Cystic form of rheumatoid arthritis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dijkstra, P.F.; Gubler, F.M.; Maas, A.

1988-10-01

A nonerosive form of rheumatoid arthritis (R.A.) was found in 62 patients out of 660 patients with R.A.. These 62 patients exhibit slowly progressive cystic changes in about the same joints in which usually erosions develop in classic R.A.. The E.S.R. is often low, half of the patients remained seronegative and there are 35 males and 27 females in the group. A smaller group of 15 out of these patients could be followed from a stage wherein the radiographs were normal to a stage of extensive cystic changes, over a period of at least 6 years. An attempt is made to delineate this group within the rheumatoid arthritis disease entity.

Women, men, and rheumatoid arthritis: analyses of disease activity, disease characteristics, and treatments in the QUEST-RA study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sokka, Tuulikki; Toloza, Sergio; Cutolo, Maurizio

2009-01-01

ABSTRACT : INTRODUCTION : Gender as a predictor of outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evoked considerable interest over the decades. Historically, there is no consensus whether RA is worse in females or males. Recent reports suggest that females are less likely than males to achieve remiss...

Biologics for rheumatoid arthritis: an overview of Cochrane reviews

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Singh, Jasvinder A; Christensen, Robin; Wells, George A

2010-01-01

the biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are very effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however there is a lack of head-to-head comparison studies.......the biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are very effective in treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA), however there is a lack of head-to-head comparison studies....

Comprehensive assessment of rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility loci in a large psoriatic arthritis cohort.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Bowes, John

2012-08-01

A number of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) susceptibility genes have been identified in recent years. Given the overlap in phenotypic expression of synovial joint inflammation between RA and psoriatic arthritis (PsA), the authors explored whether RA susceptibility genes are also associated with PsA.

Tyrosine kinases in rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kobayashi Akiko

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Abstract Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is an inflammatory, polyarticular joint disease. A number of cellular responses are involved in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, including activation of inflammatory cells and cytokine expression. The cellular responses involved in each of these processes depends on the specific signaling pathways that are activated; many of which include protein tyrosine kinases. These pathways include the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathway, Janus kinases/signal transducers and activators transcription pathway, spleen tyrosine kinase signaling, and the nuclear factor κ-light-chain-enhancer of activated B cells pathway. Many drugs are in development to target tyrosine kinases for the treatment of RA. Based on the number of recently published studies, this manuscript reviews the role of tyrosine kinases in the pathogenesis of RA and the potential role of kinase inhibitors as new therapeutic strategies of RA.

Biologic interventions for fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Almeida, Celia; Choy, Ernest H S; Hewlett, Sarah

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Fatigue is a common and potentially distressing symptom for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), with no accepted evidence-based management guidelines. Evidence suggests that biologic interventions improve symptoms and signs in RA as well as reducing joint damage. OBJECTIVES......: To evaluate the effect of biologic interventions on fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis. SEARCH METHODS: We searched the following electronic databases up to 1 April 2014: Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL), MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews, Current Controlled Trials...... and contacted key authors. SELECTION CRITERIA: We included randomised controlled trials if they evaluated a biologic intervention in people with rheumatoid arthritis and had self reported fatigue as an outcome measure. DATA COLLECTION AND ANALYSIS: Two reviewers selected relevant trials, assessed methodological...

Folate-targeted nanoparticles for rheumatoid arthritis therapy.

Science.gov (United States)

Nogueira, Eugénia; Gomes, Andreia C; Preto, Ana; Cavaco-Paulo, Artur

2016-05-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is the most common inflammatory rheumatic disease, affecting almost 1% of the world population. Although the cause of RA remains unknown, the complex interaction between immune mediators (cytokines and effector cells) is responsible for the joint damage that begins at the synovial membrane. Activated macrophages are critical in the pathogenesis of RA and showed specifically express a receptor for the vitamin folic acid (FA), folate receptor β (FRβ). This particular receptor allows internalization of FA-coupled cargo. In this review we will address the potential of nanoparticles as an effective drug delivery system for therapies that will directly target activated macrophages. Special attention will be given to stealth degree of the nanoparticles as a strategy to avoid clearance by macrophages of the mononuclear phagocytic system (MPS). This review summarizes the application of FA-target nanoparticles as drug delivery systems for RA and proposes prospective future directions. Rheumatoid arthritis is a debilitating autoimmune disease of the joints which affects many people worldwide. Up till now, there is a lack of optimal therapy against this disease. In this review article, the authors outlined in depth the current mechanism of disease for rheumatoid arthritis and described the latest research in using folic acid-targeted nanoparticles to target synovial macrophages in the fight against rheumatoid arthritis. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The cystic form of rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dijkstra, P.F.; Gubler, F.M.; Maas, A.

1988-01-01

A nonerosive form of rheumatoid arthritis (R.A.) was found in 62 patients out of 660 patients with R.A.. These 62 patients exhibit slowly progressive cystic changes in about the same joints in which usually erosions develop in classic R.A.. The E.S.R. is often low, half of the patients remained seronegative and there are 35 males and 27 females in the group. A smaller group of 15 out of these patients could be followed from a stage wherein the radiographs were normal to a stage of extensive cystic changes, over a period of at least 6 years. An attempt is made to delineate this group within the rheumatoid arthritis disease entity. (orig.) [de

Development of heart failure in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Løgstrup, Brian B.; Ellingsen, Torkell; Pedersen, Alma B.

2018-01-01

Background: To investigate the incidence of heart failure (HF) and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) in different time spans following incident rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and, furthermore, to investigate the impact of IHD on the development of HF and the impact of different treatment era of RA...... risk of percutaneous coronary intervention and coronary artery bypass grafting within 10 years following the RA diagnosis was observed. HR for new onset of HF in RA without IHD was 1.23, while the HR for new onset of HF in patients with RA and IHD was 2.06. Conclusions: Rheumatoid arthritis patients...

Glucocorticoids in early rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Everdingen, Amalia A. van

2002-01-01

For 50 years, glucocorticoids (GC) are used for symptomatic treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the last decade, results from clinical studies of treatment with GC as additional therapy to long-acting antirheumatic drugs in patients with early RA suggested also disease-modifying properties of

Glucocorticoid Sensitivity in Rheumatoid Arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

R.A.M. Quax

2013-01-01

textabstractAccumulating observations of women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who ‘spontaneously’ experienced less active disease during pregnancy led to the growing belief by Philip Hench that a hormonal substance had to be involved in the improving clinical conditions of pregnant patients with RA.

Chinese Registry of rheumatoid arthritis (CREDIT): II. prevalence and risk factors of major comorbidities in Chinese patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Jin, Shangyi; Li, Mengtao; Fang, Yongfei; Li, Qin; Liu, Ju; Duan, Xinwang; Liu, Yi; Wu, Rui; Shi, Xiaofei; Wang, Yongfu; Jiang, Zhenyu; Wang, Yanhong; Yu, Chen; Wang, Qian; Tian, Xinping; Zhao, Yan; Zeng, Xiaofeng

2017-11-15

Rheumatoid arthritis patients are at higher risk of developing comorbidities. The main objective of this study was to evaluate the prevalence of major comorbidities in Chinese rheumatoid arthritis patients. We also aimed to identify factors associated with these comorbidities. Baseline demographic, clinical characteristics and comorbidity data from RA patients enrolled in the Chinese Registry of rhEumatoiD arthrITis (CREDIT) from Nov 2016 to August 2017 were presented and compared with those from five other registries across the world. Possible factors related to three major comorbidities (cardiovascular disease, fragility fracture and malignancy) were identified using multivariate logistic regression analyses. A total of 13,210 RA patients were included (80.6% female, mean age 52.9 years and median RA duration 4.0 years). Baseline prevalence rates of major comorbidities were calculated: CVD, 2.2% (95% CI 2.0-2.5%); fragility fracture, 1.7% (95% CI 1.5-1.9%); malignancy, 0.6% (95% CI 0.5-0.7%); overall major comorbidities, 4.2% (95% CI 3.9-4.6%). Advanced age was associated with all comorbidities. Male gender and disease duration were positively related to CVD. Female sex and longer disease duration were potential risk factors for fragility fractures. Ever use of methotrexate (MTX) was negatively related to baseline comorbidities. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis in China have similar prevalence of comorbidities with other Asian countries. Advanced age and long disease duration are possible risk factors for comorbidities. On the contrary, MTX may protect RA patients from several major comorbidities, supporting its central role in the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

Diagnostic Delay in Rheumatoid Arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mølbaek, Karen; Hørslev-Petersen, Kim; Primdahl, Jette

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: To prevent joint damage among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is a need to minimize delays from the onset of symptoms until the initiation of appropriate therapy. The present study explored the factors that have an impact on the time it takes for Danish patients with RA...

IL-1RA gene-transfected bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells in APA microcapsules could alleviate rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hu, Jianhua; Li, Hongjian; Chi, Guanhao; Yang, Zhao; Zhao, Yi; Liu, Wei; Zhang, Chao

2015-01-01

In order to investigate the encapsulation of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-RA) gene-modified mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) in alginate-poly-L-lysine (APA) microcapsules for the persistent delivery of interleukin 1 receptor antagonist (IL-RA) to treat Rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We transfect mesenchymal stem cells with IL-RA gene, and quantify the IL-RA proteins released from the encapsulated cells followed by microencapsulation of recombinant mesenchymal stem cells, and thus observe the permeability of APA microcapsules and evaluate clinical effects after induction and treatment of collagen-induced arthritis (CIA). The concentration of IL-RA in the supernatant was determined by IL-RA ELISA kit by run in technical triplicates using samples from three separate mice. Encapsulated IL-RA gene-transfected cells were capable of constitutive delivery of IL-RA proteins for at least 30 days. Moreover, the APA microcapsules could inhibit the permeation of fluorescein isothiocyanate-conjuncted immunoglobulin G. Also, it has been found that the APA microcapsules can significantly attenuate collagen induced arthritis after delivering of APA microcapsules to rats. Our results demonstrated that the nonautologous IL-RA gene-transfected stem cells are of potential utility for RA therapy.

Significance of determination of serum cytidine deaminase (CD) levels for diagnosis of active rheumatoid arthritis (RA)

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xiao Chuangqing; Jang Xiaogong; He Yunnan

2005-01-01

Objective: To determine the clinical value of measurement of serum cytidine deaminase (CD) levels in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Serum levels of CD were detected with spectrophotometry, in 33 patients with active RA and 60 controls. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and CRP content were also determined in both groups. Results: The ser- um CD contents in patients with active RA(14.80 ± 2.11U/ml) were significantly higher than those in controls(4.86±1.86 U/ml,P<0.01). The CRP contents (51.46 ± 20.43mg/L) and ESR readings(85.03 ± 27.6mm/h) in the patients were also significantly higher than those in the controls(3.40 ± 2.21mg/L and 13.04 ± 4.89mm/h respectively, all P<0.01). In the patients, the serum CD contents were linearly positively correlated with the ESR contents and CRP readings (r=0.6324 and 0.8013 respectively, P <0.01). Conclusion: Serum CD is an early biochemical marker for diagnosis of active rheumatoid arthritis and is also of prognostic value. (authors)

The lungs in rheumatoid arthritis - a clinical, radiographic and ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

The lungs in rheumatoid arthritis - a clinical, radiographic and pulmonary function study. Stephen C. Morrison, Girish M. Mody, Sally R. Benatar, Orlando L Meyers. Abstract. Objective. To detennine the prevalence and spectrum of pulmonary abnormalities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a developing country.

Proteome Analysis of Rheumatoid Arthritis Gut Mucosa

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bennike, Tue Bjerg; Ellingsen, Torkell; Glerup, Henning

2017-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory joint disease leading to cartilage damage and ultimately impaired joint function. To gain new insight into the systemic immune manifestations of RA, we characterized the colon mucosa proteome from 11 RA-patients and 10 healthy controls. The biopsies were...

Ottawa Panel Evidence-Based Clinical Practice Guidelines for Patient Education in the Management of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA)

Science.gov (United States)

Brosseau, Lucie; Wells, George A.; Tugwell, Peter; Egan, Mary; Dubouloz, Claire-Jehanne; Welch, Vivian A.; Trafford, Laura; Sredic, Danjiel; Pohran, Kathryn; Smoljanic, Jovana; Vukosavljevic, Ivan; De Angelis, Gino; Loew, Laurianne; McEwan, Jessica; Bell, Mary; Finestone, Hillel M.; Lineker, Sydney; King, Judy; Jelly, Wilma; Casimiro, Lynn; Haines-Wangda, Angela; Russell-Doreleyers, Marion; Laferriere, Lucie; Lambert, Kim

2012-01-01

Background and purpose: The objective of this article is to create guidelines for education interventions in the management of patients ([greater than] 18 years old) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: The Ottawa Methods Group identified and synthesized evidence from comparative controlled trials using Cochrane Collaboration methods. The…

THE CYSTIC FORM OF RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dijkstra, P. F.; Gubler, F. M.; Maas, M.

1988-01-01

A non-erosive form of rheumatoid arthritis (R.A.) was found in 62 patients out of 660 patients with R.A. These 62 patients exhibit slowly progressive cystic changes in about the same joints in which usually erosions develop in classic R.A. The E.S.R. is often low, half of the patients remained

Radiological differential diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis; Radiologische Differenzialdiagnose der rheumatoiden Arthritis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Wick, M.C.; Klauser, A.S. [Medizinische Universitaet Innsbruck, Department Radiologie, Innsbruck (Austria)

2012-02-15

Establishing an early and reliable diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is of major importance but can be a great clinical challenge leading to direct therapeutic consequences. No single epidemiological, genetic, clinical, serological or radiological test exists which can exclusively diagnose RA. In general diagnosis of RA includes a case history, clinical signs, laboratory abnormalities and radiological examinations, viz. conventional radiography of the joints of the hands and feet. This review summarizes the most important radiological features of RA and the radiological findings of its closest differential diagnoses. (orig.) [German] Eine fruehe Diagnosestellung bei rheumatoider Arthritis (RA) stellt eine grosse klinische Herausforderung dar, da sich daraus unmittelbare therapeutische Konsequenzen ableiten. Es gibt keinen epidemiologischen, genetischen, klinischen, serologischen oder radiologischen Test, mit dessen alleiniger Anwendung die Diagnose der RA definitiv gestellt werden kann. Die Diagnose der RA erfolgt durch die Kombination von Patientenanamnese, klinischen Zeichen und serologischen Biomarkern in Zusammenschau mit der radiologischen Diagnostik, allen voran der Anwendung konventioneller Roentgenbilder der Haende und Fuesse. In diesem Uebersichtsartikel werden die wichtigsten radiologischen Merkmale zur Diagnose der RA und der diagnostisch haeufigsten Differenzialerkrankungen dargestellt. (orig.)

Identifying flares in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bykerk, Vivian P; Bingham, Clifton O; Choy, Ernest H

2016-01-01

to flare, with escalation planned in 61%. CONCLUSIONS: Flares are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and are often preceded by treatment reductions. Patient/MD/DAS agreement of flare status is highest in patients worsening from R/LDA. OMERACT RA flare questions can discriminate between patients with...... Set. METHODS: Candidate flare questions and legacy measures were administered at consecutive visits to Canadian Early Arthritis Cohort (CATCH) patients between November 2011 and November 2014. The American College of Rheumatology (ACR) core set indicators were recorded. Concordance to identify flares...

Fetal Programming in Rheumatoid Arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

F.D.O. de Steenwinkel (Florentien)

2013-01-01

markdownabstract__Abstract__ Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic, inflammatory, autoimmune disease mainly affecting synovial tissues, which can lead to severe morbidity and progressive joint destruction resulting in deformations and disability. Other important outcomes include

On the origin of rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Anders J; Kyvik, Kirsten O; Houen, Gunnar

2013-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease with a complex origin. Previous studies have reported heritability estimates on RA at about 60%. Only 16% of the genetic background of the disease has been disclosed so far. The purpose of the present investigation was to provide an optimized...

Sedentary behaviour in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Thomsen, Tanja; Beyer, Nina; Aadahl, Mette

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: Despite increasing interest in investigating sedentary behaviour (SB) in the general population and in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is little documentation of the subjective experiences of SB in patients with RA. This study aimed to examine how patients with RA...... modification of physical activity level causing increase in SB, especially during periods of disease flare. Prioritizing and planning of SB also functioned as part of self-management strategies. 3) It has nothing to do with my arthritis; for some patients, SB was not related to RA, but simply reflected a way...

Up-regulation of metastasis-promoting S100A4 (Mts-1) in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klingelhöfer, Jörg; Senolt, Ladislav; Baslund, Bo

2007-01-01

To examine the involvement of the metastasis-inducing protein S100A4 (Mts-1) in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).......To examine the involvement of the metastasis-inducing protein S100A4 (Mts-1) in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)....

Adherence to methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bliddal, Henning; Eriksen, Stine A; Christensen, Robin

2015-01-01

Objectives. To study adherence to methotrexate (MTX) and factors of importance thereof in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. Patients with a hospital diagnosis of RA (ICD10 codes M05.X or M06.X) after January 1, 1997, and aged ≥18 years at the date of first diagnosis...

Mitochondrial haplogroups in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duhn, Pernille Hurup; Sode, Jacob; Hagen, Christian Munch

2017-01-01

Objective To describe the distribution of specific mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) haplogroups (hgs) in a cohort of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods Two-hundred nineteen consecutive patients with RA had mtDNA isolated from their blood, sequenced and haplotyped. Patients were diagnosed...

Rheumatoid arthritis in the United Arab Emirates

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Badsha, Humeira; Kong, Kok Ooi; Tak, Paul P.

2008-01-01

Studies have shown that patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Middle East have delayed diagnosis and low disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) utilization. We describe the characteristics and treatments of consecutive RA patients presenting to a new musculoskeletal clinic in Dubai,

Rheumatoid cachexia revisited: a metabolic co-morbidity in rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kayo eMasuko

2014-11-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic inflammatory disease in which pro-inflammatory cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor (TNF-alpha, play a crucial role. The chronic inflammation, combined with reduced physical activity, leads to muscle wasting whereas fat mass would be maintained; the resulting abnormal metabolic state is described as rheumatoid cachexia. Since the loss of muscle volume would be compensated by the increased fat mass, body mass index (BMI is reported not to reflect the nutritional status in RA patients. The implication of rheumatoid cachexia for cardiovascular risk and clinical prognosis is not clearly understood, however, adequate control of disease activity in combination with appropriate physical exercise could be the most important strategy to control rheumatoid cachexia and related metabolic problems.

Temporomandibular joint involvement in rheumatoid arthritis patients: association between clinical and tomographic data

OpenAIRE

Cordeiro, Patrícia C. F; Guimaraes, Josemar P; de Souza, Viviane A; Dias, Isabela M; Silva, Jesca N. N; Devito, Karina L; Bonato, Leticia L

2016-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic autoimmune disease characterized by chronic inflammation and synovial hyperplasia, which usually affects multiple joints. The temporomandibular joint (TMJ) becomes susceptible to the development of changes resulting from RA. The aim of this study was to evaluate the presence of TMD and degenerative bone changes in TMJ in patients diagnosed with RA (rheumatoid arthritis). The Research Diagnostic Criteria for Temporomandibular Disorders (RDC/ TMD) questio...

