Christof SpeckerSt. Josef Krankenhaus (Kliniken Essen Süd), Universitätsklinikum Essen · Rheumatology & Clinical Immunology
Christof Specker
MD (Prof. Dr. med.)
About
289
Publications
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4,751
Citations
Citations since 2017
Introduction
Additional affiliations
January 2005 - present
October 2001 - present
Kliniken Essen Süd
Position
- Head of Department
January 1992 - present
Publications
Publications (289)
Objective
To analyze the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on medical care and vaccination acceptance of vasculitis patients in Germany.
Methods
A web-based national survey was developed by rheumatology centers and vasculitis patient advocacy groups. The survey was distributed nationwide by mail and flyers and could be accessed via a QR-code or webl...
Background
The COVID-19 pandemic led to transformations in healthcare infrastructures and increased use of (innovative) telemedicine (TM) tools. Comparison of the use of video consultation (VC) in rheumatology in the pre-pandemic period and during the pandemic might allow for evaluating this new form of consultancy in healthcare due to changing con...
Background
Based on given legislation the German approach to digital health applications (DiGA) allows reimbursed prescription of approved therapeutic software products since October 2020. For the first time, we evaluated DiGA-related acceptance, usage, and level of knowledge among members of the German Society for Rheumatology (DGRh) 1 year after...
Background: In the next few years many general practitioners and specialists will retire. As in other disciplines the question arises in rheumatology whether sufficient training positions are available to maintain or expand the supply of care according to demand. Therefore, the German Society of Rheumatology (DGRh) has assigned its committee for ed...
Background
SARS-CoV-2 vaccines offer the most effective way to reduce the risk of severe COVID-19. Recent data indicate sufficient immune response after vaccination in most patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) on immunomodulatory treatments.
Objectives
To investigate the clinical profile of SARS-CoV-2 breakthrough infections among d...
Background
During the COVID-19 pandemic telemedicine tools rapidly and widely gained acceptance as indispensable management tools for the continuum of clinical care in rheumatic diseases. They have been adopted in position papers and guidelines for the management of rheumatic diseases in adult patients.
Objectives
Evaluation of the use of video co...
Background
Based on given legislation (§§ 33a and 139e SGB V, Social Code Book V) the German approach to digital health applications (Digitale Gesundheitsanwendungen, DiGA) allows reimbursed prescription of approved therapeutic software products (listed in the DIGA directory https://diga.bfarm.de/de/verzeichnis ) for patients since October 6 th , 2...
Background
At the beginning of the severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic, the influence of anti-inflammatory therapy on the course of SARS-CoV-2 infection in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) was unknown. In the meantime, several data indicate an association of severe courses...
Cryoglobulinemic vasculitis (CV) is a rare immune complex disease of small vessels (capillaries, venules or arterioles) with detection of cryoglobulins (CG). These are serum proteins that precipitate at temperatures below the normal body temperature. The laboratory diagnostics are logistically challenging because the temperature of the blood sample...
Aim
To determine characteristics associated with more severe outcomes in a global registry of people with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and COVID-19.
Methods
People with SLE and COVID-19 reported in the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance registry from March 2020 to June 2021 were included. The ordinal outcome was defined as: (1) not hospit...
The objective is to evaluate the attitude of rheumatologists regarding the use of COVID-19 vaccination in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRDs). From February 2nd until March 15th, 2021, rheumatologists from Germany were asked to participate anonymously in a survey addressing their attitude with respect to COVID-19 vaccinations of IR...
Background:
The Apple and Google app stores offer a wide range of health apps. It is still a challenge to find valuable and qualified apps.
Objective:
Can German language apps be identified using the "semiautomated retrospective app store analysis" (SARASA) method for the field of rheumatology?
Material and method:
The SARASA is a semiautomate...
Introduction:
Several risk factors for severe COVID-19 specific for patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMDs) have been identified so far. Evidence regarding the influence of different RMD treatments on outcomes of SARS-CoV-2 infection is still poor.
Methods:
Data from the German COVID-19-RMD registry collected bet...
Zusammenfassung
Durch das COVID-19-Register ( www.covid19-rheuma.de ) der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie erfolgte erstmalig die Erfassung und systematische Evaluation einer viralen Infektion bei Patienten mit entzündlich rheumatischen Erkrankungen (ERE). Hierdurch war und ist eine schnelle Generierung von wissenschaftlichen Daten möglich,...
