The article provides data on the terminology and classification of spondyloarthritis (SpA) and highlights the current concept of axial SpA (axSpA). It gives the comparative characteristics of international cohorts of patients with axSpA. The review describes the role of magnetic resonance imaging and radiography in the diagnosis and study of the evolution of axSpA.

Objective: to analyze trends in the incidence and prevalence of major rheumatic diseases (RDs) among the adult population of Russia in 2013 to 2017.

Material and methods. The trends in the incidence and prevalence of major RDs were analyzed among the adult population of Russia over 5 years (in 2013 to 2017) according to the statistical reports of the Ministry of Health of Russia, which are based on the data of accounting form No. 12 “Information on the number of diseases recorded in patients living in the region served by a health care facility”. The analysis was carried out in eight Federal Districts (FDs).

Results and discussion. Over 5 years, there was a slight increase in the number of patients (by 21,677) with musculoskeletal diseases (MSDs) among the adult population of Russia and a small (0.64%) decrease in their prevalence. Noninflammatory osteoarticular diseases, such as osteopathy, chondropathy, deforming dorsopathies, and arthropathies (74%), were leading among MSDs. The incidence of osteoarthritis (OA) was highest: more than 4 million people, which is a quarter of all RDs. The increase in the number of patients with OA was observed annually, but was insignificant for 5 years – 190.400 people; the prevalence of OA increased by 3.7%. The largest number of patients with OA was registered in the Central (1.1 million) and Volga (0.9 million) FDs.

The incidence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increased insignificantly in the Central, Northwestern, Southern, Ural, and Siberian FDs and decreased in the Volga and Far Eastern FDs. There was a substantial (21%) decrease in the prevalence of RA in the North Caucasian FD. There was a significant increase in both the incidence and prevalence of spondylopathy (SP) in almost all FDs, except for the Volga FD. In contrast, these indicators for reactive arthritis (ReA) had decreased in five FDs by 2017 and slightly increased in three FDs. These indicators fluctuated in almost all FDs for 5 years.

The incidence and prevalence of psoriatic arthritis (PsA) showed a annual increase particular in the North Caucasian FD by 29%. The incidence of PsA slightly decreased only in the Siberian FD. The number of patients with systemic connective tissue diseases (SCTD) increased insignificantly in all FDs, with the exception of the North Caucasian FD, in which the prevalence of SCTD reduced dramatically (by 42%). The incidence of osteoporosis (OP) fluctuated during 5 years; by 2017, there had been its rise in five FDs, especially in the Northwestern FD. The prevalence of OP was found to increase significantly (by 33.5%) in the North Caucasian FD.

Evaluation of the age composition of patients showed that OA and OP were more common in the older age group; and ReA; SP and SCTD were in the younger age one. There were no differences in the age composition of patients with RA.

Conclusion. The analysis of the statistical incidence and prevalence rates of RDs in the adult population of Russia suggests that there is an increase in the number of patients with this pathology throughout the country.

The paper presents the data of an original study evaluating the impact of disability associated with a number of rheumatic diseases (RDs) (rheumatoid arthritis, ankylosing spondylitis, and psoriatic arthritis) on the country's economy, as well as their related losses of the state under the conditions of implementation of the upcoming pension reform (PR). The authors consider the socioeconomic importance of disability associated with RDs in the current period and after PR implementation in 2019–2028, determine the degree of its influence on the country's gross domestic product, and also calculate the economic efficiency of return of the potentially able-bodied proportion of disabled people (able-bodied population) to socioeconomic activity.

The opinions of experts and leading experts in this area from different subjects of the Russian Federation were taken into account when preparing the study.

Inflammatory rhythm back pain and enthesitis are one of the main clinical manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis (AS), which increase in severity during pregnancy. However, addition of back pain and, possibly, enthesis in the second half of gestation, which is associated with normal pregnancy, needs to make a differential diagnosis for clarifying the genesis of pain and choosing the right management tactics, which determines the relevance of this study.