Advanced imaging in rheumatoid arthritis. Part 2: Erosions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrant, J.M.; O'Connor, P.J.; Grainger, A.J.

2007-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory disorder primarily affecting the synovium. We now recognise that conventional radiographic images show changes of rheumatoid arthritis late after irreversible joint damage has occured. With the advent of powerful disease-modifying drugs there is a need for early demonstration of rheumatoid arthritis and to monitor progress of the disease and response to therapy. Advanced imaging techniques such as ultrasound and MRI have focussed on the demonstration and quanitification of synovitis and erosions and allow early diagnosis of RA. The technology to quantify synovitis and erosions is developing rapidly and now allows change in disease activity to be assessed. However, problems undoubtedly exist in quantification techniques and this review serves to highlight them. Much of the literature on advanced imaging in RA appears in rheumatological journals and may not be familiar to radiologists. This review article aims to increase the awareness of radiologists to this field and to encourage them to participate and contribute to the ongoing development of these modalities. Without this collaboration it is unlikely that these modalities will reach their full potential in the field of rheumatological imaging. This review is in two parts. This first part addresses synovitis imaging. The second part will look at advanced imaging of erosions in RA. (orig.)

Exploratory analyses of the association of MRI with clinical, laboratory and radiographic findings in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Emery, Paul; van der Heijde, Désirée; Østergaard, Mikkel

2011-01-01

Evaluate relationships between MRI and clinical/laboratory/radiographic findings in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).......Evaluate relationships between MRI and clinical/laboratory/radiographic findings in rheumatoid arthritis (RA)....

MINERAL WATERS IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

BORGES, TIAGO

2013-02-01

Full Text Available Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is an autoimmune disorder affecting nearly 1% of adult population. First-line therapies include disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs, but creno-balneotherapyis often prescribed in rheumatic disorders and RA is no exception. Objectives: To know the efficacy of creno-balneotherapy in RA. Methods: A Medline based search was made using MeSH terms “balneology” and “rheumatoid arthritis”. Articles concerning the use of mineral waters in RA treatment were included. Results: In RA, two traditional ways of employing mineral waters are commonly used: immersion and peliotherapy. Each owns their benefits to non-specific or hydrotherapeutic effects and specific or crenotherapeutic effects. Mineral waters must be regarded as an adjuvant therapy in quiescent, stable or non-progressive RA. Significant benefits have been accomplished with radonenriched and sulphurous waters. Isothermal or hyperthermal waters should be preferred. Conclusions: Although there is a global lack of evidence, mineral waters are a safe and effective therapy to be considered in RA.

Treating rheumatoid arthritis to target

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smolen, Josef S; Breedveld, Ferdinand C; Burmester, Gerd R

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Reaching the therapeutic target of remission or low-disease activity has improved outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) significantly. The treat-to-target recommendations, formulated in 2010, have provided a basis for implementation of a strategic approach towards this t...

The role of traditional cardiovascular risk factors among patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Brady, Sharmayne R E; de Courten, Barbora; Reid, Christopher M

2009-01-01

People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population. We investigated the relative contribution of traditional cardiovascular risk factors to this elevated risk.......People with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have an increased risk of cardiovascular disease (CVD) compared with the general population. We investigated the relative contribution of traditional cardiovascular risk factors to this elevated risk....

Disparities in rheumatoid arthritis disease activity according to gross domestic product in 25 countries in the QUEST-RA database.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokka, T; Kautiainen, H; Pincus, T; Toloza, S; da Rocha Castelar Pinheiro, G; Lazovskis, J; Hetland, M L; Peets, T; Immonen, K; Maillefert, J F; Drosos, A A; Alten, R; Pohl, C; Rojkovich, B; Bresnihan, B; Minnock, P; Cazzato, M; Bombardieri, S; Rexhepi, S; Rexhepi, M; Andersone, D; Stropuviene, S; Huisman, M; Sierakowski, S; Karateev, D; Skakic, V; Naranjo, A; Baecklund, E; Henrohn, D; Gogus, F; Badsha, H; Mofti, A; Taylor, P; McClinton, C; Yazici, Y

2009-11-01

To analyse associations between the clinical status of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the gross domestic product (GDP) of their resident country. The Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (QUEST-RA) cohort includes clinical and questionnaire data from 6004 patients who were seen in usual care at 70 rheumatology clinics in 25 countries as of April 2008, including 18 European countries. Demographic variables, clinical characteristics, RA disease activity measures, including the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28), and treatment-related variables were analysed according to GDP per capita, including 14 "high GDP" countries with GDP per capita greater than US$24,000 and 11 "low GDP" countries with GDP per capita less than US$11,000. Disease activity DAS28 ranged between 3.1 and 6.0 among the 25 countries and was significantly associated with GDP (r = -0.78, 95% CI -0.56 to -0.90, r(2) = 61%). Disease activity levels differed substantially between "high GDP" and "low GDP" countries at much greater levels than according to whether patients were currently taking or not taking methotrexate, prednisone and/or biological agents. The clinical status of patients with RA was correlated significantly with GDP among 25 mostly European countries according to all disease measures, associated only modestly with the current use of antirheumatic medications. The burden of arthritis appears substantially greater in "low GDP" than in "high GDP" countries. These findings may alert healthcare professionals and designers of health policy towards improving the clinical status of patients with RA in all countries.

[Bone structure in rheumatoid arthritis].

Science.gov (United States)

Ono, Kumiko; Ohashi, Satoru; Tanaka, Sakae; Matsumoto, Takuya

2013-07-01

In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) , the osteoclast pathway is activated by abnormal immune conditions accompanied by chronic inflammation, resulting in periarticular osteoporosis and local bone destruction around joints. In addition, multiple factors, including reduced physical activity and pharmacotherapies such as steroids, lead to systemic osteoporosis. These conditions cause decreasing bone mineral density and deterioration of bone quality, and expose patients to increased risk of fracture. Understanding the bone structures of RA and evaluating fracture risk are central to the treatment of RA.

Anticardiolipin antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Keane, A; Woods, R; Dowding, V; Roden, D; Barry, C

1987-10-01

Anticardiolipin antibody (ACA) was present in the sera of 49% of 90 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The ACA was absent in 30 control patients with osteoarthritis. C-reactive protein levels equal to or exceeding 7 mg/dl were found in 10 patients all of whom were ACA positive. ACA was present in a larger proportion of rheumatoid factor (RF) positive than of RF negative patients. Male sex and extra-articular manifestations of RA were both more common in ACA positive than ACA negative patients. In the ACA positive group the lupus anticoagulant and VDRL tests were negative. However, a small number of patients had evidence of vascular events.

Course and prognosis in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Kukeli, Anton; Manxhuka-Kërliu, Suzana; Pallaskas, Kelmend; Murtezani, Ardiana; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Rexhepi, Blerta

2013-01-01

Long since it have been suggested that a subpopulation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), diagnosed with negative rheumatoid factor (RF) tests, represents a clinical entity quite distinct from that of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of the study was to establish a scientific comparative analysis between RA seronegative and seropositive, regarding course and prognoses of the disease. Two hundred fifty patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to the (American College of Rheumatology) criteria were retrospectively studied by analysis the course and prognoses of disease. All examinees were between 25-60 years of age (Xb=49.9, SD=10.3) with disease duration between 1-27 years (Xbox=6.41, SD=6.47). Course of the disease with "remissions and exacerbations", progressive continual course and bad prognoses, were more presented in seropositive group ofpatients. Partial remission was more common in seronegative patients but according to serostatus and gender has not shown statistically significant difference. Duration of the disease was a specific prognostic sign for both subsets [(r=0.32, p0.05) seronegative, (r=0.18, p<0.05) seropositive]. Seropositive and seronegative RA distinguish in course and prognostic feature, but not enough to differentiate them in two different forms of the disease. Regarding the sero-status, differences within sex, with some exceptions, are not relevant.

Advanced imaging in rheumatoid arthritis. Part 1: Synovitis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farrant, J.M.; O'Connor, P.J.; Grainger, A.J.

2007-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and progressive inflammatory disorder primarily affecting the synovium. We now recognise that conventional radiographic images show changes of rheumatoid arthritis long after irreversible joint damage has occured. With the advent of powerful disease-modifying drugs, there is a need for early demonstration of rheumatoid arthritis and a need to monitor progress of the disease and response to therapy. Advanced imaging techniques such as ultrasound and MRI have focussed on the demonstration and quantification of synovitis and erosions and allow early diagnosis of RA. The technology to quantify synovitis and erosions is developing rapidly and now allows change in disease activity to be assessed. However, problems undoubtedly exist in quantification techniques, and this review serves to highlight them. Much of the literature on advanced imaging in RA appears in rheumatological journals and may not be familiar to radiologists. This review article aims to increase the awareness of radiologists about this field and to encourage them to participate and contribute to the ongoing development of these modalities. Without this collaboration, it is unlikely that these modalities will reach their full potential in the field of rheumatological imaging. This review is in two parts. The first part addresses synovitis imaging. The second part will look at advanced imaging of erosions in RA. (orig.)

Resurfacing shoulder arthroplasty for the treatment of severe rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Voorde, Pia C Ten; Rasmussen, Jeppe V; Olsen, Bo S

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE: There is no consensus on which type of shoulder prosthesis should be used in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We describe patients with RA who were treated with shoulder replacement, regarding patient-reported outcome, prosthesis survival, and causes of revision...... with adjustment for age, sex, and previous surgery. RESULTS: During the study period, 167 patients underwent shoulder arthroplasty because of rheumatoid arthritis, 80 (48%) of whom received RHA and 34 (26%) of whom received SHA. 16 patients were treated with total stemmed shoulder arthroplasty (TSA), and 24 were...

Effect of nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs on the C-reactive protein level in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarp, Simon; Bartels, Else M.; Bliddal, Henning

2012-01-01

To evaluate the effects of oral nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, with a prespecified focus on the different NSAIDs.......To evaluate the effects of oral nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) on C-reactive protein (CRP) levels in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, with a prespecified focus on the different NSAIDs....

Smokers and non smokers with rheumatoid arthritis have similar clinical status: data from the multinational QUEST-RA database.

Science.gov (United States)

Naranjo, A; Toloza, S; Guimaraes da Silveira, I; Lazovskis, J; Hetland, M L; Hamoud, H; Peets, T; Mäkinen, H; Gossec, L; Herborn, G; Skopouli, F N; Rojkovich, B; Aggarwal, A; Minnock, P; Cazzato, M; Yamanaka, H; Oyoo, O; Rexhepi, S; Andersone, D; Baranauskaite, A; Hajjaj-Hassouni, N; Jacobs, J W G; Haugeberg, G; Sierakowski, S; Ionescu, R; Karateew, D; Dimic, A; Henrohn, D; Gogus, F; Badsha, H; Choy, E; Bergman, M; Sokka, T

2010-01-01

To analyse clinical severity/activity of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to smoking status. The QUEST-RA multinational database reviews patients for Core Data Set measures including 28 swollen and tender joint count, physician global estimate, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), HAQ-function, pain, and patient global estimate, as well as DAS28, rheumatoid factor (RF), nodules, erosions and number of DMARDs were recorded. Smoking status was assessed by self-report as 'never smoked', 'currently smoking' and 'former smokers'. Patient groups with different smoking status were compared for demographic and RA measures. Among the 7,307 patients with smoking data available, status as 'never smoked,' 'current smoker' and 'former smoker' were reported by 65%, 15% and 20%. Ever smokers were more likely to be RF-positive (OR 1.32;1.17-1.48, p<0.001). Rheumatoid nodules were more frequent in ever smokers (OR 1.41;1.24-1.59, p<0.001). The percentage of patients with erosive arthritis and extra-articular disease was similar in all smoking categories. Mean DAS28 was 4.4 (SD 1.6) in non-smokers vs. 4.0 (SD 1.6) in those who had ever smoked. However, when adjusted by age, sex, disease duration, and country gross domestic product, only ESR remained significantly different among Core Data Set measures (mean 31.7mm in non-smokers vs. 26.8mm in ever smoked category). RA patients who had ever smoked were more likely to have RF and nodules, but values for other clinical status measures were similar in all smoking categories (never smoked, current smokers and former smokers).

Cystic rheumatoid arthritis: description of a nonerosive form

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gubler, F. M.; Maas, M.; Dijkstra, P. F.; de Jongh, H. R.

1990-01-01

In a study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), 9% (n = 70) were found to have a cystic form. At radiologic examination of these patients with cystic RA, the first abnormality seen consisted of periarticular intraosseous cysts without erosions. The cysts were distributed symmetrically, most

Incident Heart Failure in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khalid, Usman; Egeberg, Alexander; Ahlehoff, Ole

2018-01-01

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease associated with a wide range of comorbidities, including cardiovascular disease, but its association with heart failure (HF) is not fully clear. We investigated the risk of incident HF in a nationwide cohort of patients with RA...

Identifying core domains to assess flare in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bartlett, Susan J; Hewlett, Sarah; Bingham, Clifton O

2012-01-01

For rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there is no consensus on how to define and assess flare. Variability in flare definitions impairs understanding of findings across studies and limits ability to pool results. The OMERACT RA Flare Group sought to identify domains to define RA flares from patient...

Pulmonary manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis: a review | Biomdo ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Rheumatoid arthritis can aff ect the lung parenchyma, airways and pleura. Pulmonary complications are directly responsible for 10-20% of all mortality in RA patients. Objective: To highlight the common and important manifestations of rheumatoid lung disease and discuss the recent studies on each.Data source: Articles on ...

Coexistence of bronchiectasis and rheumatoid arthritis: revisited.

Science.gov (United States)

Wilczynska, Maria M; Condliffe, Alison M; McKeon, Damian J

2013-04-01

The presence of bronchiectasis (BR) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been recognized for many decades; nevertheless, little research has been undertaken in this area. It is important to recognize that BR coexistent with RA differs from the other types of BR. The purpose of this descriptive review was to delineate the epidemiology, etiology, risk factors, pulmonary function testing, imaging, prognosis and management of concomitant BR and RA. To inform our study we searched the PubMed, EMBASE, CINAHL, and MEDLINE databases, using combinations of the following key words: computed tomography, lung function tests, rheumatoid arthritis, bronchiectasis, biological agents, and interstitial lung disease. The number of published papers covering this topic is limited, but several relevant conclusions can be drawn. Patients with concomitant RA and BR have worse obstructive airways disease, increased susceptibility to recurrent pulmonary infections, faster lung function decline, and higher mortality, compared with subjects with either RA or BR alone. The use of disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (both biological and non-biological) for RA in RA-BR patients imparts a further challenge in managing these patients. Although there are not any published guidelines on the management of coexisting RA-BR, we have attempted to provide such recommendations, based on the literature review and our experience.

Scoring ultrasound synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

D'Agostino, Maria-Antonietta; Terslev, Lene; Aegerter, Philippe

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To develop a consensus-based ultrasound (US) definition and quantification system for synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A multistep, iterative approach was used to: (1) evaluate the baseline agreement on defining and scoring synovitis according to the usual practice...

Disparities in rheumatoid arthritis disease activity according to gross domestic product in 25 countries in the QUEST–RA database

Science.gov (United States)

Sokka, T; Kautiainen, H; Pincus, T; Toloza, S; da Rocha Castelar Pinheiro, G; Lazovskis, J; Hetland, M L; Peets, T; Immonen, K; Maillefert, J F; Drosos, A A; Alten, R; Pohl, C; Rojkovich, B; Bresnihan, B; Minnock, P; Cazzato, M; Bombardieri, S; Rexhepi, S; Rexhepi, M; Andersone, D; Stropuviene, S; Huisman, M; Sierakowski, S; Karateev, D; Skakic, V; Naranjo, A; Baecklund, E; Henrohn, D; Gogus, F; Badsha, H; Mofti, A; Taylor, P; McClinton, C; Yazici, Y

2009-01-01

Objective: To analyse associations between the clinical status of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the gross domestic product (GDP) of their resident country. Methods: The Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (QUEST–RA) cohort includes clinical and questionnaire data from 6004 patients who were seen in usual care at 70 rheumatology clinics in 25 countries as of April 2008, including 18 European countries. Demographic variables, clinical characteristics, RA disease activity measures, including the disease activity score in 28 joints (DAS28), and treatment-related variables were analysed according to GDP per capita, including 14 “high GDP” countries with GDP per capita greater than US$24 000 and 11 “low GDP” countries with GDP per capita less than US$11 000. Results: Disease activity DAS28 ranged between 3.1 and 6.0 among the 25 countries and was significantly associated with GDP (r  =  −0.78, 95% CI −0.56 to −0.90, r2  =  61%). Disease activity levels differed substantially between “high GDP” and “low GDP” countries at much greater levels than according to whether patients were currently taking or not taking methotrexate, prednisone and/or biological agents. Conclusions: The clinical status of patients with RA was correlated significantly with GDP among 25 mostly European countries according to all disease measures, associated only modestly with the current use of antirheumatic medications. The burden of arthritis appears substantially greater in “low GDP” than in “high GDP” countries. These findings may alert healthcare professionals and designers of health policy towards improving the clinical status of patients with RA in all countries. PMID:19643759

Role of erosions typical of rheumatoid arthritis in the 2010 ACR/EULAR rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria: results from a very early arthritis cohort.

Science.gov (United States)

Brinkmann, Gina Hetland; Norli, Ellen S; Bøyesen, Pernille; van der Heijde, Désirée; Grøvle, Lars; Haugen, Anne J; Nygaard, Halvor; Bjørneboe, Olav; Thunem, Cathrine; Kvien, Tore K; Mjaavatten, Maria D; Lie, Elisabeth

2017-11-01

To determine how the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) definition of erosive disease (erosion criterion) contributes to the number of patients classified as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to the 2010 American College of Rheumatology/EULAR RA classification criteria (2010 RA criteria) in an early arthritis cohort. Patients from the observational study Norwegian Very Early Arthritis Clinic with joint swelling ≤16 weeks, a clinical diagnosis of RA or undifferentiated arthritis, and radiographs of hands and feet were included. Erosive disease was defined according to the EULAR definition accompanying the 2010 RA criteria. We calculated the additional number of patients being classified as RA based on the erosion criteria at baseline and during follow-up. Of the 289 included patients, 120 (41.5%) fulfilled the 2010 RA criteria, whereas 15 (5.2%) fulfilled only the erosion criterion at baseline. 118 patients had radiographic follow-up at 2 years, of whom 6.8% fulfilled the 2010 RA criteria and only one patient fulfilled solely the erosion criterion during follow-up. Few patients with early arthritis were classified as RA based on solely the erosion criteria, and of those who did almost all did so at baseline. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Arthroscopic Synovectomy of Wrist in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Shim, Jae Woo; Park, Min Jong

2017-11-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory disorder affecting multiple joints. Wrist involvement is common. Patients with persistent symptoms despite medical management are candidates for surgery. Synovectomy can provide pain relief and functional improvement for rheumatoid wrist. Arthroscopic synovectomy is a safe and reliable method, with minimal postoperative morbidity. This article reviews the role, technique, and results of arthroscopic synovectomy in the rheumatoid wrist. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Tissue factor expression in rheumatoid synovium: a potential role in pannus invasion of rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Lujun; Lu, Yahua; Chu, Yang; Xie, Jun; Ding, Wen'ge; Wang, Fengming

2013-09-01

Angiogenesis, as well as pannus formation within the joint, plays an important role in the erosion of articular cartilage and bone in the pathological process of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Tissue factor (TF), an essential initiator of the extrinsic pathway of blood coagulation, is also involved in the angiogenesis and the pannus formation of RA progression. In the present study, we used immunofluorescence and confocal scanning methods to characterize TF immunolocalization in RA synovium. We showed that positive staining of TF could be immunolocalized in synoviocytes, CD19(+) B cells and CD68(+) macrophages, whereas weak or negative staining of tissue factor could be found in CD34(+) endothelial cells of neo-vessels, CD3(+) T cells and CD14(+) monocytes in RA synovium tissues. Our study demonstrates a detailed local expression of TF in the rheumatoid synovium, and supports the notion that TF, expressed not only by the synoviocytes themselves, but also the infiltrating CD19(+) B cells and CD68(+) macrophages, is involved in the pannus invasion in the progression of rheumatoid arthritis. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier GmbH. All rights reserved.

