Rheumatoid Arthritis: Vencovský J

Becvár R, Vencovský J, Nĕmec P, Suchý D, Procházková L, Pavelka K, Anonymous00264. · Revmatologický ustav Praha. · Vnitr Lek. · Pubmed #18390121 No free full text.

Abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease of unknown aetiology characterized by presence of chronic symmetric synovitis, which leads to the formation of joint erosions. Generally recommended method for activity assessment of RA is so called Disease Activity Score (DAS). In early RA when low disease activity is present with oligo- or monoarthritis antimalarials are drugs of choice, while sulfasalazine (SAS) is recommended in cases with medium activity without erosions. Initial treatment with methotrexate (MTX) or leflunomide (LEF) should be applied in a very active polyarthritis with a rapid development of erosions. MTX is often combined with other disease modifying drugs (DMARD) and the blockers of tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNF-alpha). LEF is to be administered to the patients in whom the other DMARD are contraindicated or not tolerated. In established RA with oligo- or monoarthritis with permanent low activity SAS is DMARD of choice. In cases with insufficient response and medium activity MTX is used and if it is inefficient LEF or combination of DMARD should be considered. In a very active disease with a rapid evolution of erosions high doses of MTX or LEF are recommended. When extraarticular symptoms of RA are present azathioprine is to be applied and in case of involvement of vital organs cyclophosphamide should be used. When DMARD are failing or contraindicated TNF-alpha blockers are to be applied. When one TNF-alpha blocker is inefficient it should by replaced by another one from the same group or another biological should be used. For indication of biologicals the activity limit is DAS28 5.1 and the decrease of DAS28 more than 1.2 is an efficacy criterion. Nonsteroidal antirheumatic drugs are an important part in the management of RA, and also corticosteroids are often of used in oral or parenteral form. To the complex therapy of RA nonpharmacological means are usually implemented--different physical procedures and various surgeries.

Pavelka K, Jarosová K, Suchý D, Senolt L, Chroust K, Dusek L, Vencovský J. · Institute of Rheumatology, Department of Rheumatology, First Faculty of Medicine, Charles University in Prague, Prague, Czech Republic. · Ann Rheum Dis. · Pubmed #19351624 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effect of infliximab dose escalation in incomplete responders in a randomised controlled trial. METHODS: 141 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with infliximab for 12 months (3 mg/kg; intervals 0, 2, 6 and then 8 weeks) who responded to the drug (disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28) decrease >1.2) but who were not in remission (DAS28 >2.6) were enrolled into the study. Patients were randomly assigned into arm A, 3 mg/kg, and arm B, 5 mg/kg infliximab every 8 weeks. Outcome measures included the DAS28, its components and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: There were no significant differences in changes in the DAS28, its components, or CRP in patients in arms A and B during the 12 months of treatment. All patients showed a DAS28 decrease greater than 0.6 after 28 weeks. Eleven patients interrupted therapy in arm A and 14 in arm B. Infusion reactions and non-serious adverse events were observed in 4.2% and 28.2% of arm A patients and in 7.2% and 47.8% of arm B patients. The frequency of serious adverse events was comparable between arms A and B (16.9% and 15.9%, respectively), and the frequency of serious infections was not significantly greater in the higher dose group (5.8%) than in the lower dose group (5.6%). CONCLUSIONS: In this setting, increasing the infliximab dose from 3 mg/kg to 5 mg/kg in RA patients with residual disease activity did not improve efficacy but moderately increased toxicity. These data indicate that a switch to another biological treatment would be a more appropriate strategy in incomplete responders.