Objective: to investigate the course of pain in the back, enthesis, and inguinal region, as well as the functional status in AS patients during pregnancy and to reveal clinical signs that most accurately reflect inflammatory activity during gestation.

Patients and methods. A study included 36 pregnant women with a reliable diagnosis of AS according to the modified New York criteria (1984). Their mean age was 31.6±4.8 years, the mean age at the onset of AS was 21.8±10.9 years; the duration of the disease was 134.9±89.3 months. A control group comprised 30 healthy pregnant women with no history of back pain and arthritis; their mean age was 28.2±4.5 years. The pregnant women of both groups were matched for parity. They made visits at 10–11, 20–21, and 31–32 weeks of pregnancy. Pain intensity was estimated using the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS) and the functional status was assessed by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). The Maastricht Ankylosing Spondylitis Enthesitis Score (MASES) was used to assess enthesitis.

Results and discussion. During pregnancy, 94% of AS patients had back pain; its intensity by trimesters was 3 [2; 4], 4 [3; 5.5], 3 [2; 7] and was higher than in healthy pregnant women (p<0.0001). In the study group, there was a rise in pain intensity at night with increasing gestational age (n=23–28): 2 [1; 4] in the first trimester; 3 [0; 5] II in the second trimester; 3 [1; 6] in the third trimester (p< when comparing the first, second, and third trimesters) and an increase in the duration of morning stiffness (n= ): 10 [5; 20], 15 [10; 55], and 15 [5; 60] min, respectively. Moreover, the number of women who reported improvements after exercise (85–63%) and no improvement at rest (88–56%) declined (p<0.05 when comparing the first, second, and third trimesters).

In the control group, 1 and 3 patients had morning back stiffness and night pain, respectively. The healthy pregnant women more frequently reported a reduction in back pain after exercise in the third trimester (66.7% of those with pain) than in the first trimester (20% of those with pain) (p<0.05).

By the third trimester, the patients with AS showed a change in the nature of back pain: 43.7% of the patients reported an improvement at rest; 42.4% noted an increase in pain after exercise, while the frequency of elements of mechanical back pain was less than that in the control group (p < 0.05).

The intensity of groin pain (2.4±1.9, 3.3±2.4, and 4.3±3.0 in the first, second, and third trimesters, respectively) did not differ in AS patients with and without coxitis or pelvic enthesitis. The frequency of enthesitis and MASES scores in the study group were higher than in the control group (p<0.05), the MASES scores increased with gestational age, amounting to 0 [0; 1] in the first trimester and 2 [0; 3] in the third trimester (p<0.05).

Functional disorders during pregnancy increased in both groups; there was a difference in BASFI scores between the groups only in the third trimester: 3.5±2.8 and 1.7±1.2, respectively (p<0.05).

Conclusion. Back pain and functional disorders increase in AS patients during gestation. Night back pain, morning stiffness, and enthesitis reflect the inflammatory activity of AS during pregnancy. Mechanical back pain joins in 40% of women with AS in the third trimester. The criteria for inflammatory back pain and BASFI require adaptation when used in pregnant women.

Spondyloarthritides (SpAs) is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases of the spine, joints, and entheses characterized by common clinical, radiological, and genetic features. According to international guidelines, one of the main goals of SpA treatment is to ensure the longest possible preservation of the patient's quality of life (QOL). The use of biological agents (BAs) allows rapid clinical improvement and positively affects QOL in patients.

Objective: to evaluate the efficacy of BAs on QOL in patients with SpA in real clinical practice.

Patients and methods. A total of 280 patients with SpA were examined. The inclusion criteria were ≥18 years of age; compliance of the clinical picture of the disease with the ASAS criteria for axial SpA (2009) or peripheral SpA (2011); and signing the informed consent form. Disease activity was assessed using the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI) and the Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS); the functional status of the patients was estimated by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI), and their spinal mobility was evaluated by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Metrology Index (BASMI); ASAS HI was used to comprehensively evaluate the impact of SpA on the patient's health. The European QL EQ-5D-5L and the SF-36 questionnaire were applied to determine quality of life in the patients.

