Role of ultrasound-guided trucut muscle biopsy using biopsy gun in inflammatory myopathies: A comparative analysis with open biopsy.

Background: Open muscle biopsy (OMB) is traditionally considered the "gold standard" method for muscle biopsy since a large specimen can be obtained under direct vision. However, there are issues related to logistics, duration of procedure, post operative pain and associated complications. This led us to explore minimally invasive percutaneous biopsy procedures in IM to overcome these shortcomings.

A Retrospective Study of Clinical Characteristics and Serological Profile of Male Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients in India.

Objective: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a female-preponderant disease, and a few studies from outside India have observed that the clinical characteristics of SLE in male patients vary from those of females. There is a lack of data about SLE in male patients in the Indian subcontinent. Hence, we have reported our observations on the various clinical characteristics of SLE in male patients in this retrospective 5-year cohort study.

The Coexisting Neuromyelitis Optica Spectrum Disorder and Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Therapeutic Challenge.

Neuromyelitis Optica (NMO), or Devic's disease, is an immune-mediated, usually relapsing, central nervous system (CNS) demyelination disorder associated with optic neuritis and transverse myelitis. It is characterised by the presence of longitudinally extensive transverse myelitis (LETM) and antibodies against water channel aquaporin-4 (AQP4-immunoglobulin G [IgG]). The term NMO spectrum disorder (NMOSD) includes patients with limited forms of NMO who are at risk of recurrence.

The prevalence of osteoporosis and its association with serum testosterone and serum vitamin D in the elderly male population: A cross-sectional study.

Background: Male osteoporosis is under-diagnosed and poorly studied. With the ageing population, osteoporotic fracture in men is an emerging health problem. The aim of this study was to study the prevalence of osteoporosis and its association with serum testosterone and serum vitamin D in elderly men (>60 years old) attending the outpatient department (OPD).

The diagnostic utility of rheumatoid factor and anticitrullinated protein antibody for rheumatoid arthritis in the Indian population.

Background: There is lack of Indian data on diagnostic utility of rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and prevalence of these antibodies in patients with RA and the healthy population. The study was aimed to assess the diagnostic utility and prevalence of RF and ACPA at different titers in the Indian scenario.

Method: All the patients of RA fulfilling the European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) 2010 classification criteria and age and gender-matched healthy controls were included in the study.

Serum interleukin-6 in seropositive rheumatoid arthritis and response to tocilizumab: An observational study.

Objective: There is no clinically useful biomarker as a predictor of response to any class of biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD). Serum interleukin-6 (IL-6) has a major role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its serum level in patients of RA may predict response to treatment with IL-6 receptor (IL-6R) antagonist tocilizumab.

Methods: Biological DMARD naïve patients of seropositive RA, fulfilling American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria 2010, were treated with 06 doses of tocilizumab (8mg/kg) at monthly interval.

Assessment of ideal serum dilution for screening of antinuclear antibodies by an indirect immunofluorescence method in diagnosis of autoimmune disorders.

Background: Time and cost constraints lead to majority of clinical laboratories deviating away from an ideal practice of checking for antinuclear antibodies (ANAs) by indirect immunofluorescence (IIF) at multiple dilutions. Usage of screening dilution of 1:40 recommended by most manufacturers of commercial ANA kits results in numerous false positive-tests and misdiagnosis of connective tissue disorders (CTDs). We sought to study the ideal screening dilution for ANA by IIF for a diagnosis of ANA-related CTDs.

Nailfold capillaroscopy in psoriasis.

Background: Psoriasis a chronic inflammatory skin disease manifests with microcirculatory changes within skin which may precede skin manifestations, correlate with their severity, joint involvement and resolve with treatment. Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is used in rheumatology for connective tissue disorder assessment and is assuming significance in psoriasis. The aim was to study the nailfold capillaroscopic findings in patients with psoriasis.

Stem cell transplant in systemic sclerosis: An Indian experience.

Aim: To prospectively evaluate long term outcomes in a cohort of patients with Systemic sclerosis treated with Hematopoietic stem cell transplant (HSCT).

Method: This is a prospective observational study of four SSc patients who underwent HSCT at a tertiary care center in India between 2008-2012. The selection criteria included young individuals with rapidly progressive disease and at least one major organ involvement.

Proteomic analysis of human osteoarthritis synovial fluid.

Background: Osteoarthritis is a chronic musculoskeletal disorder characterized mainly by progressive degradation of the hyaline cartilage. Patients with osteoarthritis often postpone seeking medical help, which results in the diagnosis being made at an advanced stage of cartilage destruction. Sustained efforts are needed to identify specific markers that might help in early diagnosis, monitoring disease progression and in improving therapeutic outcomes.

Clinical profile of benign joint hypermobility syndrome from a tertiary care military hospital in India.

Background And Aims: Joint hypermobility when associated with symptoms in the absence of systemic rheumatologic disease is termed as benign joint hypermobility syndrome (BJHS). BJHS is often an under-recognised and a poorly managed entity. Indian studies on BJHS are very few and none have been carried out in any of the service rheumatology centres.

Nailfold capillaroscopy by digital microscope in an Indian population with systemic sclerosis.

Aim: Nailfold capillaroscopy (NFC) is a simple, non-invasive method with exceptional predictive value for the analysis of microvascular abnormalities, especially in systemic sclerosis (SSc) but remains underutilized due to cost factors of the nailfold videocapillaroscope, lack of expertise and availability issues. The aim of this study was to establish the utility of an inexpensive digital microscope to study NFC changes in SSc in correlation with disease subsets and extent of skin involvement.

Methods: Twenty-two diffuse cutaneous SSc (DSS), 20 limited cutaneous SSc (LSS) patients and 42 controls were evaluated with NFC using a digital microscope at 30× and 100× magnification.

Bone mineral density in young males with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: To assess bone mineral density (BMD) abnormalities in young Indian males with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and factors influencing this.

Methods: Eighty AS male subjects were compared with 160 age/sex matched controls for BMD of lumbar spine and proximal femur. AS subjects were evaluated and followed up every 3 months for disease activity.

Intramedullary fat necrosis, polyarthritis and panniculitis with pancreatic tumor: a case report.

Acute polyarthritis can occur in non-rheumatic systemic illnesses, presenting a diagnostic dilemma. We present an extremely rare case presenting as acute polyarthritis, panniculitis and medullary fat necrosis with underlying pancreatic pathology. This case report describes a young woman presenting with panniculits, pancreatic tumour, polyarthritis and intra-osseus fat necrosis with a fatal outcome.