Correlation analysis between body mass index and clinical characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To analyze the clinical features of overweight and obese rheumatoid arthritis (RA)patients, and the relationship between body mass index (BMI) and disease characteristics.@*METHODS@#The demographic data, extra-articular manifestations, comorbidities, and disease activity of RA patients admitted to the Rheumatology and Immunology Department of Peking University Third Hospital from January 2015 to December 2020 were collected, and the above characteristics of overweight and obese RA patients were retrospectively analyzed. According to the WHO, BMI≥30 kg/m2 referred to obese individuals, 25≤BMI < 30 kg/m2 referred to overweight individuals, 18.5≤BMI < 25 kg/m2 referred to normal individuals, BMI < 18.5 kg/m2 referred to reduced body mass individuals. t test was used for the quantitative data in accordance with normal distribution. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for the quantitative data of non-normal distribution. The qualitative data were analyzed by chi square test. But while 1≤theoretical frequency < 5, Chi square test of corrected four grid table was used. And Fisher exact probability method was used when theoretical frequency < 1. Analyzing whether overweight or obesity was associated with comorbidities using Logistic regression adjusted confounding factors.@*RESULTS@#A total of 481 RA patients were included in this study, with an average BMI value of (23.28±3.75) kg/m2.Of the patients, 31 cases (6.5%) were with BMI < 18.5 kg/m2, 309 cases (64.2%) with 18.5≤ BMI < 25 kg/m2, amounting to 340 cases (70.7%). There were 119 overweight individuals (25≤ BMI < 30 kg/m2, 24.7%) and 22 obese individuals (BMI≥30 kg/m2, 4.6%), totaling 141 (29.3%).The proportion of the overweight and obese RA patients suffering from hypertension (57.4% vs. 39.1%, P < 0.001), diabetes (25.5% vs. 15.0%, P=0.006), hyperlipidemia (22.7% vs. 10.9%, P=0.001), fatty liver (28.4% vs. 7.4%, P < 0.001), osteoarthritis (39.0% vs. 29.4%, P=0.040) was significantly higher, and the proportion of the patients with osteoporosis(59.6% vs. 70.9%, P=0.016) and anemia (36.2% vs. 55.6%, P < 0.001) was significantly lower. However, there was no difference between the two groups in coronary heart disease (5.7% vs. 7.6%, P=0.442), cerebrovascular disease (6.4% vs. 8.8%, P=0.372) and peripheral atherosclerosis (9.2% vs. 7.6%, P=0.565).The median C-reactive protein (CRP, 1.52 mg/dL vs. 2.35 mg/dL, P=0.008), median erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, 34.0 mm/h vs. 50.0 mm/h, P=0.003), pain visual simulation score (VAS) (3.66±3.08 vs. 4.40±2.85, P=0.011), and 28 joint disease activity scores (DAS-28, 5.05±1.60 vs. 5.45±1.52, P=0.010) in the overweight and obese RA group were all lower than those in the normal and reduced weight groups. Multivariate regression analysis showed that overweight and obesity was an independent risk factor for hypertension, diabetes, hyperlipidemia and fatty liver, and had protective effects on osteoporosis and anemia.@*CONCLUSION@#In RA patients, RA disease activity is lower in overweight and obesity patients. Overweight and obesity is associated with hypertension, diabetes and hyperlipidemia, but not with cardiovascular and cerebrovascular diseases.