Scoring ultrasound synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Terslev, Lene; Naredo, Esperanza; Aegerter, Philippe

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To test the reliability of new ultrasound (US) definitions and quantification of synovial hypertrophy (SH) and power Doppler (PD) signal, separately and in combination, in a range of joints in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using the European League Against Rheumatisms...

Characterization of Rheumatoid Arthritis Subtypes Using Symptom Profiles, Clinical Chemistry and Metabolomics Measurements

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wietmarschen, H.A. van; Dai, W.; Kooij, A.J. van der; Reijmers, T.H.; Schroën, Y.; Wang, M.; Xu, Z.; Wang, X.; Kong, H.; Xu, G.; Hankemeier, T.; Meulman, J.J.; Greef, J. van der

2012-01-01

Objective: The aim is to characterize subgroups or phenotypes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients using a systems biology approach. The discovery of subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis patients is an essential research area for the improvement of response to therapy and the development of

Clinical registry for rheumatoid arthritis; a preliminary analysis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fakhr, A.; Hakim, F.; Zaidi, S.K.; Sharif, A.

2017-01-01

To establish a clinical registry for Rheumatoid Arthritis and delineate the most common symptoms that rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients experience in our set up. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Study was carried out at Military Hospital (MH) Rawalpindi at Rheumatology Department during the period of Jan 2013 to Jun 2015. Material and Methods: A clinical registry for Rheumatoid Arthritis was developed as per criteria jointly developed by American College of Rheumatology (ACR) along with European League against Rheumatism (EULAR) (2010). Fifty-eight patients were registered after their informed consent and approval by Military Hospital (MH) Rawalpindi ethical committee. Age, gender and relevant clinical parameters of RA patients were recorded on case report forms and stored for analysis in the RA registry in Excel 2010. The figures were reported in frequencies and percentages. Results: Multiple joint pains (48.28%), fever (24.14%), morning stiffness of joints (22.41%) were the most common symptoms in RA patients. Other clinical manifestations included painful bilateral swollen joints (13.79%), pain in different parts of the body (10.34%), Raynaud's phenomenon (10.34%), malaise (8.62%), swollen body parts (8.62%), ulcers (8.62%), fatigue (6.90%), nodules on skin/elbow/interphalangeal joints (6.90%), deformities of fingers/ hand (3.45%), redness of eyes (3.45%), body rash (3.45%), inability to walk (3.45%), cervical lymphadenopathy (1.72%), stiffness of spine (1.72%) and myalgias (1.72%). Conclusion: It is concluded that multiple joint pains, fever and morning stiffness of joints are the most common symptoms of RA patients. (author)

Periodontal and hematological characteristics associated with aggressive periodontitis, juvenile idiopathic arthritis, and rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Poulsen, Anne Havemose; Westergaard, Jytte; Stoltze, Kaj

2006-01-01

Periodontitis shares several clinical and pathogenic characteristics with chronic arthritis, and there is some degree of coexistence. The aims of this study were to elucidate whether patients with localized aggressive periodontitis (LAgP), generalized aggressive periodontitis (GAgP), juvenile...... idiopathic arthritis (JIA), and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) share periodontal and hematological characteristics distinguishing them from individuals free of diseases....

Fatigue and sleep quality in rheumatoid arthritis patients during hospital admission

OpenAIRE

Szady, Paulina; B?czyk, Gra?yna; Koz?owska, Katarzyna

2017-01-01

Objectives : Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease of connective tissue characterised by chronic course with periods of exacerbation and remission. Even in the early stages of the disease patients report the occurrence of fatigue and sleep disorders. Reduced sleep quality and chronic fatigue are common among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of the research was to evaluate the severity of fatigue and sleep quality assessment among patients hospitalised with rheumatoid arth...

Rheumatoid arthritis and bacterial infections

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N L Prokopjeva

2008-01-01

Full Text Available To study features of bacterial infections course in pts with rheumatoid arthritis (RA and changes of laboratory measures after focus of infection sanation. Material and methods. 46 pts with definite rheumatoid arthritis were examined at the time of comorbid infection (Cl detection and after infection focus sanation. Bacteriological test with evaluation of flora sensitivity to antibiotics by disco-diffusion method was performed at baseline and after the course of antibacterial therapy to assess its efficacy. Hemogram, serum fibrinogen, rheumatoid factor, circulating immune complexes (CIC, C-reactive protein levels were assessed. Serum interleukin (IL 1(3, IL6 and neopterin concentrations were examined by immune-enzyme assay in a part of pts. Typical clinical features of Cl were present in only 28 (60,9% pts. 13 (28,3% pts had fever, 12 (26,0% — leukocytosis, 15 (32,6% — changes of leucocyte populations. Some laboratory measures (thrombocytes, fibrinogen, CIC, neopterin levels significantly decreased (p<0,05 after infection focus sanation without correction of disease modifying therapy. Cl quite often develop as asymptomatic processes most often in pts with high activity and can induce disturbances promoting appearance of endothelial dysfunction, atherothrombosis and reduction of life duration. So timely detection and proper sanation of infection focuses should be performed in pts with RA

Th17 in Animal Models of Rheumatoid Arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Motomu Hashimoto

2017-07-01

Full Text Available IL-17-secreting helper CD4 T cells (Th17 cells constitute a newly identified subset of helper CD4 T cells that play a key role in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA in its animal models. Recently, several models of spontaneous RA, which elucidate the mechanism of RA onset, have been discovered. These animal models shed new light on the role of Th17 in the development of autoimmune arthritis. Th17 cells coordinate inflammation and promote joint destruction, acting on various cells, including neutrophils, macrophages, synovial fibroblasts, and osteoclasts. Regulatory T cells cannot control Th17 cells under conditions of inflammation. In this review, the pathogenic role of Th17 cells in arthritis development, which was revealed by the recent animal models of RA, is discussed.

Interstitial lung involvement in rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

David Vladimirovich Bestaev

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a systemic autoimmune rheumatic disease of unknown etiology, characterized by chronic erosive arthritis and extraarticular manifestations. Pulmonary involvement is one of the common extraarticular manifestations of RA and may show itself as bronchial tree lesions, rheumatoid nodules, Caplan's syndrome, and lesions in the pleura or pulmonary interstitium (interstitial lung involvement (ILI. High-resolution computed tomography allows the diagnosis of ILI in RA in nearly 70% of cases although the incidence of ILI may be lower (4 to 30% depending on diagnostic methods and patient selection criteria. There are several histopathological types of ILI, the differential diagnosis of which can be troublesome. Usual interstitial pneumonia (UIP and nonspecific interstitial pneumonia are major types of RA-associated ILI. UIP-pattern ILI has a more severe course than ILI with other histological patterns. The clinical presentation of ILI may be complicated by the likely toxic effect of a number of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs used to treat RA, such as methotrexate and leflunomide, and biological agents (BAs, tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α inhibitors. The pathogenesis of pulmonary involvement in RA and the role of synthetic DMARDs and BAs in the development of ILI call for further investigations.An extraarticular manifestation, such as ILI, affects the choice of treatment policy in patients with RA.The relevance of a study of ILI is beyond question. The paper discusses the state-of-the-art of investigations in this area.

Balneotherapy (or spa therapy) for rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Verhagen, A.P.; Bierma-Zeinstra, S.M.A.; Boers, M.; Cardoso, J.R.; Lambeck, J.; de Bie, R.; de Vet, H.C.W.

2015-01-01

BACKGROUND: No cure for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is known at present, so treatment often focuses on management of symptoms such as pain, stiffness and mobility. Treatment options include pharmacological interventions, physical therapy treatments and balneotherapy. Balneotherapy is defined as

In-Depth Analysis of Citrulline Specific CD4 T-Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

2017-01-01

AWARD NUMBER: W81XWH-15-1-0004 TITLE: In-Depth Analysis of Citrulline-Specific CD4 T - Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis PRINCIPAL INVESTIGATOR...2016 4. TITLE AND SUBTITLE In-Depth Analysis of Citrulline-Specific CD4 T Cells in Rheumatoid Arthritis 5a. CONTRACT NUMBER 5b. GRANT NUMBER W81XWH...NOTES 14. ABSTRACT The goal of this project is to test the hypothesis that cit-specific CD4 T cells present in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients

Extra-Articular Manifestations of Rheumatoid Arthritis, Now

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paloma Vela

2014-06-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease, characterised by polyarthritis and extra-articular organ disease, including rheumatoid nodules, ophthalmologic manifestations, cardiopulmonary disease, vasculitis, neuropathy, glomerulonephritis, Felty’s syndrome, and amyloidosis. Extra-articular manifestations of RA (ExRA occur in 17.8–40.9% of RA patients, 1.5–21.5% of them presenting as severe forms and usually associated with increased morbidity and mortality. They can develop at any time during the course of the disease, even in the early stages, and are associated with certain predisposing factors, such as the presence of rheumatoid factor, smoking, and long-standing severe disease. Rheumatoid nodules, the most common ExRA, have been found to be associated with the development of severe features, such as vasculitis, rheumatoid lung disease, pericarditis, and pleuritis, especially in those patients who develop them within 2 years from RA diagnosis. There is no uniformity in the definition of the term ExRA, which limits comparability between different studies. Several recent surveys suggest a lower frequency, probably due to a better control of disease activity. Diagnosis of ExRA is a challenge for clinicians, given its variable and complex presentation, and the lack of specific diagnostic tests; it must be based on clinical recognition and exclusion of other causes of the signs and symptoms. Furthermore, management continues to be difficult with a bad prognosis in many conditions. This article reviews the clinical aspects of major ExRA, focusing on incidence, clinical features, and therapeutic approaches, and how modern immunosuppressive therapy can change the outcome.

Fibromyalgia Complicating Disease Management in Rheumatoid Arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abbasi, L.; Haidri, F. R.

2014-01-01

Objective: To evaluate frequency of fibromyalgia in rheumatoid arthritis and its effect on disease activity score. Study Design: Cross-sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: The Indus Hospital, Karachi, from December 2010 to May 2011. Methodology: All adult patients of either gender diagnosed as rheumatoid arthritis on the basis of clinical, laboratory and X-ray criteria were included in the study. The sample data was separated into two groups depending on presence or absence of fibromyalgia and 28 joint disease activity score (DAS-28) value was evaluated. Results: There were 31 (25.83%) patients with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia (RAFM) out of the total 120. The median (IQR) age of patients was 40 (32 - 51) years. All were females. The overall female frequency was 79 (88.8%). The median (IQR) DAS-28 score in RA group was 4.9 (3.66 - 5.71), while the median (IQR) DAS-28 score in RAFM was 7.04 (6.62 - 7.64) [p < 0.0001]. The number of patient getting combination therapy of DMARD in RAFM group was 61.3% while in RA group was 42.7%. Conclusion: DAS-28 was found to be significantly higher in RAFM patients probably because of higher perception of pain. (author)

Monitoring anti-TNFalpha treatment in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Haavardsholm, E A; Østergaard, Mikkel; Hammer, H B

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the responsiveness of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and ultrasonography (US) compared with conventional measures of disease activity and structural damage in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during the first year of treatment with anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha...

Parental Rheumatoid Arthritis and Autism Spectrum Disorders in Offspring

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rom, Ane Lilleøre; Wu, Chunsen; Olsen, Jørn

2018-01-01

Objective Maternal rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been associated with an increased risk of autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in the offspring. We assessed the potential influence of both maternal and paternal RA on the risk of ASD in offspring to disentangle the influence of genetic inheritance from...

Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis | Abbasi ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Sleep Disturbances in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis. ... that insomnia, pain and disease intensity were the most important factors that ... that sleep disturbances are frequent in patients with RA and may contribute to disease severity.

Aggressive treatment in early rheumatoid arthritis : a randomised controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Jaarsveld, CHM; Jacobs, JWG; van der Veen, MJ; Blaauw, AAM; Kruize, AA; Hofman, DM; Brus, HLM; van Albada-Kuipers, GA; Heurkens, AHM; ter Borg, EJ; Haanen, HCM; van Booma-Frankfort, C; Schenk, Y; Bijlsma, JWJ

Objectives-To compare three therapeutic strategies using slow acting antirheumatic drugs (SAARDs) in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA), for their disease modifying properties, toxicity, and lag time until treatment effect. Methods-Patients with recent onset RA from six hospitals were randomly assigned

The ascent of acetylation in the epigenetics of rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Grabiec, Aleksander M.; Reedquist, Kris A.

2013-01-01

Genome-wide association studies have shown that genetic polymorphisms make a substantial but incomplete contribution to the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Efforts to understand the nongenetic contributions to RA disease susceptibility have recently focused on the study of epigenetic

DNA Methylome Signature in Synoviocytes From Patients With Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Compared to Synoviocytes From Patients With Longstanding Rheumatoid Arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ai, Rizi; Whitaker, John W.; Boyle, David L.; Tak, Paul Peter; Gerlag, Danielle M.; Wang, Wei; Firestein, Gary S.

2015-01-01

Epigenetics can contribute to pathogenic mechanisms in autoimmunity. We recently identified an imprinted DNA methylation pattern in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) involving multiple genes in pathways implicated in cell migration, matrix regulation and immune

Isotypes of Epstein-Barr virus antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Westergaard, Marie Wulff; Draborg, Anette Holck; Troelsen, Lone

2015-01-01

In order to study the humoral immune response against Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to compare it with the two major autoantibody types in RA, plasma samples from 77 RA patients, 28 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and 28 healthy controls...... and percentages of positives of IgG/IgA/IgM against the early lytic EBV antigen diffuse (EAD) were also found in RA patients compared to HCs but were highest in SLE patients. Furthermore, associations between the elevated EBNA-1 IgA and EBNA-1 IgM levels and the presence of IgM and IgA rheumatoid factors (RFs...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... is Happening to the Joints? Rheumatoid Arthritis: Gaining Control – Working with your Rheumatologist Rheumatoid Arthritis: Additional Conditions ... Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health-related Quality of Life Rehabilitation Management for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients ...

The number needed to treat for second-generation biologics when treating established rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, L E; Jakobsen, A K; Bartels, E M

2011-01-01

To evaluate the number needed to treat (NNT) and the number needed to harm (NNH) of the second-generation biologics abatacept, certolizumab, golimumab, rituximab, and tocilizumab in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking concomitant methotrexate (MTX).......To evaluate the number needed to treat (NNT) and the number needed to harm (NNH) of the second-generation biologics abatacept, certolizumab, golimumab, rituximab, and tocilizumab in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking concomitant methotrexate (MTX)....

Familial aggregation of arthritis-related diseases in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis: a register-based case-control study in Sweden.

Science.gov (United States)

Frisell, Thomas; Hellgren, Karin; Alfredsson, Lars; Raychaudhuri, Soumya; Klareskog, Lars; Askling, Johan

2016-01-01

Our objective was to estimate the risk of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associated with a family history of non-RA arthritis-related diseases. This familial co-aggregation is of clinical interest since it is often encountered when assessing family history of RA specifically, but also informative on the genetic overlap between these diseases. Since anticitrullinated peptide antibodies/rheumatoid factor (RF)-positive and RF-negative RA have both specific and shared genetic factors, the familial co-aggregation was assessed separately for seropositive and seronegative disease. Nested case-control study in prospectively recorded Swedish total population data. The Multi-Generation Register identified first-degree relatives. RA and arthritis-related diseases were ascertained through the nationwide patient register. RA serology was based on International Classification of Diseases tenth revision coded diagnoses, mainly reflecting RF. Familial risks were calculated using conditional logistic regression. Results were replicated using the Swedish rheumatology register. Familial co-aggregation was found between RA and every studied arthritis-related disease, but the magnitude varied widely, from juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) (seropositive RA OR=3.98 (3.01 to 5.26); seronegative RA OR=5.70 (3.47 to 9.36)) to osteoarthritis (seropositive RA OR=1.03 (1.00 to 1.06); seronegative RA OR=1.05 (1.00 to 1.09)). The familial co-aggregation pattern of non-RA arthritis-related diseases was overall similar for seropositive and seronegative RA. Among those with family history of RA, relatives' other arthritis-related diseases conferred little or no additional risk. Although family history of several arthritis-related diseases may be useful to predict RA (eg, lupus and JIA), others (eg, osteoarthritis and arthralgia) are less useful. Seropositive and seronegative RA had rather similar familial co-aggregation patterns with arthritis-related diseases, suggesting that the two RA

Nailfold capillaroscopy in 430 patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OpenAIRE

Rajaei, Alireza; Dehghan, Pooneh; Amiri, Ali

2017-01-01

Background: Microvascular changes are one of the first obvious steps in numerous inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nailfold video capillaroscopy (NFC) is an easy, reliable and safe method for evaluating peripheral microangiopathy. The objective of this study was to examine nailfold microcirculation in RA patients, assess morphological and structural changes quantitatively and qualitatively, and recognize useful changes. Methods: A total of 430 patients diagnosed with RA...

No support for HLA-DQ encoded susceptibility in rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Vries, N. [=Niek; van Elderen, C.; Tijssen, H.; van Riel, P. L.; van de Putte, L. B.

1999-01-01

To test predictions based on data from immunogenetic and peptide-binding studies of collagen-induced arthritis in mice, in which it has been suggested that susceptibility to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) might be determined by the interaction between susceptibility alleles at the HLA-DQ locus and

RAACFDb: Rheumatoid arthritis ayurvedic classical formulations database.

