Methods: For this review, we searched PubMed/Medline, Cochrane Library, Embase, and Google Scholar databases for articles published between 2000 and 2023, using the following search terms: “hyperbaric oxygen therapy”, “fibromyalgia”, and “physical exercise”.

Results: In total, more than 90 publications were retrieved, 45 of which were analyzed in depth. The majority of the studies retrieved were of an observational design, whereas there were only a few randomized trials and very few reviews. Based on the compiled literature, there is further support for the hypothesis that reduced oxygen availability may be at the origin of the structural degeneration observed in the muscles of FM patients. In the absence of a universally accepted cure for FM, the therapeutic approach must be multidisciplinary and multimodal. It should be noted that many questions remain unanswered. What is the optimal dose-response range, duration of treatment, and associated economic cost? Larger controlled trials are needed to determine the exact role of HBO as an adjuvant therapy for FM patients.

Conclusion: Based on the published literature, repeated exposure to HBO may be a promising therapeutic adjunct for FM patients. However, more clinical research is needed before HBO can be established as a reliable approach for FM patients.

Objective: This study aims to review the CAM available for SLE patients.

Methods: Studies focusing on CAM interventions in patients diagnosed with SLE were identified via PubMed, Scopus, Cochrane Library, and Google Scholar through a systematic search conducted to identify relevant articles published up to May 2024.

Results: The potential therapeutic roles of specific micronutrients (vitamins A, C, D, and E), macronutrients (omega-3 fatty acids and probiotics), and supplements (ginger, turmeric) were examined, detailing their mechanisms and emerging evidence supporting their use. Additionally, the roles of dietary changes and mind-body interventions were discussed.

Conclusion: Despite the absence of established guidelines for supplementation and other interventions, this review emphasizes the need for personalized approaches tailored to individual characteristics and comorbidities. Healthcare providers are encouraged to enhance their knowledge of these CAM modalities to optimize patient care and improve overall quality of life for SLE patients.

Methods: This review utilized an extensive literature search approach to select studies addressing the correlation between psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and mental comorbidities such as depression, anxiety, and their influence on quality of life and the disease course. Databases like PubMed, Scopus, Web of Science, and Google Scholar were utilized up to 2024 with applicable keywords and Boolean operators.

Results: The mutual interaction between PsA and psychological distress is moderated by mechanisms including chronic pain, systemic inflammation, physical disability, and the social stigma of psoriatic lesions. Research suggests that patients with PsA exhibit an increased frequency of anxiety and depression in comparison to the general population, and that mental illness augments the severity of the disease and affects the outcome of treatments adversely. In addition, PsA may also cause systemic inflammation that might lead to neurocognitive dysfunction, adding to the risk for mood disorders.

Discussion: Although there is a long-standing, well-documented psychosocial morbidity associated with PsA, mental health comorbidities are frequently underdiagnosed and undertreated. Psychological distress must be treated as an integral part of PsA management to enhance patient-reported outcomes as well as quality of life.

Conclusion: This review examines the complex interaction between PsA and mental health, considers the possible underlying mechanisms, and highlights the necessity of an integrated, multidisciplinary treatment strategy for patients.

Methods: A systematic search was conducted using scientific databases, including PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials, and ScienceDirect, up until November 2024, using the PRISMA-ScR for Scoping Reviews.

Results: Twenty-three studies that evaluated the molecular and/or structural effects of dextrose on cartilage were eligible for inclusion. Fifteen studies included in vitro models, three studies involved animal models, and five studies were conducted on humans. Sixteen studies reported favorable effects on cartilage, and seven studies reported unfavorable effects. In all studies performed in vivo (in animals or humans), predominantly favorable effects on cartilage were reported. The favorable effects on cartilage were improved glucose metabolism in chondrocytes, increased deposition of extracellular matrix and the induction of chondrocyte proliferation, increased expression of anabolic growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines, as well as decreased activity of some metalloproteinases. Among the unfavorable effects, increased release of proinflammatory and catabolic cytokines was reported.

Conclusion: These results suggest that dextrose may have a therapeutic effect on cartilage, though the underlying mechanisms are not fully understood. This study is a starting point for future experimental studies evaluating the therapeutic effects of dextrose prolotherapy.

Objective: So, we have framed a hypothesis to discover the TLR7 antagonist that may inhibit to the upregulation of TLR 7 in RA patients during the CoV-2 infection via virtual screening methodology.

Methods: Here we have focused to discover some novel TLR7 inhibitors from the ZINC database, which may effectively inhibit TLR7. Series of virtual screening analysis lead to the discovery of three active hits.

Results and Discussion: Among these three molecules, ZINC95412580 had a highest binding energy of -15.4273 kcal/mol against the TLR7 protein (PDB Id: 6LW1) that also showed the maximum interactions within the binding pocket. c

Conclusion: Thus, the compounds discovered through the use of various software can possibly be used for the management of rheumatoid arthritis during and after COVID infection. Hence, we can conclude that these molecules might be served as the inhibitors of TLR7 upregulation.

