Dennis G McGonagle

Recent evidence suggests a role for natural killer (NK) cells in the control of multiple myeloma. We show that expression of the NK cell receptor DNAM-1 (CD226) is reduced on CD56(dim) NK cells from myeloma patients with active disease compared with patients in remission and healthy controls. This suggested that this receptor might play a role in NK-myeloma interactions. The DNAM-1 ligands Nectin-2 (CD112) and the poliovirus receptor (PVR; CD155) were expressed by most patient myeloma ...

OBJECTIVE: The ability to make an early, accurate diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has become increasingly important with the availability of new, expensive, and targeted therapies. However, plain radiography, the traditional method of detecting the characteristic bone erosions and an important adjunct in establishing a diagnosis of RA, is known to be insensitive. This study compared sonography, a modern imaging technique, with conventional radiography for the detection of erosions ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy of infliximab in HLA-B27-positive patients with magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-determined early sacroiliitis, using both clinical and MRI assessments.

METHODS: Forty patients with recent-onset inflammatory back pain, as assessed by the Calin criteria, HLA-B27 positivity, clinical disease activity as measured by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), pain and morning stiffness, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-determined ...

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the role of metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joint anatomic and biomechanical factors in the distribution of synovitis and bone erosion in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS: Thirty-three patients with early RA with clinically diagnosed MCP joint disease and 28 healthy controls were examined by magnetic resonance imaging of the second to fifth MCP joints of the dominant hand. T1 and T2 fat-suppressed coronal sequences were obtained to assess erosion, and dynamic ...

BACKGROUND: Since the publication of the European League Against Rheumatism recommendations for the pharmacological treatment of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in 2012, new evidence and new therapeutic agents have emerged. The objective was to update these recommendations.

METHODS: A systematic literature review was performed regarding pharmacological treatment in PsA. Subsequently, recommendations were formulated based on the evidence and the expert opinion of the 34 Task Force members. ...

OBJECTIVE: To simultaneously image bone and synovium in the individual joints characteristically involved in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS: Forty patients with early, untreated RA underwent gadolinium-enhanced magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the second through fifth metacarpophalangeal joints of the dominant hand at presentation, 3 months, and 12 months. In the first phase (0-3 months), patients were randomized to receive either methotrexate alone (MTX) or MTX and ...

OBJECTIVE: Studies comparing 500 mg rituximab and 1,000 mg rituximab doses in rheumatoid arthritis have yielded conflicting data on clinical outcomes, but in all of these studies a subgroup of patients has had excellent responses at the lower dose. Historically, it was considered that rituximab uniformly depleted B cells at both doses. Using highly sensitive assays, we have shown that B cell depletion is variable and predictive of clinical response. Using the same techniques, we ...

BackgroundEnthesitis is one of the psoriatic arthritis (PsA) domains. Patients with enthesitis are associated with worse outcomes than those without enthesitis. The effect of secukinumab on the resolution of enthesitis in patients with PsA was explored using pooled data from the FUTURE 2 and 3 studies.MethodAssessments of enthesitis through week 104 used the Leeds Enthesitis Index. These post hoc analyses included resolution of enthesitis count (EC = 0), median time to first resolution ...

BACKGROUND: The new Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS) criteria classify axial spondyloarthritis (SpA) into human leucocyte antigen-B27 and/or imaging-based arms. To aid implementation, ASAS has proposed a definition of a positive MRI for active sacroiliitis.

OBJECTIVE: The authors aimed to test the diagnostic and predictive value of the ASAS criteria and definition of a 'positive' MRI.

METHODS: Baseline MRI scans on 29 patients with early inflammatory back pain ...

OBJECTIVE: This study combined ultrasonography of the Achilles tendon enthesis at different stages of spondylarthritis (SpA) with microanatomic studies of normal cadaveric entheses, with the aim of exploring the relationship between bone erosion and new bone formation in enthesitis.

METHODS: Thirty-seven patients with SpA and Achilles tendon enthesitis (20 with early SpA and 17 with chronic SpA) and 10 normal control subjects underwent ultrasound scanning. The presence of bone erosion ...

OBJECTIVE: Dermatologists usually see patients with psoriasis before arthritis develops, making them well placed to diagnose early PsA (ePsA). This study aimed to develop a rapid and robust screening questionnaire for predicting PsA in patients with psoriasis referred to a specialized joint dermatology-rheumatology combined clinic.

METHODS: In all, 228 psoriasis patients naïve to DMARD treatment were administered two screening questionnaire: the new Early ARthritis for Psoriatic patients ...

OBJECTIVES: A20 is an important endogenous regulator of inflammation. Single nucleotide polymorphisms in A20 have been associated with various immune-mediated inflammatory diseases, and cell-specific deletion of A20 results in diverse inflammatory phenotypes. Our goal was to delineate the underlying mechanisms of joint inflammation in myeloid-specific A20-deficient mice (A20myelKO mice).

METHODS: Inflammation in A20myelKO mice was assessed in a time-dependent manner. Western blot ...

OBJECTIVE: Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used to detect sacroiliitis earlier. This study was undertaken to investigate what proportion of patients with MRI-evident sacroiliitis develop ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the long term and whether there are predictors of outcome.

METHODS: Consecutive undiagnosed patients with early inflammatory back pain (IBP) (of <2 years' duration) were assessed clinically and radiologically. Baseline imaging assessments included ...

OBJECTIVE: To compare work disability and job loss in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients receiving adalimumab plus methotrexate (adalimumab + MTX) versus MTX alone.

METHODS: In this multicenter, randomized, controlled trial, patients with RA for <2 years who had never taken MTX and who self-reported work impairment were randomized to adalimumab + MTX or placebo + MTX for 56 weeks. Primary outcome was job loss of any cause and/or imminent job loss at or after week 16. Secondary ...