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Objectives The primary objective was to compare the clinical characteristics of SpA patients with and without root joint disease (RJD+ and RJD–). The secondary objectives were to compare the prevalence of RJD across various SpA subtypes and in different world regions, and to compare the SpA axial severity and SpA burden between RJD+ and RJD–. Methods This is a post hoc analysis of the Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society PerSpA study (PERipheral involvement in SpondyloArthritis), which included 4465 patients with SpA [axial (axSpA), peripheral (pSpA), PsA, IBD, reactive and juvenile] according to the rheumatologist’s diagnosis. RJD was defined as the ‘ever’ presence of hip or shoulder involvement related to SpA, according to the rheumatologist. Patient characteristics were compared between RJD+ and RJD–. Multivariable stepwise binary logistic regression analyses were conducted to identify factors associated with ‘RJD’, ‘hip’ and ‘shoulder’ involvement. Results RJD was significantly associated with the SpA main diagnosis (highest in pSpA), a higher prevalence of HLA-B27 positivity, enthesitis, tender and swollen joints, CRP, conventional synthetic DMARDs, loss of lumbar lordosis and occiput-wall distance >0. RJD was more prevalent in Asia, and occurred in 1503 patients (33.7%), with more hip (24.2%) than shoulder (13.2%) involvement. Hip involvement had a distinct phenotype, similar to axSpA (including younger age at onset, HLA-B27 positivity), whereas shoulder involvement was associated with features of pSpA (including older age at onset). Conclusion RJD+ SpA patients had a distinctive clinical phenotype compared with RJD–. Hip involvement, based on the rheumatologist’s diagnosis, was more prevalent than shoulder involvement and was clinically distinct.

Little is known about the prevalence, phenotype, and burden of peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA). The objective of the study is to compare the phenotype and burden of disease of pure pSpA to that of pure psoriatic arthritis (PsA), pure axial SpA (axSpA), and combined forms of SpA.This is a post hoc analysis of 4,185 patients from the cross-sectional ASAS-Peripheral involvement in SpA (PerSpA) study. Patients were approached in 2 ways: the first approach was based on the rheumatologist's diagnosis (diagnostic approach) and the second one was based on the fulfillment of ASAS or CASPAR classification criteria (classification criteria approach). Demographics, disease phenotype, and burden were compared among pure pSpA, PsA, axSpA, and the combined forms.The proportion of pSpA was 31.5% of SpA using the classification criteria approach and 10.3% using the diagnostic approach. pSpA was pure (i.e. without axSpA or PsA) in 16.8% of pSpA using the criteria, and in 62.3% using the diagnostic approach. Using classification criteria and diagnostic approach, respectively, pure pSpA patients had a high prevalence of peripheral joint disease (86 and 96%), synovitis (76 and 91%), and enthesitis (57 and 55%), a positive HLA-B27 in 65 and 59%, a high C-Reactive Protein level in 51% and inflammatory back pain in 52 and 42%. However, compared to pure PsA and pure axSpA, they had a significantly higher disease burden, but lower use of biologics using both approaches.The proportion of pSpA varies when using the classification criteria or the diagnostic approach. pSpA occurred in a pure form less frequently than PsA and axSpA and had intermediate features but a higher disease burden.The PerSpA main study has been conducted under the umbrella of ASAS thanks to unrestricted grants from PFIZER, LILLY, ABBVIE, NOVARTIS, UCB, JANSSEN, MERCK.

There is a growing interest in intra-capsular coblation tonsillectomy (ICT) for the treatment of obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) in children. Literature remains controversial regarding which intra-capsular tonsillectomy (IT) technique is most effective and with least morbidity. Therefore, the aims of this study are to objectively measure the post-operative morbidity and the effectiveness of the ICT technique.107 children undergoing ICT (with or without adenoidectomy) for upper airway obstruction due to tonsillar hypertrophy at a tertiary center university hospital were prospectively enrolled from March 2016 to March 2018. Efficacy of the surgery was assessed by a pre-and post-operative Obstructive Sleep Apnea score (OSA-18). Post-operative morbidity was measured based on the Parent's Post-operative Pain Measure questionnaire (PPPM), type and duration of administered pain medication, time before resuming a full diet and a normal activity, readmission for dehydration and post-operative bleeding incidence.After a mean follow-up of 21.6 months, OSA-18 mean total score was 78.77 (SD = 15.74) before ICT and 23.7 (SD = 9.25) after surgery, with a significant difference between pre-operative and post-operative scores (p 0.001). Mean PPPM scores were low at all evaluation points (5.89, 2.42 and 0.83 at days 2, 5 and 10 respectively). Analgesic use was restricted to acetaminophen in nearly all children for a mean duration of 1.93 days. They resumed a normal diet after 2.42 days and a normal activity (including return to school) after 2.7 days. No hospital readmission nor post-operative hemorrhage were reported.Intra-capsular tonsillectomy by coblation is an effective and safe procedure that provides rapid post-operative recovery with minimal analgesic requirements, thus deserving a wider application in treating upper airway obstruction due to tonsillar hypertrophy in children.