Objective To explore the association between disease activity and health utility values(HUV)in patients with rheumatoid arthritis(RA)in China,and to analyze other factors that may affect health utility values,providing a basis for individualized treatment and health management for RA patients.Methods Based on the Chinese Registry of Rheumatoid arthritis cohort,this study included 1 017 diagnosed RA patients.The EQ-5D-3L scale was used to assess the health utility values,while clinical data,disease activity,and potential influencing fac-tors(such as age,gender,and comorbidities)were collected.Tobit regression models were employed to analyze the association between disease activity and health utility values,and to investigate other potential influencing factors.Results The median health utility value for RA patients was 0.78[0.59,0.89].Patients with moderate to high dis-ease activity had significantly lower health utility values as compared to those in remission phase or with low disease activity(median 0.70 vs.0.87,P＜0.001).Tobit regression analysis showed a significant association between disease activity and health utility values(P＜0.001).Additionally,older age,female gender,use of glucocorticoids,and co-morbidity with diabetes were associated with lower health utility values(P＜0.05).Conclusions Health utility values of RA patients are closely related to disease activity,with higher disease activity leading to a significant reduction in health utility values.Early control of RA disease activity may help improve patients' quality of life.

Objective To establish a multi-state Markov model of systemic lupus erythematosus(SLE)for patients in China and to explore the transition rule of organ damage accumulation and possible factors affecting the transition between states.Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the data from CSTAR.The Systemic Lu-pus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index(SDI)was divided into five irreversible disease states(SDI=0,1,2,≥3,and death,marked as S0,S1,S2,S3,Death).The R"mstate"package was used for statistical analysis.Results This study included 23 926 cases of SLE patients with cumulative follow-up of 12 030 visits.Among these patients,21 070 patients had no any organ damage at baseline.At the follow-up period,the transition probabilities of organ damage of S0→S1,S1→S2,S2→S3,S3→Death were 7.01％,12.58％,10.64％,and 12.19％,respectively.The multi-state Markov model showed that age,gender,disease dura-tion,SLEDAI score,corticosteroid dosage,and involvement of major organs were associated with the transition of or-gan damage status,each 1 year increased was associated with a 2％～3％increase in risk of damage accumulation risk(P＜0.01).Also,neurological(S0→S 1:HR=1.34;S1 →S2:HR=1.53;S2→S3:HR=1.73),cardiopulmonary(S0→S1:HR=3.66;S 1→S2:HR=1.51;S2→S3:HR=1.52),renal(S0→S 1:HR=1.24)and hematological involvement(S0→S1:HR=1.24)might be the risk factors.Conclusions The probability of organ damage accumulation in SLE pa-tients increases over time.Therefore,in the early stage of the disease,the involvement of important organs needs to be minimized and the treatment strategy should be dynamically adjusted at different stages of treatment.

To identify factors associated with the recurrence of polymyalgia rheumatica(PMR) within one year.

Purpose To investigate how IL-6-mediated monocytes/macrophages suppress the effector function of natural killer(NK)cells through the PD-L1/PD-1 axis in acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF).Methods HE stai-ning and Masson's trichrome staining were used to assess hepatic inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis.Immunofluores-cence staining was performed to detect IL-6 expression in hepatic macrophages.Flow cytometry was applied to evaluate the phenotypes and functions of monocytes/macrophages and NK cells.Recombinant IL-6 was used to treat peripheral blood mononuclear cells,and PD-L1 expression on monocytes was examined.Monocytes and NK cells were co-cul-tured,and after PD-1 blockade,NK cell effector function was evaluated.Results The ACLF patients,the degree of hepatic fibrosis increased with higher serum IL-6 level.Hepatic macrophages secreted more IL-6,and the circulating monocytes showed an increased percentage[(9.89±0.65)％],absolute count[(0.58±0.04)× 106/mL],prolif-erative capacity[(36.65±6.810)％],and IL-6 secretion[(16.97±2.387)％].In ACLF mice,hepatic inflamma-tory infiltration and fibrosis were aggravated,and IL-6+macrophages exhibited enhanced pro-inflammatory activity.IL-6 had mediated the upregulation of PD-L1 expression in monocytes,while NK cells showed increased PD-1 expression and impaired effector function.When monocytes and NK cells were co-cultured,PD-1 blockade restored,NK cell ef-fector functions.Conclusion In ACLF,elevated IL-6 levels were associated with hepatic fibrosis and disease severi-ty.IL-6 mediated monocytes-induced suppression of NK cell effector functions via the PD-L1/PD-1 axis,suggesting that IL-6 plays a critical role in ACLF-related immune dysregulation.

