Min-Cheon Park

These findings could provide useful information on the clinical features, angiographic findings, and outcomes in TA, particularly on the assessment of patients at risk of a poor outcome.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate serum profiles of inflammatory cytokines in patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA) and to determine their correlations with disease activity of TA. METHODS: Forty-nine patients with TA and 12 age- and sex-matched controls were studied. Blood samples were obtained and were divided into active and stable disease groups. Paired blood samples were available in 19 patients at the active stage before treatment and at the remitted stage after treatment. Serum tumour necrosis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the outcome of vascular interventions and the effect of post-interventional immunosuppressive treatment on the occurrence of vascular restenosis in patients with Takayasu's arteritis (TA). METHODS: Forty-two patients with TA who had undergone vascular intervention and had serial angiographies before and after intervention were enrolled. The demographic and clinical data were collected at the time when the interventions were performed, and the intervention modalities and

OBJECTIVE: Liver X receptors (LXRs) have been characterized as regulators of macrophage inflammatory pathways. Synthetic LXR agonists inhibit the macrophage response to bacterial pathogens and antagonize the induction of a number of pro-inflammatory genes. The aim of this study was to investigate the preventive effects of synthetic LXR agonist, GW3965, treatment on the evolution of arthritis and inflammatory response in a murine CIA model. METHODS: Intradermal injection of bovine type II CIA in

OBJECTIVE: To determine whether serum leptin levels are elevated in men with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and whether the levels correlate with serum cytokine profiles and disease activity of AS. METHODS: Forty-two male patients with newly diagnosed AS were enrolled. Their Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), body mass index (BMI), and acute phase reactants, such as erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP) levels, were assessed. Serum leptin levels were determined usi

Serum levels of TWEAK were significantly elevated in patients with RA, and reflected disease activity and short-term response to etanercept treatment.

Overproduction of BMP-2 and BMP-7 was noted in AS patients, and serum BMP-7 levels reflected radiographic damage observed in AS.

PURPOSE: To determine the levels of bone and cartilage turnover markers in men with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to investigate their associations with disease activity, bone mineral density, and radiographic damage of the spine. PATIENTS AND METHODS: This cross-sectional study enrolled 35 men with newly diagnosed AS. The bone mineral densities (BMD) of their lumbar spines and proximal femurs, Bath AS Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and Bath AS Radiographic Index (BASRI) were evaluated. Urin

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effect of statins on the prevention of recurrent thrombosis in patients with thrombotic APS. METHODS: This retrospective cohort study included 184 patients with thrombotic APS. The effect of statins on recurrent thrombosis was investigated in the total study population and in an inverse probability of treatment weighting (IPTW)-adjusted population. Multivariable and IPTW-adjusted Cox proportional hazard regression analyses were performed on the total study population and

OBJECTIVE: To determine cut-off values of BASDAI that can discriminate the four disease activity states (inactive disease, moderate disease activity, high disease activity and very high disease activity), separated by the validated Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score (ASDAS) cut-off values (1.3, 2.1 and 3.5). METHODS: We included 333 patients with axial SpA whose data on BASDAI and ASDAS-CRP were available. Receiver operating characteristic curve analysis was performed to determine the