Objectives: This review aims to focus on the role of innate and adaptive immune system cells and their molecular signaling pathways in the pathophysiology of clinical phenotypes of psoriatic arthritis (PsA). Materials and methods: A systematic literature search was conducted in the PubMed database using the key words “psoriasis,” “psoriatic arthritis,” “pathogenesis,” “adaptive immune system,” “pathophysiology,” “bone and cartilage damage,” and “cytokine pathways.” Results: Clinical studies and in vitro studies on adaptive and innate immune system cells and mediators that cause activation of these cells in the pathogenesis of PsA were examined. The role of cytokine pathways affecting the pathogenesis of PsA on the most common clinical phenotypes of the disease were explained in detail. Conclusion: In this article, we reviewed the cytokine pathways that may contribute to the immunological pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis. We believe that this review will contribute to a better understanding of the pathogenesis of the clinical phenotypes of the disease and to disease management.

Conventional debates surrounding the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019 still continue in the literature. Colchicine is one of the recommended agents in the treatment of coronavirus disease 2019, but there are also studies giving negative opinions for the said agent. Some researchers suggest that those patients using colchicine have milder clinic symptoms. Behçet’s disease is a multisystemic disease with an uncertain etiopathogenesis that is characterized by chronic inflammatory vasculitis. Autoimmunity is believed to play a key role in the pathogenesis of Behçet’s disease. Immunomodulator, corticosteroid, and immunosuppressive drugs are used in its treatment. Seven Behçet’s patients with coronavirus disease 2019 were presented in this study, and the drugs used, prognosis, accompanying diseases, hospitalization, and complications were discussed in the light of the literature. Cite this article as: Nas K, Dilek G, Unan MK, et al. The clinical outcomes of COVID-19 in patients with behçet’s disease: A series of 7 cases and brief review of the literature. Eurasian J Med., 2022;54(3):305-309.

Objectives: In this study, we aimed to investigate the relationship between the age of onset of disease symptoms, the age at diagnosis, and cognitive function in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS). Methods: Sixty-two patients diagnosed with pSS who presented to the Sakarya Training and Research Hospital Internal Medicine Rheumatology outpatient clinic between November 2021 and November 2022 were included in the study. Parameters such as age at diagnosis, age at symptom onset, fibromyalgia status, Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) score, Beck Anxiety Inventory (BAI) score, insomnia, fatigue, learning disability, and number of comorbidities were recorded. The Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score was used to evaluate cognitive function. The scale ranges from 0 to 30, with a threshold value set at 21. Scores of 21 and above were considered normal. Independent samples t-tests, Mann-Whitney U tests, and chi-square tests were used for data comparison. Results: Patients with MoCA values less than 21 were significantly older. In the study, the age at symptom onset for patients with a MoCA score<21 was significantly higher than for those with a MoCA score ≥ 21 (p<0.05). Similarly, the age at diagnosis for patients with MoC<A values<21 was significantly higher than for those with MoCA values ≥ 21 (p<0.05). The impaired group (MoCA<21) comprised 20 individuals, representing 32.2%±3% of the cohort, while the non-impaired group consisted of 42 individuals, accounting for 67.7%±4% of the patients (p<0.001). A negative correlation was detected between age at the onset of symptoms (r=-0.376, p=0.003), disease diagnosis age (r=-0.297, p=0.019), and the MoCA value. Conclusion: In our study, a negative correlation was found between age at the onset of symptoms, age at diagnosis, and MoCA values. Early diagnosis and treatment of SS can minimize cognitive dysfunction that may develop during the disease process. Maintaining high cognitive function will positively affect the quality of life.

Background: We aimed to determine the clinical features, predictive factors associated with severe disease, and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases and report data on the comparison of coronavirus disease 2019 between patients with inflammatory bowel disease and spondyloarthropathies. Methods: A total of 101 patients with inflammatory bowel disease and spondyloarthropathies who had confirmed diagnosis of coronavirus disease 2019 were retrospectively analyzed. Demographics, comorbidities, immunosuppressive treatments, and the impact of immunosuppression on negative outcomes were assessed. Results: The median age of the patients was 47 (38-57) years. The most common rheumatologic diagnosis was ankylosing spondylitis (n = 24), psoriatic arthritis (n = 17), and reactive arthritis (n = 1). In the inflammatory bowel disease group, 47 patients had ulcerative colitis, 11 Crohn’s disease, and 1 unclassified. The most commonly used treatments were biologics (55%) in the spondyloarthropathies group and aminosalicylates (66.1%) in the inflammatory bowel disease group. Overall, 18.8% of the patients required hospitalization, 5% developed severe complications, and 2% died. There were no significant differences in coronavirus disease 2019-related negative outcomes between spondyloarthropathies and inflammatory bowel disease patients. The median age was higher in the patients who required hospitalization [57 (46-66) vs 47 (38-57) years, P=.008]. Bilateral opacities on chest radiographs were more common in the patients who required hospitalization in the spondyloarthropathies group [88.9% vs 14.3%, P=.016]. Comorbidity was significantly associated with hospitalization in the inflammatory bowel disease group (P ≤ .05). Baseline therapy with biologics or immunosuppressives was not associated with severe coronavirus disease 2019 outcomes. Conclusion: Older age, comorbidities, and bilateral ground-glass opacities were associated with adverse outcomes, whereas specific immune-mediated inflammatory disease diagnoses or immunosuppressive treatments were not. Cite this article as: Tozlu M, Dilek G, Kalçık Unan M, et al. Clinical features and outcomes of coronavirus disease 2019 in patients with inflammatory bowel disease and spondyloarthropathies. Turk J Gastroenterol. 2022;33(9):751-759.