Advanced combination therapy in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: The advent of advanced therapies in the recent years have improved outcomes for inflammatory bowel disease patients, but a significant subset of patients remains refractory to monotherapy. Advanced combination therapy, involving two biologic agents or a biologic combined with a small molecule drug, is emerging as a potential strategy to improve clinical remission and address extra-intestinal manifestations.

Methods: This narrative review summarizes current evidence on advanced combination therapy for inflammatory bowel disease, including mechanisms of action, clinical efficacy, safety considerations, and future perspectives.

Ten-year follow-up of degenerative spinal lesions on radiographs and MRI in axial spondyloarthritis: results of the DESIR (DEvenir des spondylarthropathies indifférenciées récentes) cohort.

Objectives: To investigate the occurrence of spinal degenerative lesions (DL)s in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) inception cohort in radiographs and MRI over 10 years (10Y), to assess their changes over time and factors associated with them.

Methods: Whole spine MRI and cervical and lumbar spine radiographs at baseline/5Y/10Y of patients with axSpA from the DESIR cohort were assessed for DLs by three readers. For descriptive analyses, DLs were defined by agreement between ≥ 2/3 readers or using the average of their assessments, at the patient level (≥ 1 lesion/patient).

Standardized uptake value-based analysis of two-phase whole-body bone tomoscintigraphies recorded with a high-speed 360° CZT camera in patients with known or suspected inflammatory arthritis.

Purpose: 360° CZT-cameras provide whole-body bone SPECT/CT recordings at delayed (DEL) and blood-pool (BP) phases with short recording times but long visual analysis times. This study aims to determine whether a standardized uptake value (SUV)-based detection of inflammatory arthritis (IA) could facilitate this analysis.

Methods: We included 72 patients with known or suspected IA who underwent two-phase whole-body bone SPECT/CT after 550-650 MBq [Tc]Tc-HDP injection.

Systematic review: Methotrexate-A poorly understood and underused medication in inflammatory bowel disease.

Background: Methotrexate, an immunosuppressant used for the treatment of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) for over 30 years, remains underused compared to thiopurines.

Aims: To review the efficacy, safety, optimal dosing and delivery regimens of methotrexate in adults with IBD.

Methods: We conducted a systematic review of studies involving patients with IBD treated with methotrexate from inception to August 2023.

DXA evaluation of bone fragility 2 years after bariatric surgery in patients with obesity.

Purpose: The primary objective was to evaluate bone fragility on dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in patients with obesity before and 2 years after bariatric surgery. The secondary objective was to identify risk factors for the development of a bone mineral density ≤ -2 SD at 2 years.

Methods: This descriptive study included patients with obesity who underwent DXA before and 2 years (±6 months) after bariatric surgery.

Unmet needs in axial spondyloarthritis. Proceedings of the French spondyloarthritis taskforce workshop.

The progress observed over the last 30 years in the field of axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) has not made it possible to answer all the current questions. This manuscript represents the proceedings of the meeting of the French spondyloArthitiS Task force (FAST) in Besançon on September 28 and 29, 2023. Different points of discussion were thus individualized as unmet needs: biomarkers for early diagnosis and disease activity, a common electronic file dedicated to SpA nationwide, a better comprehension of dysbiosis in the disease, a check-list for addressing to the rheumatologist, adapt patient reported outcomes thresholds for female gender, implementation of comorbidities screening programs, new imaging tools, in research cellular and multi omics approaches, grouping, at a nationwide level, different cohorts and registries, therapeutic strategy studies, consensual definition of difficult to treat disease and management, preclinical stage of the disease, mastering AI as a tool in the various aspects of research.

Increasing Collagen to Bioink Drives Mesenchymal Stromal Cells-Chondrogenesis from Hyaline to Calcified Layers.

The bioextrusion of mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) directly seeded in a bioink enables the production of three-dimensional (3D) constructs, promoting their chondrogenic differentiation. Our study aimed to evaluate the effect of different type I collagen concentrations in the bioink on MSCs' chondrogenic differentiation. We printed 3D constructs using an alginate, gelatin, and fibrinogen-based bioink cellularized with MSCs, with four different quantities of type I collagen addition (0.

