#Rheumatology

In a focused study led by researchers in Japan and published online in late 2025, a striking 44% of people with systemic sclerosis (SSc) who report exercise intolerance showed exercise-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH). Even more notable, about 30% of the same group had PH at rest. The study also found that nailfold capillary density—an accessible skin-based measure—was notably lower among those with PH and exercise-induced PH, offering a potential early clue for clinicians. The researchers emphasize that a small set of clinical features during exertion, together with a simple nailfold capillary assessment, might help identify patients at risk who would benefit from more definitive testing, such as exercise right heart catheterization.

A Missouri schoolteacher who was diagnosed with osteoporosis, spondyloarthritis and hypogonadism at age 20 has completed an astonishing 6,050 knuckle pushups in a single 12-hour attempt, an achievement that spotlights how complex causes, careful rehabilitation and persistent strength training can reshape outcomes for people with early-onset bone disease. The feat — livestreamed with local church support, performed in August and now submitted for Guinness World Records review — reads like a human-interest triumph, but it also raises serious, practical questions for clinicians and communities in Thailand about how to detect, treat and safely support younger people living with fragile bones.

A young Missouri teacher living with osteoporosis, spondyloarthritis, and hypogonadism recently completed 6,050 knuckle pushups in a 12-hour effort. The feat, livestreamed with support from a local church and now under Guinness World Records review, highlights how early-onset bone disease can be addressed with careful rehabilitation and progressive strength training. For Thai readers, it prompts practical questions about detecting and safely supporting younger people with fragile bones.

Osteoporosis is often viewed as an older person’s disease, but clinicians increasingly recognize a subset of younger adults whose bone fragility stems from identifiable, treatable causes. The teacher’s journey began with severe pain in adolescence, progressing to weakness that made simple tasks difficult. After years of specialist care, he received diagnoses that explained his pain and low bone mass. With targeted medical treatment and a regimen of gradual training, he rebuilt function and developed the endurance to pursue a demanding physical challenge.

A revolutionary scientific advance is offering new hope for millions worldwide suffering from autoimmune diseases: so-called “inverse vaccines” that promise to re-educate the immune system, potentially transforming how conditions such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and lupus are managed. This innovative approach—heralded as a potential “holy grail” in immunology—could have particular significance for Thailand, where autoimmune disorders are rising as the country’s population ages, lifestyle changes accelerate, and environmental triggers become more common.

A groundbreaking approach known as inverse vaccines could change how autoimmune diseases are treated worldwide, including in Thailand. Researchers describe these vaccines as a way to re-educate the immune system, potentially offering precise relief for conditions such as multiple sclerosis, type 1 diabetes, celiac disease, and lupus. In Thailand’s aging population and changing lifestyle, the technology may address rising autoimmune diagnoses with fewer side effects than current broad immunosuppressants.

Today, most autoimmune therapies dampen the immune system as a whole. While effective against overactive cells, they raise infection risks and often require lifelong daily medications. New research suggests inverse vaccines could selectively suppress only the rogue immune responses behind each disease. By targeting disease-specific self-reactions, these vaccines aim for precision rather than broad suppression.