Objective To evaluate the reliability and validity of Chinese multi-dimensional health assessment questionnaire (MDHAQ-C) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in China.Methods One hundred and twelve SLE patients were recruited in the evaluation.The reliability of the questionnaire was tested by intra-class coefficient (ICC) and Cronbach's alpha.Convergent validity and divergent validity were assessed by Spearman correlation coefficient of MDHAQ-C with health assessment questionnaire (HAQ),the 36-item short-form health survey (SF-36) and the hospital anxiety and depression scales(HAD).Discriminant validity was tested in groups of patients with varied disease activities and status of damage.Results The Cronbach's alpha was 0.886 in the function scale (FN) and 0.774 in the scale of psychological status (PS).The corrected item-total correlation ranged from 0.409-0.866.The ICC was 0.615-0.920(P＜0.05).MDHAQ-C correlated with the questionnaires satisfyingly in most scales (from P＜0.5 to P＜0.001).The scores of MDHAQ-C could discriminate different groups of patients (P＜0.05).Conclusion MDHAQ-C is a reliable,valid instrument for functional measurement and quality of life assessment in Chinese SLE patients.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the effectiveness and safety of intra-articular in-jection of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) and hyaluronic acid (HA) in the treatment of knee osteoarthritis.Methods:The relevant literatures published in both English and Chinese were systematically searched in PubMed, Embase, Wanfang database, China Knowledge Network (CNKI), SinoMed database and other data-bases from inception to May 2020. Two researchers independently extracted data and evaluated the included literature. Risk assessment of literature bias was carried out. RevMan 5.3 software was used for Meta analysis, and the combined sensitivity were calculated.Results:Finally, 13 references were included, including a total of 726 patients with knee osteoarthritis. Meta-analysis results showed that compared with the HA group, the Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteopathic Index Total Score (WOMAC) [ MD=-10.92, 95% CI (-16.87, -4.96), P<0.01], the visual analogue scale (VAS) score [ MD=-1.70, 95% CI(-2.44, -0.95), P<0.01], and the knee joint Lequesne index score of MSCs group all decreased significantly [ MD=-13.78, 95% CI (-15.03,-12.52), P<0.01]. Furthermore, there was no significant difference in the incidence of adverse events (AEs) between the two groups [ RR=1.11, 95% CI(0.90, 1.37), P=0.33]. However, American Knee Association Score (AKS score) [ MD=-10.15, 95% CI(-22.33, 2.03), P=0.10] and whole-organ magnetic resonance imaging score (WORMS) [ MD=-3.93, 95% CI(-11.60, 3.75), P=0.32] were not statistically significant ( P>0.05). Conclusion:Compared with intra-articular injection of HA, intra-articular injection of MSCs can significantly improve the symptoms and dysfunction, and has favorable clinical tolerability and safety, suggesting that MSCs is expected to bea new treatment for knee osteoarthritis.

Objective:To evaluate the efficacy of certolizumab pegol (CZP) in the treatment of Chinese women of childbearing age with inflammatory joint diseases and the effect of intrauterine exposure on infant vaccination and risk of infection.Methods:This study is a retrospective observation study, including female patients of childbearing age who were treated with CZP in the outpatient clinic from November 2019 to October 2020. The patients were followed up for 24 weeks, and the related data was collected. We adopted disease activity score-28 for rheumatoid arthritis with CRP (DAS28-CRP), clinical disease activity index (CDAI) and simplified disease activity index (SDAI) to evaluate disease activity. Bath ankylosing spon-dylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) and ankylosing spondylitis disease activity score (ASDAS-ESR) were used to assess the disease activity of patients with ankylosing spondylitis or spondyloarthritis (AS/SpA). Low disease activity (LDA), the dosage of glucocorticoid (GC) and the qualified rates of ACR20 and ASAS20 were calculated to validate the efficacy of CZP. The data of infants vaccination and infection was recorded to estimate the effect of intrauterine exposure on infants. Correlation analysis were performed using paired t test or Mann Whitney test. All statistical tests were bilateral, with a significance of P<0.05. Results:Twenty women entered the study and fifteen completed, including eight patients with RA, six patients with AS and 1 patient with SpA. The average age was (30±5) years and the median symptom duration was 5.0 (3.0, 6.5) years. When these RA patients were enrolled into the study, DAS28-CRP, CDAI and SDAI were (3.4±1.2), 15.5(9.5, 21.0) and (18±12) respectively; and after the use of CZP, the DAS28-CRP, CDAI and SDAI changed to (2.5±0.9)( t=2.48, P=0.042), 4.5(3.5, 10.8) ( U=12.50, P=0.040) and (9±6) (t=2.76, P=0.028). At the first follow-up, the ACR20 rate was 50%. and at the end of the study, the LDA rate was 75%(6/8), three(37.5%) women reduced the dosage of GC. Among the AS/SpA patients, BASDAI was 19.0(14.5, 26.0) and ASDAS-ESR was (2.4±1.0) at first, while after treatment, BASDAI turned into 9.0(1.0, 10.5) ( U=11.50, P=0.100) and ASDAS-ESR turned into (1.4±0.5) ( t=3.44, P=0.014). The ASAS20 rate at the first follow-up was 71.4%(5/7), and 85.7%(6/7) at the end of the study. Four patients experienced adverse events, resulting in drug withdrawal. Three women were pregnant when they were enrolled into the study, and three others became pregnant during the research. Six infants were vaccinated with live attenuated vaccines and inactivated vaccines according to the plan. No adverse event related to vaccination was reported, but one of the babies had perianal abscess and the other one had cold symptoms, while both improved after treatment. Conclusion:CZP can effectively control disease activity of women with inflammatory joint diseases during pregnancy, and intrauterine exposure is safe to infants during the study period.