Correlation of anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies with unexplained recurrent miscarriages / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To investigate whether anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies and its IgG or IgM subtypes were correlated with unexplained recurrent miscarriages.@*METHODS@#In our a single-center retrospective study, 283 patients with at least one unexplained miscarriage who visited the Third Hospital of Peking University between January 2021 and August 2023, aged between 18-40 years, and tested for anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies IgG or IgM subtypes, were included. The patients with either positive IgG or IgM anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody were regarded as positive for anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody. SPSS 26.0 software was used for statistical analysis. Chi-square test and Logistic regression analysis were used to study the correlation of anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies and its IgG or IgM subtypes with unexplained recurrent miscarriages. And the diagnostic sensitivity, specificity, the positive predictive value, the negative predictive value of anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies and its IgG or IgM subtypes in unexplained miscarriages was calculated with four-fold table.@*RESULTS@#Chi-square analysis showed that anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies and its IgM subtypes were correlated with recurrent miscarriages (both P < 0.05), while the IgG subtype was not correlated with recurrent miscarriages (P>0.05). After adjusting with anticardiolipin antibodies, anti-β2 glycoprotein antibodies, lupus anticoagulants, antinuclear antibodies, and age by Logistic regression analysis, anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibodies were correlated with unexplained recurrent miscarriages (OR=2.084, 95%CI 1.045-4.155, P < 0.05), and anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody IgM subtypes were correlated with unexplained recurrent miscarriages (OR=2.368, 95%CI 1.187-4.722, P < 0.05).The sensitivity of anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody in recurrent miscarriage was 65.43%, the specificity was 48.51%, the positive predictive value was 33.76%, and the negative predictive value was 77.78%. In the patients with recurrent miscarriages with negative classical antiphospholipid antibodies, the sensitivity of anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody was 59.09%, the specificity was 63.23%, the positive predictive value was 40.63%, and the negative predictive value was 78.40%. The sensitivity of the anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody IgM subtype for the diagnosis of recurrent miscarriage was 65.43%, the specificity was 50.99%, the positive predictive value was 34.87%, and the negative predictive value was 78.63%.@*CONCLUSION@#Anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody and IgM subtype antibody are correlated with unexplained recurrent miscarriages in patients with at least one unexplained miscarriage. Whether positive anti-phosphatidylserine/prothrombin antibody or IgM subtype could predict future unexplained recurrent miscarriages warrants a prospective study.

Clinical and laboratory characteristics of rheumatoid arthritis with positive antinuclear antibody / 北京大学学报(医学版)

OBJECTIVE@#To analyse the clinical and laboratory characteristics of antinuclear antibody (ANA) positive rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients.@*METHODS@#The clinical and laboratory data of 428 RA cases from Department of of Rheumatology and Immunology Peking University Third Hospital from Jan 2013 to Dec 2018 were collected and used to analyse characters between ANA positive group and ANA negative group. T test was used for the quantitative data in accordance with normal distribution. Wilcoxon rank sum test was used for the quantitative data of non normal distribution. The qualitative data were analyzed by chi square test. But while 1≤theoretical frequency < 5, chi square test of corrected four grid table was used. And Fisher exact probability method was used when theoretical frequency < 1.@*RESULTS@#The number of ANA positive group was 231 (54%). The female rate was obviously higher in ANA positive group (82.7% vs. 63.5%, χ2=20.355, P < 0.01). The rate of metatarsophalangeal joints (MTPJs) involvement was lower in ANA positive group (22.1%) than in ANA negative group (33.0) (χ2=6.414, P < 0.05). The incidence of secondary Sjögren's syndrome (sSS) was much higher in ANA positive group(19.5% vs. 4.1%, χ2=23.300, P < 0.01). The positivity of rheumatoid factor (RF), as well as the positivity of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide(CCP) antibody was much higher in ANA positive group (77.1% vs. 53.8%, χ2=25.743, P < 0.01, 74.9% vs. 59.4%, χ2=11.694, P < 0.01, respectively). The levels of immunoglobulin G (IgG) and immunoglobulin M (IgM) of ANA positive group were higher [(15.1±5.1) g/L vs. (13.8±5.3) g/L, t=2.359, P < 0.05, 1.25 (0.92) g/L vs. 1.05 (0.65) g/L, Z=-3.449, P < 0.01, respectively]. But the levels of hemoglobin (Hb) and platelet (PLT) was lower in ANA positive group[(109.64±17.98) vs. (114.47±18.48) g/L, t=-2.734, P < 0.01; (266.4×109±104.6×109) vs. (295.9×109±100.1×109) /L, t=-2.970, P < 0.01, respectively].@*CONCLUSION@#The incidence of sSS was obviously higher in ANA positive group than in ANA negative group. Serum IgG of ANA positive group was higher, but Hb and PLT were lower.

