (range, 31–89 years). AAC had the highest prevalence in L3 (45.2%), followed by L4 (41.1%). The average volume of AAC was the highest in L4 at 213.67 ± 443.82 mm3, followed by L3 at 161.95 ± 338.09 mm3. Our regression model found that Ln (L4BMD) was significantly correlated with age, BMI, FJA, and AAC volume in female subjects. Additionally, L4 BMD might be overestimated by approximately 0.90% for every 100 mm3 increase in AAC volume. The results for Ln (L3BMD) were almost identical. However, these relationships were not observed in males. Conclusion According to this model, AAC may overestimate lumbar BMD examined by DXA in a dose-dependent manner in females.

Identification of clinical phenotypes of peripheral involvement in patients with spondyloarthritis, including psoriatic arthritis: a cluster analysis in the worldwide ASAS-PerSpA study

ObjectiveTo identify clusters of peripheral involvement according to the specific location of peripheral manifestations (ie, arthritis, enthesitis and dactylitis) in patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA) including psoriatic arthritis (PsA), and to evaluate whether these clusters correspond with the clinical diagnosis of a rheumatologist.MethodsCross-sectional study with 24 participating countries. Consecutive patients diagnosed by their rheumatologist as PsA, axial SpA or peripheral SpA were enrolled. Four different cluster analyses were conducted: one using information on the specific location from all the peripheral manifestations, and a cluster analysis for each peripheral manifestation, separately. Multiple correspondence analyses and k-means clustering methods were used. Distribution of peripheral manifestations and clinical characteristics were compared across the different clusters.ResultsThe different cluster analyses performed in the 4465 patients clearly distinguished a predominantly axial phenotype (cluster 1) and a predominantly peripheral phenotype (cluster 2). In the predominantly axial phenotype, hip involvement and lower limb large joint arthritis, heel enthesitis and lack of dactylitis were more prevalent. In the predominantly peripheral phenotype, different subgroups were distinguished based on the type and location of peripheral involvement: a predominantly involvement of upper versus lower limbs joints, a predominantly axial enthesitis versus peripheral enthesitis, and predominantly finger versus toe involvement in dactylitis. A poor agreement between the clusters and the rheumatologist‘s diagnosis as well as with the classification criteria was found.ConclusionThese results suggest the presence of two main phenotypes (predominantly axial and predominantly peripheral) based on the presence and location of the peripheral manifestations.