Results and discussion. The patients' mean age was 40.19±11.9 years; there was a male preponderance (64%); the HLA-B7-pisitive patients were 78%. The median scores were 5.40 [3.12; 6.80] for BASDAI, 3.37 [2.58; 4.15] for ASDAS, 5.30 [2.60; 7.50] for BASFI, 4.00 [2.60; 6.15] for BASMI, and 9.00 [7.00; 12.00] for ASAS HI. Forty-four patients received a variety of BAs. Patients receiving and not receiving BAs were matched for age and gender; however, the patients on biological therapy (BT) had longer disease duration and lower disease activity according to the ASDAS. There were no statistically significantly difference between the two groups in disease activity according to the BASDAI and in functional disorders according to the BASFI; but there was a tendency towards lower values in the patients on BT. Comparison of QOL in the patients of the two groups revealed statistically significant differences in SF-36 pain scale scores (p=0.02) and EQ-5D-5L indicators (p<0.01).

Conclusion. BT makes it possible to successfully achieve one of the main goals of treating patients with SpA, namely to preserve QOL. The patients receiving BAs had longer disease duration, while they were comparable to those not receiving this treatment in terms of the degree of functional disorders.

In Russia, coxitis is one of the most common extra-axial manifestations of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). However, many issues regarding its early diagnosis remain unresolved.

Objective: to compare the clinical manifestations of coxitis with the data from an instrumental examination of CoRSAR cohort (Cohort of Early Axial Spondyloarthritis) patients.

Patients and methods. Examinations were made in 175 patients (mean age, 28.2±5.7 years) diagnosed as having axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) with inflammatory back pain lasting up to 5 years, which occurred at the age of ≤45 years. There was non-radiographic axSpA (nraxSpA) in 69 patients and AS in 106 patients. 87% of patients were HLA-B27-positive. The median disease duration was 23.8 [1–60] months; BASDAI was 3.3±1.94. Regardless of complaints, all the patients underwent hip X-ray and ultrasound studies and 54 more patients had magnetic resonance imaging (MRI).

Results and discussion. The clinical signs of coxitis were present in 95 (54%) patients, of them 60% were diagnosed with AS and 40% had nraxSpA. According to the numerical pain rating scale (NPRS), the median hip joint pain was 4 [3; 7]. Limited joint movement was observed in 6 (3.4%) patients. The level of hip joint pain correlated with BASDAI (r=0.53) and ASDAS (r=0.30). The ultrasound signs of coxitis were detected in 42 (24%) patients; of them 26 (62%) had the clinical manifestations of hip joint injury, and such changes were absent in 16 patients. The patients with ultrasound signs of coxitis were noted to have a higher disease activity; peripheral arthritis and enthesitis were more common. According to MRI, coxitis was diagnosed in 39 (72%) of the 54 examinees, while the disease was asymptomatic in 10%.

Conclusion. Different diagnostic methods used in patients with early axSpA could reveal coxitis in 33% of cases. The patients with coxitis show higher laboratory disease activity than those without hip joint injury. It is necessary to include MRI and ultrasound in the mandatory examination of patients with axSpA.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a heterogeneous disease manifested by peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, spondylitis, and enthesitis. PsA is often undiagnosed by dermatovenerologists because of the difficulty in identifying a variety of clinical signs. The early diagnosis of PsA and the accurate assessment of all its symptoms are necessary for the timely choice of optimal therapy.

Objective: to assess the detectability of clinical signs of PsA in patients with psoriasis in dermatological practice.

Patients and methods. The investigation enrolled 103 patients (47 men and 56 women) (mean age, 44.0±13.7 years) with psoriasis (its mean duration, 10.7±10.2 years), the average prevalence and severity according to the Body Surface Area (BSA) and the Psoriasis Area and Severity Index (PASI) were 9.3±13.6% and 15.4±12.5 scores, respectively. All the patients completed the Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (mPEST) and were examined by a dermatovenerologist and a rheumatologist. The diagnosis of PsA was based on the Classification Criteria for Psoriatic Arthritis (CASPAR). The investigators evaluated arthritis, dactylitis, enthesitis, and inflammatory back pain (IBP) according to the rheumatological standards: IBP by the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis International Society (ASAS) criteria, and enthesitis by the Leeds Enthesitis Index (LEI).