Pavelka K, Gatterová J, Tegzová D, Jarosová K, Tomasová Studýnková J, Svobodník A, Svihálek J, Dusek L, Vencovský J. · Institute of Rheumatology and Department of Rheumatology, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. · Clin Exp Rheumatol. · Pubmed #17888209 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the clinical status and radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) being followed by the Czech National Registry of biological treatments. METHODS: Patients who failed at least two disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and had high disease activity (DAS28 > 5.1) were treated with infliximab. Radiographic progression was measured with a modified version of the Sharp score (TSS) after 54 weeks of treatment. RESULTS: Ninety-nine patients with an average disease duration of 13.7 years were enrolled. The DAS28 dropped from 6.66 to 4.07 (p < 0.001). Before treatment the mean TSS was 90.1 and the mean estimated yearly disease progression was 8.56. After 54 weeks of infliximab, radiographic progression was 4.15 times slower than the estimated rate before treatment and 63 patients did not show any radiographic progression at all. In the remaining 36 patients, the progression rate slowed to 3.8 +/- 0.9 from the estimated TSS of 10.9 +/- 6.9 before the initiation of treatment (p = 0.011). CONCLUSION: Data derived from the Czech National Registry, which reflect general clinical practice, show a significant retardation of radiographic progression in patients treated with anti-TNF and the magnitude of the improvement seen is similar to results from clinical trials.

Senolt L, Braun M, Vencovský J, Sedová L, Pavelka K. · Institute of Rheumatology, Charles University, First Medical Facility, Prague, Czech Republic. · Physiol Res. · Pubmed #17298211 links to  free full text

Abstract: Advanced glycation end-product (AGE) pentosidine has previously been demonstrated in different tissues and body fluids. It was suggested as a novel marker for evaluating the pathologic activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In this study we analyzed the relation between pentosidine and markers of inflammation, cartilage turnover, immune response, and disease status of RA. Using HPLC, we analyzed pentosidine in serum and synovial fluid from 39 patients with RA and in serum from 38 healthy controls. Cartilage oligomeric matrix protein (COMP) and antibodies to CCP (anti-CCP) were measured by ELISA. Clinical disease status was assessed by Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28) and functional status by Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ). We demonstrated significantly higher serum levels of pentosidine in RA patients in comparison with controls. Pentosidine in serum significantly correlated with pentosidine in synovial fluid. Serum pentosidine levels were associated with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (p<0.03) but not with CRP, COMP, anti-CCP antibodies, DAS 28, or HAQ. In contrast to previous studies, we could not show any correlation of pentosidine levels with inflammatory status, clinical disease activity, markers of immune response, or cartilage breakdown. However, AGEs can be suggested as important players participating in joint destruction rather than markers of disease activity.

Vencovský J, Huizinga TW. · Institute of Rheumatology, 12850 Praha 2, Czech Republic. · Lancet. · Pubmed #16473107 No free full text.

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Vencovský J, Machácek S, Sedová L, Kafková J, Gatterová J, Pesáková V, Růzicková S. · Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic. · Ann Rheum Dis. · Pubmed #12695154 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To evaluate a contribution of selected laboratory parameters for a prediction of progressive and erosive development in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In a prospective study baseline levels of antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP), IgM, IgA, and IgG rheumatoid factors (RFs) were measured by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) in 104 patients with RA with disease duration <2 years. Antikeratin antibodies (AKA) and antiperinuclear factor (APF) were detected by indirect immunofluorescence. Patients were divided into two groups based either on the presence or absence of erosions or according to progression of Larsen score at the end of the 24 months' follow up. RESULTS: Sixty seven (64%) patients developed radiographic erosions, 49 (47%) had progression in Larsen score, and 36 (35%) progressed by more than 10 Larsen units. Significant differences in erosions and progression between the two groups were detected for anti-CCP, AKA, APF, IgM RF, IgA RF, and IgG RF. Baseline Larsen score correlated significantly with anti-CCP, IgM RF, and IgA RF levels, and all measured antibodies correlated with the progression >10 units. The combination of anti-CCP and IgM RF increased the ability to predict erosive and progressive disease. CONCLUSION: The data confirmed that measurement of anti-CCP, AKA, APF, and individual isotypes of RFs was useful for prediction of structural damage early in the disease course. Combined analysis of anti-CCP and IgM RF provides the most accurate prediction.