Purpose To investigate how IL-6-mediated monocytes/macrophages suppress the effector function of natural killer(NK)cells through the PD-L1/PD-1 axis in acute-on-chronic liver failure(ACLF).Methods HE stai-ning and Masson's trichrome staining were used to assess hepatic inflammatory infiltration and fibrosis.Immunofluores-cence staining was performed to detect IL-6 expression in hepatic macrophages.Flow cytometry was applied to evaluate the phenotypes and functions of monocytes/macrophages and NK cells.Recombinant IL-6 was used to treat peripheral blood mononuclear cells,and PD-L1 expression on monocytes was examined.Monocytes and NK cells were co-cul-tured,and after PD-1 blockade,NK cell effector function was evaluated.Results The ACLF patients,the degree of hepatic fibrosis increased with higher serum IL-6 level.Hepatic macrophages secreted more IL-6,and the circulating monocytes showed an increased percentage[(9.89±0.65)％],absolute count[(0.58±0.04)× 106/mL],prolif-erative capacity[(36.65±6.810)％],and IL-6 secretion[(16.97±2.387)％].In ACLF mice,hepatic inflamma-tory infiltration and fibrosis were aggravated,and IL-6+macrophages exhibited enhanced pro-inflammatory activity.IL-6 had mediated the upregulation of PD-L1 expression in monocytes,while NK cells showed increased PD-1 expression and impaired effector function.When monocytes and NK cells were co-cultured,PD-1 blockade restored,NK cell ef-fector functions.Conclusion In ACLF,elevated IL-6 levels were associated with hepatic fibrosis and disease severi-ty.IL-6 mediated monocytes-induced suppression of NK cell effector functions via the PD-L1/PD-1 axis,suggesting that IL-6 plays a critical role in ACLF-related immune dysregulation.

Connective tissue diseases(CTD)are a spectrum of heterogeneous diseases with multiple organ involvements.Interstitial lung diseases(ILD)are serious complications of CTD.There is great heterogeneity in pathogenesis,clinical manifestations,and treatment of different CTD-ILD.Previous basic and clinical studies have explored the pathogenesis of CTD-ILD,and the"dual-target"treatment strategy has therefore emerged.The implementation of the"dual-target"treatment strategy helps to control CTD activity and lung inflammation in the early stage,prevent the progression of pulmonary fibrosis,and thus improve patient survival and quality of life.

Fibromyalgia syndrome （FMS） is a refractory， chronic non-articular rheumatic disease characterized by widespread pain throughout the body， for which there are no satisfactory therapeutic drugs or options. There are rich Chinese medical therapies， and some non-drug therapies， such as acupuncture， Tai Chi， and Ba-Duan-Jin， have shown satisfactory efficacy and safety and definite advantages of simultaneously adjusting mind and body. FMS is taken as a disease responding specifically to traditional Chinese medicine （TCM） by the National Administration of Traditional Chinese Medicine in 2018. In order to clarify the research progress in FMS and the clinical advantages of TCM/integrated Chinese and Western medicine， the China Academy of Chinese Medicine organized a seminar for nearly 20 experts in Chinese and Western medicine， including rheumatology， psychology， acupuncture and moxibustion， and encephalopathy， with the topic of difficulties in clinical diagnosis and treatment of FMS and advantages of TCM and Western medicine. The recommendations were reached on the difficulties in early diagnosis and solutions of FMS， mitigation of common non-specific symptoms， preferential analgesic therapy， TCM pathogenesis and treatment advantages， and direction of treatment with integrated Chinese and Western medicine. FMS is currently facing the triple dilemma of low early correct diagnosis， poor patient participation， and unsatisfactory benefit from pure Western medicine treatment. To solve the above problems， this paper suggests that rheumatologists should serve as the main diagnostic force of this disease， and they should improve patient participation in treatment decision-making， implement exercise therapy， and fully utilize the holistic and multidimensional features of TCM， which is effective in alleviating pain， improving mood， and decreasing adverse events. In addition， it is suggested that FMS treatment should rely on both TCM and Western medicine and adopt multidisciplinary joint treatment， which is expected to improve the standard of diagnosis and treatment of FMS in China.

