Infrared thermography is an advanced technology that utilizes infrared detectors to sense the infrared thermal radiation emitted from the human body' s surface, converting it into electrical signals. These signals are then processed by computers to generate planar temperature color images, providing an intuitive display of the body surface temperature distribution. Rheumatic diseases, as prevalent conditions that significantly impact the quality of life of millions of people worldwide, pose significant challenges in diagnosis and assessment. Traditional diagnostic and evaluation methods, while possessing certain clinical value, exhibit non-negligible limitations. With the advancements and increasing popularity of infrared thermography technology, combined with the progress in medical image recognition and artificial intelligence algorithms, this technology has demonstrated increasingly prominent advantages in the field of rheumatology. By employing this non-invasive and highly efficient technique for analyzing superficial tissue thermal radiation distribution, early and precise diagnosis of rheumatic diseases, as well as dynamic monitoring of disease progression, becomes feasible. This technological advancement enhances the accuracy and efficiency of rheumatic disease diagnosis, thereby alleviating the burden on healthcare systems and optimizing the allocation of medical resources. Furthermore, infrared thermography introduces new vitality into the diagnosis and treatment monitoring of rheumatic diseases. It enables clinicians to detect subtle changes in body surface temperature that may indicate underlying inflammatory or metabolic processes associated with rheumatic conditions. This capability facilitates early intervention and personalized treatment strategies, ultimately contributing to improved patient outcomes and satisfaction. The integration of infrared thermography with advanced image processing algorithms and artificial intelligence further amplifies its potential, enabling automated analysis and interpretation of thermal images, thus reducing the dependence on manual interpretation and enhancing the reproducibility and reliability of diagnostic results. In conclusion, infrared thermography represents as a promising tool in the management of rheumatic diseases, offering a non-invasive, cost-effective, and efficient means for early diagnosis, monitoring, and therapeutic evaluation of diseases. As technology continues to evolve, the application of infrared thermography is expected to advance further in rheumatic diseases.
Thermography/methods* ; Humans ; Rheumatic Diseases/diagnosis* ; Infrared Rays ; Algorithms

INTRODUCTION: The antinuclear antibody (ANA) test is a screening test for systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease (SARD). We hypothesised that the presence of anti-DFS70 in ANA-positive samples was associated with a false-positive ANA test and negatively associated with SARD. METHODS: A retrospective analysis of patient samples received for ANA testing from 1 January 2016 to 30 June 2016 was performed. Patient samples underwent ANA testing via indirect immunofluorescence method and anti-DFS70 testing using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Among a total of 645 ANA-positive samples, the majority (41.7%) were positive at a titre of 1:80. The commonest nuclear staining pattern (65.5%) was speckled. Only 9.5% of ANA-positive patients were diagnosed with SARD. Anti-DFS70 was found to be present in 10.0% of ANA-positive patients. The majority (51/59, 86.4%) of patients did not have SARD. Seven patients had positive ANA titre > 1:640, the presence of anti-double stranded DNA and/or anti-Ro60. The presence of anti-DFS70 in ANA-positive patients was not associated with the absence of SARD (Fisher's exact test, p = 0.245). CONCLUSION The presence of anti-DFS70 was associated with a false-positive ANA test in 8.6% of our patients. Anti-DFS70 was not associated with the absence of SARD.
Adaptor Proteins, Signal Transducing ; Antibodies, Antinuclear ; Autoimmune Diseases/diagnosis* ; Humans ; Retrospective Studies ; Rheumatic Diseases/diagnosis* ; Transcription Factors

diagnosis and management of systemic rheumatic disease. Currently, no gold standard tests are available for detecting anti-ENAs. To address this gap, we aimed to identify an assay that exhibits satisfactory diagnostic performance in the detection of five common anti-ENAs by comparing two commonly used assays, an automated fluorescent enzyme immunoassay (FEIA) and a microplate ELISA assay.MATERIALS AND METHODS: Sera from 100 patients with systemic rheumatic disease were collected and assayed with FEIA and microplate ELISA to detect anti-ENAs. Statistical analyses were performed to check the agreement rate between the two platforms using kappa coefficients. Analytical sensitivity and specificity for each assay were calculated.RESULTS: The concordance rates between ELISA and FEIA ranged from 89% for anti-RNP to 97% for anti-Scl-70, and the kappa coefficients of the two assays were in the range of 0.44 to 0.82. Between the two assays, a significant difference in sensitivity and specificity was seen only for anti-Sm and anti-RNP, respectively.CONCLUSION: In this study, FEIA and ELISA showed comparable efficiency for detecting anti-ENAs.]]>
Antigens, Nuclear ; Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoantibodies ; Diagnosis ; Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay ; Fluorescence ; Humans ; Immunoenzyme Techniques ; Lupus Erythematosus, Systemic ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Sensitivity and Specificity

