Rheumatology Journal, 50 volumes celebration, key articles free access.

The Rheumatology journal, from Oxford Press, is celebrating with the current issue 50 volumes of the journal. The journal has been around since 1952. You can read further at the editorial of the current issue.

The editors of the journal have chosen an interesting number of papers which are characterized as "key articles" and are given free access for readers interested. You can find the list here.

Among those articles, "A simplified disease activity index for rheumatoid arthritis for use in clinical practice"

For the orthodontic world, rheumatoid arthritis and especially juvenile idiopathic, is of major interest. Some of those young patients either with oligo- or poly-arthritis, systemic or not, can have their first symptoms at the TMJ and the dentist or orthodontist might be the one to suspect and help to the diagnosis of the disease.

As such those interested in the field could go through the articles that the experts are referring as key articles on the subject, for a quick overview and update of the current knowledge and treatment approach.

D.G.

Pediatric Reuhmatology International Trial Organization, PRINTO

PRINTO organization started in 1996 by Alberto Martini, and Nicollino Ruperto. Initially it consisted of rheumatoid arthritis centers in 14 countries. Today it numbers 50 countries and more than 350 centers. 

It is a non profit, non governmental, International organization. Its' aim is the collaboration of different centers around the world to the better understanding, treatment and of-course research in the field of  pediatric rheumatoid diseases. More information can be found here. 

Two of the ongoing projects of the organization:

• Juvenile Dermatomyositis Trial
• Autoinflamatory Diseases Working Group

A list of prior trials and projects of the organization can be found here.

There is a large database of all basic information related to Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (poly-, oligo-arthritis, extended or not, and systemic arthritis), Skleroderma, Bechet, Lupus, and other relevant pediatric rheumatoid diseases. This is the link and it is a database translated in more than 15 languages.

British Journal of Orthodontics Current Issue, Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis Study

Article from the current issue of the British Journal 


Objective: To screen patients with oligoarticular and polyarticular forms of Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) to determine (i) the severity of their class II skeletal pattern; (ii) temporomandibular joint signs and symptoms and (iii) use of systemic corticosteroids.


Subjects and setting: Sixty-eight children with JIA aged between 9 and 16 years old who were screened at four regional treatment centres in the UK.

Combined Study, of Estrogen Influence, on Large Joints Severe Osteoarthritis

This is a combined study of 4 centers of osteoarthritis, in Spain, and the United Kingdom. The patient number is huge, 5528 individuals (3098 patients with osteoarthritis and 2381 controls) were genotyped for aromatase (CYP19A1), and estrogen receptor A (ER1) genes.