The question whether an ongoing treatment with methotrexate (MTX) actually impairs the protective immune response after SARS-CoV‑2 vaccination cannot be answered with certainty on the basis of the available data. However, in view of the fact that a short discontinuation (once or twice) of the weekly MTX treatment in patients with a stable disease s...
Background
The current pandemic constitutes an entirely new situation for patients as well as physicians. The insecurity of the early phase, shutdowns, increasing infection rate and appearing SARS-CoV2 mutations have created a situation that makes live difficult especially for chronic diseases i.e. patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseas...
Background
Average life spans of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are approaching those of the general population. This results in a large proportion of RA patients being elderly at some point and underlines effective RA treatments needed for this population. Pivotal clinical trials have demonstrated the efficacy of tocilizumab (TCZ) for the...
Background
Patients with rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) might have an increased risk for infection due to their immunomodulatory treatment, secondary to their disease and comorbidities. Recent studies suggest a decreased risk of severe COVID-19 in RMD-patients treated with biologics.
Objectives
The aim of this study was to assess cou...
Objective
To investigate baseline use of biologic or targeted synthetic (b/ts) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and COVID-19 outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods
We analysed the COVID-19 Global Rheumatology Alliance physician registry (from 24 March 2020 to 12 April 2021). We investigated b/tsDMARD use for RA at the clinica...
Zusammenfassung
Hintergrund
Die COVID-19-Pandemie führte im Jahr 2020 dazu, dass der Jahreskongress der Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie (DGRh) als „Deutscher Rheumatologiekongress virtuell“ durchgeführt wurde.
Fragestellung
Wie wird der „Deutsche Rheumatologiekongress virtuell“ angenommen und welche Optimierungsmöglichkeiten bieten sich...
Objectives:
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and spondyloarthritis (SpA) are the most common inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD). The aim of this study was to elucidate differences in the outcome of SARS-CoV-2 infection in RA- and SpA-patients.
Methods:
Data from the German COVID-19 registry for IRD patients from 30th March to 16th November 2020 were...
Objectives:
To examine the safety and effectiveness of long-term tocilizumab treatment in elderly patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and patients with age-associated comorbidities.
Methods:
ICHIBAN (NCT01194401) was a prospective, non-interventional study that observed adult patients with active moderate-to-severe RA in German rheumatology...
Objectives
To evaluate the influence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the adherence of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) to their immunomodulatory medication during the three-months lockdown in Germany.
Methods
From March 16th until June 15th 2020, IRD patients from private practices and rheumatology departments were asked to answe...
Objectives
To evaluate the influence of the SARS-CoV-2 pandemic on the adherence of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) to their immunomodulatory medication during the three-months lockdown in Germany.
Methods
From March 16th until June 15th 2020, IRD patients from private practices and rheumatology departments were asked to answer...
Zusammenfassung
Am 21.12.2020 hat die EMA mit der mRNA-Vakzine BNT162b2 der Firmen BioNTech/Pfizer (Comirnaty®, BioNTech, Mainz, Deutschland; Pfizer, New York City, NY, USA) den ersten Impfstoff gegen SARS-CoV‑2 in der Europäischen Union zugelassen, am 06.01.2021 folgte bereits der zweite (Moderna®, Moderna, Cambridge, MA, USA). Viele weitere Zulas...
Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 has become available and will hopefully end the current pandemic. Understandably, patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (iRMDs) and their physicians are feverishly preoccupied with questions about vaccination and the vaccines against SARS-CoV-2. However, as it will take months before all patients with iRMDs wi...
A few days after the SARS-CoV-2 infection was declared a pandemic, the German Society for Rheumatology (DGRh) has compiled a first group of recommendations for the care of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases in light of SARS-CoV-2/COVID-19. These first recommendations were based on an expert consensus and were largely "non-evidence-based"...
Introduction
Whether patients with inflammatory rheumatic and musculoskeletal diseases (RMD) are at higher risk to develop severe courses of COVID-19 has not been fully elucidated. Aim of this analysis was to describe patients with RMD according to their COVID-19 severity and to identify risk factors for hospitalisation.
Methods
Patients with RMD...
Zusammenfassung
Im September 2019 wurde vom Ministerium für Arbeit, Gesundheit und Soziales (MAGS) in NRW ein Gutachten zur Krankenhausplanung veröffentlicht. Hierin wurde eine grundlegende Reform der Krankenhausplanung empfohlen, indem zukünftig eine Bedarfsplanung auf der Grundlage einer detaillierten Ausweisung von Leistungsbereichen und Leistun...
