Hyperuricemia in SLE patients is independently associated with the occurrence of stroke and peripheral neuropathy. It is also independently associated with hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and history of arterial thrombosis, which are the major stroke and myocardial infarction risk factors in SLE patients.

Background:We aimed to study the outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in patients with a history of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Iran, where most patients receive corticosteroids and are at high risk for COVID-19 infection. Method:We collected the demographic, diagnostic, and treatment data of all COVID-19 patients by the clinical COVID-19 registry system. We recruited 38 RA patients and 2216 non-RA patients from the COVID-19 registry. The primary outcome was mortality due to COVID-19. We also studied the risk of intensive care unit admission and intubation in RA patients compared to non-RA patients. We used multiple logistic regression analysis to study the association between RA and the risk of COVID-19 outcomes. Result:We recruited 38 RA patients and 2216 non-RA patients from the COVID-19 registry. The RA patients had a higher mean age (59.9 years) than the non-RA patients (57.7 years). The group of RA patients had a larger proportion of women (76.3%) than the non-RA patients (40.8%). The death rate due to COVID-19 was significantly higher in RA patients than non-RA patients (odds ratio [OR] = 2.69, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.24-5.81). The OR was higher among those who received prednisolone than among those who did not (OR = 3.59, 95% CI = 1.54-7.81). The odds of intubation were statistically significant among patients who received corticosteroid therapy (OR = 2.58, 95% CI = 1.07-6.18). Conclusion:The risk of COVID-19 outcomes was higher in RA patients than non-RA patients, especially for RA patients who received a low dose of prednisolone. The results of this study can be used to triage RA patients who get infected by COVID-19.Further studies with larger sample sizes are required to more precisely define the high-risk groups.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease that is characterized by inflammation of the articular tissue. This study aims to evaluate the expression of microRNA (miR)-146a-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-125a-5p in the plasma of RA patients and compare them with those of healthy controls to obtain a specific expression profile for earlier diagnosis and assistance in treating patients. This study was performed on 50 RA patients and 50 healthy controls. Five microliters of blood were taken from each patient/control. Plasma RNA was extracted using the Trisol solution. cDNAs were synthesized; using moloney murine leukemia virus (MMLV) and deoxynucleoside triphosphate (dNTP). Real-time PCR was performed using SYBR green kit. The mean expression of miR-146a-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-125a-5p in the RA group were 8.1±1.9, 6.5±1.2, and 6.8±2.2 and in the healthy group were 4.8±1.6, 3.6±2.2, and 3.4±1.7, respectively. Significant differences were also observed in the mean expression of these three miRNAs in four subgroups of RA patients with different disease activity based on disease activity score 28 (DAS28) (p<0.05). ROC curve analysis showed that miR-146a-5p (AUC=0.8, sensitivity=96%, specificity=86%), miR-24-3p (AUC=0.7, Sensitivity=95%, Specificity=75%) and miR-125a-5p (AUC=0.71, sensitivity=93%, specificity=84%) could be used as suitable biomarkers for RA diagnosis. Increased expressions of miR-146a-5p, miR-24-3p, and miR-125a-5p in RA patients indicate that the miRNAs are involved in disease incidence and progression, and the measurement of their expression can play an essential role in the diagnosis and treatment of the disease.

Solid organ transplantation is an important lifesaving procedure mainly performed in patients with end-stage organ failure such as liver cirrhosis, congestive heart failure, and end-stage renal disease. While these complications are among the most preventable adverse effects of solid organ transplantation, these are generally neglected by physicians. Accordingly, this study was performed to evaluate the frequency of musculoskeletal complications among the patients receiving solid organ transplantation in a tertiary health-care center in a developing country. This cohort study was performed from 2000 to 2009, among fifty patients receiving organ transplantation (liver, heart, and lung) attending to a training hospital in Tehran, Iran. The main variables were musculoskeletal complaints and findings that were measured according to patients' self-report and clinical examination. The mean age of the patients was 40.2 ± 10.9 years ranging from 5 to 58 years. Twenty out of 50 patients (40%) had musculoskeletal complaints that the most common complaint was the arthralgia. Also, the mechanical arthritis was the most common clinical finding in clinical examination (24%). Low serum level of vitamin D (74.4%) and high serum alkaline phosphatase level (27.9%) were the most common biochemical abnormalities in understudy population. Finally, it may be concluded that nearly forty percent of patients receiving solid organ transplantation may develop musculoskeletal findings and/or complaints. These complications may be found and treated with regular examinations to reduce the burden of disease.