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Diagnostics
Special Issues
The Cutting Edge of Diagnosis and Treatment in Rheumatologic Disorders
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The Cutting Edge of Diagnosis and Treatment in Rheumatologic Disorders

A special issue of Diagnostics (ISSN 2075-4418). This special issue belongs to the section "Clinical Diagnosis and Prognosis".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 31 March 2026 | Viewed by 634

Special Issue Editor

Dr. Ji-Hyoun Kang

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Division of Rheumatology, Department of Internal Medicine, Chonnam National University Medical School & Hospital, 42 Jebong-ro, Dong-gu, Gwangju 61469, Republic of Korea
Interests: rheumatology; arthritis; autoimmune
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

We invite submissions to our upcoming Special Issue focused on the most pressing challenges and innovations in diagnosing and treating rheumatologic diseases. Despite advances in imaging, serologic testing, and clinical scoring systems, early and accurate diagnosis remains elusive in many cases. This Special Issue seeks original research, reviews, and expert perspectives on emerging diagnostic approaches, including novel biomarkers, imaging modalities, and clinical tools, that may enable earlier intervention and improved patient outcomes.

We also welcome contributions that explore the evolving landscape of targeted therapies, including biologics, JAK inhibitors, and other disease-modifying agents. Submissions addressing efficacy, safety profiles, real-world data, and long-term survival impacts are especially encouraged. Through this Special Issue, we will highlight innovations that redefineclinical practice and enhance quality of life for patients living with rheumatologic disorders.

Dr. Ji-Hyoun Kang
Guest Editor

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Diagnostics is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • antiphospholipid syndrome (APS)
  • hemolytic anemia
  • lupus anticoagulant
  • rheumatologic disorders
  • biomarkers

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Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (1 paper)

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Research

12 pages, 534 KB  
Article
Beyond Hyperferritinemia: Evaluating Ferritin as a Predictor of Advanced Therapy in Adult-Onset Still’s Disease
by Ji-Hyoun Kang
Diagnostics 2025, 15(20), 2630; https://doi.org/10.3390/diagnostics15202630 - 18 Oct 2025
Viewed by 464
Abstract
Background: Ferritin is a hallmark biomarker of systemic inflammation in adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD), but its potential role in guiding escalation to advanced therapy has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate whether ferritin, alone or in combination with simple clinical variables, [...] Read more.
Background: Ferritin is a hallmark biomarker of systemic inflammation in adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD), but its potential role in guiding escalation to advanced therapy has not been established. This study aimed to evaluate whether ferritin, alone or in combination with simple clinical variables, could predict the need for advanced therapy in AOSD. Methods: A retrospective review was conducted of 113 patients with AOSD fulfilling the Yamaguchi criteria at Chonnam National University Hospital. Baseline demographic, clinical, and laboratory data were collected at the index episode. The primary endpoint was defined as the use of advanced therapy—namely, intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG), anakinra, or tocilizumab—during the index hospitalization. Ferritin was log-transformed and analyzed both as a continuous variable and in quartiles. A pragmatic Ferritin-Guided Escalation Rule (FGER) points score was constructed by combining ferritin quartiles with malignancy and ANA status. Logistic regression, Fisher’s exact test, and bootstrapped receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analyses were applied. Results: The cohort was predominantly male (64.6%) with a mean age of 44.9 years. Median ferritin was 4626.6 µg/L (IQR 1169.3–14,239.8). Advanced therapy was required in 15 patients (13.3%), including 14 who received tocilizumab, 1 IVIG, and 1 anakinra. When stratified by ferritin quartiles, advanced therapy occurred in 10.7% of Q1, 21.4% of Q2, 10.7% of Q3, and 10.7% of Q4 patients. Comparison of Q4 versus Q1–Q3 yielded an odds ratio of 0.67 (p = 0.47). Discriminatory performance was poor for both continuous ferritin (AUC 0.49, 95% CI 0.30–0.68) and the FGER points score (AUC 0.51, 95% CI 0.32–0.71). Calibration analysis also demonstrated limited agreement between predicted and observed risks. Conclusions: In this retrospective cohort, ferritin—whether assessed continuously, by quartiles, or within a simple bedside score—did not predict the need for advanced therapy (IVIG, anakinra, or tocilizumab) in AOSD. Although advanced therapies were administered to 13.3% of patients, ferritin was not a reliable escalation biomarker. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue The Cutting Edge of Diagnosis and Treatment in Rheumatologic Disorders)
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