Advances in Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases and Health Promotion

A special issue of Medicina (ISSN 1648-9144). This special issue belongs to the section "Hematology and Immunology".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 30 June 2025 | Viewed by 2576

Special Issue Editors


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Guest Editor
Department of Physical Therapy, Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Republic of Korea
Interests: biomechanic study; cardiopulmonary and animal study research; physical therapy and rehabilitation

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Guest Editor Assistant
College of General Education, Kookmin University, Seoul 02707, Republic of Korea
Interests: sarcopenia; movement disorders; physical therapy; health promotion; epidemiology

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Guest Editor Assistant
Department of Physical Therapy, Daegu University, Gyeongsan-si, Republic of Korea
Interests: neck pain; motor control; prevention management; health promotion; epidemiology

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) are chronic systemic diseases that affect joints, tendons, bones, muscles, and ligaments. Furthermore, RMDs compose a medical field that should be considered with importance, considering the prevalence of aging societies and the impact of the diseases on health and quality of life.

In this Special Issue, we welcome studies covering a comprehensive spectrum related to the pathophysiology, diagnosis, treatment strategy, disease epidemiology, prevention, and management of the diseases. This includes rheumatic diseases such as lupus, ankylosing spondylitis, gout, arthritis, and musculoskeletal diseases such as osteoporosis, neck pain, low back pain, and sarcopenia.

Review articles, clinical and epidemiological studies, basic and translational medicine, small-scale research, and interesting clinical cases are all considered. Based on these topics, this Special Issue aims to promote continuous development by providing reliable academic data to readers.

Prof. Dr. Kyoung Kim
Guest Editor

Dr. Do-youn Lee
Dr. Deok-Hoon Jun
Guest Editor Assistants

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Keywords

  • rheumatic disease
  • osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis
  • ankylosing spondylitis
  • lupus (systemic lupus erythematous)
  • musculoskeletal disorders
  • neck, back, or hip pain
  • sarcopenia
  • osteoporosis or osteopenia
  • multiple body areas or systems

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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Research