Science.gov (United States)

Mohamed Thoufic Ali, A M; Agrawal, Aakash; Sajitha Lulu, S; Mohana Priya, A; Vino, S

2017-02-02

In the past years, the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has undergone remarkable changes in all therapeutic modes. The present newfangled care in clinical research is to determine and to pick a new track for better treatment options for RA. Recent ethnopharmacological investigations revealed that traditional herbal remedies are the most preferred modality of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). However, several ayurvedic modes of treatments and formulations for RA are not much studied and documented from Indian traditional system of medicine. Therefore, this directed us to develop an integrated database, RAACFDb (acronym: Rheumatoid Arthritis Ayurvedic Classical Formulations Database) by consolidating data from the repository of Vedic Samhita - The Ayurveda to retrieve the available formulations information easily. Literature data was gathered using several search engines and from ayurvedic practitioners for loading information in the database. In order to represent the collected information about classical ayurvedic formulations, an integrated database is constructed and implemented on a MySQL and PHP back-end. The database is supported by describing all the ayurvedic classical formulations for the treatment rheumatoid arthritis. It includes composition, usage, plant parts used, active ingredients present in the composition and their structures. The prime objective is to locate ayurvedic formulations proven to be quite successful and highly effective among the patients with reduced side effects. The database (freely available at www.beta.vit.ac.in/raacfdb/index.html) hopefully enables easy access for clinical researchers and students to discover novel leads with reduced side effects. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

Asymptomatic atlantoaxial subluxation in rheumatoid arthritis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammadali Nazarinia

2014-06-01

Full Text Available This cross-sectional study is conducted to determine the prevalence of asymptomatic cervical spine subluxation in rheumatoid arthritis patients by plain radiographs and its relation to demographic and clinical characteristics, disease activity measures and medications. 100 rheumatoid arthritis patients (18 male and 82 female were selected randomly, according to the American college of Rheumatology Criteria, who were under follow up in the rheumatology clinic. A complete history was taken, and physical examination has been done with focus on the cervical spine to determine their demographic data, disease duration, age of disease onset, drug history, swollen and tender joint counts, and ESR, Hb, CRP, RF levels. The disease activity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis was measured using the disease activity score 28. Radiographs of the cervical spine included lateral views taken in flexion, extension, neutral position of the neck and anterioposterior and odontoid projection view. Asymptomatic cervical spine subluxation was found in 17 of the 100 patients (17%. The prevalence of, anterior atlantoaxial subluxation, atlantoaxial impaction and subaxial subluxation was 10(10%, 5(5% and 6(6%, respectively. Posterior subluxation was not detected. The only characteristic that showed meaningful relationship with cervical spine subluxation was CRP (P=0.036. Our results showed that patients with RA, who have cervical spine subluxation cannot be distinguished on the basis of symptoms. Cervical spine involvement is common and may be asymptomatic, indicating routine cervical spine imaging is needed in patients with RA.

Chronic comorbidity in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: a descriptive study.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kroot, E.J.A.; Gestel, A.M. van; Swinkels, H.L.; Albers, M.; Putte, L.B.A. van de; Riel, P.L.C.M. van

2001-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To study the presence of chronic coexisting diseases in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its effect on RA treatment, disease course, and outcome during the first years of the disease. METHODS: From January 1985 to December 1990, 186 patients with recent onset RA were enrolled

Rheumatoid arthritis, osteoporosis, possibilities for the correction of bone mineral density

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Rimma Mikhailovna Balabanova

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The paper gives data on the causes of osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA, including in autoimmune inflammation, during corticosteroid therapy. The role of bisphosphonates in correcting impaired bone mineral density in RA is shown.

Rheumatoid arthritis following ciguatera poisoning: A case report.

Science.gov (United States)

Ohta, Ryuichi; Shimabukuro, Akira; Kinjo, Mitsuyo

2017-05-01

Objective: To report the first case of ciguatera-associated rheumatoid arthritis in Japan. Patient: A 53-year-old man presented to our clinic with morning stiffness and pain in the fingers and wrists. Results: For six months, he had suffered from chronic pain in both hands and shoulders caused by ciguatera poisoning. He was referred to a local general hospital and diagnosed with RA. Conclusion: When synovitis becomes evident in chronic ciguatera poisoning, reevaluation is necessary, including investigation of chronic arthritis, which might be associated with the onset of RA.

Role of ultrasound in managing rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hammer, Hilde Berner; Terslev, Lene

2012-01-01

Ultrasound (US) is a valid and reliable imaging tool for evaluation of joint and tendon inflammation as well as cartilage and erosions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Synovitis is usually scored semiquantitatively for both gray scale synovitis and power Doppler activity, and use...

Management of osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoes, J.N.; Bultink, I.E.; Lems, W.F.

2015-01-01

Introduction: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, the risk of both vertebral and non-vertebral fractures is roughly doubled, which is for an important part caused by inflammation-mediated amplification of bone loss and by immobilization. New treatments have become available in the last two

RNA-seq analysis of synovial fibroblasts brings new insights into rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Heruth Daniel P

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic autoimmune-disease of unknown origin that primarily affects the joints and ultimately leads to their destruction. Growing evidence suggests that synvovial fibroblasts play important roles in the initiation and the perpetuation of RA but underlying molecular mechanisms are not understood fully. In the present study, Illumina RNA sequencing was used to profile two human normal control and two rheumatoid arthritis synvovial fibroblasts (RASFs transcriptomes to gain insights into the roles of synvovial fibroblasts in RA. Results We found that besides known inflammatory and immune responses, other novel dysregulated networks and pathways such as Cell Morphology, Cell-To-Cell Signaling and Interaction, Cellular Movement, Cellular Growth and Proliferation, and Cellular Development, may all contribute to the pathogenesis of RA. Our study identified several new genes and isoforms not previously associated with rheumatoid arthritis. 122 genes were up-regulated and 155 genes were down-regulated by at least two-fold in RASFs compared to controls. Of note, 343 known isoforms and 561 novel isoforms were up-regulated and 262 known isoforms and 520 novel isoforms were down-regulated by at least two-fold. The magnitude of difference and the number of differentially expressed known and novel gene isoforms were not detected previously by DNA microarray. Conclusions Since the activation and proliferation of RASFs has been implicated in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis, further in-depth follow-up analysis of the transcriptional regulation reported in this study may shed light on molecular pathogenic mechanisms underlying synovial fibroblasts in arthritis and provide new leads of potential therapeutic targets.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Play Rheumatoid Arthritis: Symptoms and Diagnosis Rheumatoid Arthritis: What is Happening to the Joints? Rheumatoid Arthritis: Gaining Control – Working with your Rheumatologist Rheumatoid Arthritis: Additional Conditions ...

Balancing the autonomic nervous system to reduce inflammation in rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Koopman, F. A.; van Maanen, M. A.; Vervoordeldonk, M. J.; Tak, P. P.

2017-01-01

Imbalance in the autonomic nervous system (ANS) has been observed in many established chronic autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), which is a prototypic immune-mediated inflammatory disease (IMID). We recently discovered that autonomic dysfunction precedes and predicts arthritis

Impact of hepatitis C virus infection on disease activity, functional status and ultrasonography findings in Egyptian rheumatoid arthritis patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Nabila Abd EI-Hamid Gohar

2018-04-01

Full Text Available Background: Hepatitis C virus (HCV infection is one of the most frequently encountered public health problems in Egypt. It is associated with many autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis. Aim of the work: To assess the impact of HCV infection in rheumatoid arthritis (RA Egyptian patients; its relation to disease activity, functional status and ultrasonography findings. Patients and methods: The study included 155 RA patients further classified according to the presence of concomitant HCV infection into 2 groups; rheumatoid arthritis (RA and rheumatoid arthritis/hepatitis C virus (RA/HCV groups. All patients were subjected to full history taking, thorough clinical examination, laboratory investigations, assessment of disease activity using the disease activity score 28 (DAS28 and assessment of functional status using the modified health assessment questionnaire (MHAQ. Ultrasonography (US assessment was done using the German US7 score. Results: Both DAS28 and MHAQ scores showed significant differences between both the RA and the RA/HCV groups (p < 0.001, with higher mean values observed in the RA/HCV group (5.4 ± 1.1 and 1.05 ± 0.79 respectively. Significantly higher US7 synovitis scores were found in the RA/HCV group compared to the RA group (p = 0.03. US7 synovitis tenosynovitis scores revealed significant correlations with DAS28 and US7 synovitis scores correlated with MHAQ in both groups. Conclusion: Concomitant HCV infection in RA patients had an impact on disease activity. RA patients with concomitant HCV infection (RA/HCV had higher DAS28 and MHAQ scores, with higher US7 synovitis scores compared to RA patients. US7 score is a valuable objective tool for the assessment of RA disease activity. Keywords: Rheumatoid arthritis, HCV infection, Ultrasonography, DAS28, MHAQ

Evaluation of clinical and cytogenetic parameters in rheumatoid arthritis patients for effective diagnosis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chandirasekar, R; Kumar, B Lakshman; Jayakumar, R; Uthayakumar, V; Jacob, Raichel; Sasikala, K

2015-01-15

Rheumatoid arthritis is the commonest inflammatory joint disease, affecting nearly 1% of the adult population worldwide. Early and accurate diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) have become increasingly important. In the present study, we aimed to elucidate the relationships between hematological, biochemical, immunological and cytogenetic parameters in rheumatoid arthritis patients and healthy normal controls. The study group comprised of 126 RA patients and equal number of healthy normal control subjects. The blood was collected and analyzed for biochemical, immunological, enzymatic and cytogenetic parameters. Results of the present study indicated that 20% of RA patient's hematological, 31% of biochemical and 70% immunological parameters had a significant difference from the controls and reference range. The RF and anti-CCP antibody levels were also positive in 70% of RA patients. A significant increase in minor chromosomal abnormalities was also observed in patients as compared to controls. The knowledge about autoimmune diseases is very low among the South Indian population. The present study has thus helped in understanding the RA disease in a better way based on a pattern of various clinical markers of the disease condition which might help in planning therapeutic intervention strategies and create awareness about the disease management among RA patients of the population studied. Copyright © 2014. Published by Elsevier B.V.

Treating rheumatoid arthritis to target

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Smolen, Josef S; Aletaha, Daniel; Bijlsma, Johannes W J

2010-01-01

BACKGROUND: Aiming at therapeutic targets has reduced the risk of organ failure in many diseases such as diabetes or hypertension. Such targets have not been defined for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). OBJECTIVE: /st> To develop recommendations for achieving optimal therapeutic outcomes in RA. METHODS....... Levels of evidence, strength of recommendations and levels of agreement were derived. RESULTS: The treat-to-target activity resulted in 10 recommendations. The treatment aim was defined as remission with low disease activity being an alternative goal in patients with long-standing disease. Regular follow...

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Early diagnosis and treatment outcomes.

Science.gov (United States)

Heidari, Behzad

2011-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory progressive disease which in the absence of appropriate treatment can lead to joint destruction and disability. Prognosis of RA may be predicted based on the presence of some clinical and laboratory evidences. New criteria for classification of RA provide opportunity for earlier treatment. Initiation of treatment particularly by combination of DMARDs concurrent with short duration of corticosteroid is expected to prevent progressive course and even change the natural course of RA. At present any patients with clinical synovitis in at least one joint may have definite RA, requiring agressive treatment.

Tuberculous arthritis and monoarticular rheumatoid arthritis in the knee : differential diagnosis using MR imaging

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lim, Yeon Soo; Park, Jeong Mi; Shinn, Kwang Heun; Jee, Won Hee; Kim, Jee Young; Chun, Kyung Ah; Lee, Jae Mun

1999-01-01

To determine the extent to which magnetic resonance(MR) imaging findings can help differentiate between tuberculous arthritis (TA) and rheumatoid arthritis(RA). This study involved sixteen patients with pathologically proven arthritis of the knee. In eight patients(mean age, 29.6 years; M:F=4:4) this was of the tuberculous variety, while eight (mean age, 47.5 years; M:F=2:6) suffered from the rheumatoid variety, which was monoarticular. For 14 patients, contrast enhancement studies were available. We retrospectively analyzed MR findings according to the demonstrated pattern of synovial thickening (regular and even, or irregular and nodular), bone erosion or abscess, bone marrow(BM) edema, the sites at which bursae were present, para-articular mass formation, and lymphadenopathy. In five of eight TA cases (62.5%), irregular and nodular enhanced synovial thickening was present, while in six of eight RA cases (75%), thickening was regular and even. Bone erosions or subarticular abscesses were found in six TA cases (75%) and small erosions in three cases (37.5%) of RA. BM edema surrounding the erosion was found in four cases of TA (50%) and two of RA (25%). In TA, edema was more extensive. In both TA and RA, all suprapatella bursae were distended while popliteal bursae were present in two cases of TA (25%) and four of RA (50%). Para-articular masses with rim like enhancement were found in six cases of TA (75%) and in one case of RA (12.5%). In particular, para-articular lymphadenopathy was seen in six cases of TA (75%), but not in RA. MR findings of irregular and nodular synovial thickening, extensive bone erosion, extensive BM edema, particular, para-articular abscess formation and lymphadenopathy, may help differentiate tuberculous arthritis of the knee from the rhumatoid variety

Indirect costs of rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filip Raciborski

2015-12-01

Full Text Available It is estimated that in Poland about 400,000 persons in general suffer from inflammatory joint diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA. Epidemiological surveys documenting the frequency and disturbance of musculoskeletal disorders in the Polish population are few in number. Most of the estimations are based on epidemiological data from other countries (prevalence of 0.5–1%. According to the data of the National Health Fund in Poland 135,000–157,000 persons in total are treated because of rheumatoid arthritis per year [ICD10 (International Statistical Classification of Diseases and Related Health Problems: M05, M06]. In the case of this group of diseases indirect costs significantly outweigh the direct costs. Indirect costs increase together with activity level of the disease. The cost analysis of productivity loss of RA patients indicates that sickness absenteeism and informal care are the most burdensome. At the national level it amounts in total from 1.2 billion to 2.8 billion PLN per year, depending on the method of analysis. These costs could be significantly reduced through early diagnosis and introduction of effective treatment.

A review of clinical and radiological aspects of rheumatoid arthritis of head joints

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schilling, F.

1987-01-01

The most important inflammations--rheumatic joint diseases of the vertebral column--are chronic polyarthritis (rheumatoid arthritis) with involvement of cervical vertebral and atlanto-axial dislocation and ankylosing spondylitis (Bechterew's disease) resp. the seronegative spondylarthritis. A decisive and important difference between both forms of disease is found in the region of the cervical part of the vertebral column. In case of a spondylarthritis (ASp.) the ankylopoietica type includes the cervical vertebrae but the chronic polyarthritis (RA) is usually limited to the cervical vertebral spine. The incidence in both types (RA) is usually limited to the cervical vertebral spine. The incidence in both types (RA and ASp.) of cervical involvement is about 30%. The authors present an account of the underlying disease process. A description of rheumatoid cervical arthritis is given. The destructive and dislocating arthritis of the cranio-cervical function (arthritis of the head and neck joints) is described

FUNCTIONAL DISABILITY IN EARLY RHEUMATOID-ARTHRITIS - DESCRIPTION AND RISK-FACTORS

NARCIS (Netherlands)

GUILLEMIN, F; SUURMEIJER, T; KROL, B; BOMBARDIER, C; BRIANCON, S; DOEGLAS, D; SANDERMAN, R; VANDENHEUVEL, W

Objective. To provide a description and identify risk factors for functional disability in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. A cohort of 337 patients with early RA with disease duration under 5 years was constituted in 2 areas in Fiance and The Netherlands. Examination included the Ritchie

Blood cell gene expression profiling in rheumatoid arthritis. Discriminative genes and effect of rheumatoid factor

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bovin, Lone Frier; Rieneck, Klaus; Workman, Christopher

2004-01-01

To study the pathogenic importance of the rheumatoid factor (RF) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to identify genes differentially expressed in patients and healthy individuals, total RNA was isolated from peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) from eight RF-positive and six RF-negative RA...... patients, and seven healthy controls. Gene expression of about 10,000 genes were examined using oligonucleotide-based DNA chip microarrays. The analyses showed no significant differences in PBMC expression patterns from RF-positive and RF-negative patients. However, comparisons of gene expression patterns...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Science.gov (United States)

... Corner / Patient Webcasts / Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series This series of five videos ... Your Arthritis Managing Chronic Pain and Depression in Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health-related Quality of Life ...

Adjuvant auricular electroacupuncture and autogenic training in rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial. Auricular acupuncture and autogenic training in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernateck, M; Becker, M; Schwake, C

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: In contrast to psychological interventions the usefulness of acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not yet been demonstrated. OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of auricular electroacupuncture (EA) was directly compared with autogenic training (AT). METHODS: Patients...

Work ability of Dutch employees with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Croon, E.M.; Sluiter, J.K.; Nijssen, TF; Kammeijer, M.; Dijkmans, B.A.C.; Lankhorst, G.J.; Frings-Dresen, M.H.W.

2005-01-01

Objectives: To (i) examine the association between fatigue, psychosocial work characteristics (job control, support, participation in decision making, psychological job demands), and physical work requirements on the one hand and work ability of employees with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the other,

Work ability of Dutch employees with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Croon, de E.M.; Sluiter, J.K.; Nijssen, TF; Kammeijer, M.; Dijkmans, B.A.C.; Lankhorst, G.J.; Frings-Dresen, M.H.W.

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To (i) examine the association between fatigue, psychosocial work characteristics (job control, support, participation in decision making, psychological job demands), and physical work requirements on the one hand and work ability of employees with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on the other,

Work ability of Dutch employees with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Croon, E. M.; Sluiter, J. K.; Nijssen, T. F.; Kammeijer, M.; Dijkmans, B. A. C.; Lankhorst, G. J.; Frings-Dresen, M. H. W.

2005-01-01

Objectives: To ( i) examine the association between fatigue, psychosocial work characteristics ( job control, support, participation in decision making, psychological job demands), and physical work requirements on the one hand and work ability of employees with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) on the

Smoking and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kathleen Chang

2014-12-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by both genetic and environmental factors. Smoking has been implicated as one of the most important extrinsic risk factors for its development and severity. Recent developments have shed light on the pathophysiology of RA in smokers, including oxidative stress, inflammation, autoantibody formation and epigenetic changes. The association of smoking and the development of RA have been demonstrated through epidemiologic studies, as well as through in vivo and animal models of RA. With increased use of biological agents in addition to standard disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs, there has been interest in how smoking affects drug response in RA treatment. Recent evidence suggests the response and drug survival in people treated with anti-tumour necrosis factor (anti-TNF therapy is poorer in heavy smokers, and possible immunological mechanisms for this effect are presented in the current paper.

The therapeutic potential of plant flavonoids on rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Hughes, Samuel D; Ketheesan, Natkunam; Haleagrahara, Nagaraja

2017-11-22

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune condition that mainly affects peripheral joints. Although immunosuppressive drugs and non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are used to treat this condition, these drugs have severe side effects. Flavonoids are the most abundant phenolic compounds which exhibit anti-oxidant, anti-inflammatory and immunomodulatory properties. Many bioactive flavonoids have powerful anti-inflammatory effects. However, a very few have reached clinical use. Dietary flavonoids have been reported to control joint inflammation and alleviate arthritis symptoms in both human RA and animal models of arthritis. There is little scientific evidence about their mechanism of actions in RA. We review the therapeutic effects of different groups of flavonoids belonging to the most common and abundant groups on RA. In particular, the probable mechanisms of major flavonoids on cells and chemical messengers involved in the inflammatory signaling components of RA are discussed in detail.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Fakhr, A.; Ahmed, M.; Bashir, M.; Hakim, F.; Basri, R.