CT evaluation of bone fragility 2 years after bariatric surgery: an observational study.

Introduction: The objectives were to evaluate bone fragility on computed tomography (CT) in patients with obesity before and 2 years after bariatric surgery and to identify risk factors for a decrease in the scanographic bone attenuation coefficient of the first lumbar vertebra (SBAC-L1).

Materials And Methods: Patients with obesity who underwent bariatric surgery and CT before and 2 years (± 6 months) after bariatric surgery were included. SBAC-L1 was measured on CT with a fracture threshold at 145 HU.

Prevalence of Osteoporosis Assessed by DXA and/or CT in Severe Obese Patients.

The primary objective was to evaluate bone fragility prevalence on dual X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) and computed tomography (CT) in patients with severe obesity. The secondary objective was to evaluate the risk factors for bone fragility. This monocentric study was conducted in patients with grade 2 and 3 obesity.

Relationship between ectopic calcifications and bone fragility depicted on computed tomography scan in 70 patients with systemic sclerosis.

Background: A higher risk of osteoporotic fracture was described in systemic sclerosis patients than in healthy patients.

Objective: To evaluate the relation between osteoporotic fracture risk measured by the scanographic bone attenuation coefficient of the first lumbar vertebra (SBAC-L1) on computed tomography (CT) scan and the presence of ectopic calcifications: vascular, valvular and spinal.

Methods: This monocentric retrospective study was performed on patients followed between 2000 and 2014 at Nancy University Hospital.

Identification of circulating biomarkers of Crohn's disease and spondyloarthritis using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy.

Crohn's disease (CD) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) are two inflammatory diseases sharing many common features (genetic polymorphism, armamentarium). Both diseases lack diagnostic markers of certainty. While the diagnosis of CD is made by a combination of clinical, and biological criteria, the diagnosis of SpA may take several years to be confirmed.

Are Three-Dimensional-Printed Foot Orthoses Able to Cover the Podiatric Physician's Needs?

Background: Current management of foot pain requires foot orthoses (FOs) with various design features (eg, wedging, height) and specific mechanical properties (eg, hardness, volume). Development of additive manufacturing (three-dimensional [3-D] printing) raises the question of applying its technology to FO manufacturing. Recent studies have demonstrated the physical benefits of FO parts with specific mechanical properties, but none have investigated the relationship between honeycomb architecture (HcA) infilling density and Shore A hardness of thermoplastic polyurethane (TPU) used to make FOs, which is the aim of this study.

Methotrexate treatment in hand osteoarthritis refractory to usual treatments: A randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: To examine the effect of methotrexate (MTX) on pain and structural progression in symptomatic erosive hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: This 1-year prospective, single-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study (www.ClinicalTrial.

Cartilage Biomarkers Coll2-1 and Coll2-1NO2 Are Associated with Knee OA MRI Features and Are Helpful in Identifying Patients at Risk of Disease Worsening.

Objective: To assess the cross-sectional association between serum levels of Coll2-1 and Coll2-1NO2, two cartilage degradation biomarkers; the burden of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features and clinical outcomes; and to evaluate the predictive value of these biomarkers on progression.

Design: A total of 121 subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA) were followed during 1 year with pain, function, and MRI assessment (PRODIGE study). Type II collagen-specific biomarker Coll2-1 and its nitrated form Coll2-1NO2 were directly measured in serum using immunoassays at baseline and after 3-, 6-, and 12-month follow-up.

Relationship between spinal structural damage on radiography and bone fragility on CT in ankylosing spondylitis patients.

To evaluate whether the risk of bone fragility on computed tomography (CT) (scanographic bone attenuation coefficient of the first lumbar vertebra (SBAC-L1)) is associated with the severity of spine structural involvement (mSASSS) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS). This retrospective study included AS patients, followed from 2009 to 2017, who fulfilled the New York criteria and who underwent thoraco-abdomino-pelvic CT and radiography (spine, pelvis). The structural involvement was retained for mSASSS ≥ 2.

The DIGICOD cohort: A hospital-based observational prospective cohort of patients with hand osteoarthritis - methodology and baseline characteristics of the population.