Follicular bronchiolitis (FB) is an uncommon pulmonary lymphoproliferative disorder that is characterized by the presence of peribronchiolar hyperplastic lymphoid follicles with reactive germinal centers. FB could be associated with systemic illnesses including immunodeficiency, infection, and autoimmune diseases. In Korea, a single case of FB with rheumatoid arthritis was recently described but there has been no report on FB associated with other rheumatic diseases. Herein, we describe the first case of FB presenting nodular ground-glass opacities (GGO), which mimicked lung cancer, in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (SS). The differential diagnosis of nodular GGO lesions should include FB although it is a rare manifestation in SS patients.
Arthritis, Rheumatoid ; Autoimmune Diseases ; Bronchiolitis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Germinal Center ; Humans ; Korea ; Lung Diseases ; Lung Neoplasms ; Lung ; Lymphoproliferative Disorders ; Rheumatic Diseases

OBJECTIVE: To investigate longitudinal changes in the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) Sjögren's syndrome patient reported index (ESSPRI) and to study the clinical features associated with favorable ESSPRI changes in primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). METHODS: At baseline and after a median period of 6.6 years, 41 pSS patients were evaluated using the ESSPRI, EULAR Sjögren's syndrome disease activity index (ESSDAI), short-form 36, xerostomia inventory (XI), and visual analog scale (VAS) scores for symptoms. The favorable subgroup included patients who were stable or showed improved to satisfactory symptom status (ESSPRI<5) and the unfavorable subgroup included those with stable or worsening to an unsatisfactory symptom status (ESSPRI ≥5). RESULTS: Median ESSPRI increased from 4.11 to 5.33 (p<0.05), although XI scores (p=0.01) and oral dryness (p<0.05) were significantly decreased. Serum immunoglobulin G level was significantly reduced (p<0.001) but ESSDAI scores were unchanged. Six (14.6%) patients showed clinical improvement in ESSDAI, and 11 (26.8%) showed improvement in ESSPRI. On comparing the favorable (n=17) and unfavorable (n=24) subgroups, the former exhibited significantly lower VAS scores for sicca and depression and XI and ESSPRI scores at baseline (all p<0.05) and more lacrimal flow (p<0.05). The favorable subgroup received a significantly lower cumulative dose of pilocarpine and glucocorticoids (both p<0.05). CONCLUSION: About 25% of pSS patients showed clinically significant ESSPRI improvement and about 40% showed a favorable ESSPRI course. Because the favorable subgroup had more lacrimal flow and less sicca symptoms at baseline, long-term patient-derived outcomes could depend on residual exocrine function at pSS diagnosis.
Depression ; Diagnosis ; Glucocorticoids ; Humans ; Immunoglobulin G ; Patient Outcome Assessment ; Pilocarpine ; Quality of Life ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Visual Analog Scale ; Xerophthalmia ; Xerostomia

Atrial fibrillation (AF), the most common chronic arrhythmia in adults, is rarely reported in children. Moreover, most of the previously reported children with AF have comorbidities, such as structural heart diseases, rheumatic diseases, and thyroid diseases. This case report is about a healthy 9-year-old boy who was diagnosed with AF without cardiac anomaly. He visited the emergency department with chest pain and palpitation, lasting 2 hours. His electrocardiogram showed narrow-complex tachycardia, which led to the diagnosis of supraventricular tachycardia. The administration of adenosine revealed rapid irregular P waves. After electrical cardioversion, cardiac rhythm was converted to normal sinus rhythm. This case report suggests that when children with narrow-complex tachycardia visit the emergency department, the possibility of AF, in addition to supraventricular tachycardia, should be considered if the RR intervals are markedly irregular.
Adenosine ; Adult ; Arrhythmias, Cardiac ; Atrial Fibrillation ; Cardiovascular Diseases ; Chest Pain ; Child ; Comorbidity ; Diagnosis ; Electric Countershock ; Electrocardiography ; Emergency Service, Hospital ; Humans ; Male ; Pediatrics ; Rheumatic Heart Disease ; Tachycardia ; Tachycardia, Supraventricular ; Thyroid Diseases