2017-01-01

Objective: To detect the anti cyclic citrullinated peptide (Anti-CCP) antibody in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients to determine its diagnostic value in Pakistani patients. Study Design: Cross sectional study. Place and Duration of Study: Military Hospital (MH) Rawalpindi, from January 2013 to June 2015. Material and Methods: A total of 58 patients with complications of rheumatoid arthritis were recruited in the study using convenient sampling technique after their informed consent. Age and gender of the patients were recorded. Blood was collected from the patients subjected to ELISA based detection of anti-CCP and latex agglutination test for detection of Rheumatoid Factor (RF). Data obtained were analyzed using Microsoft excel 2010. Results: Among the fifty eight RA patients, 40 percent were males and 60 percent were females. Age ranged between 12 to 80 years (mean age 49.74 +- 16.81 years) of the males RA patients and was higher as compared to females (mean age 43.2 +-16.70 years). ELISA based detection of anti-CCP antibody showed that about 91 percent of RA patients were positive for anti CCP antibody. About 72 percent were positive for anti CCP antibody alone, 19 percent were positive for both anti-CCP and RF and 9 percent were positive for RF. Conclusion: The results concluded that a higher percentage of the RA patients are positive for anti-CCP antibody marking its importance as a diagnostic marker. Anti-CCP has more sensitivity as compared to RF in RA patients. (author)

The anti-perinuclear factor (APF) and the rheumatoid factor (RF) in polymyalgia rheumatica and rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Nicholls, D.W.; Yee, R.; Harrison, A.A.

2000-01-01

Full text: Polymyalgia rheumatica (PMR) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are clinical diagnoses that may be difficult to differentiate in the elderly RA can present with a polymyatgic onset, and the manifestations of PMR include peripheral synovitis. HLA DR4 alleles are over-represented in both diseases The APF is a serum antibody against profilaggrins which is detected by binding to cytoplasmic granules in buccal mucosal cells It is found in a high percentage (78%) Of both seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis patients. We studied the APF in 17 patients with PMR (by Hunder criteria). 13 age and sex matched patients with RA (by ACR criteria) and 10 healthy controls, to see whether the presence of APF could help distinguish PMR from RA. APF was assayed using a standard buccal mucosal cell-based immunofluorescence technique Rheumatoid factor was measured by latex agglutination and by ELISA. 11/13 (85%) Of the RA patients were APF positive, of which 6/11 (55%) were strongly positive. 13/17 (76%) Of the PMR patients were positive but none of these were strongly positive Of the controls 2/10 (20%) were positive. APF had a sensitivity of 87% and specificity of 67% for PMR and a sensitivity of 85% and specificity of 80% for RA. The combination of an APF and an RA latex test resulted in a sensitivity of 82% and specificity of 0% for RA patients. We conclude that the presence of APF does not distinguish RA from PMR. This study provides additional evidence that RA and PMR are related diseases

Physiotherapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Kavuncu, Vural; Evcik, Deniz

2004-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic and painful clinical condition that leads to progressive joint damage, disability, deterioration in quality of life, and shortened life expectancy. Even mild inflammation may result in irreversible damage and permanent disability. The clinical course according to symptoms may be either intermittent or progressive in patients with RA. In most patients, the clinical course is progressive, and structural damage develops in the first 2 years. The aim of RA management is to achieve pain relief and prevent joint damage and functional loss. Physiotherapy and rehabilitation applications significantly augment medical therapy by improving the management of RA and reducing handicaps in daily living for patients with RA. In this review, the application of physiotherapy modalities is examined, including the use of cold/heat applications, electrical stimulation, and hydrotherapy. Rehabilitation treatment techniques for patients with RA such as joint protection strategies, massage, exercise, and patient education are also presented. PMID:15266230

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Corner / Patient Webcasts / Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series This series of five videos ... Your Arthritis Managing Chronic Pain and Depression in Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health-related Quality of Life ...

New agents for scintigraphy in rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Bois, M.H.W. de; Pauwels, E.K.J.; Breedveld, F.C.

1995-01-01

Radiopharmaceuticals have been used as investigative tools for the detection and treatment of arthritis activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) since the 1950s. Against the background of the pathophysiology of RA, the current status of joint scintigraphy and possible future developments are reviewed. Both non-specific (radiolabelled leucocytes and technetium-99m labelled human immunoglobulin) and specific targeting radiopharmaceuticals (including radiolabelled antibodies) are considered. The use of radiopharmaceuticals in the detection of arthritis activity has the advantages of allowing direct imaging of joints by means of whole-body scintigraphy and of joints that are difficult to assess clinically or radiographically. Promising results have been obtained with radiolabelled anti-CD4 and anti-E-selectin antibodies and with somatostatin receptor imaging, but more data are available regarding 99m Tc-IgG scintigraphy, which differentiates between the various degrees of arthritis activity and thus facilitates the choice of antirheumatic drug. Newer promising approaches to the imaging of RA include the use of radiolabelled J001 and cytokines, though studies on these are limited at present. (orig.)

Prevalence and Severity of Periodontitis in Indonesian Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Susanto, Hendri; Nesse, Willem; Kertia, Nyoman; Soeroso, Juwono; van Reenen, Yvonne Huijser; Hoedemaker, Eveliene; Agustina, Dewi; Vissink, Arjan; Abbas, Frank; Dijkstra, Pieter U.; Soeroso§, Juwono

Background: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may have more prevalent and severe periodontitis than healthy controls. Periodontitis may increase the systemic inflammation in RA. The aim of this study is to assess periodontitis prevalence and severity and its potential association with systemic

Relationship of patient-reported outcomes with MRI measures in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Baker, Joshua F; Conaghan, Philip G.; Emery, Paul

2017-01-01

PURPOSE: We assessed whether MRI measures of synovitis, osteitis and bone erosion were associated with patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in a longitudinal clinical trial setting among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: This longitudinal cohort of 291 patients with RA was derived from...

Salivary TNFα levels in groups of subjects with rheumatoid arthritis and chronic periodontitis.

Science.gov (United States)

Gamel, Ehsan B; Hashim, Nada T; Satti, Asim; Gismalla, Bakri G

2017-01-07

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic periodontitis are the most common chronic inflammatory diseases with significant pathological and clinical similarities. Numerous studies have indicated a relationship between rheumatoid arthritis and periodontal disease. The aim of this study was to compare the TNF-α levels in saliva among patients with Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and chronic periodontitis as well as healthy subjects. One hundred and seventy-one patients were enrolled in this cross-sectional study. Fifty-seven patients diagnosed of RA, 57 patients with chronic periodontitis and 57 healthy subjects. These patients have been examined with regard to TNF-α level from salivary samples. Their teeth were examined with regard to Plaque Index , Gingival Index, probing depth and clinical attachment level.All patients were non-smokers. The results revealed a significant difference in all periodontal parameters among the three groups. The chronic periodontitis group showed a significantly higher value in all clinical periodontal parameters in comparison to both the RA and healthy groups. No significant difference was found between salivary TNF-α level among the three study groups. Patients with chronic periodontitis had the highest periodontal indices. However there was no significant difference regarding the level of salivary TNF-α. Hence, suppression of proinflammatory cytokines might prove beneficial in suppressing periodontal diseases among RA patients.

Autoantibodies to Posttranslational Modifications in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Burska, Agata N.; Hunt, Laura; Strollo, Rocky; Ryan, Brent J.; Vital, Ed; Nissim, Ahuva; Winyard, Paul G.; Emery, Paul; Ponchel, Frederique

2014-01-01

Autoantibodies have been associated with human pathologies for a long time, particularly with autoimmune diseases (AIDs). Rheumatoid factor (RF) is known since the late 1930s to be associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The discovery of anticitrullinated protein antibodies in the last century has changed this and other posttranslational modifications (PTM) relevant to RA have since been described. Such PTM introduce neoepitopes in proteins that can generate novel autoantibody specificities. The recent recognition of these novel specificities in RA provides a unique opportunity to understand human B-cell development in vivo. In this paper, we will review the three of the main classes of PTMs already associated with RA: citrullination, carbamylation, and oxidation. With the advancement of research methodologies it should be expected that other autoantibodies against PTM proteins could be discovered in patients with autoimmune diseases. Many of such autoantibodies may provide significant biomarker potential. PMID:24782594

Validating Rheumatoid Arthritis Remission Using the Patients' Perspective

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rasch, Linda A; Boers, Maarten; Hill, Catherine L

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) working group on the patients' perspective on remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been working on this topic since 2010. At OMERACT 2016, progress and preliminary data on validity of measurement instruments for pain, fatigue...

Obesity is the main determinant of insulin resistance more than the circulating pro-inflammatory cytokines levels in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Castillo-Hernandez, Jesus; Maldonado-Cervantes, Martha Imelda; Reyes, Juan Pablo; Patiño-Marin, Nuria; Maldonado-Cervantes, Enrique; Solorzano-Rodriguez, Claudia; de la Cruz Mendoza, Esperanza; Alvarado-Sanchez, Brenda

Systemic blockade of TNF-α in Rheumatoid arthritis with insulin resistance seems to produce more improvement in insulin sensitivity in normal weight patients with Rheumatoid arthritis than in obese patients with Rheumatoid arthritis, suggesting that systemic-inflammation and obesity are independent risk factors for insulin resistance in Rheumatoid arthritis patients. To evaluate the insulin resistance in: normal weight patients with Rheumatoid arthritis, overweight patients with Rheumatoid arthritis, obese Rheumatoid arthritis patients, and matched control subjects with normal weight and obesity; and its association with major cytokines involved in the pathogenesis of the disease. Assessments included: body mass index, insulin resistance by Homeostasis Model Assessment, ELISA method, and enzymatic colorimetric assay. Outstanding results from these studies include: (1) In Rheumatoid arthritis patients, insulin resistance was well correlated with body mass index, but not with levels of serum cytokines. In fact, levels of cytokines were similar in all Rheumatoid arthritis patients, regardless of being obese, overweight or normal weight (2) Insulin resistance was significantly higher in Rheumatoid arthritis with normal weight than in normal weight (3) No significant difference was observed between insulin resistances of Rheumatoid arthritis with obesity and obesity (4) As expected, levels of circulating cytokines were significantly higher in Rheumatoid arthritis patients than in obesity. Obesity appears to be a dominant condition above inflammation to produce IR in RA patients. The dissociation of the inflammation and obesity components to produce IR suggests the need of an independent therapeutic strategy in obese patients with RA. Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Editora Ltda.

Pulmonary cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients: Comparison of imaging characteristics among RA, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and immunocompetent patients

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yanagawa, Noriyo; Sakai, Fumikazu; Takemura, Tamiko; Ishikawa, Satoru; Takaki, Yasunobu; Hishima, Tsunekazu; Kamata, Noriko

2013-01-01

Purpose: The imaging characteristics of cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were analyzed by comparing them with those of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and immunocompetent patients, and the imaging findings were correlated with pathological findings. Methods: Two radiologists retrospectively compared the computed tomographic (CT) findings of 35 episodes of pulmonary cryptococcosis in 31 patients with 3 kinds of underlying states (10 RA, 12 AIDS, 13 immunocompetent), focusing on the nature, number, and distribution of lesions. The pathological findings of 18 patients (8 RA, 2 AIDS, 8 immunocompetent) were analyzed by two pathologists, and then correlated with imaging findings. Results: The frequencies of consolidation and ground glass attenuation (GGA) were significantly higher, and the frequency of peripheral distribution was significantly lower in the RA group than in the immunocompetent group. Peripheral distribution was less common and generalized distribution was more frequent in the RA group than in the AIDS group. The pathological findings of the AIDS and immunocompetent groups reflected their immune status: There was lack of a granuloma reaction in the AIDS group, and a complete granuloma reaction in the immunocompetent group, while the findings of the RA group varied, including a complete granuloma reaction, a loose granuloma reaction and a hyper-immune reaction. Cases with the last two pathologic findings were symptomatic and showed generalized or central distribution on CT. Conclusion: Cryptococcosis in the RA group showed characteristic radiological and pathological findings compared with the other 2 groups

Pulmonary cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients: Comparison of imaging characteristics among RA, acquired immunodeficiency syndrome, and immunocompetent patients

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yanagawa, Noriyo, E-mail: noriyo_yana@ybb.ne.jp [Departments of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan); Sakai, Fumikazu [Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Saitama Medical University International Medical Center, 1397-1 Yamane, Hidaka-shi, Saitama 350-1298 (Japan); Takemura, Tamiko [Department of Pathology, Japanese Red Cross Medical Center, 4-1-22 Hiroo, Shibuya-ku, Tokyo 150-8935 (Japan); Ishikawa, Satoru [Department of Respiratory Medicine, National Hospital Organization Chiba-East-Hospital, 673 Nitona-cho, Chuo-ku, Chiba-shi, Chiba 260-8712 (Japan); Takaki, Yasunobu [Departments of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan); Hishima, Tsunekazu [Department of Pathology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan); Kamata, Noriko [Departments of Radiology, Tokyo Metropolitan Cancer and Infectious Diseases Center Komagome Hospital, 3-8-22, Honkomagome, Bunkyo-ku, Tokyo 113-8677 (Japan)

2013-11-01

Purpose: The imaging characteristics of cryptococcosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were analyzed by comparing them with those of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and immunocompetent patients, and the imaging findings were correlated with pathological findings. Methods: Two radiologists retrospectively compared the computed tomographic (CT) findings of 35 episodes of pulmonary cryptococcosis in 31 patients with 3 kinds of underlying states (10 RA, 12 AIDS, 13 immunocompetent), focusing on the nature, number, and distribution of lesions. The pathological findings of 18 patients (8 RA, 2 AIDS, 8 immunocompetent) were analyzed by two pathologists, and then correlated with imaging findings. Results: The frequencies of consolidation and ground glass attenuation (GGA) were significantly higher, and the frequency of peripheral distribution was significantly lower in the RA group than in the immunocompetent group. Peripheral distribution was less common and generalized distribution was more frequent in the RA group than in the AIDS group. The pathological findings of the AIDS and immunocompetent groups reflected their immune status: There was lack of a granuloma reaction in the AIDS group, and a complete granuloma reaction in the immunocompetent group, while the findings of the RA group varied, including a complete granuloma reaction, a loose granuloma reaction and a hyper-immune reaction. Cases with the last two pathologic findings were symptomatic and showed generalized or central distribution on CT. Conclusion: Cryptococcosis in the RA group showed characteristic radiological and pathological findings compared with the other 2 groups.

Rheumatoid arthritis in Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Almoallim, Hani M.; Alharbi, Laila A.

2014-01-01

The status of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Saudi Arabia (SA) was examined from various perspectives based on a systematic literature review and the authors’ personal experiences. In this regard, database and journal search were conducted to identify studies on RA in SA, yielding a total of 43 articles. Although efforts have been made to promote RA research in SA, current studies mostly represent only a few centers and may not accurately portray the national status of RA care. Notably, biological therapies were introduced early for almost all practicing rheumatologists in SA (government and private). However, no national guidelines regarding the management of RA have been developed based on local needs and regulations. Also, while efforts were made to establish RA data registries, they have not been successful. Taken together, this analysis can contribute to the planning of future guidelines and directives for RA care in SA. PMID:25491208

[Genetic and environmental contribution to rheumatoid arthritis: a family study].

Science.gov (United States)

Iebba, Filippo; Di Sora, Fiorella; Leti, Wilma; Montella, Tatiana; Montella, Francesco

2012-01-01

We report on the HLA typing of three brothers (A, B, C) with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and their six sons. This family is interesting for the full concordance for RA between parents. The aim of this study was the discovery of genetic and/or enviromental cofactors determining this absolute concordance.

Tumour necrosis factor-α inhibitors are glucocorticoid-sparing in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nilsson, Anna Christine; Christensen, Anne Friesgaard; Junker, Peter

2011-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disease with autoimmune traits of unknown aetiology which primarily affects synovial joints. Glucocorticoids (GCs) are still widely used in RA treatment despite the expanding use of targeted and very efficient agents. The objective of this study was to assess...

Gene therapy works in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis...so what!

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loo, F.A.J. van de; Geurts, J.; Berg, W.B. van den

2006-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease with polyarticular manifestation of chronic inflammation in the knees and small joints of hand and feet. The current systemic anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha therapies with biologics ameliorate disease in 60% to 70% of RA patients. However,

Parental Rheumatoid Arthritis, Child Mortality, and Case Fatality

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rom, Ane L; Wu, Chun S; Olsen, Jørn

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: We have reported increased long term morbidity in children of parents with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Here we assess child mortality and case fatality in the same cohort. METHODS: All singletons born in Denmark from 1977 to 2008 were identified through linkage of Danish National...

Rheumatoid Arthritis, Immunosenescence and the Hallmarks of Aging

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chalan, Paulina; van den Berg, Anke; Kroesen, Bart-Jan; Brouwer, Liesbeth; Boots, Annemieke

2015-01-01

Age is the most important risk factor for the development of infectious diseases, cancer and chronic inflammatory diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The very act of living causes damage to cells. A network of molecular, cellular and physiological maintenance and repair systems creates a

 Adiponectin in early and chronic rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laurberg, Trine Bay

  Dato 31. januar 2006Title Adiponectin in early and chronic rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritisAuthors:Trine Bay Laurberg,Torkell Ellingsen,Jan Frystyk,Ib Hansen,Anette Jørgensen,Ulrik Tarp,Merete Lund Hetland,Kim Hørslev-Petersen,Nete Hornung,Jørgen Hjelm Poulsen,Allan Flyvbjerg,Kristian St......  Dato 31. januar 2006Title Adiponectin in early and chronic rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritisAuthors:Trine Bay Laurberg,Torkell Ellingsen,Jan Frystyk,Ib Hansen,Anette Jørgensen,Ulrik Tarp,Merete Lund Hetland,Kim Hørslev-Petersen,Nete Hornung,Jørgen Hjelm Poulsen,Allan Flyvbjerg......,Kristian Stengaard-PedersenBackground: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, chronic, autoimmune disease, which affects the joints with inflammation leading to destruction of cartilage and bone. Osteoarthritis (OA) is a degenerative joint disease characterised by low level of chronic inflammation, slow...

Developing a Construct to Evaluate Flares in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Conceptual Report of the OMERACT RA Flare Definition Working Group

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Alten, Rieke; Choy, Ernest H; Christensen, Robin

2011-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthcare professionals (HCP) recognize that episodic worsening disease activity, often described as a "flare," is a common feature of RA that can contribute to impaired function and disability. However, there is no standard definition to enable measurement...... of its intensity and impact. The conceptual framework of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) RA Flare Definition Working Group includes an anchoring statement, developed at OMERACT 9 in 2008: "flare in RA" is defined as worsening of signs and symptoms of sufficient intensity....... The conceptual framework of flare takes into account validated approaches to measurement in RA: (1) various disease activity indices (e.g., Disease Activity Score, Clinical Disease Activity Index, Simplified Disease Activity Index); (2) use of patient-reported outcomes (PRO); and (3) characterization...

