Rheumatoid Arthritis: Barash J

Barash J, Goldzweig O. · Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Hebrew University and Hadassa, Jerusalem, Israel. · Arthritis Rheum. · Pubmed #17530690 links to  free full text

This publication has no abstract.

Tauber T, Turetz J, Barash J, Avni I, Morad Y. · Pediatric Rheumatology Clinic, Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, Zrifin, Israel. · J AAPOS. · Pubmed #16527676 No free full text.

Abstract: PURPOSE: We sought to describe cases of optic neuritis associated with etanercept therapy. METHODS: A retrospective chart review was undertaken on all patients that developed uveitis or optic neuritis associated with etanercept therapy between January 2003 and January 2005 in 2 medical centers: Assaf Harofeh Medical Center, and Kaplan Medical Center, Israel. RESULTS: Four patients (3 girls, 1 boy) treated with etanercept for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) are presented. The 3 girls had oligoarticular-onset JRA. The boy had HLA-B27-positive juvenile spondyloarthropathy and bilateral uveitis. After a mean follow-up of 10 months (range, 2.5-18 months) all 4 patients had reduced visual acuity due to optic neuritis, which was accompanied by vitreitis in 2 eyes. In 3 patients, the discontinuation of etanercept, together with steroid treatment, resulted in resolution of the inflammation. The fourth patient elected to continue etanercept treatment and experienced no further deterioration in visual acuity. CONCLUSION: Optic neuritis is a potentially sight-threatening complication of etanercept therapy. Patients with JRA who are candidates for therapy should be examined by an ophthalmologist before starting treatment and then regularly thereafter. Ophthalmologists and rheumatologists should be aware of this hazard and be cautious when using etanercept in this patient population.

Barash J, Dushnitzky D, Sthoeger D, Bardenstein R, Barak Y. · Division of Pediatrics, Kaplan Medical Center, Rehovot, Israel. · Isr Med Assoc J. · Pubmed #12389336 links to  free full text

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Human parvovirus B19 is responsible for a variety of clinical syndromes, such as erythema infectiosum, non-immune hydrops fetalis, transient aplastic anemia, and arthropathies. HPV is also suspected of playing a role in the pathogenesis of various chronic inflammatory and autoimmune diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, Kawasaki disease and multiple sclerosis. OBJECTIVES: To study the age distribution and clinical presentation of patients hospitalized for human parvovirus B19 infection. METHOD: We reviewed the case records of all pediatric patients with serologic evidence of HPV infection who were admitted during a 20 month period to a major community hospital. RESULTS: Of 128 children tested for HPV, 48 had evidence of acute infection based on the presence of immunoglobulin M antibodies; 8 patients who also had positive IgM for other viruses were excluded, thus 40 case records were studied. The mean age of the patients was 5.21 years, but 22 patients were under 4. The clinical presentations included 25 patients with fever, either recurrent or prolonged, accompanied in some by enlarged spleen, liver and lymph nodes, skin rash and arthropathy; the remaining patients were investigated for anemia, skin rash, joint complaints and hepatitis. In addition, HPV infection was documented in several well-defined clinical conditions, such as SLE, vasculitic skin lesions, acute lymphoblastic leukemia, pure red cell aplasia, and optic neuritis. CONCLUSIONS: In a group of 40 pediatric patients exhibiting anti-HPV IgM antibodies, a younger age and less common clinical presentations were observed, furthermore 5 patients had clinical syndromes in which the causative role of HPV infection was not clear.

Hashkes P, Uziel Y, Press J, Brik R, Navon-Elkan P, Mukamel M, Libman E, Tauber T, Ruperto N, Barash J, Anonymous00071. · Sieff Hospital, Department of Pediatrics, PO Box 1008, 13100 Safed, Israel. · Clin Exp Rheumatol. · Pubmed #11510338 No free full text.

Abstract: We report herein the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validation into the Hebrew language of the parent's version of two health related quality of life instruments. The Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) is a disease specific health instrument that measures functional ability in daily living activities in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). The Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ) is a generic health instrument designed to capture the physical and psychosocial well-being of children independently from the underlying disease. The Hebrew CHAQ-CHQ were fully developed with 3 forward and 3 backward translations. A total of 144 subjects were enrolled: 80 patients with JIA (12% systemic onset, 34% polyarticular onset, 23% extended oligoarticular subtype, and 31% persistent oligoarticular subtype) and 64 healthy children. The CHAQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the systemic, polyarticular and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a higher degree of disability, pain, and a lower overall well-being when compared to their healthy peers. Also the CHQ clinically discriminated between healthy subjects and JIA patients, with the JIA patients having a lower physical and psychosocial well-being when compared to their healthy peers. In conclusion the Hebrew version of the CHAQ-CHQ is a reliable, and valid tool for the functional, physical and psychosocial assessment of children with JIA.

Uziel Y, Pomeranz A, Brik R, Navon P, Mukamel M, Press J, Barash J, Tauber T, Harel L, Virgilis D, Bibi H, Heldenberg D, Wolach B. · Sapir Medical Center, Kfar Saba, Tel-Aviv University Sackler School of Medicine, Israel. · J Rheumatol. · Pubmed #10332988 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine whether there is a seasonal peak onset of systemic juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (SOJRA) suggestive of an infectious etiology. We examined the seasonal variability of SOJRA in Israel. METHODS: A multicenter retrospective chart review of 59 patients with SOJRA, enrolled from 10 rheumatology units or pediatric departments in Israel. All patients met defined criteria of SOJRA. RESULTS: Fifty-nine patients (31 female, 28 male) were followed from 1982 to 1997. Their mean age was 7.1 +/- 4.3 years (range 0.9-16). Forty-six were Jewish and 13 were Arabs or of Bedouin origin. Eighteen patients (31%) had disease onset in the winter, 16 (27%) in the spring, 12 (20%) in the summer, and 13 (22%) in the fall. Twenty-eight patients had a monophasic disease subtype, while 31 had a chronic or cyclic subtype. The seasonal onset in the patients with the monophasic type versus the chronic or the cyclic type shows 7 versus 11 in the winter, 7 versus 9 in spring, 8 versus 4 in summer, and 6 versus 7 in fall, respectively. CONCLUSION: There is no seasonal pattern to SOJRA disease onset in Israel. However, the disease onset of patients having the chronic or the polycyclic subtype tends to be more common in winter and spring. Since patients with this type have more severe disease, it is possible that another specific infectious agent is one of the factors involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Larger sampling and multicenter studies are required to clarify this point.

Tauber T, Daniel D, Barash J, Turetz J, Morad Y. · No affiliation provided · Rheumatology (Oxford). · Pubmed #15637094 links to  free full text

This publication has no abstract.