Exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (ExCR) programs are essential for patients diagnosed with cardiac diseases. Studies have shown that they aid in the rehabilitation process and may even facilitate a return to previous cardiorespiratory fitness. Also, patients who enroll and follow such programs have shown a lower rate of complications and mortality in the long run. The results vary depending on the type of program followed and the degree of debilitation the disease has caused. Therefore, in order to obtain optimal results, it is ideal to tailor each ExCR program to the individual profile of each patient. At the moment, the two most studied and employed training types are medium-intensity continuous training (MICT) and high-intensity interval training (HIIT). For most of the time, MICT was the first-choice program for patients with cardiovascular disease. In recent years, however, more and more studies have pointed towards the benefits of HIIT and how it better aids patients in recovering their cardiovascular fitness. Generally, MICT is more suited for patients with a severe degradation in functional capacity and who require a higher degree of safety (e.g., elderly, with a high number of comorbidities). On the other hand, while HIIT is more demanding, it appears to offer better outcomes. Therefore, this review aimed to summarize information from different publications on both types of training regimens in ExCR and assess their utility in current clinical practice.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune inflammatory disease which predominantly affects joints, but it can also lead to significant extra-articular complications, particularly cardiovascular disease (CVD). Chronic systemic inflammation promotes endothelial dysfunction and accelerates atherosclerosis, increasing cardiovascular risk. Methods: Current data were analyzed to explore the mechanisms between RA and CVD, focusing on systemic inflammation, pro-inflammatory cytokine patways (IL-1, IL-6, TNF, and JAK-STAT), and their interactions with traditional cardiovascular risk factors. Recent studies and clinical guidelines were reviewed to highlight gaps and advances in risk assessment and management. Results: Persistent disease activity and the presence of autoantibodies significantly increase cardiovascular risk in RA contributing to atherosclerosis and major cardiovascular events. Data also suggest that anti-inflammatory treatments, including methotrexate and biologic agents, may lower this risk. Conclusion: This review highlights the pathophysiological mechanisms between RA and CVD, and the need for early diagnosis and active monitoring to identify and assess cardiovascular risk. A multidisciplinary approach, involving rheumatologists and cardiologists is essential for optimizing cardiovascular risk management and improving patient outcomes. Optimization of cardiovascular risk management strategies in patients with RA should be an essential component of current medical practice, with the main goal of reducing morbidity and mortality from cardiovascular complications.

Because the number of elderly people is increasing worldwide, and the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors and cardiovascular diseases increase with age, in current clinical practice we are faced with a large number of geriatric patients requiring oral anticoagulant treatment. Our review highlights some of the particularities of using direct oral anticoagulants (DOACs) in the geriatric population. We focused on the difficulties of managing DOAC treatment in the presence of geriatric syndromes. We highlighted the practical steps needed to overcome the challenges related to the risk of falling, cognitive impairment, swallowing disorders, and polypragmasy to improve patient care. We provided data to help guide the choice of anticoagulant and dose.

Systemic sclerosis-associated interstitial lung disease (SSc-ILD) remains an important cause of morbidity and mortality in systemic sclerosis. Mycophenolate mofetil (MMF) is widely used as first-line immunosuppressive therapy; however, real-world descriptions of pulmonary functional and radiologic evolution during MMF therapy remain limited, particularly according to high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) pattern. Objectives: To descriptively evaluate pulmonary function evolution, radiologic findings, and safety outcomes in patients with SSc-ILD treated with MMF in routine clinical practice, with exploratory analyses according to HRCT pattern and subsequent antifibrotic use. Materials and Methods: We conducted a retrospective single-center study including 20 patients with SSc-ILD treated with MMF. Clinical, functional (forced vital capacity [FVC]; diffusing capacity for carbon monoxide [DLCO]), and radiologic (HRCT Warrick score) parameters were assessed at baseline, 6 months, and 12 months. Patients were stratified according to nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) and usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP) patterns. Statistical analyses were exploratory and descriptive. Results: Pulmonary function remained overall stable during follow-up under MMF therapy, while DLCO improvement was observed at 6 months and remained stable at 12 months. Radiologic progression appeared more limited in patients with NSIP pattern, whereas patients with UIP pattern generally exhibited more frequent radiologic progression during follow-up. Patients who subsequently received nintedanib generally presented with UIP-pattern disease, lower baseline DLCO values, and more advanced pulmonary involvement. MMF was generally well tolerated, with treatment discontinuation due to adverse events observed in a single patient. Conclusions: This small retrospective real-world case series describes pulmonary functional and radiologic evolution in patients with SSc-ILD treated with MMF in routine clinical practice. Overall functional stabilization was observed during follow-up, while radiologic progression was more frequently observed in patients with UIP-pattern disease and more advanced baseline pulmonary involvement. Because of the exploratory descriptive design and limited sample size, these observations should be interpreted cautiously and considered hypothesis-generating only. Further prospective studies with standardized radiologic assessment are required.