Long-term treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with adalimumab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Murdaca G

2013-05-01

Full Text Available Giuseppe Murdaca, Francesca Spanò, Francesco PuppoDepartment of Internal Medicine, Clinical Immunology Unit, University of Genoa, Genoa, ItalyAbstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic inflammatory disease that is associated with joint damage and progressive disability, an increased risk of morbidity related to comorbid conditions and substantial socioeconomic costs. Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α is a proinflammatory cytokine known to have a central role in the initial host response to infection and in the pathogenesis of various immune-mediated diseases, such as RA, ankylosing spondylitis, psoriasis and/or psoriatic arthritis, Crohn’s disease, and systemic lupus erythematosus. Five TNF-α inhibitors are available for the clinical use: infliximab; adalimumab; etanercept; golimumab; and certolizumab pegol. Infliximab is a chimeric human/murine IgG1 monoclonal antibody (mAb; adalimumab, and golimumab are human mAbs; certolizumab pegol is composed of the fragment antigen-binding anti-binding domain of a humanized anti-TNF-α mAb, combined with polyethylene glycol to increase its half-life in the body; etanercept is a fusion protein that acts as a “decoy receptor” for TNF-α. In this paper, we will briefly review the current data on efficacy and safety of adalimumab in patients with RA, its potential beneficial effects upon comorbid conditions, such as endothelial dysfunction and accelerated atherosclerosis in RA, and the immunogenicity.Keywords: adalimumab, efficacy, safety, rheumatoid arthritis, VEGF, immunogenicity, infections

Changes in Soluble CD18 in Murine Autoimmune Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Reflect Disease Establishment and Treatment Response.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tue Wenzel Kragstrup

Full Text Available In rheumatoid arthritis (RA immune activation and presence of autoantibodies may precede clinical onset of disease, and joint destruction can progress despite remission. However, the underlying temporal changes of such immune system abnormalities in the inflammatory response during treat-to-target strategies remain poorly understood. We have previously reported low levels of the soluble form of CD18 (sCD18 in plasma from patients with chronic RA and spondyloarthritis. Here, we study the changes of sCD18 before and during treatment of early RA and following arthritis induction in murine models of rheumatoid arthritis.The level of sCD18 was analyzed with a time-resolved immunoflourometric assay in 1 plasma from early treatment naïve RA patients during a treat-to-target strategy (the OPERA cohort, 2 plasma from chronic RA patients, 3 serum from SKG and CIA mice following arthritis induction, and 4 supernatants from synovial fluid mononuclear cells (SFMCs and peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMCs from 6 RA patients cultured with TNFα or adalimumab.Plasma levels of sCD18 were decreased in chronic RA patients compared with early RA patients and in early RA patients compared with healthy controls. After 12 months of treatment the levels in early RA patients were similar to healthy controls. This normalization of plasma sCD18 levels was more pronounced in patients with very early disease who achieved an early ACR response. Plasma sCD18 levels were associated with radiographic progression. Correspondingly, the serum level of sCD18 was decreased in SKG mice 6 weeks after arthritis induction compared with healthy littermates. The sCD18 levels in both SKG and CIA mice exhibited a biphasic course after arthritis induction with an initial increase above baseline followed by a decline. Shedding of CD18 from RA SFMC and RA PBMC cultures was increased by TNFα and decreased by adalimumab.The plasma sCD18 levels were altered in patients with RA, in mice

14-3-3η Autoantibodies: Diagnostic Use in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maksymowych, Walter P.; Boire, Gilles; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Wichuk, Stephanie; Turk, Samina; Boers, Maarten; Siminovitch, Katherine A.; Bykerk, Vivian; Keystone, Ed; Tak, Paul Peter; van Kuijk, Arno W.; Landewé, Robert; van der Heijde, Desiree; Murphy, Mairead; Marotta, Anthony

2015-01-01

To describe the expression and diagnostic use of 14-3-3η autoantibodies in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). 14-3-3η autoantibody levels were measured using an electrochemiluminescent multiplexed assay in 500 subjects (114 disease-modifying antirheumatic drug-naive patients with early RA, 135 with

MRI assessment of early response to certolizumab pegol in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Mikkel; Jacobsson, L T H; Schaufelberger, C

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To identify the first time point of an MRI-verified response to certolizumab pegol (CZP) therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Forty-one patients with active RA despite disease-modifying antirheumatic drug therapy were randomised 2:1 to CZP (CZP loading dose 400...

Measures of rheumatoid arthritis disease activity in Australian clinical practice.

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, Andrew; Bagga, Hanish

2011-01-01

Objectives. To investigate which rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity measures are being collected in patients receiving glucocorticoids, non-biologic or biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in Australian rheumatology practice. Methods. A retrospective audit of medical records was conducted from eight rheumatology practices around Australia. Each rheumatologist recruited 30 consecutive eligible patients into the review, 10 of whom must have been receiving a biological agent for rheumatoid arthritis. Disease activity measures and radiographic assessments were collected from each patient's last consultation. For biologic patients, disease activity measures were also collected from when the patient was first initiated on the biological agent. Results. At last consultation, the disease measures that were recorded most often were ESR (89.2%), haemoglobin (87.5%), and CRP (84.2%). DAS28 was infrequently recorded (16.3%). The rate of recording disease activity measures for patients receiving biologic DMARDs decreased over time (mean 27 months). Conclusion. This review has shown inconsistency of RA activity measures being recorded in Australian rheumatology clinical practice. An accurate assessment of the disease process is necessary to effectively target rheumatoid arthritis patients to treat in order to achieve optimal outcomes.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Happening to the Joints? Rheumatoid Arthritis: Gaining Control – Working with your Rheumatologist Rheumatoid Arthritis: Additional Conditions Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Immune System Don’t have ...

Labour force participation among patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chorus, A.M.J.; Miedema, H.S.; Wevers, C.J.; Linden, S. van der

2000-01-01

Objectives - To assess work history and labour force participation among patients with rheumatoid arthritis (IRA) in the Netherlands, Method - A random sample of 1056 patients with RA aged 16-59 years from 17 rheumatology practices in the Netherlands was examined. Data on disease status and outcome

Defining the optimal biological monotherapy in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tarp, Simon; Furst, Daniel E; Dossing, Anna

2017-01-01

Objectives To summarize and compare the benefits and harms of biological agents used as monotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in order to inform decisions for patients who are intolerant to conventional DMARD therapy. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and other sources for randomi...... treatment with biological monotherapy. However, given our limited confidence in the estimates including possibility of bias, it is appropriate to strongly weight patients׳ preferences and values in the final treatment choice.......Objectives To summarize and compare the benefits and harms of biological agents used as monotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in order to inform decisions for patients who are intolerant to conventional DMARD therapy. Methods We searched MEDLINE, EMBASE, CENTRAL, and other sources...... for randomised trials that compared biological monotherapy with methotrexate, placebo, or other biological monotherapies. Primary outcomes were ACR50 and the number of patients who discontinued due to adverse events. Our network meta-analysis was based on mixed-effects logistic regression, including both direct...

Minimal disease activity for rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary definition

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wells, George A.; Boers, Maarten; Shea, Beverley; Brooks, Peter M.; Simon, Lee S.; Strand, C. Vibeke; Aletaha, Daniel; Anderson, Jennifer J.; Bombardier, Claire; Dougados, Maxime; Emery, Paul; Felson, David T.; Fransen, Jaap; Furst, Dan E.; Hazes, Johanna M. W.; Johnson, Kent R.; Kirwan, John R.; Landewé, Robert B. M.; Lassere, Marissa N. D.; Michaud, Kaleb; Suarez-Almazor, Maria; Silman, Alan J.; Smolen, Josef S.; van der Heijde, Desiree M. F. M.; van Riel, Piet L. C. M.; Wolfe, Fred; Tugwell, Peter S.

2005-01-01

Agreement on response criteria in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has allowed better standardization and interpretation of clinical trial reports. With recent advances in therapy, the proportion of patients achieving a satisfactory state of minimal disease activity (MDA) is becoming a more important

Minimal disease activity for rheumatoid arthritis: a preliminary definition.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wells, G.A.; Boers, M.; Shea, B.; Brooks, P.M.; Simon, L.S.; Strand, C.V.; Aletaha, D.; Anderson, J.; Bombardier, C.; Dougados, M.; Emery, P.; Felson, D.T.; Fransen, J.; Furst, D.E.; Hazes, J.M.W.; Johnson, K.; Kirwan, J.; Landewe, R.B.; Lassere, M.N.; Michaud, K.; Suarez-Almazor, M.; Silman, A.J.; Smolen, J.S.; Heijde, D.M.F.M. van der; Riel, P.L.C.M. van; Wolfe, F.; Tugwell, P.S.

2005-01-01

Agreement on response criteria in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has allowed better standardization and interpretation of clinical trial reports. With recent advances in therapy, the proportion of patients achieving a satisfactory state of minimal disease activity (MDA) is becoming a more important

Rheumatoid Arthritis, infiltrated pulmonary, and sharp dyspnoea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Giraldo Estrada, Horacio

2002-01-01

A study of a patient (50 year-old) feminine sex, is made with antecedents of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) the last 10 years in treatment with steroids, hypothyroidism and arterial hypertension who consults for square of dyspnoea of small efforts, dry cough and fever. An evolution of the illness is made and the topic is analyzed

Hypoxia-Inducible Factor-1 as Regulator of Angiogenesis in Rheumatoid Arthritis - Therapeutic Implications

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Westra, J.; Molema, G.; Kallenberg, C. G. M.

Angiogenesis plays an important role in the pathogenesis of inflammatory diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis ( RA). The site and extent of inflammation and subsequent joint destruction in the rheumatoid synovium is dependent on the development of new vasculature. Inhibition of angiogenesis,

Hand assessment with the E-Cone in rheumatoid arthritis and hand osteoarthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Merendonk, N.; van Alebeek, V.; Spreeuwers, Lieuwe Jan; Spreeuwers, D.; Kroon, P.J.; Roorda, L.; Dekker, J.; Hoeksma, A.F.

2013-01-01

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic inflammatory, progressive disease resulting in deformities of the hand. Besides synovitis, tenosynovitis of the extrinsic flexor tendons is one of the initial features of RA, leading to friction and consequently to an imbalanced coordination of the

INFLUENCE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY ON CLINICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

OpenAIRE

T.L. Nastausheva; L.T. Dmitrieva

2008-01-01

Clinical and immunological status has been evaluated in 85 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (RA) before and after physiotherapeutic procedures: electrophoresis with dimexid and magnetotherapy. The control group of 31 children did not follow physiotherapeutic procedures. The following results were fixed: clinical indices and immunological status of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis have been changed in a larger degree in case of magnetotherapy.

Assessment by MRI of inflammation and damage in rheumatoid arthritis patients with methotrexate inadequate response receiving golimumab: results of the GO-FORWARD trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Conaghan, Philip G; Emery, Paul; Østergaard, Mikkel

2011-01-01

To evaluate golimumab's effect on MRI-detected inflammation and structural damage in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite methotrexate (MTX).......To evaluate golimumab's effect on MRI-detected inflammation and structural damage in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) despite methotrexate (MTX)....

Targeting the Fas/FasL system in Rheumatoid Arthritis therapy: Promising or risky?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Calmon-Hamaty, Flavia; Audo, Rachel; Combe, Bernard; Morel, Jacques; Hahne, Michael

2015-01-01

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease affecting synovial joints. Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) α is a key component of RA pathogenesis and blocking this cytokine is the most common strategy to treat the disease. Though TNFα blockers are very efficient, one third of the RA

Organising pneumonia - the first manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Kalinova, Desislava; Kolarov, Zlatimir; Rashkov, Rasho

2017-01-01

Organising pneumonia (OP) is a distinct type of interstitial lung disease, because it can also be seen in association with several conditions such as infections, drugs, and connective tissue diseases. An association of OP with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has also been described. Joint manifestations of RA usually precede lung involvements by several years; however, in less than 10% of cases of RA, interstitial lung disease may be the initial feature of RA. Organising pneumonia as the initial manifestation or developed simultaneously of RA is extremely rare, and its clinical features remain unknown. We present a 56-year-old woman with OP as the first manifestation of RA.

Fractalkine in rheumatoid arthritis: a review to date.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Murphy, G

2012-02-03

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by the expansion of the synovium, with infiltration of pro-inflammatory cells, neovascularization and an abundance of pro-inflammatory cytokines resulting in tissue destruction and bone erosion. Fractalkine (FKN), a recently described chemokine, possesses chemotactic, angiogenic and adhesive functions that associates it with all of these destructive processes. In this review, we describe the research to date, which implicates FKN and its receptor in the pathogenesis of RA and propose that this molecule may represent a future therapeutic target for RA.

Rheumatoid arthritis (image)

Science.gov (United States)

Rheumatoid arthritis is an autoimmune disease in which the body's immune system attacks itself. The pattern of joints ... other joints and is worse in the morning. Rheumatoid arthritis is also a systemic disease, involving other body ...

Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

... joints. This form of JIA may turn into rheumatoid arthritis. It may involve 5 or more large and ... no known prevention for JIA. Alternative Names Juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (JRA); Juvenile chronic polyarthritis; Still disease; Juvenile spondyloarthritis ...

Genetic variants in toll-like receptors are not associated with rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility or anti-tumour necrosis factor treatment outcome

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Coenen, Marieke J H; Enevold, Christian; Barrera, Pilar

2010-01-01

Several studies point to a role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated if genetic variants in TLR genes are associated with RA and response to tumour necrosis factor blocking (anti-TNF) medication.......Several studies point to a role of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) in the development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We investigated if genetic variants in TLR genes are associated with RA and response to tumour necrosis factor blocking (anti-TNF) medication....

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health-related Quality of Life Rehabilitation Management for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Rehabilitation of Older Adult ...

EULAR recommendations for terminology and research in individuals at risk of rheumatoid arthritis: report from the Study Group for Risk Factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Gerlag, Danielle M; Raza, Karim; van Baarsen, Lisa G M; Brouwer, Elisabeth; Buckley, Christopher D; Burmester, Gerd R; Gabay, Cem; Catrina, Anca I; Cope, Andrew P; Cornelis, François; Dahlqvist, Solbritt Rantapää; Emery, Paul; Eyre, Stephen; Finckh, Axel; Gay, Steffen; Hazes, Johanna M; van der Helm-van Mil, Annette; Huizinga, Tom W J; Klareskog, Lars; Kvien, Tore K; Lewis, Cathryn; Machold, Klaus P; Rönnelid, Johan; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Schett, Georg; Smolen, Josef S; Thomas, Sue; Worthington, Jane; Tak, Paul P

2012-01-01

The Study Group for Risk Factors for Rheumatoid Arthritis was established by the EULAR Standing Committee on Investigative Rheumatology to facilitate research into the preclinical and earliest clinically apparent phases of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This report describes the recommendation for terminology to be used to define specific subgroups during different phases of disease, and defines the priorities for research in this area. Terminology was discussed by way of a three-stage structured process: A provisional list of descriptors for each of the possible phases preceding the diagnosis of RA were circulated to members of the study group for review and feedback. Anonymised comments from the members on this list were fed back to participants before a 2-day meeting. 18 participants met to discuss these data, agree terminologies and prioritise important research questions. The study group recommended that, in prospective studies, individuals without RA are described as having: genetic risk factors for RA; environmental risk factors for RA; systemic autoimmunity associated with RA; symptoms without clinical arthritis; unclassified arthritis; which may be used in a combinatorial manner. It was recommended that the prefix ‘pre-RA with:’ could be used before any/any combination of the five points above but only to describe retrospectively a phase that an individual had progressed through once it was known that they have developed RA. An approach to dating disease onset was recommended. In addition, important areas for research were proposed, including research of other tissues in which an adaptive immune response may be initiated, and the identification of additional risk factors and biomarkers for the development of RA, its progression and the development of extra-articular features. These recommendations provide guidance on approaches to describe phases before the development of RA that will facilitate communication between researchers and comparisons between

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Managing Your Arthritis Managing Your Arthritis Managing Chronic Pain and Depression in Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health-related Quality of Life Rehabilitation Management for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Rehabilitation of Older Adult ...

Dietary recommendations for patients with rheumatoid arthritis: a review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vitetta L

2012-06-01

Full Text Available Luis Vitetta,1 Samantha Coulson,1 Janet Schloss,1 Shoshannah L Beck,1 Robert Allen,2 Avni Sali21Centre for Integrative Clinical and Molecular Medicine, The University of Queensland School of Medicine, Brisbane, 2National Institute of Integrative Medicine, Melbourne, AustraliaAbstract: Dietary interventions can assist with the management of disease symptoms that accompany rheumatoid arthritis (RA, such as pain, tender swollen joints, stiffness, and associated disability and disease progression. Dietary interventions have gained widespread appeal for both clinicians and RA patients. Interventions that promote self-help through education can have significant benefits for patients as they negotiate pain and musculoskeletal disability. There is substantial scientific evidence that demonstrates patients diagnosed with RA may benefit from dietary interventions; however, recent systematic reviews remain uncertain about the therapeutic efficacy of dietary manipulation for RA due to clinical trials with a high risk of bias. However, dietary interventions with plausible therapeutic activity may be indicated for reducing RA-associated symptoms, including elimination of foods that may trigger an allergic or intolerant response, introduction of known anti-inflammatory dietary compounds and correction of food, or drug-induced gastrointestinal tract microbiota abnormalities and permeability.Keywords: diet, rheumatoid arthritis, vegetarian, vegan, Mediterranean, fish oils, probiotics

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Can It Affect the Lungs?

Science.gov (United States)

Rheumatoid arthritis: Can it affect the lungs? Can rheumatoid arthritis affect your lungs? Answers from April Chang-Miller, ... know. Arthritis Foundation. http://www.arthritis.org/about-arthritis/types/rheumatoid-arthritis/articles/lung-disease-rheumatoid-arthritis.php. Accessed ...

High Prevalence of Gallstone Disease in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A New Comorbidity Related to Dyslipidemia?

Science.gov (United States)

García-Gómez, María Carmen; de Lama, Eugenia; Ordoñez-Palau, Sergi; Nolla, Joan Miquel; Corbella, Emili; Pintó, Xavier

2017-08-01

To assess the prevalence of gallstone disease and identify associated risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients compared to the general population. Eighty-four women with rheumatoid arthritis were included in the study. Each patient was assessed via a structured interview, physical examination, abdominal ultrasound and blood test including lipid profile. The prevalence of gallstone disease in rheumatoid arthritis was compared with data from a study of the Spanish population matched by age groups. Twenty-eight of the 84 women had gallstone disease (33.3%). RA women with and without gallstone disease were similar in most of the variables assessed, except for older age and menopausal status in the former. A greater prevalence of gallstone disease was seen in rheumatoid arthritis patients compared to the general population of the same age; however, the differences were significant only in women aged 60 or older (45.5% versus 23.1% respectively, P-value .008). The age-adjusted OR of developing gallstone disease in RA women compared with general population women was 2,3 (95% CI: 1.3-4.1). A significantly higher HDL3-c subfraction and higher apoA-I/HDL and HDL3-c/TC ratios were observed in patients with gallstone disease. Women with rheumatoid arthritis may have a predisposition to gallstones that can manifest in middle or older age compared with women in the general population. This situation could be related to chronic inflammation and HDL metabolism. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Fatigue in rheumatoid arthritis: from patient experience to measurement

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nikolaus, Stephanie

2012-01-01

Many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) complain about fatigue. In-depths interviews with patients showed that fatigue is experienced as an annoying symptom that can have far-reaching consequences for daily life. However, not each patient has the same experience of fatigue: emotions,

Wrist and finger joint MR imaging in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Klarlund, Mette; Østergaard, Mikkel; Gideon, P

1999-01-01

PURPOSE: To elaborate the best MR imaging protocol for studies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the sensitivity and interobserver agreement with respect to detection of bone erosions (MR and radiography) and grading of synovial membrane hypertrophy (MR imaging only). MATERIAL...

