Bone: Bony spur formation in inflammatory arthritis: an active and independent process | PDF (75 KB)
p589 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.199
Current Issue
November 2009 Vol 5 No 11
Research Highlights
Experimental arthritis: Is CD70 a new therapeutic target? | PDF (95 KB)
p590 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.198
Pharma news: Adalimumab for AS | PDF (50 KB)
p590 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.205
Fibromyalgia: A quicker, simpler Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire | PDF (50 KB)
p591 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.200
Bone: Dual role for cannabinoid receptor in bone metabolism | PDF (54 KB)
p591 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.201
Psoriasis: IL-21 blockade—a new therapeutic approach for psoriasis? | PDF (136 KB)
p592 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.202
In brief
Connective tissue diseases | Pediatric rheumatology | Rheumatoid arthritis | PDF (47 KB)
p592 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.211
News and Views
Pediatric rheumatic disease: Can molecular profiling predict the future in JIA?
Patricia J. Hunter & Lucy R. Wedderburn
p593 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.215
Transcriptomics and proteomics are transforming our understanding of juvenile idiopathic arthritis by revealing molecular signatures associated with the various clinical classifications. The challenge now is to find biomarkers that will predict disease course and response to medication in order to improve outcomes for children with arthritis.
Acute inflammatory arthritis: Interleukin-1 blockade: a magic wand for gout?
Thomas Bardin
p594 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.213
Insight into the immunopathogenesis of crystal-induced inflammation has opened the door to a new approach to therapy. Could interleukin-1 antagonists be the answer to managing acute gout?
Therapy: What should we do after the failure of a first anti-TNF?
Chris Deighton
p596 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.212
Golimumab effectively reduces the signs and symptoms of active rheumatoid arthritis in patients who have previously failed treatment with at least one tumor necrosis factor inhibitor. Is it now time to develop strategies for sequential drug administration?
Osteoarthritis: More evidence for non-pharmacological OA therapy
Maxime Dougados
p597 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.214
Randomized controlled trials investigating non-pharmacological therapies for hand osteoarthritis are rare. One such study now suggests that neoprene splints could be effective for the treatment of base-of-thumb osteoarthritis—but some questions remain unanswered.
Reviews
New methods to diagnose and treat cartilage degeneration
Robert J. Daher, Nadeen O. Chahine, Andrew S. Greenberg, Nicholas A. Sgaglione & Daniel A. Grande
p599 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.204
Advances in imaging technologies such as MRI and ultrasonography have improved the evaluation of tissue injury and repair, providing better diagnostics of cartilage lesions. Various surgical procedures and nonoperative treatments can be used to treat cartilage lesions. New developments in the field of tissue engineering have defined a 'second generation' of potential repair strategies for cartilage defects. Many combinations of scaffolding materials, cell sources and bioactive factors are being investigated for the engineering of a successful cartilage tissue replacement.
Tools for monitoring spondyloarthritis in clinical practice
Astrid M. van Tubergen & Robert B. M. Landewé
p608 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.207
Monitoring disease activity and physical function is a fundamental aspect of spondyloarthritis management. Advances and recommendations in the field of spondyloarthritis monitoring, both in routine care and in the presence of a specific indication, are discussed in this Review.
Oligoarticular and polyarticular JIA: epidemiology and pathogenesis
Claudia Macaubas, Khoa Nguyen, Diana Milojevic, Jane L. Park & Elizabeth D. Mellins
p616 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.209
Epidemiologic, genetic and immunophenotypic evidence suggests that oligoarticular and polyarticular subtypes of juvenile idiopathic arthritis are distinct etiopathologic conditions with some overlapping pathogenic pathways. As discussed in this Review, further research is needed before we can generate a full molecular picture of these chronic childhood arthropathies.
Clinical approaches to early inflammatory arthritis
Dirkjan van Schaardenburg & Ben A. C. Dijkmans
p627 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.203
Much progress has been made in understanding the pathogenesis of early inflammatory arthritis and in diagnosing and treating this disease, mainly through detection of the presence of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies and early implementation of combination therapy. However, early inflammatory arthritis still presents a challenge to clinicians in terms of individual patient prognosis, an improvement in which might facilitate earlier and more personalized therapeutic intervention and achieve increased rates of remission.
The diagnosis and treatment of early psoriatic arthritis
Allen P. Anandarajah & Christopher T. Ritchlin
p634 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.210
Psoriatic arthritis follows a chronic, progressive course in most patients and joint damage can occur early in the disease. This article discusses advances in early diagnosis of this inflammatory musculoskeletal disorder, the various therapies that are available, as well as general guiding principles for treatment.
Case Study
A case of Poncet disease diagnosed with interferon-
-release assays
Heikki Valleala, Tamara Tuuminen, Heikki Repo, Kari K. Eklund & Marjatta Leirisalo-Repo
p643 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.208
In this Case Study, the authors describe a patient with Poncet disease, a rare form of polyarthritis associated with tuberculosis infection. They discuss their application of interferon-
-release assays and PCR specific for DNA of the Mycobacteria tuberculosis complex to make the diagnosis, despite a negative M. tuberculosis culture.
Perspectives
Opinion
Vaccines and autoimmunity
Nancy Agmon-Levin, Ziv Paz, Eitan Israeli & Yehuda Shoenfeld
p648 | doi:10.1038/nrrheum.2009.196
Vaccines are vital for protecting us against infectious diseases, but they have also been linked with the development of autoimmunity. In this article, the authors discuss the causal and temporal interactions between vaccines and autoimmune phenomena, and possible mechanisms by which different components of vaccines might induce autoimmune disease.