Vencovský J, Zd'árský E, Moyes SP, Hajeer A, Ruzicková S, Cimburek Z, Ollier WE, Maini RN, Mageed RA. · Laboratory of Gene Expression, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. · Rheumatology (Oxford). · Pubmed #11961170 links to  free full text

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To investigate the contribution of polymorphism in the immunoglobulin heavy chain variable region V1-69 gene set to genetic susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Czech and British patients. METHODS: We used V1-69 gene sequence-specific polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and restriction enzyme digestion to study polymorphism in the V1-69 gene set in germline DNA of 109 Czech and 159 British RA patients and 164 ethnically matched controls. Polymorphism was further studied by nucleotide sequencing of the V1-69 gene locus in germline DNA. RESULTS: We found that all patients and controls had at least one V1-69 gene copy. In the Czech RA cohort, the dimorphic nucleotide in codon 73 of V1-69 (GAA or AAA) was present in the homozygous form 73(A/A) in 31 of 109 (28.4%) RA patients vs 12 of 79 (15.2%) controls [odds ratio (OR)=2.22, P<0.001]. When the RA patients and controls were classified according to HLA shared epitope (SE) status, 73(A/A) was found in 18 of 76 (23.7%) SE(+) patients compared with 13 of 38 (34.2%) SE(-) patients, four of 12 (18.2) SE(+) controls and eight of 57 (14%) SE(-) controls. This suggests that homozygosity for the dimorphic sequence 73(A) contributed to susceptibility to RA in SE(-) Czech individuals (OR=3.2, P<0.001). The most striking observation was that none of the 38 SE(-) Czech patients, compared with 11 of 76 (14.5%) SE(+) RA patients, three of 22 (13.6%) SE(+) and 11 of 57 (19.3%) SE(-) ethnically matched controls, were homozygous for the alternative dimorphic sequence 73(G/G) (OR=9.1, P<0.05). These data, however, were not replicated in a Caucasoid British RA population. CONCLUSION: The dimorphic sequence at codon 73 (73(A/A)) of the V1-69 gene contributes to genetic susceptibility in SE(-) Czech RA patients.

Vencovský J, Jarosová K, Růzicková S, Nemcová D, Niederlová J, Ozen S, Alikasifoglu M, Bakkaloglu A, Ollier WE, Mageed RA. · Institute of Rheumatology, Prague, Czech Republic. · Arthritis Rheum. · Pubmed #11665981 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: An increased incidence of allele 2 of the interleukin-1 receptor antagonist gene (IL1RN*2) in several inflammatory diseases has recently been reported. The aim of this study was to examine a variable number tandem repeat (VNTR) polymorphism of the IL1RN gene in patients with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). METHODS: Findings in 185 Czech patients with JIA were compared with those in 168 Czech controls, 50 JIA patients and 52 controls of Turkish origin, and 79 controls from central England. VNTR polymorphism analysis of IL1RN was performed by polymerase chain reaction using 2 flanking primers to amplify an 86-bp tandem repeat region in intron 2. RESULTS: The frequency and carriage rate of IL1RN*2 were significantly increased in Czech JIA patients compared with the Czech controls (frequency 27.6% versus 15.8%; carriage rate 44.3% versus 26.2%). Increased frequency and carriage rate of IL1RN*2 were found in 23.3% and 40.0% of Turkish JIA patients and in 17.3% and 34.6% of ethnically matched controls. The high representation of IL1RN*2 in 52.3% of the 22 patients with extended oligoarthritis, 31.3% of the 56 patients with enthesitis-related arthritis, and 42.9% of the 14 patients with other arthritis was particularly responsible for the increased frequency of IL1RN*2 in the Czech JIA patients. We found no association of IL1RN*2 with disease activity or severity parameters. CONCLUSION: Inheritance of IL1RN*2 may contribute to genetic susceptibility in several forms of autoimmune diseases, including JIA. The IL1RN*2 allele may be useful as a prognostic indicator of the evolution of an extended oligoarticular course of JIA.

Sedivá A, Hoza J, Nĕmcová D, Pospísilová D, Bartůnková J, Vencovský J. · Institute of Immunology, University Hospital Motol, Prague, Czech Republic. · Med Sci Monit. · Pubmed #11208502 No free full text.