Results and discussion. Sixty-one (59.2%) of the 103 patients with psoriasis were found to have PsA on the basis of the CASPAR criteria and the rheumatologist's examination. The dermatovenerologist diagnosed arthritis in a significantly smaller number of cases than did the rheumatologist: in 15 (24.6%) and 35 (57.4%) of the 61 patients (p<0.001), respectively. The dermatovenerologist and the rheumatologist demonstrated no significant differences in their clinical evaluation of dactylitis: it was detected in 37 (60.7%) and 40 (65.6%) of the 61 patients, respectively (p=0.32). Based on patient complaints and mPEST findings, the dermatovenerologist recorded pain in the calcaneal region in 32 (52.5%) patients. The rheumatologist identified ulnar, knee, and calcaneus enthesitis in 11 (18%), 8 (13.1%), and 25 (41%) patients, respectively. Based on complaints and mPEST findings, the dermatovenerologist detected back pain in 30 (49.2%) of the 61 patients. The rheumatologist diagnosed IBP in 21 (70%) of these 30 patients and mechanical back pain in 9 (30%). Thus, IBP was noted in 34.4% of PsA patients. Tendonitis was undiagnosed by the dermatovenerologist; the rheumatologist identified wrist tendonitis in 13 (21.3%) of the 61 patients with PsA.

Conclusion. Dermatovenerologists frequently underestimate damage to the spine and entheses in patients with psoriasis. The introduction of the ASAS criteria for IBP and methods for assessing enthesitis in dermatological practice can improve the early diagnosis of axial lesion in PsA in patients with psoriasis.

Juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) is a multifactorial immune-mediated inflammatory disease in childhood, the most common type of rheumatic disease in children. It is characterized by the polygenic type of hereditary predisposition.

Objective: to study the association of STAT4 rs7574865 G/T and IRF5 rs2004640 G/T polymorphisms with the predisposition to certain JIA subtypes in the Russian pediatric population.

Patients and methods. The investigation enrolled 177 patients, including 66 patients diagnosed with JIA and 111 healthy unrelated volunteers (a control group). Of the 66 patients with JIA there were 30 (45%) with oligoarthritis: 20 (67%) with human leukocyte antigen B27(HLA-B27)-positive JIA (that was associated with enthesitis, HLA-B27 positive JIA (JIA-B27), 10 (33%) with anterior uveitis concurrent with antinuclear antibody-positive JIA (JIA-uveitis); 20 (30%) with polyarticular JIA (JIA-poly), seronegative for rheumatoid factor; and 16 (24%) with systemic JIA (JIA-sys). As a control for genotyping STAT4 rs7574865 G/T and IRF5 rs2004640 G/T polymorphisms, the investigators studied 103 and 111 DNA samples from healthy adult volunteers, respectively. STAT4 rs7574865 G/T and IRF5 rs2004640 G/T polymorphisms were investigated using allele-specific real-time polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR).

Results and discussion. In the oligoarticular JIA group, the frequency of the STAT4 T allele was significantly higher than that in the control group (38.3 and 20.4%, respectively; p=0.004). This allele was also significantly more common in the JIA-B27 (35.0 and 20.4%, respectively; p=0.044) and JIA-uveitis (45.0 and 20.4%, respectively; p=0.021) groups compared with the control one. No significant differences were found in the frequency of the mutant STAT4 T allele between the control group and the JIA-sys and JIA-poly groups. Regression analysis showed that the identification of the STAT4 T allele was associated with the high risk of a predisposition to oligoarticular JIA as a whole (odds ratio, OR 2.43; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.23–4.70; p=0.007), as well as to the antinuclear antibody-positive oligoarticular JIA with uveitis (JIA-uveitis): the risk in T allele carriers was 3.2 times higher than that in the control (OR 3.19; 95% CI 1.09–9.06; p= ). A high risk for predisposition was also found in the JIA-B27 subgroup compared with the control (OR 2.10; 95% CI 0.38–4.60; p=0.070). There were no statistical differences in the frequency of genotypes and alleles of the IRF5 rs2004640 G/T polymorphism between the entire group of JIA as a whole and its individual clinical types, as well as the control group.