Objective:To summarize the consultation data from the department of rheumatology and clinical immunology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and to describe the distribution of consultation needs of different rheumatic and immunologic diseases (RID) in each unit.Methods:To collect and analyze the data of patients who accepted the consultations of rheumatology and clinical immunology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.Results:A total of 1 640 consultations were executed. The ratio of male-to-female was 556∶1 084, with an average age of (44.5±16.0)years. The proportion of single consultation was 57.26% (939/1 640) while that of twice and multiple consultation was 42.74% (701/1 640). Among the consultations, 87.56% (1 436/1 640) were routine ones, especially from emergency 25.21% (362/1 436), department of infectious diseases 12.88% (185/1 436) and cardiology 12.47% (179/1 436). The other 12.44% (204/1 640) were multi-disciplinary treatment (MDT), mainly in department of general internal medicine, emergency and obstetrics. Main purposes of consultation included 52.66% (514/976) for RID condition assessment/medication adjustment and 47.34% (462/976) for etiological diagnosis in internal medicine unit; while 55.77% (58/104) for guidance for perioperative RID treatment in surgery. In Obstetrics and Gynecology, the majority purposes were RID condition assessment/medication adjustment 36.36% (12/33), perioperative treatment guidance 27.27% (9/33) and surgical risk/timing assessment 27.27% (9/33). Most consultations were focused on SLE, UCTD, SS, RA and TA.Conclusion:Requested as MDT and multiple repeat,consultation needs for department of rheumatology and clinical immunology are great, especially from emergency and infectious disease unit. It may improve the efficacy of consultation by popularizing the meaning of autoantibodies and enhancing the awarness of common RID and its complications, as well as the awareness of perioperative and prenatel periods.

Objective:To summarize the consultation data from the department of rheumatology and clinical immunology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital, and to describe the distribution of consultation needs of different rheumatic and immunologic diseases (RID) in each unit.Methods:To collect and analyze the data of patients who accepted the consultations of rheumatology and clinical immunology of Peking Union Medical College Hospital from January 1, 2021 to December 31, 2021.Results:A total of 1 640 consultations were executed. The ratio of male-to-female was 556∶1 084, with an average age of (44.5±16.0)years. The proportion of single consultation was 57.26% (939/1 640) while that of twice and multiple consultation was 42.74% (701/1 640). Among the consultations, 87.56% (1 436/1 640) were routine ones, especially from emergency 25.21% (362/1 436), department of infectious diseases 12.88% (185/1 436) and cardiology 12.47% (179/1 436). The other 12.44% (204/1 640) were multi-disciplinary treatment (MDT), mainly in department of general internal medicine, emergency and obstetrics. Main purposes of consultation included 52.66% (514/976) for RID condition assessment/medication adjustment and 47.34% (462/976) for etiological diagnosis in internal medicine unit; while 55.77% (58/104) for guidance for perioperative RID treatment in surgery. In Obstetrics and Gynecology, the majority purposes were RID condition assessment/medication adjustment 36.36% (12/33), perioperative treatment guidance 27.27% (9/33) and surgical risk/timing assessment 27.27% (9/33). Most consultations were focused on SLE, UCTD, SS, RA and TA.Conclusion:Requested as MDT and multiple repeat,consultation needs for department of rheumatology and clinical immunology are great, especially from emergency and infectious disease unit. It may improve the efficacy of consultation by popularizing the meaning of autoantibodies and enhancing the awarness of common RID and its complications, as well as the awareness of perioperative and prenatel periods.