Objective:To systematically evaluate the role of air pollutants in the development and exacerbation of autoimmune rheumatic diseases.Methods:We followed PRISMA guidelines and searched EMBASE, Scopus, PubMed, and Cochrane Library databases using keywords and MeSH terms from inception to July 2019. Observational studies reporting the relationship between autoimmune rheumatic diseases and exposure to certain air pollutants were included. Screening of literature according to established inclusion and exclusion criteria. No meta-analysis but the qualitative analysis was conducted due to the high methodological heterogeneity.Results:A total of 24 studies were included. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) ( n=6), anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) ( n=1), ankylosing spondylitis (AS) ( n=1), systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) ( n=3), childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (cSLE) ( n=3), juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) ( n=2), Kawasaki disease (KD) ( n=4), systemic autoimmune rheumatic diseases (SARD) ( n=4). The results of the study suggested that short-term elevation in particulate matter (PM)2.5 concentration was possibly associated with an increased risk of SLE and cSLE flare-ups, disease activity of AS, JIA and SARDs exacerbation. Studies demonstrated an increased risk of RA with cumulative exposure to carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO 2), ozone (O 3), and sulfur dioxide (SO 2). Only one study demonstrated an increased risk of KD admission with elevated O 3 levels. No association was found between AAV and ambient air pollution. Conclusion:Air pollution is likely to be involved in the development and exacerbation of certain autoimmune diseases. At the same time, the mechanism of autoimmune diseases of ambient air pollutants should be actively studied, so as to promote the early prevention of cardiovascular diseases.

Objective:To evaluate the association between the efficacy and safety of metformin and the influence of variants in SLC47A1 rs2289669 G>A polymorphism in the treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).Methods:A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial was conducted. Patients were consented at enrollment for blood donation for genotyping, and their peripheral blood were used to detect the distribution frequency of SLC47A1 mutations. The major or mild/moderate flares defined by modified safety lupus erythematosus national assessment (SELENA)-systemic lupus erythematosus disease activity index (SLEDAI) Flare Index (SFI) and adverse events were recorded at 12 months of follow-up. The correlation between efficacy/safety and genotype was analyzed. Student's t test and χ2 test was used to assess the continuous variables and categorical variables. Results:Between May 24, 2016, and Dec 13, 2017, a total of 31 patients in the metformin group and 35 in the placebo group were detected. There were no statistical significant differences in the clinical manifestations, SELENA-SLEDAI scores, and therapy of the participants at baseline. There was no significant difference in the frequency of AA genotype, GA genotype, and GG genotype of SLC47A1 rs2289669 distribution between the metformin group and the placebo group. In the metformin group, patients who flared had a lower frequency of A alleles than those non-flared [25%(4/16) vs 61%(28/46), χ2=6.116, P=0.019 8]; the flare rate was significantly lower in patients with AA genotype than in GG genotype [0%(0/8) vs 57%(4/7), χ2=6.234, P=0.012 5]. The infection rate was lower in the metformin group than that in the placebo group [38%(12/31) vs 69%(24/35), χ2=5.913, P=0.015 0], but there was no significant difference among different genotypes in the metformin group. Compared to GG geno-type, AA genotype showed a trend of decrease in infection rate[38%(3/8) vs 72%(5/7), χ2=1.727, P=0.188 8]. Conclusion:Metformin has a favorable safety profile and may reduce the frequency of flares in SLE patients with low-grade lupus disease activity. The metformin therapeutic efficacy in SLE is relevant to the SLC47A1 gene polymorphism. Patients of the AA genotype may benefit most from metformin than those of the GG and GA genotypes.

Objective To investigate the changes and clinical significance of plasminogen activator inhibi-tor-1(PAI-1),transforming growth factor-β(TGF-β),vascular endothelial growth factor(VEGF),and inter-leukin-6(IL-6)in patients with tuberculous pleurisy and pleural fibrosis.Methods A total of 103 patients with tuberculous pleurisy and pleural fibrosis who were treated in a hospital from July 2020 to July 2023 were selected as the research subjects.After 2 weeks of treatment,they were divided into a significant effect group and a non-significant effect group based on the therapeutic efficacy of glucocorticoid treatment.The levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion were compared before treatment,after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment.The correlation between the levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion and the therapeutic efficacy was analyzed by Spearman correlation analysis.Pearson correlation analy-sis was used to analyze the correlation between the levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleu-ral effusion and the levels of these indicators in pleural effusion after 2 weeks of treatment.A receiver operat-ing characteristic curve was drawn to analyze the predictive value of the levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion for the efficacy of tuberculous pleurisy and pleural fibrosis patients after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment.Results The levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment in both groups were lower than those before treatment,and the levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment in the significant effect group were lower than those in the non-significant effect group,with statistically significant differences(P＜0.05).The levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment were negatively correlated with the efficacy(P＜0.05).The levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion after 2 weeks of treatment were positively correlated(r=0.761,0.783,0.812,0.741,all P＜0.05).The area under the curve(AUC)of combined detection of serum and pleural effusion in-dicators after 1 and 2 weeks of treatment was greater than the AUC of individual indicators(P＜0.05).Con-clusion The levels of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion of patients with tubercu-lous pleurisy and pleural fibrosis are related to the efficacy of treatment.The combined detection of PAI-1,TGF-β,VEGF,and IL-6 in serum and pleural effusion has good predictive value and can provide reference for clinical intervention.