Objective: Despite its prevalence, there are few worldwide hand osteoarthritis (HOA) cohorts. The main objective of DIGItal COhort Design (DIGICOD) cohort is to investigate prognostic clinical, biological, genetic and imaging factors of clinical worsening after 6years follow-up.

Methods: DIGICOD is a hospital-based prospective cohort including patients>35years-old with symptomatic HOA fulfilling: (i) ACR criteria for HOA with≥2 symptomatic joints among proximal/distal interphalangeal joints or 1st interphalangeal joint with Kellgren-Lawrence (KL)≥2; or (ii) symptomatic thumb base OA with KL≥2.

First intention vertebroplasty in fractures within an ankylosed thoracolumbar spinal segment.

Purpose: To evaluate the outcome of percutaneous vertebral cementoplasty (PVC) as the first-line treatment for traumatic thoracolumbar fractures within an ankylosed spinal segment.

Materials And Methods: Thirty-one patients (15 men, 16 women; mean age: 79.2±11 [SD] years; age range: 66-95 years) with thoracolumbar fractures within an ankylosed spine segment without neurological impairment treated with PVC were retrospectively evaluated.

Topographical analysis of structural lesions between dominant and non-dominant hands in erosive osteoarthritis.

Key Messages: No difference between both hands was observed for clinical and radiographical presentations in EHOA patients. A bilateral and symmetrical relationship was found between hand joints.

Highlights: EHOA have symmetrical distribution and specific association in structural lesions.

Performance of ultrasound to assess erosion progression in rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: To analyse the performance of ultrasonography (US) to detect bone erosion progression at the patient level and at the joint level by the US score for erosions (USSe) in early-stage and late-stage rheumatoid arthritis (RA) over a 2-year follow-up.

Methods: Clinical and demographic information was recorded at baseline, and hands and feet RX were scored according to the Sharp erosion score. USSe was performed at baseline and over 2 years of follow-up on six bilateral joints (MCP2, 3, 5; MTP2, 3, 5).

Stem Cells and Extrusion 3D Printing for Hyaline Cartilage Engineering.

Hyaline cartilage is deficient in self-healing properties. The early treatment of focal cartilage lesions is a public health challenge to prevent long-term degradation and the occurrence of osteoarthritis. Cartilage tissue engineering represents a promising alternative to the current insufficient surgical solutions.

Tocilizumab controls bone turnover in early polymyalgia rheumatica.

Objectives: This study explores changes in the bone homeostasis by testing the N-terminal collagen type I extension propeptide (PINP) marker for osteo-formation and the carboxy-terminal region of collagen type I (CTX-I) marker for osteo-resorption in patients taking tocilizumab for polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR).

Methods: Twenty patients were included in the prospective open-label TENOR study (Clinicaltrials.gov NCT01713842) and received three monthly tocilizumab infusions, followed by corticosteroids starting at week (W) 12.

Secukinumab and ustekinumab treatment in psoriatic arthritis: results of a direct comparison.

Objectives: To evaluate the characteristics of patients (pts) with PsA treated by ustekinumab (UST) or secukinumab (SEK) and to compare real-world persistence of UST and SEK in PsA.

Methods: In this retrospective, national, multicentre cohort study, pts with PsA (CASPAR criteria or diagnosis confirmed by the rheumatologist) initiating UST or SEK with a follow-up ≥6 months were included from January 2011 to April 2019. The persistence between SEK and UST was assessed after considering the potential confounding factors by using pre-specified propensity-score methods.

Relationship between calcifications and structural lesions on hand radiography and axial calcifications on CT-scan: A retrospective study in systemic sclerosis.

The objectives of this study were to describe the prevalence and characteristics of radiographic lesions of the hands, and calcifications of the spine on computer tomography scans (CT-scans), and to investigate the relationships between radiographic and CT-scan abnormalities and clinical features in a population of patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc).Subjects underwent X-ray examination of the hands, and thoracic or thoraco-abdominal and pelvic CT scan or lumbar CT scan in the year. Structural lesions on hand X ray was scored and spinal calcifications were evaluated in the anterior, intracanal and posterior segments.