]]> https://www.benthamscience.com/article/1501372026-03-31Introduction: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are common chronic inflammatory diseases, with some clinical similarities and differences. mRNAome analysis provides a valuable approach to understand disease pathogenesis. To elucidate the underlying mechanisms of similarities and differences among these inflammatory diseases, we analyzed the commonly and specifically expressed mRNAs in the whole blood of patients with PsA, AS, and RA.

Methods: Raw gene expression datasets (GSE61281, GSE25101, and GSE93272) were obtained from the Gene Expression Omnibus database and subjected to differential gene expression analysis using R program version 4.4.1. Gene Ontology and Kyoto Encyclopedia of Genes and Genomes analyses were used to analyze gene function, biological networks, and canonical pathways.

Results: A total of 652, 78, and 246 genes were specifically expressed in the whole blood of patients with PsA, AS, and RA, respectively. Additionally, 17 commonly expressed genes were upregulated in patients with PsA, AS, and RA. The primary pathways associated with commonly expressed genes included neurodegenerative diseases, oxidative phosphorylation, reactive oxygen species, and non-alcoholic fatty liver disease.

Discussion: The gene expression analysis revealed both specific and common genetic signatures in the whole blood of patients with PsA, AS, and RA. Understanding these genetic patterns may provide insights into the clinical similarities and differences among these arthritic conditions and enhance our comprehension of their pathogenesis.

Conclusion: This study identified distinct and shared gene expression patterns in the whole blood of patients with PsA, AS, and RA. Most of these genes are predominantly associated with oxidative phosphorylation, reactive oxygen species, ribosome function, and neurodegenerative diseases.

Case Presentation: This case describes a 59-year-old man presenting with worsening symmetrical upper and lower extremity proximal muscle weakness and disabling muscle pain in his shoulders and hips. Further, weakly positive antinuclear antibodies were also observed. The creatinine phosphokinase was also remarkably elevated, uncharacteristic of both inclusion body myositis and polymyalgia rheumatica. He was initially thought to have polymyalgia rheumatica, but given the time frame and the presence of muscle pain, a musclebiopsy was done, which confirmed inclusion body myositis.

Conclusion: This case underscores the challenges in diagnosing inclusion body myositis due to its slow progression and overlapping features with other conditions, highlighting the importance of recognizing its distinguishing characteristics.

Case Presentation: Herein, we present the case of a 70-year-old patient who was diagnosed with light chain amyloidosis. He reported chronic joint pain, bilateral carpal tunnel syndrome, and an inguinal mass. Ultrasound examination revealed tenosynovitis of the flexor digitorum tendons, the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon, and the long head of the biceps tendon, along with synovitis in the wrists, elbows, and shoulders, as well as knee joint effusion. The synovial thickening with heterogeneous echogenic material suggested amyloid deposition.

Conclusion: This case underscored key ultrasonographic features of amyloid arthropathy, including synovial thickening with heterogeneous echogenic deposits, tenosynovitis, and subacromialsubdeltoid bursa involvement. Unlike rheumatoid arthritis, amyloidosis lacked erosions and power Doppler signal, highlighting imaging distinctions. The hypoechoic inguinal amyloidoma with calcifications further aligned with amyloid deposition. Although amyloidosis shares certain clinical features with dialysis-related β2-microglobulin amyloidosis (e.g., carpal tunnel syndrome, shoulder deposits), AL amyloidosis may exhibit unique patterns, such as diffuse synovial infiltration without hyperemia. However, ultrasound’s non-specificity necessitates histopathological confirmation.

While systemic amyloidosis requires pathological confirmation, ultrasonography provides a rapid, cost-effective tool for early diagnostic guidance.

Case Presentation: In this case report, we describe a very interesting presentation of scurvy in the presence of extensive oral Crohn’s ulcers. The patient presented to the clinic reporting bleeding gums and painful mouth sores. An extensive workup revealed high inflammatory levels and low vitamin C levels. The patient received vitamin C infusions with improvement in symptoms. However, further workup, including a capsule endoscopy and oral biopsies, revealed Crohn’s disease.

Conclusion: There have been limited reports regarding the concurrence of both scurvy and Crohn’s disease. With oral ulcerations being a characteristic of both conditions, diagnosing Crohn’s disease in the setting of Vitamin C deficiency may be challenging.

Case Presentation: A 57-year-old female with lupus reported a flare following the Eaton fire, which severely damaged her parents' home. Symptoms began 12 hours after the fire. Examination revealed erythema and deformity in both ears, consistent with chondritis. After starting a prednisone taper, her condition improved within two weeks.

Conclusion: Environmental stressors, like natural disasters, can trigger lupus flare-ups and conditions, such as discoid lupus erythematosus (DLE). Stress-induced immune dysregulation exacerbates autoimmune responses, making it challenging to differentiate discoid lupus from other lupus manifestations. This case highlights the need for recognizing environmental triggers in lupus management and further research into the role of stress in lupus flare-ups.