In modern rheumatology, comorbid infections (CIs) have a great impact on morbidity and mortality, in systemic connective tissue diseases in particular. In this connection, much attention is given to the intense introduction of different vaccines into rheumatological care. Much evidence suggests that immunization has no negative influence on the course of the underlying rheumatic disease (RD). The efficiency and safety of vaccination to prevent respiratory tract infections as the most important CIs are demonstrated. The fundamentals of the EULAR vaccination guidelines and the key areas of future investigations into this problem are presented.

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is a vasculitis affecting mainly large and medium-sized arteries, which the classification of systemic vasculitides refers to as those mainly involving the large vessels. GCA is typified by the involvement of extracranial aortic branches and intracranial vessels, the aorta and its large vessels are being affected most frequently. The paper considers the terminology, classification, prevalence, major pathogenic mechanisms, and morphology of GCA. A broad spectrum of its clinical subtypes is due to target vessel stenosis caused by intimal hyperplasia. In 40% of cases, GCA is shown to be accompanied by polymyalgia rheumatica that may either precede or manifest simultaneously with GCA, or follow this disease. The menacing complications of GCA may be visual loss or ischemic strokes at various sites depending on the location of the occluded vessel. Along with the gold standard verification of the diagnosis of GCA, namely temporal artery biopsy, the author indicates other (noninvasive) methods for detection of vascular lesions: color Doppler ultrasonography of the temporal arteries, fluorescein angiography of the retina, mag-netic resonance angiography, magnetic resonance imaging, and computed tomography to rule out aortic aneurysm. Dynamic 18F positron emission tomography is demonstrated to play a role in the evaluation of therapeutic effectiveness.

The topical issues of the diagnosis and treatment of psoriasis (Ps) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) are discussed. The characteristics and treatments of Ps and the methods for the diagnosis of PsA in Ps are presented; the extraarticular manifestations of PsA, its radiological signs, criteria for a treatment response, the current principles of therapy, and prognosis in these patients are described.

Diseases accompanied by pain in the neck and shoulder joint are rather numerous, frequently result in permanent functional failure, and are encountered in a considerable number of patients followed up by rheumatologists, neurologists, orthopedics, and therapists. The frequency of these impairments may vary from 7 to 47% according to the characteristics of the study population and used definition. The list of nosological entities to be excluded in the differential diagnosis includes diseases caused by lesions in the cervical spinal area, its muscles, ligaments, and tendons, neurological changes, systemic inflammatory diseases, myofascial pain syndrome, as well as diseases that can induce referred pain in the neck and shoulder joint (pneumonia, coronary heart disease, gastroduodenal ulcer disease). To follow a sparing regimen plays a large role in the treatment of soft tissue diseases in the shoulder joint. The use of analgesics, primarily nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), such as nimesulide (nayz), is an important component of therapy. The drug has been successfully used for back pain, osteoarthrosis, and extraarticular soft tissue diseases. The local administration of glucocorticoids is worth consideration if a reduced load on the affected area and the use of NSAIDs produce no desirable effect.

The study of infliximab began (INF) in Russia in 2001. It was the first genetically engineered biological agent (GEBA) registered in our country to treat patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). With the advent of infliximab, a Russian biological rheumatoid arthritis therapy registry started its work. In October 2005, it was set up on the basis of GEBA centers founded in the leading rheumatology clinics of Russia. Objective: to generalize the Russian experience in using INF (its efficacy, tolerance, and side effects) in patients with RA in real clinical practice within the framework of a multicenter observational study. Subjects and methods. The register included patients with a valid diagnosis of RA in whom INF treatment was first started. The main indication for this was previous basic therapy failure. This investigation analyzed 396 patients receiving INF therapy. Prior to INF administration, all the patients were examined to identify whether they had possible latent tuberculosis, by applying chest X-ray study and Mantoux test. The European League Against Rheumatism criteria were used to evaluate the efficiency of INF therapy. The relationship between the therapeutic effects of the drug and its cumulative dose was specially used. The trend in X-ray progression was estimated using the Sharp method modified by van der Heijde. INF was given in a dose of 3 mg/kg by the classical regimen: at 0, 2, and 6 weeks, then every 8 weeks. The main assessment periods were at 22 and 46—54 weeks. Results. Analysis of the data of real clinical practice in Russia demonstrates that the use of INF in RA patients with the inadequate effect of traditional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is able to cause a rapid and pronounced reduction in disease activity. There is significant evidence that the IFN-treated patients with RA had also suppressed bone destruction. INF treatment for early RA gives rise to remissions more frequently in the early stage of therapy than that for extensive-stage disease. INF was shown to have a clear dose-dependent effect: in the patients receiving more than 4 infusions of the drug, bone destruction was more noticeably suppressed than in those having its fewer infusions. In most cases, suppressed destruction was accompanied by clinical improvement. A significant therapeutic effect was seen when both an annual course of INF and average (5—7 infusions per year) doses of the drug were used. The results of the analysis suggest that the probable efficiency of INF therapy increases in RF-negative patients with lower baseline RA activity and fewer HAQ scores. INF was quiet satisfactorily tolerated and caused no unusual side effects. Conclusion. The Russian experience in using INF strongly suggests that it is effective in real practice in severe RA resistant to therapy with traditional DMARDs.

