铁死亡相关肌肉骨骼系统疾病的概述及中医药干预进展

铁死亡是一种新型的细胞死亡形式,与铁过载和脂质过氧化有关,在许多疾病的发展中具有重要作用。骨质疏松症、骨关节炎、类风湿关节炎、骨肉瘤、脊髓损伤、肌少症等肌肉骨骼系统疾病严重影响患者生活质量,已成为全球公共卫生系统的主要负担。铁死亡与上述肌肉骨骼系统疾病的发生发展密切相关,表明铁死亡可能成为肌肉骨骼系统疾病的治疗的新靶点。中医药在肌肉骨骼系统疾病治疗中有其独特的优势,已有大量研究证实中医药通过铁死亡途径参与肌肉骨骼系统疾病的调节,显示出良好的研究前景。通过探讨铁死亡与肌肉骨骼系统疾病的关联,总结中医药通过介导铁死亡防治肌肉骨骼系统疾病研究进展,为开发新的治疗策略及中医药更好的治疗肌肉骨骼系统疾病治疗提供思路。     

李彦民治疗类风湿关节炎经验

类风湿关节炎(RA)在中医学中属于“痹病”范畴,是临床中常见的难治性疾病,且呈年轻化趋势,迁延难愈。目前现代医学对RA的发病病因及机制尚不完全清楚。《素问·痹论》提出风寒湿三邪致痹,还有学者提出痰瘀致痹、肝肾亏虚等观点。李彦民主任医师根据多年临床经验提出RA的病机关键是络脉痹阻,其病机特点是虚实夹杂,临床辨证分为寒湿阻络型、湿热蕴结型、痰瘀互结型、气血两虚型、肝肾亏虚型等五型。分别采用祛邪通络和补虚通络等不同治则,辨证施法。李老师善用川乌、鸡血藤以及乌梢蛇等药以通络止痛,并主张辨证用药,内外兼治,多取良效。临床采用经验方仙龙汤,配合外用舒筋活络洗剂,且取得理想疗效。     

Atlantoaxial instability in a patient with neck pain and rheumatoid arthritis

Context: The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical decision-making process for a patient with rheumatoid arthritis with neck pain with underlying atlantoaxial instability.Findings: The patient was evaluated for worsening upper neck pain that began insidiously 1 year prior. The patient denied numbness or tingling in her upper or lower extremities, dizziness or lightheadedness, difficulty maintaining balance with walking, or muscle weakness. Cervical spine range of motion was limited in all planes due to pain and apprehension. The patient’s neurological examination was unremarkable. Prior flexion and extension radiographs of the cervical spine were interpreted as unremarkable with alignment preserved in flexion and extension. However, upon further inspection, the cervical spine flexion radiograph was concerning for inadequate cervical motion, which may have limited the diagnostic utility of these radiographs. Additionally, a Sharp-Purser test was performed, which was positive for excessive motion. Flexion and extension radiographs of the cervical spine were then repeated ensuring the patient adequately flexed and extended during the imaging. Severe anterior subluxation of C1 relative to C2 with cervical flexion was noted, as C1 moved as much as 8–9 mm anterior to C2 with cervical flexion. Given the degree of atlantoaxial instability, the patient subsequently underwent successful posterior fusion from the occiput to C2.Conclusion/Clinical Relevance: This case report demonstrates the importance of properly screening for upper cervical spine instability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and neck pain and understanding the importance of obtaining adequate and appropriate diagnostic imaging.     

Reproducibility and diagnostic value of a new method using ratios to diagnose anterior atlanto-axial subluxation on plain radiographs

ObjectivesMeasures on conventional radiography are used to detect, especially in rheumatoid arthritis, upper cervical spine instabilities (CSIs) with the anterior and posterior atlanto-dental intervals (AADI and PADI) measurements. Our objective was to evaluate the diagnostic performance and reliability of AADIs and PADIs extrapolated based on ratios in assessing anterior atlanto-axial subluxation (aAAS) when plain radiographs do not allow the measures.MethodsRadiographies of 119 patients were randomly selected. Two blinded observers performed two measurements of the odontoid sagittal diameter (O), axis body base sagittal diameter (C2), AADI, PADI, Clark station and Ranawat index, and the AADI/O, AADI/C2, PADI/O and PADI/C2 ratios were calculated. The diagnostic value of AADI and PADI extrapolated from the AADI/O, AADI/C2, PADI/O and PADI/C2 ratios was evaluated using ROC curves, with AADI > 2.9 mm used as the gold standard.ResultsAmong the 119 patients, 12 patients had aAAS (AADI > 2.9 mm), 6 of them had severe aAAS (AADI > 8.9 mm and/or a PADI < 14 mm), and 6 patients had vertical AAS (Clarks station = 2 or 3 and/or Ranawat index < 13 mm). The AADI extrapolated from the AADI/O and AADI/C2 ratios has excellent intra- and inter-observer reproducibility. The diagnostic value of the extrapolated AADI was high for aAAS (sensitivity 92%; specificity of 100%) and severe aAAS (sensitivity75%; specificity 100%). The diagnostic value of the extrapolated PADI was good but lower than the diagnostic value of the extrapolated AADI.ConclusionExtrapolated AADI can be used instead AADI to detect aAAS and severe aAAS.     

Sex differences in clinical characteristics and their influence on clinical outcomes in an observational cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

ObjectiveRheumatoid arthritis (RA) is more prevalent in women, but sex differences remain incompletely understood. This study aimed to elucidate sex differences in clinical characteristics and their potential impact on clinical outcomes in a large Korean cohort of patients with RA.MethodsIn total, 5376 RA patients from the KORean Observational study Network for Arthritis (KORONA) database were examined at baseline and for 3 consecutive years using the disease activity score 28 (DAS28), health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), and patient-reported outcomes (PROs). Within a subgroup with active disease (DAS28 ≥ 3.2) at baseline, sex impacts on clinical outcome during follow-up were analyzed using generalized estimating equation (GEE) models. The factors related to achieving clinical remission were analyzed using Cox-proportional hazard regression.ResultsAt baseline, women (n = 4574) were younger and had more erosive disease and longer disease duration than men (n = 802) with higher scores in DAS28, HAQ, and PROs. The prevalence of interstitial lung disease, cardiovascular disease, and diabetes in men was higher than that of women. In a RA subgroup with active disease at baseline, GEE analyses demonstrated that women RA significantly influenced the rate of change of DAS28 over time. In that group, men are associated with achieving DAS28 sustained remission and point remission.ConclusionsWomen with RA in Korea report higher levels of disease activity and PROs compared to men, whereas most comorbidities were more prevalent in men. The longitudinal change in disease activity and the rate of achieving clinical remission were found to be worse in women with RA.