Post-coronavirus disease (COVID) syndrome (PCS) is a term used to describe the clinical condition of patients who have recovered from COVID-19 but are still experiencing prolonged effects of infection or persistent symptoms for longer than expected. Although PCS has been previously studied in the general population, it has not been investigated in a specific population of patients with inflammatory rheumatic disease (IRD). This study aims to evaluate the presence and frequency of PCS among our rheumatology outpatients. This is a cross-sectional study of patients with IRD whose symptoms persisted for 12 weeks after the detection of COVID-19 infection. The patients were assessed with a survey form during their routine clinic follow-up or by contacting them by phone. Patients’ demographics, diagnosis, medication, comorbidities, outcome of COVID-19, and symptoms related to PCS were collected. Fifty-three patients with IRD and COVID (mean age: 48.5 13.99 years, 71.7% women) were included. PCS was observed in 36 (67.9%) patients. Twenty-two (41.5%) of them had three or more symptoms; 14 (26.4%) had one or two symptoms. Although more than 30 symptoms were detected, the most frequent were fatigue and weakness. No significant relationship was detected between the development of PCS and gender, age, disease duration, presence of COVID-related complications, and the need for oxygen support, except for smoking which showed a protective effect (p=0.008). PCS was detected in more than half of the patients. There was no independent risk factor for the development of PCS, except smoking.

Objective The aim of the study was to detect the frequency and course of coronavirus disease 2019 (Covid-19) infection among our rheumatology outpatients and to investigate how patient follow-up differed during Covid-19 pandemic in a tertiary University Hospital in the capital of Turkey. Patients and method Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs) registered in our rheumatology clinic were assessed during their routine outpatient follow-up control or contacted via phone between July and December 2020. Patients' demographics, diagnosis, medication, comorbidities, frequency of going outside during the pandemic, work status, whether patients could attend their routine follow-up, treatment changes, access to drugs during the pandemic, and the incidence of Covid-19 infection were collected. Results A total of 320 patients with IRD were analysed; 114 (35.6%) patients were treated with conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) (methotrexate/leflunomide/sulfasalazine), 93 (29.1%) patients with biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs), 113 (35.3%) patients with glucocorticoids, and 103 (32.2%) patients with hydroxychloroquine (HCQ). A total of 15.9% of patients on HCQ experienced problems in medication supply. Only 87 (27.2%) patients presented for their routine follow-up appointment, and 38 (11.9%) of the patients changed their treatment without professional health advice. While 53 (57%) patients on biological agents continued their treatment, 31 patients (33.3%) interrupted the treatment with doctor's recommendation and 9 patients (9.6%) on their initiative, and 23 of these 31 patients had to restart treatment because of disease activation. The nasopharyngeal swab collected from 30 patients with a suspected Covid-19 contact but without any symptoms was negative. In total, there were 33 patients diagnosed with Covid-19; none of whom had severe respiratory complications or death. Conclusions Many patients with rheumatic diseases are left without disease monitoring during the pandemic. There was no increased risk of severe Covid-19 infection among patients with IRD.

Background: The aim of this study is to determine the demographic, clinical and laboratory characteristics of the patients who followed up with the diagnosis of sarcoidosis, to investigate the distribution frequency of rheumatological findings and to examine the disease management from the perspective of rheumatology. Methods: Patients who were followed up with the diagnosis of sarcoidosis in the rheumatology clinic of Ankara City Hospital between November 2019 and November 2022 were evaluated. Demographic, clinical, radiological, serological, laboratory, and histopathological findings, and rheumatological, systemic, and locomotor system examination findings of the patients were obtained from the medical data registered in the hospital. Results: A total of seventy sarcoidosis patients (48.98 +/- 11.78 years, %75 female) were included in the study. Joint involvement was observed in 64.3% of cases, skin involvement in 48.6% of cases, and ocular involvement in 25.7% of cases. The ankle was the most frequently involved joint, followed by the knee and small joints in the foot. Corticosteroids were the most used therapeutic agent, and pulmonary and joint findings were the most common reasons for starting treatment. Conclusions: Sarcoidosis is a disease that mimics many diseases, misdiagnosis and treatment should be avoided with a good and fast differential diagnosis. Clinicians, especially rheumatologists, should remember sarcoidosis more frequently and keep it in mind in the differential diagnosis.

Objectives: The aim of this cross-sectional study was to investigate if serum levels of granulocytemacrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) and CC chemokine ligand 17 (CCL17) correlate with disease activity in axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA) and peripheral spondyloarthritis (pSpA) patients. Patients and methods: The cross-sectional study was conducted with 80 individuals (48 females, 32 males; mean age: 47.7±11.5) between March 2021 and September 2021. Of the participants, 20 were axSpA, 20 were pSpA, and 20 were active rheumatoid arthritis patients, and the remaining 20 were healthy controls. Age, sex, body mass index, disease duration, comorbid diseases, smoking status, medical treatments, C-reactive protein (CRP) level and human leukocyte antigen B27 (HLA-B27) positivity were recorded. Serum GM-CSF and CCL17 levels were analyzed by ELISA. Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score with CRP (ASDAS-CRP) was used to evaluate the disease activity of patients with spondyloarthritis. Functional status of spondyloarthritis patients was evaluated by Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI). Results: While the serum GM-CSF levels were similar in the axSpA and pSpA groups, they were significantly higher than the healthy control group (p=0.021 and p=0.009, respectively). There was a significant correlation between GM-CSF levels and ASDAS-CRP (r=0.545, p=0.013) and BASFI (r=0.546, p=0.013) in the axSpA group. In active axSpA patients, the cut-off value for GM-CSF was 15.89 pg/mL (sensitivity 50%, specificity 100%). No differences were detected in serum CCL17 levels among the groups. Conclusion: The results suggest that serum GM-CSF levels may be used as a new marker for the evaluation of disease activity in axSpA, and GM-CSF might be a therapeutic target.