Musculoskeletal complaints were meticulously questioned, and all patients underwent Epoxomicin in vivo a detailed physical and ultrasonographic (US) examination of the lower limbs. US scorings of enthesopathy was performed according to the Glasgow Ultrasound Enthesitis Scoring System (GUESS). Demographic data, disease characteristics, MEFV genotypes and HLA B27 results were retrieved from the medical records. Patient-reported pain and physical examination findings consistent with enthesopathy were frequent in all groups with the highest prevalence in the FMFS group. Heel was the most common region affected in all patient groups. FMF patients harboring M694 V variant
had higher GUESS scores compared to patients with other variants (2.78 +/- A 2.43 vs. 1.37 +/- A 1.67, p = 0.026). There was no statistically significant difference in the mean +/- A SD GUESS scores between healthy subjects and those FMF patients with genetic variants other than M694 V (1.38 +/- A 1.42 vs. 1.37 +/- A 1.67, p > 0.05). Enthesopathy may not be a feature of general FMF population;
rather, it might be specifically associated with the presence of M694 V variant. Our results further support the previous evidence regarding M694 V mutation and spondyloarthropathy association.”
“The purpose of this study was to evaluate serum prolidase activity in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH). Prolidase enzyme activity was measured spectrophotometrically to pointing out the collagen metabolism. The prolidase activity in patients with DDH was significantly selleck screening library higher than that in the control group (p = 0.002). Furthermore, there was positive correlation between prolidase activity and dysplasia level. Increased serum prolidase activity may have played a
role in the presence of DDH. We therefore hypothesized that the Mirabegron increased prolidase activity related to collagen turnover may be associated with etiopathogenesis and/or the progression of the disease.”
“To evaluate demographic, clinical and laboratory features associated with scleroderma-specific auto-antibodies. Sera of 100 patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) were analyzed by an indirect immunofluorescence technique with HEp-2 cells as a substrate. Specific ANA such as anti-centromere antibodies (ACA), anti-topoisomerase (TOPO), anti-RNA polymerase III (Pol 3), anti-U3-RNP (U3-RNP), anti-Th/To (Th/To) and anti-PM/Scl (PM/Scl) were detected by line immunoassay and anti-U1-RNP (U1-RNP) by ELISA. Frequency of clinical features associated with a specific antibody group was reported cumulatively over the follow-up period. Frequency of specific clinical features was compared across the two disease subtype including limited cutaneous (lcSSc) or diffuse cutaneous (dcSSc) as well as the auto-antibody groups. Ninety-four percent of patients were ANA positive with significant higher skin score, Raynauds and digital ulcer/gangrene. Anti-TOPO was detected in 71 % of all patients, in 90.5 % of dcSSC and in 65.8 % of lcSSc.