Gout is a chronic systemic metabolic disease characterized by recurrent attacks of inflammatory arthritis resulting from the precipitation of monosodium urate crystals, which has various clinical and pathological manifestations. The disease is associated with multiple comorbidities, an impaired quality of life, and a heavy economic burden. The incidence and prevalence of gout is increasing in many developed and developing countries, as in Korea. Gout is diagnosed by confirming monosodium urate crystals in the synovial fluid or affected tissue. If crystal documentation is unavailable, new gout classification criteria presented by the American College of Rheumatology and European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) in 2015 can be applied. There are many guidelines for managing gout published in the United States, Japan, and Europe. However, there are no guidelines for the tailored management of gout for Korean patients. This review describes a new classification for the diagnosis of gout and management guidelines.
Arthritis ; Classification* ; Comorbidity ; Developing Countries ; Diagnosis ; Europe ; Gout* ; Humans ; Hyperuricemia ; Incidence ; Japan ; Korea ; Metabolic Diseases ; Prevalence ; Quality of Life ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Rheumatology ; Synovial Fluid ; United States ; Uric Acid

Remitting seronegative symmetrical synovitis with pitting edema (RS3PE) syndrome is a rare condition that occurs in elderly individuals. It is characterized by sudden onset of bilateral symmetrical distal tenosynovitis that accompanied by obvious swelling of the hand with pitting edema and absence of rheumatoid factor (RF). This disease entity sometimes presented as overlap syndrome with other rheumatic diseases and needed to be differentiated from those. However, if the diagnosis is confirmed, the response to steroid is good. The purpose of this report is to describe the case of RS3PE syndrome presented with bilateral hand dorsum edema in a middle-aged woman.
Aged ; Diagnosis ; Edema ; Female ; Hand ; Humans ; Polymyalgia Rheumatica ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Rheumatoid Factor ; Synovitis ; Tenosynovitis

STUDY DESIGN: Case report. OBJECTIVES: To report a case of progressive kyphotic deformity after spinal fusion in a patient with diffuse idiopathic skeletal hyperostosis (DISH). SUMMARY OF LITERATURE REVIEW: DISH is characterized by spinal and peripheral enthesopathy, and is a completely different disease from ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Though DISH can be associated with thoracic kyphosis, no reports have described a progressive thoracolumbar kyphotic deformity after spinal fusion surgery in a DISH patient. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A 47-year-old male presented with pain in the thoracolumbar region. After excluding the possibility of AS and confirming the diagnosis of DISH, we performed spinal fusion for the treatment of a T11-T12 flexion-distraction injury. The kyphotic deformity was found to be aggravated after the first operation, and we then performed corrective osteotomy and additional spinal fusion. Results: The kyphotic deformity of the patient was corrected after the second operation. RESULTS: The kyphotic deformity of the patient was corrected after the second operation. CONCLUSIONS: In DISH patients in whom AS must be excluded in the differential diagnosis, a kyphotic deformity can become aggravated despite spinal fusion surgery, so regular and continuous follow-up is required.
Congenital Abnormalities* ; Diagnosis ; Diagnosis, Differential ; Follow-Up Studies ; Humans ; Hyperostosis, Diffuse Idiopathic Skeletal* ; Kyphosis ; Male ; Middle Aged ; Osteotomy ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Spinal Fusion* ; Spondylitis, Ankylosing

Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory disorder characterized by lymphocytic infiltration of exocrine organs. Since 1965, several sets of classification criteria for pSS have been proposed by single experts or groups of multidisciplinary specialists. In 2002, the American-European Consensus Group proposed new classification criteria, which have been widely used in both clinical trials and routine clinical practice. In 2012, updated classification criteria were approved by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR). The existence of two different sets of criteria emphasized the need for an international consensus. Using methods consistent with those employed to develop recent ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)-approved criteria, new ACR/EULAR classification criteria for pSS were developed and endorsed in 2016. Salivary gland ultrasonography (SGUS) is a new imaging tool used to detect salivary gland abnormalities in pSS patients. Several reports on the utility of SGUS for pSS diagnosis have appeared. This review focuses on the new 2016 ACR/EULAR classification criteria for pSS and the clinical application of SGUS in patients with pSS.
Classification* ; Consensus ; Diagnosis ; Humans ; Rheumatic Diseases ; Rheumatology ; Salivary Glands* ; Specialization ; Ultrasonography*