Abstract: BACKGROUND: Immunological investigation is a part of the complex view on a child with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). We analyzed the data of a cohort of children with JCA in order to determine the real contribution of this investigation to their diagnosis and therapy. MATERIAL AND METHODS: We included the investigation of humoral immunity and autoantibodies of 78 children with JCA. 18 children completed investigation of both humoral and cellular immunity of paired peripheral blood (PB) and synovial fluid (SF). Humoral immunity consisted from immunoglobulins, complement, circulating immune complexes, rheumatoid factors, soluble HLA I. molecules and antinuclear and antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies. Cellular immunity included cytometric studies of CD3, CD4, CD8, CD16/CD56, CD19, CD20, 23, CD3 HLA DR+, CD45 RA, CD45 RO, alpha/beta and gamma/delta T cells. To observe the status of Th1/Th2 balance in children with JCA, the cytokines IL-4, IFN gamma, TNF alpha and IL-6 were measured in the tissue culture of the synovial cells. RESULTS: The parameters of humoral immunity in serum showed wide variability. We could not confirm particular changes specific for the forms or stage of the disease. ANCA were positive in 21 out of 78 children with JCA, 3 times both in PB and SF. More typical pattern could be followed in the comparison of PB and SF, with immunoglobulins and complement always found lower in SF than in PB. The cellular immunity was represented by the activation of lymphocytes mainly in SF, reverse ratio of CD45 RA and RO cells in PB and SF with marked predominance of memory T cells in the joint. High levels of sHLA in SF are the nonspecific marker of activation, the same is true for high levels of TNF alpha and IL 6 in SF cell culture supernatant. CONCLUSION: The described changes in immunological parameters of humoral and cellular immunity are not specific for JCA. In the individual cases they can contribute to the diagnosis and monitoring of the disease. The investigation of sHLA molecules and cytokine profile should be restricted only for research.

Bartůnková J, Sedivá A, Vencovský J, Tesar V. · Institute of Immunology, 2nd Faculty of Medicine, Charles University, Prague, Czech Republic. · Clin Exp Rheumatol. · Pubmed #10410277 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: Primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) in childhood is a rare disease. Diagnostic criteria are available for adult patients only. In order to establish diagnostic criteria for juvenile pSS an analysis of 7 girls and one boy suffering from pSS with early onset is reported. Due to the rarity of the disease, data on patients with pSS reported in the literature are included in the proposal for modified diagnostic criteria. METHODS: The diagnosis of pSS was established according to the criteria for adulthood pSS, duly modified, which include clinical symptoms and laboratory immunological evaluation. RESULTS: The average age of our patients at clinical onset was 13.5 years (range: 10-17 yrs.). Clinical signs included systemic (fever, fatigue) as well as local (parotitis, vulvovaginitis, conjunctivitis) symptoms. Paralysis due to hypokalemia linked to renal tubular acidosis and central nervous system (CNS) involvement was seen in one patient. Asymptomatic renal tubular acidosis was diagnosed in another 2 patients. Autoimmune hepatitis was present in 2 patients. All patients had laboratory abnormalities: hyperimmunoglobulinemia IgG, high titers of antinuclear antibodies (anti-SS-A and/or anti-SS-B) and elevated serum amylases. Sicca syndrome was never seen during childhood, although it developed later in 3 patients, after 7 to 10 years of follow-up. CONCLUSIONS: It has been stressed that the classical diagnostic criteria for adult Sjögren's syndrome, especially sicca syndrome, are not applicable to a pediatric onset of the disease. On the other hand, the presence of typical laboratory abnormalities can allow the diagnosis of these patients in the early stages. Both laboratory and clinical symptoms typical for childhood are included in our proposal for diagnostic criteria applicable to juvenile pSS. Life-threatening conditions such as hypokalemic paralysis, CNS involvement and hepatitis may also occur in children. Sicca syndrome tends to develop much later in pediatric patients.