Systemic disease demands systemic thinkers. In this mission statement we define rheumatology, describe the role of the German Society of Rheumatology and the rheumatologist’s spirit to their discipline. Rheumatologists are dedicated to improving the quality of life of their acute, chronic, and rehabilitative patients on the basis of up to date evid...
Over the last 25 years the regional collaborative rheumatology centers have become established throughout Germany as “catalysts” for improving rheumatological care at many different levels. With campaigns and a multitude of activities they have promoted the visibility of rheumatology in Germany together with rheumatological alliance partners and, o...
Systemic disease demands systemic thinkers. In this mission statement we define rheumatology, describe the role of the German Society of Rheumatology and the rheumatologist’s spirit to their discipline. Rheumatologists are dedicated to improving the quality of life of their acute, chronic, and rehabilitative patients on the basis of up to date evid...
Zusammenfassung
Die Durchführung von Videosprechstunden wird seit mehreren Jahren als ergänzende Form der medizinischen Versorgung in Ergänzung zu einem persönlichen Arzt-Patienten-Kontakt angesehen und teilweise auch gefördert. Die COVID-19-Pandemie hat der Nutzung von Videosprechstunden ungeahnte Aktualität und Aufmerksamkeit verschafft. Die Kass...
Background/objective:
The structured patient information for rheumatoid arthritis (StruPi-RA) program was the first standardized outpatient education program in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Germany. The main objective of the study was to determine the efficacy of the StruPi-RA program concerning disease-specific knowledge acquisition in patients w...
Objectives Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) infected with severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) may be at risk to develop a severe course of COVID-19. The influence of immunomodulating drugs on the course of COVID-19 is unknown. To gather knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 infections in patients with IRD, we establ...
Zusammenfassung
Die Empfehlungen des Deutschen Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie(DGRh)-Updates – welches die zu Beginn der COVID-19-Pandemie erstellte Hilfestellung zum Management von Patienten mit entzündlich rheumatischen Erkrankungen angesichts der Bedrohung durch SARS-CoV‑2 aktualisiert und erweitert – stimmen in vielen Punkten mit den Handlungsem...
A few days after the SARS-CoV-2 infection was declared a pandemic, the German Society for Rheumatology (DGRh) compiled first recommendations for the care of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD). These first recommendations were based on an expert consensus and were largely non-evidence-based. Now that the first scientific data from r...
Zusammenfassung
Die Digitalisierung im Gesundheitswesen ist für die Rheumatologie eine ebenso große Herausforderung wie für andere medizinische Fachgebiete. Die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie e. V. (DGRh) will diesen Prozess aktiv gestalten und davon profitieren. Mit der Gründung der Kommission Digitale Rheumatologie hat sie ein Gremium ge...
Objectives:
We aimed to measure long-term effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in daily German practice.
Methods:
ICHIBAN was a prospective, multi-centre, non-interventional study (ML22928) that enrolled adult patients with active moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis. Patients were to be treated accord...
Background
Patients with inflammatory diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis, often receive glucocorticoids, but long-term use can produce adverse effects. Evidence from randomised controlled trials to guide tapering of oral glucocorticoids is scarce. We investigated a scheme for tapering oral glucocorticoids compared with continuing low-dose oral...
Background
Inhibition of interleukin-1 (IL-1) represents a promising treatment option in adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD). Canakinumab is approved for treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis and has a marked impact on systemic as well as articular activity of the disease.
Objectives
To investigate the efficacy and safety of canakinum...
Background
Patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases (IRD) and infection with SARS-CoV-2 may be at risk to develop a severe course of COVID-19. To gather knowledge about SARS-CoV-2 infections in IRD patients, a national registry was established to elucidate IRD specific profiles of COVID-19.
Objectives
To identify risk factors for hospitalisat...
Background
Inhibition of interleukin (IL)-1 represents a promising treatment option in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD).
Objective
To investigate the efficacy and safety of canakinumab in patients with AOSD and active joint involvement by means of a multicentre, double-blind, randomised, placebo-controlled trial.
Methods
Patients with AOSD and...
In the current SARS-CoV-2 pandemic there are many questions regarding the safe treatment of patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Many of these questions cannot yet be answered on an evidence-based basis and this does not make patient care easy. The German Society for Rheumatology (DGRh) hopes that these initial recommendations will provid...
Even early on thromboembolic events were observed in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) until the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was described in the 1980s as an independent disorder. The APS is a systemic autoimmune disease often overlapping with SLE in which antiphospholipid autoantibodies, including lupus anticoagulant, can cause...
