Rheumatoid Arthritis: Pratsidou-Gertsi P

Kanakoudi-Tsakalidou F, Tzimouli V, Pratsidou-Gertsi P, Chronopoulou E, Trachana M. · First Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University, Ippokration General Hospital, 54642 Thessaloniki, Greece. · Cytokine. · Pubmed #18445529 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To study the significance of persistent (12 months) new autoantibodies, in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) patients treated with either Infliximab (INFL) or Etanercept (ET) for 2 years. PATIENTS-METHODS: 26 children under INFL (n=12) or ET (n=14) were prospectively studied. A large panel of autoantibodies was tested using indirect immunofluorescence (ANA, anti-dsDNA, anti-ENA, SMA, LKM, AMA, PCA, anti-R1, ATA), ELISA (ANA, anti-ENA, anti-cardiolipin, ANCA), immunoblotting assay (anti-ENA: anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-Sm, anti-URNP, anti-Jo, anti-Scl70, anti-centromere, anti-ribosomal and anti-histone) and rate nephelometry (RF). RESULTS: Apart from the positive patients for ANA (13/26) and RF (2/26) prior to anti-TNF treatment, 6/26 patients (23%) developed new autoantibodies (SMA, anti-R1, ATA) which persisted for 12-50 months. None developed antibodies to nuclear antigens. In only one case, ATA was associated with the development of Hashimoto's thyroiditis. CONCLUSIONS: These findings indicate that in JIA patients in contrast to adult RA patients, development of new autoantibodies to various nuclear antigens is rare. Other non relevant to rheumatic diseases autoantibodies, may appear and persist for >12 months, but very rarely they may be related to clinical entities, especially in the presence of a positive family history of autoimmunity.

Ruperto N, Buratti S, Duarte-Salazar C, Pistorio A, Reiff A, Bernstein B, Maldonado-Velázquez MR, Beristain-Manterola R, Maeno N, Takei S, Falcini F, Lepore L, Spencer CH, Pratsidou-Gertsi P, Martini A, Ravelli A. · Università di Genova, Istituto di Ricovero e Cura a Carattere Scientifico G. Gaslini, Genoa, Italy. · Arthritis Rheum. · Pubmed #15188334 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To assess the health-related quality of life (HRQL) of patients with juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (JSLE) and its relationship with disease activity and accumulated damage. METHODS: In this cross-sectional study, HRQL was assessed using the Child Health Questionnaire (CHQ), disease activity using the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), and accumulated damage using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI). RESULTS: A total of 297 patients were included. The mean +/- SD physical and psychosocial summary scores of the CHQ were 40.2 +/- 15.0 and 44.8 +/- 10.7, respectively. The most impaired CHQ subscales were global health, general health perceptions, and parent impact-emotional. The SLEDAI score was significantly correlated with both the physical summary score (r = -0.29, P < 0.0001) and psychosocial summary score (r = -0.25, P < 0.0001), whereas the SDI score was significantly correlated only with the physical summary score (r = -0.23, P = 0.0001). CONCLUSION: We found that patients with JSLE have significant impairment of their HRQL, particularly in the physical domain. HRQL may be affected by both disease activity and accumulated damage, particularly in the renal, central nervous, and musculoskeletal systems.

Pratsidou-Gertsi P, Vougiouka O, Tsitsami E, Ruperto N, Siamopoulou-Mavridou A, Dracou C, Daskas I, Trachana M, Alaleou V, Kanakoudi-Tsakalidou F, Anonymous00069. · 1st Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki. · Clin Exp Rheumatol. · Pubmed #11510336 No free full text.

Abstract: We report herein the results of the cross-cultural adaptation and validation into the Greek language of the parent's version of 2 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 Greek CHAQ CHQ were fully validated with 3 forward and 3 backward translations. A total of 143 subjects were enrolled: 82 patients with JIA (28% systemic onset, 24% polyarticular onset, 10% extended oligoarticular subtype, and 38% persistent oligoarticular subtype) and 61 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 systemic onset, polyarticular onset and extended oligoarticular subtypes having a lower physical and psychosocial well-being when compared to their healthy peers. In conclusion the Greek version of the CHAQ-CHQ is a reliable, and valid tool for the functional, physical and psychosocial assessment of children with JIA.

Pratsidou-Gertsi P, Kanakoudi-Tsakalidou F, Spyropoulou M, Germenis A, Adam K, Taparkou A, Siamopoulou A, Drakou C, Konstantinidis T, Prieur AM, Stavropoulos-Giokas C. · 1st Department of Pediatrics, Aristotle University, Thessaloniki, Greece. · Eur J Immunogenet. · Pubmed #10457895 No free full text.

Abstract: The aim of this study was to investigate the association of different groups and subgroups of juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) with HLA class II (DR, DP, DQ) alleles and/or haplotypes. Groups and subgroups were mainly distinguished on the basis of the type of onset, the course and complications of the disease, and some predefined disease markers according to the criteria proposed by the ILAR Standing Committee (Chile, 1994). On the basis of these criteria the following five JCA groups and their subgroups were included in the study: (1) define systemic onset (n = 25) and systemic progressing to persistent arthritis (n = 14); (2) JCA of oligoarthritis onset (O-JCA, n = 124) and of oligoarthritis onset and course (n = 98), O-JCA of early (< 6 years) or late (> 6 years) onset (EOO-JCA n = 71 and LOO-JCA n = 44), O-JCA with ANA positive (n = 69) or negative (n = 55) and O-JCA progressing to extended arthritis (n = 22); (3) JCA of polyarthritis onset (P-JCA) with rheumatic factor (RF) negative (n = 29), and P-JCA RF negative with antinuclear antibodies (ANA) positive (n = 13) or negative (n = 16); (4) JCA complicated with chronic anterior uveitis (CAU, n = 32); (5) juvenile psoriatic arthritis (n = 20). To assess the HLA allele frequencies in the above 223 Greek children with JCA, these frequencies were compared to those of 98 age-matched and 250 adult controls. The main findings were the following. A common HLA-DRB1* allele was not involved in the JCA groups and subgroups studied; on the other hand, the DQA1*0501 allele was found to be associated with different JCA groups/subgroups (O-JCA, P-JCA RF-negative ANA-positive, JCA with CAU), probably suggesting a closer relationship of this locus with the immunogenetic background of JCA. The DPB1*0201 allele was associated with the development of either EOO-JCA or CAU. Susceptibility to CAU was stronger when the DPB1*0201 was combined with the presence of DRB1*13. Another allele, DQB1*0301, was also associated with O-JCA and CAU. Finally, no specific HLA class II allele was found to be related to the presence of ANA or psoriatic lesions or to the severity of the arthritis. Our findings suggest that the wide clinical and laboratory spectrum of JCA is associated with an immunogenetic background that is linked with HLA alleles of more than one locus. Some of them, such as the DPB1*0201 allele, confer susceptibility to certain clinical onsets and courses or complications of the disease. The rapidly advancing techniques of typing of DNA profiles may lead to more definite conclusions.

Trachana M, Pratsidou-Gertsi P, Kanakoudi-Tsakalidou F, Christodoulou A, Bantouraki M, Arsos G, Benizelos J. · No affiliation provided · Pediatr Blood Cancer. · Pubmed #18383520 No free full text.

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