Conclusion. This pilot study confirmed that the STAT4 rs7574865 G/T polymorphism was associated with the risk of oligoarticular JIA, mainly that of JIA-uveitis and JIA-B27.

Chronic shoulder pain caused by shoulder impingement syndrome (SIS) is a common pathology that leads to worse quality of life and disability. The local administration of platelet-rich plasma (PRP) is a promising treatment for SIS.

Objective: to evaluate the efficiency of subacromial injection of PRP in chronic shoulder pain caused by SIS.

Patients and methods. The investigation enrolled 30 patients (13 women and 17 men; mean age, 45.8±14.1 years) with chronic shoulder pain lasting ≥3 months after rotator tendons injury confirmed by ultrasound and/or magnetic resonance imaging and inefficiency of previously medical therapy. All the patients received three subacromial injections of 5 ml of PRP at a 7-day interval. The investigators assessed the course of pain during movement (100-mm visual analogue scale (VAS)) and functional ability according to the ASES and CSC questionnaires at baseline and 1, 3 and 6 months after treatment.

Results and discussion. During the treatment, there was a considerable improvement in all indicators. At baseline and 1 and 3 months, the mean pain severity measured on VAS was 49.3±10.3, 32.4±21.3, and 20.6±21.3 mm, respectively; in this case, the positive effect persisted at 6-month follow-up: 10 [0; 30] mm (p<0.001). The mean ASES values were 59.5±11.5, 75.9±17.4, 82.6±17.6, and 86.7±17.1 (p<0.001) and the mean CSC scores were 72.3±14.1, 81.0±16.2, 88.5±16.1, and 92.8±16.2 (p<0.001), respectively. There were no serious adverse reactions.

Conclusion. Subacromial injection of PRP is an effective and safe treatment for chronic shoulder pain associated with SIS.

The role of trace elements (TEs) and their imbalance in the physiology of bone tissue and in the development of inflammatory diseases of the joints and spine has been discussed in recent years; however, there is no evidence for the TE status of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and its possible impact on the course of the disease.

Objective: to investigate the impact of the TE status of patients with AS on the course, clinical manifestations, and activity of the disease.

Patients and methods. Examinations were made in 58 patients (39 men and 19 women), residents of the Orenburg Region, with a reliable diagnosis of AS, the duration of which was 16 [11; 26] years. The patients’ mean age was 38 [31; 48] years. HLA-B27 antigen was detected in 91.4% of cases. In addition to the generally accepted examination, atomic absorption spectrophotometry was used to determine the hair levels of 9 TEs: Cu, Zn, Fe, Mn, Cr, Co, Ni, Pb, and Cd in all the patients.

Results and discussion. The AS patients living in the Orenburg Region showed TE imbalance manifested by Cu and Zn deficiency and Ni, Cr, and Mn accumulation in the hair. Multidirectional correlations were found between the values of these TEs and the presence of extra-axial (peripheral arthritis, dactylitis) and extra-skeletal (uveitis) manifestations of AS, its activity, and severity of functional disorders.

Conclusion. The preliminary results may suggest that the emerging imbalance of TEs can affect the course of AS, maintaining and increasing its activity.

The paper describes a rare clinical case of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) with concurrent with Takayasu arteritis (AT). It considers the common immunopathogenetic mechanisms that can link these two diseases. Taking into account that there may be common triggering factors for AS and AT, it is necessary to make an examination to diagnose AT when a patient with AS is found to have fever, an increase in the indicators of acute phase inflammation, and the objective signs of cardiovascular disease characteristic of large-vessel vasculitis.

Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the group of spondylitides, which is associated with psoriasis. The decisive role is played by the activation of the interleukin (IL)-23/IL-17 axis in the pathogenesis of PsA [1]. Secukinumab (SEC) is a fully human antibody that binds to human IL-17A and neutralizes the activity of this cytokine. That the patient has concomitant diseases, chronic hepatitis B virus infection and hepatitis C viral (HCV) infection in particular, limits the use of tumor necrosis factor- α inhibitors in the treatment of PsA [2, 3]. The paper describes a clinical case that demonstrates the successful treatment with SEC in a patient with PsA and concomitant HCV infection. In addition to the safety aspects of the use of SEC to treat chronic HCV infection, the issues on optimal dosing of the drug are discussed.

The paper presents a clinical case series that includes 12 children with pelvic bone neoplasms mimicking sacroiliitis, which led to the initial misdiagnosis of enthesitis-related arthritis. It discusses the features of the clinical manifestations and radiation imaging of the tumors and characterizes osteoid osteoma and Hodgkin’s lymphoma, which are located in the sacroiliac joints.

Neuromyelitis optica ((NMO), Devic's syndrome) is an immune-mediated inflammatory demyelinating disease characterized by transverse myelitis and optic neuritis. Determination of the level of antibodies to aquaporin 4 (NMO-IgG) is presently one of the key methods for the diagnosis and assessment of the activity of ONM, which allows this disease to be differentiated from multiple sclerosis and other demyelinating CNS lesions. ONM can occur not only as an independent disease, but also as a syndrome in different systemic diseases, such as: systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antineutrophilic cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitides, Sjögren's disease, etc. (up to 50–70%). In such situations, the clinician is always confronted with a question as whether the patient can have two rare autoimmune diseases or develop ONM as a systemic manifestation of rheumatic disease.

The paper describes a clinical case of a young female patient with SLE concurrent with a CNS lesion, the manifestations of which corresponded to ONM. The patient had focal changes in the substance of the brain and spinal cord, as evidenced by magnetic resonance imaging, as well as high NMO-IgG titers. The development of ONM worsens SLE prognosis and requires active immunosuppressive therapy. The patient received three plasmapheresis sessions, ultrahigh-dose glucocorticoid and cyclophosphamide therapy, followed by replacement with azathioprine, causing a stable clinical and laboratory disease remission to be achieved.

The paper discusses the results of using methotrexate (MTX) in real clinical practice in a patient with calcium pyrophosphate crystal deposition resistant to traditional anti-inflammatory drugs (colchicine, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, and hydroxychloroquine) It demonstrates the efficiency and possibility of safely using MTX at a dose of 20 mg/week during a year.

Yellow fever (YF) is an obligate, transmissible, feral herd infectious disease characterized by multiple organ dysfunction and high mortality rates. The intensification of international relations and tourist flows, including those to the YF endemic areas in recent years has substantially increased the value of vaccination against this infection in patients on immunosuppressive therapy for immunological disorders, including rheumatic diseases (RDs). In this connection, the recently published guidelines by the experts of the Brazilian Society of Rheumatology on the efficiency and safety of immunization against YL in patients with chronic immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (including RDs) are of great interest. The main provisions of these guidelines are presented in this paper.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is one of the most common autoinflammatory diseases that lead to early disability and high premature mortality rates. Along with lower bone mineral density, patients with AS are characterized by muscle mass decrease, such as sarcopenia. Musculoskeletal losses due to chronic immune inflammation and limited physical functioning significantly worsen prognosis and result in an increased risk of falls and fractures in patients with AS.

The review considers the pathogenetic mechanisms of the relationship between AS and sarcopenia and the main approaches to treating degenerative changes in muscle tissue in patients with AS.

Extra-skeletal manifestations (EMs) of ankylosing spondylitis (AS) can occur and proceed in parallel with inflammatory changes in the joints and spine and often dominate in the clinical picture of AS, determining its high activity and significantly worsening the quality of life in patients. In a number of cases, EMs are characterized by an insufficient response to standard anti-inflammatory therapy for back pain, arthritis, and enthesitis; and there is a need to prescribe another class of drugs.

