Patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) have increased cardiovascular risk beyond traditional factors. Endothelial activation is an early and potentially reversible stage of atherogenesis, and circulating adhesion molecules such as intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) and vascular cell adhesion molecule-1 (VCAM-1) have been proposed as markers of vascular involvement in inflammatory diseases. This study aimed to compare serum ICAM-1 and VCAM-1 levels in patients with ankylosing spondylitis and psoriatic arthritis versus controls, and to examine their associations with disease activity, systemic inflammatory burden, cardiovascular risk profile, and treatment status.

To assess the effectiveness and safety of anakinra in crystal-related disease (CRD) flares, and to identify factors associated with treatment failure and risk of infection.

Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is a proteopathy with limited diagnostic and therapeutic options. This study aimed to uncover structural protein alterations in dermal fibroblasts from diffuse cutaneous (dc)SSc patients using a novel method: limited proteolysis-mass spectrometry (LiP-MS).

To identify factors associated with adverse outcomes in Korean patients with systemic lupus erythematosus-associated pulmonary arterial hypertension (SLE-PAH) confirmed by right heart catheterization (RHC).

To assess the clinical efficacy, safety, and immunological effects of biologic therapies in patients with primary antiphospholipid syndrome (pAPS) and catastrophic antiphospholipid syndrome (CAPS).

Cardiovascular diseases are the leading cause of premature death in many autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs). Landmark randomized controlled trials in diabetes and obesity have demonstrated that glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor agonists (GLP-1RAs) have cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic benefits. Observational studies assessing GLP-1RAs in ARDs, including rheumatoid arthritis and systemic lupus erythematosus, have found reductions in risk of cardiovascular events similar to those reported in broader populations. GLP-1RAs likely exert their cardioprotective effects through direct and indirect mechanisms. GLP-1RAs treat type 2 diabetes and obesity, two important cardiovascular risk factors. They lower lipid levels by mitigating post-prandial hyperlipidaemia and reduce blood pressure by dampening carotid body-mediated sympathetic excitation. GLP-1RAs have anti-atherogenic and anti-inflammatory effects in mice. They attenuate T cell-mediated inflammation directly by activating GLP-1 receptors on gut intraepithelial lymphocytes, and myeloid cell-mediated inflammation indirectly by activating central neuronal GLP-1 receptors. While knowledge gaps remain, existing evidence supports a cardioprotective role for GLP-1RAs in ARDs.

Immune-mediated mechanisms and altered lipid metabolism may contribute to increased cardiovascular risk in Sjögren disease (SjD). Antibodies targeting HDL have emerged as modulators of lipid dysfunction and inflammation in several rheumatic diseases, but their relevance in SjD remains unexplored. We aimed to characterize humoral responses against HDL in SjD and their associations with lipoprotein/lipid traits, inflammatory and proteomic features, and atherosclerosis.

The aging population is growing worldwide, and according to a 2015 World Health Organization report, the number of seniors over the age of 65 will be as high as 1.6 billion in 2050, representing 16.7% of the world's population. Moreover, the number of falls among people aged ≥ 65 is expected to increase by 47% by 2050, since coordination and balance, both static and dynamic, have a huge impact on the incidence of falls in seniors. This study was designed to determine whether there are differences in the effectiveness of Zumba Gold (ZG) dance training and conventional balance exercises (BE) in the context of static and dynamic balance and whether ZG may reduce the risk of falls in older adults.

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is a condition characterized by widespread musculoskeletal pain, often involving a neuropathic component. While pathophysiology remains vague, increasing evidence suggests that small fiber pathology (SFP) may be present in a significant subset of patients, indicating a peripheral nervous system contribution. This systematic review aims to evaluate the utility of skin biopsy as a diagnostic tool for patients with FMS, with special focus on SFP. A comprehensive database search was conducted to identify studies assessing intraepidermal nerve fiber density (IENFD) via skin biopsy in individuals diagnosed with FMS. The included studies demonstrated a reduction in IENFD in a substantial proportion of FMS patients, with reported prevalence ranging widely from 30% to over 85%. Small fiber pathology occurs in a significant proportion of individuals with FMS. Skin biopsy emerges as a valuable diagnostic tool. Further research is needed to better understand the underlying mechanism of SFP in FMS.

Impaired microvascular function has been implicated as a complication affecting multiple organs in systemic sclerosis (SSc). We investigated the correlation between microvascular damage on nailfold video capillaroscopy (NVC) and cardiac arrhythmias or conduction blocks in patients with primary heart involvement (pHI).

This study investigated how the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic influenced research trends related to inflammatory diseases and biomarkers. By analyzing large-scale bibliographic data, the study aimed to clarify thematic transitions over the past 3 decades and to identify emerging perspectives that shape current and future directions.