The paper presents the results of studying the impact of long-term treatment with theraflex (a 3-year follow-up) or alflutop (a 5-year follow-up) in patients with knee osteoarthosis. Both drugs have been shown to exert a positive effect on the symptoms of the disease. It has been concluded that theraflex affects more actively the pathogenic mechanisms in the progression of gonarthrosis.

The paper gives the results of an open-label trial of the Uralyt-U citrate used in 30 patients with gout and nephrolithiasis. In addition to rapid urine pH optimization, the use of the drug is shown to cause a reduction in the serum level of uric acid, correlating with its enhanced excretion. The use of the agent features good compliance and fails to affect renal functional parameters.

Gout is a systemic tophaceous disease that is becoming more and more prevalent. If untreated or poorly managed, gout can result in disability. The possible reason for inadequate gout control may be that the primary care physicians are unaware of diagnostic criteria and clinical guidelines for the management of these patients and diagnostic errors. Objective: to estimate the level of gout knowledge in primary care physicians. Subjects and methods. Fifty Irkutsk local therapists were questioned. A specially developed anonymous questionnaire included items on sex, age, work experience, and the principles of gout diagnosis and treatment. Results. Only 42% of the therapists know that the gold standard for diagnosis of gout is identification of monosodium urate crystals by polarizing microscopy. Only 6% of the therapists use the Wallace classification criteria for the early diagnosis of gout. 56 % of the physicians consider it possible to prescribe allopurinol in the acute period of the disease 26% think that allopurinol intake can be stopped after normouricemia is achieved; 10% of the physicians do not prescribe allopurinol for gout patients. These widespread errors lead to worsening arthritis and a negative attitude of patients towards allopurinol treatment in future. Conclusion. The findings suggest that the level of gout knowledge should be increased in primary care physicians.

The paper gives data on the causes of osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), including in autoimmune inflammation, during corticosteroid therapy. The role of bisphosphonates in correcting impaired bone mineral density in RA is shown.

The incidence of osteoporosis (OP) is growing steadily. Practitioners who long follow up patients with OP frequently ask questions about the duration of treatment with this or that drug particularly in cases of severe OP and at high risk for new fractures when these agents have been used for years and about the possibility and necessity of switching of the patient from one to other therapy. Individual drug tolerance and longterm treatment adherence are of fundamental importance in organizing care to patients with OP are of fundamental importance. Low (<80%) compliance gives rise to the lower efficacy of antiosteoporotic drugs in preventing the risk of fractures, worsening the end result of treatment as compared to that obtained in the clinical trials proving the expediency of their intake. For the more qualitative prevention and treatment of OP, novel antiosteoporotic drugs are being designed and the frequency of their administration investigated. The paper gives data on denosumab, the first gene engineered drug for the treatment of postmenopausal OP, on the mechanism of its action, efficacy and safety during its long-term use, and on the possibility of switching to its usage after bisphosphonate treatment.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is one of the major inflammatory diseases that affect the vertebral column and joints. The first-line drugs for the treatment of this disease are now nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) that not only reduce painful sensations and rigidity, but also retard the radiological progression of AS. Celecoxib is one of the effective and safe NDAIDs that are promising for the treatment of AS.

The ideas on the pathogenesis of osteoarthrosis are constantly expanding; there are new approaches to treating this disease. Chondroitin sulfate (CS) has a long history of use, but not all mechanisms of its action have been fully revealed to date. The results of laboratory and clinical studies suggest that CS has symptomatic properties and that the main point is that the drug may have a structure-modifying effect. This one of the most interesting properties of CS calls for further largescale studies. There are currently injectable CS formulations. Our country is manufacturing CS-containing Arthradol®; it is to be tested in some leading rheumatology centers of Russia.