Background and Clinical Significance: Antisynthetase syndrome (ASyS) is a rare autoimmune entity defined by the presence of anti-aminoacyl-t ribonucleic acid (RNA) synthetase autoantibodies and classically associated with a triad of interstitial lung disease (ILD), inflammatory myopathy, and arthritis. Additional clinical features may include Raynaud’s phenomenon and “mechanic’s hands”. Among antisynthetase antibodies, anti-PL-12 is notably associated with predominant or isolated ILD and may occur in the absence of clinically evident myositis, thereby complicating timely diagnosis. Case Presentation: We are presenting a 45-year-old non-smoking female patient with a prior diagnosis of seronegative rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who developed progressive dyspnea, dry cough, and sicca symptoms. High-resolution computed tomography revealed a nonspecific interstitial pneumonia (NSIP) pattern. Despite normal creatine kinase and lactate dehydrogenase levels, serological work-up revealed positive anti-PL-12 and anti-Ro52 antibodies, supporting a diagnosis of antisynthetase syndrome without myositis, fulfilling the diagnostic criteria for ASyS per Connors and Solomon. Treatment with corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide induced clinical and functional respiratory improvement, while azathioprine was initiated for maintenance. Conclusions: This case underscores the clinical heterogeneity of antisynthetase syndrome and highlights the diagnostic challenge posed by anti-PL-12–associated ILD in the absence of myositis. Importantly, it demonstrates that in patients with pre-existing rheumatologic diagnoses, the emergence of atypical pulmonary manifestations warrants repeat serologic evaluation to assess ASyS and other autoimmune conditions. Early diagnosis and immunosuppressive treatment are essential to optimize outcomes.

Background: Young-onset rheumatoid arthritis (YORA), defined by disease onset between 16–40 years, raises distinct clinical challenges related to long-term disease burden, fertility, and prolonged exposure to immunomodulatory therapy. Despite its relevance, evidence regarding treatment outcomes in this population remains limited and heterogeneous, largely due to inconsistent definitions of YORA across studies. Methods: This systematic review was conducted in accordance with the PRISMA 2020 guidelines to synthesize contemporary evidence on the efficacy and safety of biologic and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (b/tsDMARDs) in younger rheumatoid arthritis populations. A structured search of PubMed and Embase was performed to identify studies published between 2020 and 2025 that evaluated advanced therapies in patients with young-onset rheumatoid arthritis or in rheumatoid arthritis cohorts reporting age-stratified outcomes for younger adults. Results: From the screened literature, 16 studies met the predefined inclusion criteria, including 6 studies explicitly defining YORA based on age at disease onset and 10 studies reporting outcomes in younger adult subgroups (<40–45 years). Across studies, younger patients demonstrated higher remission rates, greater reductions in disease activity, and superior treatment persistence compared with older-onset rheumatoid arthritis cohorts. Tumor necrosis factor inhibitors, interleukin-6 receptor antagonists, and Janus kinase inhibitors showed consistent clinical efficacy. Structural outcomes, reported in a limited number of studies, suggested low rates of radiographic progression in younger patients. Safety profiles were generally favorable, with infections and laboratory abnormalities representing the most reported adverse events and no age-specific safety signals being identified. Conclusions: Biologic and targeted therapies provide substantial clinical benefit in YORA and younger adult RA populations, with outcomes being generally superior to those observed in older-onset RA. However, heterogeneity in YORA definitions and limited long-term data highlight the need for prospective, age-at-onset-defined studies and extended pharmacovigilance to better inform lifelong treatment strategies.