Hypophosphatemic osteomalacia caused by urinary mesenchymal tumor: A case report / 北京大学学报(医学版)

This case report concerns a 34-year-old woman who had been diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS), osteoarthritis (OA), lumbar disc herniation and the like in different hospitals during the past 18 months. She had progressive osteoarthrosis, significant muscle weakness, gait abnormalities in weightbearing areas, however without typical inflammatory low back pain, while the treatment with non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) was invalid, with normal inflammation index, negative results for rheumatic factor (RF) and human leukocyte antigen (HLA)-B27, and normal erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). She had hyphosphatemia, normal serum calcium, 1,25-(OH)2-D3 reduction, elevated alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and normal parathyroid hormone (PTH), however with elevated urinary phosphorus. Finally, the medial thigh nodule was found in the subcutaneous of her inner leg by careful examination and imaging scans including B-ultrasound and PET/CT. The final pathology confirmed that the nodule was phosphate urinary mesenchymal tumors. After the tumor was removed, the patient was treated with anti-osteoporosis and phosphorus supplementation. The symptoms of bone pain and muscle weakness were alleviated, and hypophosphatemia was corrected. It was confirmed that the patient had low-phosphorus osteomalacia due to tumor. Tumor-induced hypophosphatemia osteomalacia (TIO) was a rare paraneoplastic syndrome which was caused by excessive phosphorus excretion induced by the tumor, and was thus categorized as an acquired hypophosphatemic osteomalacia. TIO had an occult onset and was associated with a high rate of misdiagnosis, although TIO has some typical clinical features. Early diagnosis, correctly positioning of the tumor, and surgical resection can achieve good outcomes.

Progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia misdiagnosed as ankylosing spondylitis: a case report / 北京大学学报(医学版)

In this study, we reported a case of progressive pseudorheumatoid dysplasia in Peking University Third Hospital. A 56-year-old male patient presented with hip joint pain for more than 40 years and multiple joints pain with limitation of movements of these joints for 28 years. This patient suffered from joint pain and impaired range of motion of the hip, knee, elbow and shoulder gradually, associated with difficulty in walking and inability to take care of himself. He was diagnosed with "femoral head necrosis" or "ankylosing spondylitis" in local hospitals, but the treatment of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and sulfasalazine was not effective. Up to the age of 14, the patient displayed normal physical development, with the highest height was about 158 cm, according to the patient recall. However, his height was 153 cm at present. There was no history of similar illness in any family member. Physical examinations descried limitation of movement of almost all joints. Enlargement and flexion deformity of the proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints of the hands resulted in the claw hand appearance. Limited abduction and internal and external rotation of the shoulder and hip could be find. He had normal laboratory findings for blood routine test, biochemical indexes and acute phase reactants such as C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR). Furthermore, HLA-B27 and autoimmune antibodies such as rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibody and antinuclear antibody (ANA) were all negative. X-ray of the hip showed loss of the joint space and irregularities of the femoral head, both femoral head were flattened, it could be see hyperplasia, osteophytes, bilateral femoral neck thicken, neck dry angle turned smaller. The radiological findings of the spinal vertebra indicated kyphosis deformity, narrowing of the intervertebral discs, vertebral syndesmophytes and flattening of the vertebra. However, there was no clues of bone marrow edema in the lumbar MRI. At last, genetic testing for the Wnt1-inducible signaling pathway protein 3 (WISP3) gene was done and indicated compound heterozygous mutations: 756C>G and c.866dupA. These two mutations were derived from the patient's mother and father (the patient's parents each had a heterozygous mutation). Two exons of the WISP3 gene had nucleotide changes leading to amino acid mutations. According to the patient's history, symptoms, physical examinations, radiological findings and genetic testing, the final definitive diagnosis was progressive pseudorheumatic dysplasia.

Comparisons of clinical characteristics of primary Sj gren's syndrome onset at different ages / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To study the difference in clinical characteristics and experimental profiles of primary Sj gren's syndrome(pSS)with a different onset age.Methods The clinical and laboratory data of 136 pSS patients were retrospectively analyzed.Results The prevalence of anti-SSA and anti-SSB antibodies de- clined with later onset.As compared with patients with disease onset older than 45,patients with disease onset younger than 45 had higher rheumatoid factor,circulating immune complex and lower C3.The prevalence of parotitis was higher in patients with disease onset younger than 45 than those with disease onset older than 45. The two groups had similar extra-glandular involvement.Conclusion The younger onset pSS patients have more abnomlalities in inmmnological parameters,and more parotiditis,implying that young onset pSS have more strong immune responses.