The review highlights the results of studies evaluating the efficacy of golimumab (GLM) in treating EMs in patients with AS: uveitis (GO-EASY Study) and ulcerative colitis (UC) (PURSUIT-SC, PURSUIT-M studies). Analysis of these studies have shown the high efficacy and safety of GLM in reducing the clinical manifestations of AS and in preventing the exacerbations of uveitis and UC. However, despite the successes achieved in treating AS and its EMs, there are many unresolved issues, including those related to the elaboration of optimal treatment regimens, which required longer observational studies with a large sample size.

Significant successes in the use of biological agents (BA) have been achieved in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA); nonetheless, about 36% of patients cannot respond to therapy or achieve the expected effect. A new area in the treatment of RA is the use of Janus kinase (JAK) inhibitors, targeted synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (chemical molecules with a molecular weight <1 kDa for oral administration) that inhibit the activity of intracellular signaling systems. The authors consider the clinical achievements and prospects, which open the use of JAK inhibitors in the treatment of RA.

To identify risk factors for gastrointestinal, cardiovascular, and thrombotic complications, as well as postoperative bleeding, by individually choosing analgesic anti-inflammatory therapy, including that with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, is the most important task in the preoperative preparation of patients with rheumatic inflammatory joint diseases.

The paper reviews studies evaluating the efficiency and safety of long-term aceclofenac use in patients who are to undergo joint surgery.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is a widespread disease accompanied by persistent joint damage with obvious functional failure, which leads to early disability in patients. In OA, different groups of joints are involved in the pathological process. Hand joints are one of the classical sites of OA. The paper discusses the role of mechanical load, genetic factors, and sex hormone deficiency in the development of the disease. The treatment policy includes a set of non-pharmacological, pharmacological, and surgical methods.

Asymptomatic hyperuricemia (AHU) is a condition, in which the serum concentration of uric acid (UA) is increased (>420 μmol/l in men or >360 μmol/l in women) and there are no signs of the formation of urate crystals. The worldwide prevalence rate of AHU has been on the increase in recent decades: it has been detected in approximately every five inhabitants of the Earth. In 10% of adults, hyperuricemia (HU) occurs at least once in a lifetime. In the process of evolution, HU has been useful; it has contributed to the intellectual development of man, owing to the activation of neurostimulating adenosine receptors, and to his survival under cold and hunger conditions. However, the negative role of UA in the genesis of different metabolic disorders, cardiovascular diseases (CVD), and kidney diseases has been discussed in recent decades. The association of elevated UA levels with almost all CVD risk factors makes it difficult to answer the question of whether UA plays a causative role in the development of heart disease, kidney disease, or carbohydrate metabolism disorders, or it is only a marker for their increased risk.

Whether HU that is uncomplicated by joint damage, urolithiasis, or urate nephropathy should be treated is another question that is currently being actively discussed. Although the routine prophylactic urate-lowering therapy is not indicated in the vast majority of cases of AHU, there is growing evidence that this correction is necessary in some groups of patients. The use of xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors in a number of trials was accompanied by a reduction in the risk of CVD and by an improvement in renal function. Epidemiological studies have also established that there is a significant positive correlation of the serum concentration of UA with obesity, dyslipidemia, insulin resistance, and cerebrovascular and peripheral vascular diseases. Further investigations are needed to study the impact of lowering UA levels and that of therapy with XO inhibitors on the progression of different diseases.

The paper presents the results of the Osteoarthritis (OA) Expert Council held on September 8, 2019, which was attended by Russian and foreign specialists. The experts considered pharmacological treatment options for OA. The expert meeting resolution states that the treatment of patients with OA should be based on an individual assessment of the patient and on a modern evidence base of therapy efficacy.

Treatment of patients with OA is based on the principles of evidence-based medicine that requires an integrated approach and the need of SYSADOAs prescription. Combined drugs with therapeutic dosages of chondroitin sulfate and glucosamine in the early stages of the disease are available as basic agents. The place of paracetamol in the anesthetic therapy algorithm in OA needs to be clarified. It is also noted that when choosing nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs for OA treatment, it is important to take into account individual patient characteristics and the presence of comorbidities.