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13 pages, 695 KiB  
Article
Dynamic Cycle of Low Back Pain: A 17-Year, Population-Based Study Analyzing the National Health Insurance Service Data in South Korea
by Mi-Ran Goo, Deok-Hoon Jun and Do-Youn Lee
Medicina 2025, 61(5), 782; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61050782 - 23 Apr 2025
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal condition that frequently recurs, leading to increased healthcare utilization and socioeconomic burden. While short-term management strategies are well-documented, long-term recurrence patterns remain insufficiently studied. This study aims to describe the [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Low back pain (LBP) is a highly prevalent musculoskeletal condition that frequently recurs, leading to increased healthcare utilization and socioeconomic burden. While short-term management strategies are well-documented, long-term recurrence patterns remain insufficiently studied. This study aims to describe the long-term recurrence patterns and healthcare utilization associated with LBP in a nationwide cohort over a 17-year period. Materials and Methods: This descriptive, retrospective longitudinal cohort study utilized data from the Korean National Health Insurance Service (NHIS) database (2002–2018). We included 3,086,665 patients who sought medical care for LBP (ICD-10 code M54.5) at least once in 2010. Patients with a history of disability rating assessments were excluded. The primary outcomes included the number of LBP episodes, episode duration, recurrence patterns, and changes in healthcare utilization. We assessed the number of healthcare visits per episode and the interval between episodes over time. Results: Among the study population, 79.4% experienced recurrent LBP, with an average of 5.0 ± 4.9 episodes per patient. Recurrence rates increased with each episode. In addition, episode duration lengthened, and intervals between episodes shortened. Healthcare utilization also increased, with patients requiring more visits per episode over time. The demographic and socioeconomic characteristics of the LBP patients in our sample were also described. Conclusions: In this population-based sample, LBP follows a progressive course, with increasing episode frequency, prolonged duration, and escalating healthcare utilization over time. These findings highlight the need for early intensive management and long-term follow-up strategies to mitigate the growing burden of recurrent LBP on individuals and healthcare systems. Full article
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13 pages, 929 KiB  
Article
Bone Health in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis in Bahrain
by Adla B. Hassan, Amer Almarabheh, Abdulaziz Almekhyal, Danya Abdulhameed AlAwadhi and Haitham Jahrami
Medicina 2024, 60(12), 2078; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina60122078 - 18 Dec 2024
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: Compared to the general population, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have additional disease-specific risk factors for osteoporosis that include chronic exposure to systemic inflammation. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis and its associated risk factors, such [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Compared to the general population, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients have additional disease-specific risk factors for osteoporosis that include chronic exposure to systemic inflammation. The current study aimed to investigate the prevalence of osteoporosis and its associated risk factors, such as age, sex, body mass index (BMI), uric acid (UA), and vitamin D status, but also the coexistence of type 2 diabetes mellitus (DMT2) and breast cancer (Ca breast) in patients with RA in Bahrain. Material and Methods: Data from DEXA scans were collected retrospectively from the patient’s electronic health records. All patients who had BMD data and at least one single comorbidity, including RA, were included in the current study. The collected data were analyzed by using SPSS, version 28. Results: A total of 4396 patients were included in the current study. The comorbidities among this cohort were as follows: 3434 patients had endocrinological diseases, among them 63.6% had DMT2; 1870 patients had rheumatological diseases, among them 15.1% had rheumatoid arthritis; and 941 patients had malignancies, among them 75.6% had breast cancer. Our results indicated that patients with RA had a high prevalence of low BMD (72.30%, p < 0.001) and low vitamin D levels (63.10%, p < 0.001) but high serum UA (20.85%). Comparing RA with non-RA patients, our results showed a statistically significant association between RA and each of BMD and UA (p = 0.017 and p = 0.004, respectively), but also between RA and each of age (p = 0.001) and Ca breast (p < 0.001). However, no association was found between RA and BMI, DMT2, or vitamin D status. Conclusions: RA patients had a high prevalence of low BMD (72.3%) and low vitamin D (63.10%) but high serum UA (20.85%). The risk of osteoporosis, hypovitaminosis, and gout must be kept in mind during the evaluation of any case with RA. Full article
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24 pages, 2470 KiB  
Systematic Review
Genetic Patterns Related with the Development and Progression of Sarcopenia and Sarcopenic Obesity: A Systematic Review
by Andreea-Dalila Nedelcu, Andreea-Bianca Uzun, Viorela-Mihaela Ciortea, Laszlo Irsay, Liliana-Elena Stanciu, Dan Marcel Iliescu, Florina Ligia Popa and Mădălina-Gabriela Iliescu
Medicina 2025, 61(5), 866; https://doi.org/10.3390/medicina61050866 - 8 May 2025
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Abstract
Background and Objectives: Despite their high prevalence, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity remain underdiagnosed worldwide, significantly impacting the health and quality of life of aging individuals. Due to their multifactorial nature, the current management strategies do not address their underlying pathogenesis. This systematic review [...] Read more.
Background and Objectives: Despite their high prevalence, sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity remain underdiagnosed worldwide, significantly impacting the health and quality of life of aging individuals. Due to their multifactorial nature, the current management strategies do not address their underlying pathogenesis. This systematic review aims to identify single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) associated with sarcopenia and/or sarcopenic obesity in humans. Materials and Methods. This systematic literature review followed the “Preferred Reporting Items for Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA)” guidelines and the protocol registered in PROSPERO. Extensive research was performed in six databases (PubMed, Web of Science, Cochrane Library, Scopus, ScienceDirect, and SpringerLink) using keywords such as “sarcopenia”, “sarcopenic obesity”, “single nucleotide polymorphisms”, “SNPs”, and “genetic variants”. The Q-Genie and ROBINS-E tools were utilized to assess the quality of the included studies. Results: The final analysis included 12 studies, which were classified as good-quality according to the Q-Genie assessment and indicated a low to moderate risk of bias according to the ROBINS-E evaluation, collectively identifying 43 SNPs significantly associated with sarcopenia or sarcopenic obesity. Specifically, 24 SNPs were linked to sarcopenia, while 19 were associated with sarcopenic obesity. Conclusions: Understanding the implications of SNPs provides valuable insights into individual susceptibility and the variability observed across populations, potentially leading to more targeted and effective diagnostic and treatment strategies. Advancing clinical practice requires ongoing research into the genetic aspects of sarcopenia and sarcopenic obesity. Full article
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