Background
Antimalarial medication (AM) plays an important role in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.Objective
Updated evidence-based recommendations on the safety management of rheumatological treatment with AM are presented.MethodsA systematic literature search in the databases Medline (PubMed) and Cochrane identified 1160 studies on the safety...
Background
Musculoskeletal diseases and symptoms are very common in the general population. They lead to high healthcare costs and pose a significant burden to the national economy.Objectives
Based on data from the population-based German National Cohort (GNC), frequencies of musculoskeletal symptoms and diseases are reported, including back pain,...
Antiphospholipid syndrome (APS) was first identified in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and frequent occurrence of thromboembolic complications and miscarriages accompanied by detection of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL). When APS was also later found without an underlying SLE, the so-called primary APS was distinguished from its...
Background:
Antimalarial medication (AM) plays an important role in the treatment of rheumatic diseases.
Objective:
Updated evidence-based recommendations on the safety management of rheumatological treatment with AM are presented.
Methods:
A systematic literature search in the databases Medline (PubMed) and Cochrane identified 1160 studies on...
Was ist neu?
Paradigmenwechsel in der Klassifikation des systemischen Lupus erythematodes Der Nachweis der antinukleären Antikörper oberhalb des Grenzwerts ist Eingangskriterium für die Klassifikation des SLE. Diese Klassifikation beinhaltet 10 unterschiedliche Domänen mit unterschiedlicher Wertigkeit, wobei 10 Punkte für die SLE-Klassifikation erf...
In zwei Forschungsprojekten konnten rheumatologische Schulungsprogramme aktualisiert werden. Im ersten Schritt wurde ein expertenkonsentiertes Rahmenkonzept für alle rheumatologischen Patientenschulungen erarbeitet. Aus diesem wurden Curricula und Arbeitsmaterialien für Rheumatoide Arthritis (RA) und Axiale Spondyloarthritis (AS) abgeleitet und exe...
Antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD) is a rare clinical condition that is characterized by the occurrence of a classic clinical triad, encompassing myositis, arthritis, and interstitial lung disease (ILD), along with specific autoantibodies that are addressed to different aminoacyl tRNA synthetases (ARS). Until now, it has been unknown whether the presen...
An imbalanced T-cell homeostasis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules regulate T-cell differentiation, survival, and cytokine production. B- and T-lymphocyte attenuator (BTLA) is a co-inhibitory molecule which negatively regulates T-cell activation. The aim of...
Um die prognostisch bedeutsame Dauer zwischen der Erstmanifestation einer entzündlich rheumatischen Erkrankung und der Diagnosestellung sowie der Einleitung einer spezifischen Therapie zu verkürzen, haben einige internistisch-rheumatologische Zentren durch gezielte Reorganisation bestehender Kapazitäten die Zugangswege zur Erstabklärung verbessert...
Background:
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by T-cell-dependent B-cell activation and altered T-cell response. Co-stimulatory and co-inhibitory molecules regulate and exert T-cell differentiation, survival and cytokine production. CD134+ and PD-1+ T-cells in SLE patients are increased in SLE. The aim of th...
Introduction: The German PID-NET registry was founded in 2009, serving as the first national registry of patients with primary immunodeficiencies (PID) in Germany. It is part of the European Society for Immunodeficiencies (ESID) registry. The primary purpose of the registry is to gather data on the epidemiology, diagnostic delay, diagnosis, and tre...
Background
Inhibition of interleukin-1 (IL-1) represents a promising treatment option in adult-onset Still’s disease (AOSD). Canakinumab (CAN) is approved for treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis (sJIA) since 2013 and recently for AOSD in Europe. In sJIA, CAN has a proven marked impact on systemic and articular disease activity, but...
Background
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients (pts) have a 1.5 to 2-fold increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) events and CV mortality [1]. Traditional risk factors as well as underlying disease, including therapy with glucocorticoids (GC) contribute to the increased CV risk. Typical risk factors include age, male sex, hypertension, adiposity, and...
Was ist neu?
Stand der Dinge Innovationen in der Informations- und Kommunikationstechnologie haben in der Rheumatologie eine jahrzehntelange Tradition, die Deutsche Gesellschaft für Rheumatologie hat im Jahr 2018 die Kommission „Digitale Rheumatologie“ gegründet.
Digitale Anwendungen in der deutschen Rheumatologie Mobile Datenerfassung rheumatologi...