Rheumatology is a rapidly evolving medical specialty that focuses on autoimmune connective tissue diseases, inflammatory joint diseases, regional rheumatological conditions, some overuse injuries, and other inflammatory conditions. The study aimed to assess the knowledge of rheumatology and rheumatological diseases among the general population in Basrah City and to identify factors associated with this knowledge.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease whose treatment has evolved with the introduction of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and biological agents such as rituximab (RTX). The objective of this study was to evaluate the efficacy, safety, and treatment adherence of RTX used as monotherapy and in combination with methotrexate (MTX) or leflunomide (LFN) in patients with RA refractory to conventional therapy.

This case-based literature review aims to challenge a common misconception that elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, halo sign on temporal artery ultrasound, and arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy are essential to make a diagnosis of giant cell arteritis (GCA). Here, we present a case of a 70-year-old woman with a biopsy-proven GCA who met the 2022 American College of Rheumatology/European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology Classification Criteria for Giant Cell Arteritis. On admission she complained of left temporal headache, left scalp tenderness, constitutional symptoms and visual disturbances in her left eye that was diagnosed as posterior ischemic optic neuropathy. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate and CRP levels were within normal limits, and the patient had no halo sign on the temporal artery ultrasound. It is crucial to carefully evaluate visual disturbances in elderly patients, since missing a diagnosis of GCA can have catastrophic consequences, such as bilateral blindness, aortic dissection, stroke, or myocardial infarction.

Capillaroscopy is a non-invasive examination used for imaging of capillary vessels of the papillary layer of the finger nailfold. It allows the detection of microcirculation disorders in systemic connective tissue diseases. According to the "Fast Track" algorithm recommended by the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology, capillaroscopic findings should be categorized as a scleroderma or non-scleroderma pattern. Scleroderma microangiopathy may also occur in polymyositis and "scleroderma spectrum" diseases such as dermatomyositis, mixed connective tissue disease, or undifferentiated connective tissue disease. These capillaroscopic features are called scleroderma-like microangiopathy. Numerous studies have shown a correlation between capillaroscopic patterns and the severity of organ involvement. Available data indicate the occurrence of capillaroscopic changes in patients with other systemic connective tissue diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, Sjögren's disease, rheumatoid arthritis, and antiphospholipid syndrome. The importance of capillaroscopy in diseases beyond the scleroderma spectrum requires further investigation.

Eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA) is a rare anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis defined by asthma, hypereosinophilia, and multiorgan involvement. Differentiating EGPA from other eosinophilic disorders is crucial because management differs substantially. The aim of the study is to summarize the pathogenesis, epidemiology, genetics, clinical manifestation, and treatment of EGPA and to provide a comparative differential diagnosis of eosinophilic disorders.

Time to pregnancy is prolonged in women with rheumatoid arthritis. Rheumatoid arthritis-related factors that influence time to pregnancy include high disease activity, high daily prednisone intake (exceeding 7·5 mg), and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use. The aim of this study was to investigate whether a treat-to-target approach aimed at remission, while avoiding NSAIDs and high doses of prednisone, was associated with a reduced time to pregnancy in women with rheumatoid arthritis who wanted to conceive.

Large language models have generated intense interest in clinical artificial intelligence (AI), yet their evolution from passive chatbots into agentic systems capable of autonomous planning, tool use, and multistep execution represents a distinct technological paradigm. Unlike conversational AI, which makes suggestions and awaits review, agentic systems act independently and can chain clinical decisions across electronic health records, laboratory data, and patient communications. Rheumatology, with its decades-long disease trajectories, multimodal data streams, and iterative treatment adjustments, is a field well suited to such automation, but also particularly vulnerable to its failures. Errors in autonomous chains compound silently, verification demands exceed those of any previous clinical decision support tool, and the foundational tasks most suited to automation are precisely those through which trainees develop clinical expertise. This Viewpoint critically appraises the agentic AI landscape, analyses its applications and risks within rheumatology, and proposes a tiered governance framework to ensure meaningful human oversight.

Patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are at increased risk of cardiovascular (CV) disease, which is not fully captured by traditional risk calculators. SCORE2 is widely recommended in Europe for CV risk stratification, but it may underestimate the burden of subclinical atherosclerosis in PsA. Carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) is a validated surrogate marker of early atherosclerosis and may provide incremental value. We aimed to determine whether cIMT improves the performance of SCORE2 in detecting subclinical atherosclerosis in patients with PsA.

The use of heterogeneous empirical definitions to assess disease activity in adult-onset Still's disease limits evidence on the efficacy of immunosuppressive agents. Thus, we aimed to specifically develop and validate definitions of clinical criteria for the assessment of disease activity in adult-onset Still's disease.