Dynamic exercise therapy in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ende, C.H.M. van den; Vliet Vlieland, T.P.M.; Munneke, M.; Hazes, J.M.W.

1998-01-01

The aim of this systematic review was to determine the effectiveness of dynamic exercixe therapy in improving joint mobility, muscle strength, aerobic capacity and daily functioning in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In addition, possible unwanted effects such as an increase in pain,

Predictive factors of work disability in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic literature review.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Croon, de E.M.; Sluiter, J.K.; Nijssen, TF; Dijkmans, B.A.C.; Lankhorst, G.J.; Frings-Dresen, MH

2004-01-01

BACKGROUND: Work disability-a common outcome of rheumatoid arthritis (RA)-is a societal (for example, financial costs) and individual problem (for example, loss of status, income, social support, and distraction from pain and distress). Until now, factors that predict work disability in RA have not

Automated measurement of joint space width in early rheumatoid arthritis hand radiographs

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Huo, YH

2017-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease, affecting predominantly small joints of hands and feet. The current gold standard for assessment of radiographic progression in RA is the Sharp/van der Heijde scoring method (SvdH), scoring both bone erosions and joint space narrowing

Genetic risk scores and number of autoantibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maehlen, Marthe T.; Olsen, Inge C.; Andreassen, Bettina K.; Viken, Marte K.; Jiang, Xia; Alfredsson, Lars; Kallberg, Henrik; Brynedal, Boel; Kurreeman, Fina; Daha, Nina; Toes, Rene; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Gutierrez-Achury, Javier; de Bakker, Paul I. W.; Martin, Javier; Teruel, Maria; Gonzalez-Gay, Miguel A.; Rodriguez-Rodriguez, Luis; Balsa, Alejandro; Uhlig, Till; Kvien, Tore K.; Lie, Benedicte A.

Objective Certain HLA-DRB1 alleles and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our objective was to examine the combined effect of these associated variants, calculated as a cumulative genetic risk score (GRS) on RA predisposition, as well as the number

Genetic risk scores and number of autoantibodies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maehlen, Marthe T; Olsen, Inge C; Andreassen, Bettina K; Viken, Marte K; Jiang, Xia; Alfredsson, Lars; Källberg, Henrik; Brynedal, Boel; Kurreeman, Fina; Daha, Nina; Toes, Rene; Zhernakova, Alexandra; Gutierrez-Achury, Javier; de Bakker, Paul I W; Martin, Javier; Teruel, María; Gonzalez-Gay, Miguel A; Rodríguez-Rodríguez, Luis; Balsa, Alejandro; Uhlig, Till; Kvien, Tore K; Lie, Benedicte A

OBJECTIVE: Certain HLA-DRB1 alleles and single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) are associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our objective was to examine the combined effect of these associated variants, calculated as a cumulative genetic risk score (GRS) on RA predisposition, as well as the number

Effect of Rheumatoid Arthritis on Longterm Sickness Absence in 1994-2011

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Sofie Mandrup; Hetland, Merete Lund; Pedersen, Jacob

2016-01-01

Objective. By linkage of national registries, we investigated the risk of longterm sickness absence (LTSA) ≥ 3 weeks in a large cohort of Danish patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and non-patients. The study aimed to (1) estimate the risk of LTSA for patients with RA compared with the general...

Latitude gradient influences the age of onset of rheumatoid arthritis: a worldwide survey

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ramos-Remus, Cesar; Ramirez-Gomez, Andrea; Brambila-Barba, Victor; Barajas-Ochoa, Aldo; Castillo-Ortiz, Jose D.; Adebajo, Adewale O.; Espinoza, Luis R.; Aceves-Avila, Francisco J.; Sánchez-González, Jorge M.; Boudersa, Nadia; Slimani, Samy; Ladjouze-Rezig, Aicha; Diaz, Mónica P.; Kirmayr, Karin I.; Asnal, Cecilia A.; Catoggio, Luis J.; Citera, Gustavo; Casado, Gustavo C.; Alvarez, Analia P.; Pisoni, Cecilia N.; Benavente, Emilio; Lopez-Cabanillas, Adriana; Baez, Roberto M.; Pons-Estel, Bernardo A.; Sacnún, Mónica P.; Cavallasca, Javier A.; Paniego, Raúl H.; Proudman, Susanna M.; Thomas, Ranjeny; Major, Gabor; Mathers, David M.; Schrieber, Leslie; Haq, Syed A.; Islam, Nazrul; Dessein, Patrick H.; von Muhlen, Carlos A.; Bianchi, Washington A.; da R Castelar-Pinheiro, Geraldo; Feldman-Pollak, Daniel; Cossermelli, Waldenise; Bonfiglioli, Karina R.; Giorgi, Rina D.; Zabsonre-Tiendrebeogo, Wendlassida J.; Russell, Anthony S.; Olaru, Lilia; Karsh, Jacob; Fuentealba, Carlos; Aguilera, Sergio; de Vries, Niek; van Vollenhoven, Ronald F.

2017-01-01

The age of onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an important outcome predictor. Northern countries report an age of RA onset of around 50 years, but apparently, variability exists across different geographical regions. The objective of the present study is to assess whether the age of onset of RA

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Depression in Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health-related Quality of Life Rehabilitation Management for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Rehabilitation of Older Adult ...

Cross-cultural adaptation and validation of the French version of the Rheumatoid and Arthritis Outcome Score (RAOS)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Duval, Aurelie; Maillefert, Jean Francis; Gossec, Laure

2010-01-01

The Rheumatoid and Arthritis Outcome Score (RAOS) was recently developed to evaluate functional disability and quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients suffering from lower limb symptoms. The aims of this study were to cross-culturally adapt the RAOS into French and to assess its...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available Appointments • Support Our Research Arthritis Information Disease Information Rheumatoid Arthritis Psoriatic Arthritis Ankylosing Spondylitis Osteoarthritis Gout Lyme Disease Osteoporosis News Rheumatoid Arthritis News ...

Are rheumatoid arthritis patients discernible from other early arthritis patients using 1.5T extremity magnetic resonance imaging? a large cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Stomp, Wouter; Krabben, Annemarie; van der Heijde, Désirée; Huizinga, Tom W J; Bloem, Johan L; van der Helm-van Mil, Annette H M; Reijnierse, Monique

2014-08-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) research. A European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) task force recently suggested that MRI can improve the certainty of RA diagnosis. Because this recommendation may reflect a tendency to use MRI in daily practice, thorough studies on the value of MRI are required. Thus far no large studies have evaluated the accuracy of MRI to differentiate early RA from other patients with early arthritis. We performed a large cross-sectional study to determine whether patients who are clinically classified with RA differ in MRI features compared to patients with other diagnoses. In our study, 179 patients presenting with early arthritis (median symptom duration 15.4 weeks) underwent 1.5T extremity MRI of unilateral wrist, metacarpophalangeal, and metatarsophalangeal joints according to our arthritis protocol, the foot without contrast. Images were scored according to OMERACT Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Scoring (RAMRIS) by 2 independent readers. Tenosynovitis was also assessed. The main outcome was fulfilling the 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for RA. Test characteristics and areas under the receiver-operator-characteristic curves (AUC) were evaluated. In subanalyses, the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria were used as outcome, and analyses were stratified for anticitrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA). The ACR 1987 criteria were fulfilled in 43 patients (24.0%). Patients with RA had higher scores for synovitis, tenosynovitis, and bone marrow edema (BME) than patients without RA (p arthritis patients.

People Getting a Grip on Arthritis: A Knowledge Transfer Strategy to Empower Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis and Osteoarthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Brosseau, Lucie; Lineker, Sydney; Bell, Mary; Wells, George; Casimiro, Lynn; Egan, Mary; Cranney, Ann; Tugwell, Peter; Wilson, Keith G.; De Angelis, Gino; Loew, Laurianne

2012-01-01

Objective: The purpose of this study was twofold. First, to help people with arthritis become aware of and utilize Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and Osteoarthritis (OA) Clinical Practice Guidelines (CPGs) as they relate to self-management strategies. Second, to evaluate the impact of specific Knowledge Translation (KT) activities on CPG uptake. More…

INFLUENCE OF PHYSIOTHERAPY ON CLINICAL AND IMMUNOLOGICAL PARAMETERS IN CHILDREN WITH JUVENILE RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T.L. Nastausheva

2008-12-01

Full Text Available Clinical and immunological status has been evaluated in 85 children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis (RA before and after physiotherapeutic procedures: electrophoresis with dimexid and magnetotherapy. The control group of 31 children did not follow physiotherapeutic procedures. The following results were fixed: clinical indices and immunological status of children with juvenile rheumatoid arthritis have been changed in a larger degree in case of magnetotherapy.

H Nuclear magnetic resonance based metabonomics data analysis in rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Arjmand

2014-05-01

Full Text Available Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic, systematic inflammatory disorder that may affect many tissues and organs, but principally attacks synovial joints and it is a common rheumatic disease with many subtypes. Nuclear Magnetic resonance (1H NMR spectrometers with high sensitivity, resolution and dynamic range has permitted the rapid, simultaneous investigation of complex mixtures of endogenous or exogenous components present in biological materials. Metabonomics is the systematic study of chemical finger print resulted from cell reactions and could be used as a new biomarker for early disease diagnosis. In the present investigation, we studied serum metabolic profile in rheumatoid arthritis (RA in order to find out the metabolic finger print pattern of the disease. Materials and methods: In our metabonomics study serum samples were collected from 16 patients with active RA, and from equal number of healthy subjects. They were evaluated during a one-year follow-up with the assessment of disease activity and 1H NMR spectroscopy of sera samples. In all the cases, the presence of active rheumatoid arthritis was shown by an increase in the T1 values of the synovium of the joints. We specified and classified all metabolites using PCA, PLSDA chemometrics methods. Chenomx (Trail Version and ProMetab codes in Matlab software environments were used for our data analysis. Results were compared with the NMR metabolite data bank (www.metabolomics.ca. Anti-CCP, ANA and urea were also analyzed by ElISA and colorimetric methods respectively. Results: The most changes identified in this study were in the biosynthesis pathways of steroid hormones, biotin, fatty acids, amino acids (Leucine, Valin and isoleucine and also linoleic acid. Conclusion: In rheumatoid arthritis disease, the activation of the immune system consumes larg amounts of energy. The main donor of free energy in cells is ATP, which is generated by both glycolysis and oxidative

Calibration of the PROMIS Physical Function Item Bank in Dutch Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Oude Voshaar, M.A.H.; ten Klooster, P.M.; Glas, C.A.W.; Vonkeman, H.E.; Taal, E; Krishnan, E.; Moens, H.J.B.; Boers, M.; Terwee, C.B.; van Riel, P.L.C.M.; van de Laar, M.A.F.J.

2014-01-01

Objective: To calibrate the Dutch-Flemish version of the PROMIS physical function (PF) item bank in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate cross-cultural measurement equivalence with US general population and RA data. Methods: Data were collected from RA patients enrolled in the

Pregnancy-induced gene expression changes in vivo among women with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goin, Dana E; Smed, Mette Kiel; Pachter, Lior

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Little is known about gene expression changes induced by pregnancy in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy women because the few studies previously conducted did not have pre-pregnancy samples available as baseline. We have established a cohort of women with RA and healthy...

Neo-Epitopes—Fragments of Cartilage and Connective Tissue Degradation in Early Rheumatoid Arthritis and Unclassified Arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Maijer, Karen I; Gudmann, Natasja Stæhr; Karsdal, Morten Asser

2016-01-01

Objective: Tissue destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is predominantly mediated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), thereby generating protein fragments. Previous studies have revealed that these fragments include MMP-mediated collagen type I, II, and III degradation, citrullinated and MMP...

The use of synthetic peptides for detection of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trier, Nicole Hartwig; Holm, Bettina Eide; Heiden, Julie

2018-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease of unknown etiology. A characteristic feature of RA is the presence of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA). Since ACPAs are highly specific for RA and are often present before the onset of RA symptoms, they have become valuable diagnostic...

Fatigue and sleep quality in rheumatoid arthritis patients during hospital admission.

Science.gov (United States)

Szady, Paulina; Bączyk, Grażyna; Kozłowska, Katarzyna

2017-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic disease of connective tissue characterised by chronic course with periods of exacerbation and remission. Even in the early stages of the disease patients report the occurrence of fatigue and sleep disorders. Reduced sleep quality and chronic fatigue are common among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of the research was to evaluate the severity of fatigue and sleep quality assessment among patients hospitalised with rheumatoid arthritis and to determine the relation between the level of symptoms of fatigue and sleep quality and variables such as: age, gender, disease duration, marital status, applied pharmacological treatment, and pain intensity. The study involved 38 patients (12 men and 26 women) hospitalised in the Rheumatologic Ward of the Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Hospital of the University of Medical Sciences. The average age of the entire group was 56.26 years. Fatigue was evaluated with use of Polish version of Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F), while in order to evaluate sleep quality within the examined group of patients the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI) was used. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the analysed group have lower sleep quality, and within subjects with such a diagnosis the fatigue is present. The relation was found between fatigue and such variables as: age, illness duration, marital status, applied pharmacological treatment, and severity of pain. Sleep quality within patients with RA is correlated by such variables as: age, gender, applied pharmaceutical treatment, and severity of pain. It was identified that patients with lower sleep quality experience increased levels of fatigue. There is a need to clarify which factors determine the level of fatigue and sleep quality in patients suffering from RA in future population-based research and to indicate to doctors, nurses, psychologists, and physiotherapists the significance and importance of

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS WITH SYSTEMIC MANIFESTATIONS: DIAGNOSIS, INDICATORS OF AN UNFAVORABLE COURSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B D Nazarov

2012-01-01

Full Text Available The systemic manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis (RA are fairly diverse. They are associated with high disease activity and an increased risk for deaths, primarily from cardiovascular events. Objective: to study the frequency and spectrum of extra-articular manifestations of RA. Subjects and methods. The trial enrolled 119 patients, including 110 women and 19 men (mean age 47.4+4.3 years, with the reliable and valid diagnosis of RA (mean duration 9.4+3.3 years. The patients were divided into 2 groups: 1 78 patients with the extra-articular manifestations of RA (a study group; 2 44 patients without these signs (a comparison group. Clinical, laboratory, instrumental, and morphological studies were made using current diagnostic methods. Results. By and large, the extra-articular manifestations of RA are closely associated with its activity and joint lesion severity. The study group most commonly had anemia (71.4%, rheumatoid nodules (29.4%, generalized amyotrophy (26.9%, lymphadenopathy (26.1%, prolonged fever (24.4%, and rheumatoid vasculitis (18.5%. The development of extra-articular manifestations was associated with the activity and late diagnosis of RA and rheumatoid factor seropositivity.

Polysymptomatic Distress in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis: Understanding Disproportionate Response and Its Spectrum

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Wolfe, Frederick; Michaud, Kaleb; Busch, Ruth E.; Katz, Robert S.; Rasker, Johannes J.; Shahouri, Shadi H.; Shaver, Timothy S.; Wang, Shirley; Walitt, Brian T.; Häuser, Winfried

2014-01-01

Objective Fibromyalgia (FM) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can cause consternation because symptoms are seen to be out of proportion to physician and laboratory assessments, and composite RA activity scores such as the 28 joint Disease Activity Score, Clinical Disease Activity Index, and Routine

CYCLOSPORINE A IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS: CURRENT DATA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elena Lvovna Luchikhina

2009-01-01

Full Text Available Despite the advent of the new class of medications, such as gene engineering biologicals, the use of traditional essential anti-inflammatory drugs (EAID remains the most important method of pathogenetic therapy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA. Apart from methotrexate (MT that is the gold standard of treatment for RA, there are a number of other effective EAIDs, including cyclosporine A (CsA, Sandimmun. The review deals with the practical aspects of using CsA in RA. Particular emphasis is laid on the capacities of combined basic therapy with CsA and MT in early RA and on the use of CsA in patients with concomitant chronic viral diseases (including viral hepatitis C.

Changes in Soluble CD18 in Murine Autoimmune Arthritis and Rheumatoid Arthritis Reflect Disease Establishment and Treatment Response

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kragstrup, Tue Wenzel; Jalilian, Babak; Keller, Kresten Krarup

2016-01-01

in murine models of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods The level of sCD18 was analyzed with a time-resolved immunoflourometric assay in 1) plasma from early treatment naïve RA patients during a treat-to-target strategy (the OPERA cohort), 2) plasma from chronic RA patients, 3) serum from SKG and CIA mice...... associated with radiographic progression. Correspondingly, the serum level of sCD18 was decreased in SKG mice 6 weeks after arthritis induction compared with healthy littermates. The sCD18 levels in both SKG and CIA mice exhibited a biphasic course after arthritis induction with an initial increase above...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Rheumatoid Arthritis: Additional Conditions Rheumatoid Arthritis: The Immune System Don’t have ... and Health-related Quality of Life Rehabilitation Management for Rheumatoid ...

A probable case of rheumatoid arthritis from the middle Anglo-Saxon period.

Science.gov (United States)

Mckinnon, Katie; Van Twest, Melanie S; Hatton, Martin

2013-06-01

We present here a case of erosive polyarthropathy in an incomplete skeleton from a middle-Saxon period (c. AD 650-900) cemetery site in Sedgeford, Norfolk, England. After a differential diagnosis that includes erosive osteoarthritis and psoriatic arthritis, we believe rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to be the most probable cause. This example may therefore add to the evidence for an early date for the appearance of RA in Europe. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

A protocol for a randomised controlled trial of prefabricated versus customised foot orthoses for people with rheumatoid arthritis: the FOCOS RA trial [Foot Orthoses - Customised v Off-the-Shelf in Rheumatoid Arthritis].

Science.gov (United States)

Gallagher, Kellie S; Godwin, Jon; Hendry, Gordon J; Steultjens, Martijn; Woodburn, Jim

2018-01-01

Foot pain is common in rheumatoid arthritis and appears to persist despite modern day medical management. Several clinical practice guidelines currently recommend the use of foot orthoses for the treatment of foot pain in people with rheumatoid arthritis. However, an evidence gap currently exists concerning the comparative clinical- and cost-effectiveness of prefabricated and customised foot orthoses in people with early rheumatoid arthritis. Early intervention with orthotics may offer the best opportunity for positive therapeutic outcomes. The primary aim of this study is to evaluate the comparative clinical- and cost-effectiveness of prefabricated versus customised orthoses for reducing foot pain over 12 months. This is a multi-centre two-arm parallel randomised controlled trial comparing prefabricated versus customised orthoses in participants with early rheumatoid arthritis (rheumatoid arthritis, global functional status via the Stanford Health Assessment Questionnaire, foot disease activity via the Rheumatoid Arthritis Foot Disease Activity Index, and health-related quality of life at baseline, 6 and 12 months. Process outcomes will include recruitment/retention rates, data completion rates, intervention adherence rates, and participant intervention and trial participation satisfaction. Cost-utility and cost-effectiveness analyses will be undertaken. Outcome measures collected at baseline, 6 and 12 months will be used to evaluate the comparative clinical- and cost- effectiveness of customised versus prefabricated orthoses for this treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis foot conditions. This trial will help to guide orthotic prescription recommendations for the management of foot pain for people with early rheumatoid arthritis in future. ISRCTN13654421. Registered 09 February 2016.

The Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Citrullinome.

Science.gov (United States)

Tilvawala, Ronak; Nguyen, Son Hong; Maurais, Aaron J; Nemmara, Venkatesh V; Nagar, Mitesh; Salinger, Ari J; Nagpal, Sunil; Weerapana, Eranthie; Thompson, Paul R

2018-03-21

Increased protein citrullination is linked to various diseases including rheumatoid arthritis (RA), lupus, and cancer. Citrullinated autoantigens, a hallmark of RA, are recognized by anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPAs) which are used to diagnose RA. ACPA-recognizing citrullinated enolase, vimentin, keratin, and filaggrin are also pathogenic. Here, we used a chemoproteomic approach to define the RA-associated citrullinome. The identified proteins include numerous serine protease inhibitors (Serpins), proteases and metabolic enzymes. We demonstrate that citrullination of antiplasmin, antithrombin, t-PAI, and C1 inhibitor (P1-Arg-containing Serpins) abolishes their ability to inhibit their cognate proteases. Citrullination of nicotinamide N-methyl transferase (NNMT) also abolished its methyltransferase activity. Overall, these data advance our understanding of the roles of citrullination in RA and suggest that extracellular protein arginine deiminase (PAD) activity can modulate protease activity with consequent effects on Serpin-regulated pathways. Moreover, our data suggest that inhibition of extracellular PAD activity will be therapeutically relevant. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

EULAR definition of arthralgia suspicious for progression to rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

van Steenbergen, Hanna W; Aletaha, Daniel; Beaart-van de Voorde, Liesbeth J J

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: During the transition to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) many patients pass through a phase characterised by the presence of symptoms without clinically apparent synovitis. These symptoms are not well-characterised. This taskforce aimed to define the clinical characteristics of patients wit...

Methods to score vertebral deformities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Lems, W. F.; Jahangier, Z. N.; Raymakers, J. A.; Jacobs, J. W.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1997-01-01

The objective was to compare four different scoring methods for vertebral deformities: the semiquantitative Kleerekoper score and three quantitative scores (according to Minne, Melton and Raymakers) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Lateral radiographs of the thoracic and lumbar vertebral

EULAR definition of arthralgia suspicious for progression to rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Steenbergen, Hanna W; Aletaha, Daniel; Beaart-van de Voorde, Liesbeth J J; Brouwer, Elisabeth; Codreanu, Catalin; Combe, Bernard; Fonseca, João E; Hetland, Merete L; Humby, Frances; Kvien, Tore K; Niedermann, Karin; Nuño, Laura; Oliver, Sue; Rantapää-Dahlqvist, Solbritt; Raza, Karim; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Schett, Georg; De Smet, Liesbeth; Szücs, Gabriella; Vencovský, Jirí; Wiland, Piotr; de Wit, Maarten; Landewé, Robert L; van der Helm-van Mil, Annette H M

BACKGROUND: During the transition to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) many patients pass through a phase characterised by the presence of symptoms without clinically apparent synovitis. These symptoms are not well-characterised. This taskforce aimed to define the clinical characteristics of patients with

Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients after Initiation of a New Biologic Agent

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Courvoisier, D. S.; Alpizar-Rodriguez, D.; Gottenberg, Jacques-Eric

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Response to disease modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is often heterogeneous. We aimed to identify types of disease activity trajectories following the initiation of a new biologic DMARD (bDMARD). METHODS: Pooled analysis of nine national registries...

Improving B-cell depletion in systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Mota, Pedro; Reddy, Venkat; Isenberg, David

2017-07-01

Rituximab-based B-cell depletion (BCD) therapy is effective in refractory rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and although used to treat patients with refractory systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in routine clinical practice, rituximab failed to meet the primary endpoints in two large randomised controlled trials (RCTs) of non-renal (EXPLORER) and renal (LUNAR) SLE. Areas covered: We review how BCD could be improved to achieve better clinical responses in RA and SLE. Insights into the variability in clinical response to BCD in RA and SLE may help develop new therapeutic strategies. To this end, a literature search was performed using the following terms: rheumatoid arthritis, systemic erythematosus lupus, rituximab and B-cell depletion. Expert commentary: Poor trial design may have, at least partly, contributed to the apparent lack of response to BCD in the two RCTs of patients with SLE. Enhanced B-cell depletion and/or sequential therapy with belimumab may improve clinical response at least in some patients with SLE.

Effect of nonsurgical periodontal treatment in patients with periodontitis and rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

Silvestre-Rangil, Javier; Bagan, Leticia; Bagan, Jose V.

2016-01-01

Background Periodontitis has been regarded as a potential risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A systematic review is made to determine whether nonsurgical periodontal treatment in patients with RA offers benefits in terms of the clinical activity and inflammatory markers of the disease. Material and Methods A search was made of the Medline-PubMed, Cochrane, Embase and Scopus databases to identify studies on the relationship between the two disease processes, and especially on the effects of nonsurgical treatment in patients of this kind. The search was based on the following keywords: rheumatoid arthritis AND periodontitis (MeSH), rheumatoid arthritis AND periodontal treatment. Results Eight articles on the nonsurgical treatment of patients with periodontitis and RA were finally included in the study. All of them evaluated clinical (DAS28) and laboratory test activity (ESR, CRP, IL-6, TNFα) before and after treatment. A clear decrease in DAS28 score and ESR was recorded, while other parameters such as CRP, IL-6 and TNFα showed a non significant tendency to decrease as a result of treatment. Conclusions Nonsurgical treatment improved the periodontal condition of patients with periodontitis and RA, with beneficial effects upon the clinical and laboratory test parameters (DAS28 and ESR), while other inflammatory markers showed a marked tendency to decrease. However, all the studies included in the review involved small samples sizes and follow-up periods of no more than 6 months. Larger and particularly longitudinal studies are therefore needed to more firmly establish possible significant relations between the two disease processes. Key words:Periodontitis, rheumatoid arthritis, periodontal treatment. PMID:26946202

The beneficial effects of rehabilitation on hand function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Krystyna Księżopolska-Orłowska

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Objectives: The hand is one of the main elements of the rehabilitation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA due to deformities, which occur in approximately 90% of patients. It is a serious problem, both in the psychological and functional aspect, connected with muscle strength reduction, a limited range of motion and non-acceptance of the changes in the shape of the limb. The study aimed to assess the effect of rehabilitation on the function of the hand in rheumatoid arthritis. Material and methods: The study group consisted of 40 women with RA. The patients had been previously treated at the Rehabilitation Department of the National Institute of Geriatrics, Rheumatology and Rehabilitation in Warsaw. The study group underwent 3 weeks of rehabilitation involving individual therapy, exercises with equipment, patient education and physical therapy. The control group included women without a diagnosis of RA, hands pain-free and fully mobile. In both groups the hand was assessed for grip value, grip quality and manipulative ability. In the study group the basis of pain intensity was noted. The measurements were performed twice – prior to the rehabilitation and after 3 weeks of rehabilitation in women with RA and once in women without hand problems. Results : The results obtained revealed marked limitation of hand function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The treatment resulted in an improvement of all assessed parameters except cylindrical grip, in which only a part of the findings was statistically significant. Conclusions : The analysis of the study material showed that appropriately adjusted and conducted hand physiotherapy in women with rheumatoid arthritis contributed to the improvement of its function by pain reduction, improved value and quality of grip, and also increased manipulative ability.

OMERACT Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Studies. Summary of OMERACT 6 MR Imaging Module

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

McQueen, F; Lassere, M; Edmonds, J

2003-01-01

Magnetic resonance image (MRI) scanning is a new method for imaging and quantifying joint inflammation and damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Over the past 4 years, the OMERACT MR Imaging Group has been developing and testing the RA-MRI scoring system (RAMRIS) for use in RA. The OMERACT filter...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Patient Webcasts / Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series This series of five videos ... member of our patient care team. Managing Your Arthritis Managing Your Arthritis Managing Chronic Pain and Depression ...

Antibodies to a strain-specific citrullinated Epstein-Barr virus peptide diagnoses rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Trier, Nicole Hartwig; Holm, Bettina Eide; Heiden, Julie

2018-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease. Anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA) are crucial for the serological diagnosis of RA, where Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) has been suggested to be an environmental agent in triggering the onset of the disease. This study aimed...

Switching from adalimumab to tofacitinib in the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Genovese, Mark C.; van Vollenhoven, Ronald F.; Wilkinson, Bethanie; Wang, Lisy; Zwillich, Samuel H.; Gruben, David; Biswas, Pinaki; Riese, Richard; Takiya, Liza; Jones, Thomas V.

2016-01-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The aim of this study was to explore the safety and efficacy of open-label tofacitinib following blinded treatment with adalimumab or tofacitinib for moderate to severe RA. Analyses included patients

Circulating immune complexes contain citrullinated fibrinogen in rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Xiaoyan; Okeke, Nwora Lance; Sharpe, Orr; Batliwalla, Franak M; Lee, Annette T; Ho, Peggy P; Tomooka, Beren H; Gregersen, Peter K; Robinson, William H

2008-01-01

Introduction There is increasing evidence that autoantibodies and immune complexes (ICs) contribute to synovitis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), yet the autoantigens incorporated in ICs in RA remain incompletely characterised. Methods We used the C1q protein to capture ICs from plasma derived from human RA and control patients. Antibodies specific for immunoglobulin were used to detect ICs, and fibrinogen antibodies were used to detect fibrinogen-containing ICs. RA and control plasma were separated by liquid chromatography, and fractions then characterised by ELISA, immunoblotting and mass spectrometry. Immunohistochemical staining was performed on rheumatoid synovial tissue. Results C1q-immunoassays demonstrated increased levels of IgG (p = 0.01) and IgM (p = 0.0002) ICs in plasma derived from RA patients possessing anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP+) autoantibodies as compared with healthy controls. About one-half of the anti-CCP+ RA possessed circulating ICs containing fibrinogen (p = 0.0004). Fractionation of whole RA plasma revealed citrullinated fibrinogen in the high molecular weight fractions that contained ICs. Positive correlations were observed between fibrinogen-containing ICs and anti-citrullinated fibrinogen autoantibodies, anti-CCP antibody, rheumatoid factor and certain clinical characteristics. Immunohistochemical staining demonstrated co-localisation of fibrinogen, immunoglobulin and complement component C3 in RA pannus tissue. Mass spectrometry analysis of immune complexes immunoprecipitated from RA pannus tissue lysates demonstrated the presence of citrullinated fibrinogen. Conclusion Circulating ICs containing citrullinated fibrinogen are present in one-half of anti-CCP+ RA patients, and these ICs co-localise with C3 in the rheumatoid synovium suggesting that they contribute to synovitis in a subset of RA patients. PMID:18710572

Rheumatoid arthritis affecting temporomandibular joint

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amandeep Sodhi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune inflammatory disorder that is characterized by joint inflammation, erosive properties and symmetric multiple joint involvement. Temporomandibular joint (TMJ is very rare to be affected in the early phase of the disease, thus posing diagnostic challenges for the dentist. Conventional radiographs fail to show the early lesions due to its limitations. More recently cone-beam computed tomography (CBCT has been found to diagnose the early degenerative changes of TMJ and hence aid in the diagnosis of the lesions more accurately. Our case highlights the involvement of TMJ in RA and the role of advanced imaging (CBCT in diagnosing the bony changes in the early phase of the disease.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... is Happening to the Joints? Rheumatoid Arthritis: Gaining Control – Working with your Rheumatologist Rheumatoid Arthritis: Additional Conditions ... for Patients Arthritis Drug Information Sheets Benefits and Risks of Opioids in Arthritis Management How to Give ...

Kidney involvement in rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. Lazzarini

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA is a widespread disease and its renal involvement, relatively common, is clinically significant because worsens course and mortality of the primary disease. There is still no agreement on the prevalence of renal disorders in RA: data analysis originates from different sources, as death certificates, autopsies, clinical and laboratory findings and kidney biopsies, each with its limitations. Histoimmunological studies on bioptical specimens of patients with RA and kidney damage, led to clarify prevalent pathologies. In order of frequency: glomerulonephritis and amyloidosis (60-65% and 20-30% respectively, followed by acute or chronic interstitial nephritis. Kidney injury during RA includes secondary renal amyloidosis, nephrotoxic effects of antirheumatic drugs and nephropathies as extra-articular manifestations (rheumatoid nephropathy. Amyloidosis affects survival, increases morbidity and is the main cause of end stage renal disease in patients with RA and nephropathy. Strong association between RA activity and amyloidosis needs the use of immunosuppressive and combined therapies, to prevent this complication and reduce risk of dialysis. Long-lasting and combined RA pharmacotherapy involves various renal side effects. In this review we describe NSAIDs and DMARDs (Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drugs nephrotoxicity, particularly by gold compounds, D-penicillamine, cyclosporine A and methotrexate. Rare cases of IgA glomerulonephritis during immunomodulating therapy with leflunomide and TNF blocking receptor (etanercept are reported; real clinical significance of this drug-related nephropathy will be established by development of RA treatment. In RA nephropathies, mesangial glomerulonephritis is the most frequent histological lesion (35-60 % out of biopsies from patients with urinary abnormalities and/or kidney impairment, followed by minimal change glomerulopathy (3-14% and p-ANCA positive necrotizing crescentic

Magnetic resonance imaging in rheumatoid arthritis advances and research priorities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Mikkel; McQueen, FM; Bird, P

2005-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has now been used extensively in cross-sectional and observational studies as well as in controlled clinical trials to assess disease activity and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MRI measurements or scores for erosions, bone edema, and synovitis have be......, and financial context of the study in question. We review the extent to which MRI assessments of joint erosion, bone edema, and synovitis fulfil these criteria, particularly as they relate to proof-of-concept RA clinical trials.......Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has now been used extensively in cross-sectional and observational studies as well as in controlled clinical trials to assess disease activity and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MRI measurements or scores for erosions, bone edema, and synovitis have been...... developed and validated by several groups. The OMERACT criteria require that outcome measures demonstrate adequate validity, discriminative power, and feasibility if they are to be useful in clinical trials. Specific performance targets for these criteria depend on the scientific, regulatory, logistical...

Sexual functioning of people with rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Berlo, Willy T.M.; van de Wiel, Harry B.M.; Taal, Erik; Rasker, Johannes J.; Weijmar Schultz, Willibrord C.M.; van Rijswijk, Martin H.

2007-01-01

The objective of this study is to compare men and women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to controls regarding sexual motivation, activity, satisfaction, and specific sexual problems, and to determine the correlation of physical aspects of the disease with sexual functioning. Questionnaire for

Sexual functioning of people with rheumatoid arthritis : a multicenter study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Berlo, W.T.M.; van de Wiel, H.B.M.; Taal, E.; Rasker, J.J.; Schultz, W.C.M.W.; van Rijswijk, M.H.

The objective of this study is to compare men and women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) to controls regarding sexual motivation, activity, satisfaction, and specific sexual problems, and to determine the correlation of physical aspects of the disease with sexual functioning. Questionnaire for

Ultrasound versus high field magnetic resonance imaging in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, York Kiat; Østergaard, Mikkel; Bird, Paul

2014-01-01

Over the past decade there have been significant advances in the field of musculoskeletal imaging, especially in the application of ultrasound (US) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Both modalities offer significant advantages over the previous...

Periodontitis in established rheumatoid arthritis patients : A cross-sectional clinical, microbiological and serological study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, Menke de; Westra, Johanna; Vissink, Arjan; Doornbos-van der Meer, Berber; Brouwer, Elisabeth; van Winkelhoff, Arie Jan

2012-01-01

INTRODUCTION: The association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and periodontitis is suggested to be linked to the periodontal pathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis. Colonization of P. gingivalis in the oral cavity of RA patients has been scarcely considered. To further explore whether the association

Comparing new diagnostic criteria of 2010 ACR/EULAR with 1987 ACR criteria in rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Fatemeh Shirani

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA is a chronic inflammatory disease presenting with inflammation, tenderness and destruction of the synovial joints, resulting in severe disability and early death due to complication of disease. Previous diagnostic criteria are not useful for identifying patients who need early treatment. Thus, new diagnostic criteria for faster diagnosis of disease are introduced in 2010. The aim of this study was to compared 1987 ACR (American College of Rheumatology criteria and 2010 ACR/EULAR (European League Against Rheumatism classification criteria for diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: In this Cohort prospective study, patients with early arthritis were evaluated   according to the old and new diagnostic criteria and followed-up every two monthly for one year (2012-2013 in Hazrat-e Rasool University Hospital, Tehran. Inclusion criteria of this study were age more than 18 year and indefinite diagnosis of arthritis. For all of patients physical examination by expert rheumatologist was done and lab data include erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR, C-reactive protein (CRP, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (Anti-CCP and rheumatoid factor was requested. The sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values were then determined for each diagnostic criteria. Results: In this study 104 patients including 28 males (26.9% and 76 females (73.1% with the mean age of 44.2±13.7 years were included. At the end of one year follow-up, 82 were diagnosed to have RA while other 22 patients were not categorized as RA. Sensitivity for ESR, CRP, Anti-CCP and rheumatoid factor in 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria was 52%, 19%, 48%, 28% and specificity for them was 45%, 71%, 27%, 79% respectively. Number of small and large joint arthritis were more in patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA rather than other arthritis (P=0.0001. Sensitivity and specificity for small joints involvement was 87% and 54% and for large joints

RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND PREGNANCY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. M. Kosheleva

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA generally starts at the age when many women have already become mothers; however, it may occur in childhood or adolescence. Furthermore, there has been recently a women’s tendency to plan pregnacy for a more mature age, which necessitates a discussion about gestation in this disease. Investigation of mechanisms pregnancy can influence the development of RA both in the gestation and long-term periods is of important theoretical and practical value. The results of these investigations may be used to develop new treatments for RA and management tactics for patients during pregnancy and lactation. The  aper gives the data available in the literature on fertility in RA, impact of pregnancy on its activity and that of RA on the course and outcomes of gestation, as well as current ideas on lactation and use of oral contraceptives in RA. Particular attention is given to drug therapy in pregnant and breastfeeding women with RA: groups of anti-rheumatic drugs are considered in detail in relation to the safety of or a potential risk from their use. A therapeutic algorithm and recommendations for pregnancy planning and a follow-up of patients with RA during gestation are proposed.

Rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: lung inflammation evaluated with high resolution computed tomography scan is correlated to rheumatoid arthritis disease activity.

Science.gov (United States)

Pérez-Dórame, Renzo; Mejía, Mayra; Mateos-Toledo, Heidegger; Rojas-Serrano, Jorge

2015-01-01

To describe the association between rheumatoid arthritis disease activity (RA) and interstitial lung damage (inflammation and fibrosis), in a group of patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). A retrospective study of RA patients with interstitial lung disease (restrictive pattern in lung function tests and evidence of interstitial lung disease in high resolution computed tomography (HRCT)). Patients were evaluated to exclude other causes of pulmonary disease. RA disease activity was measured with the CDAI index. Interstitial lung inflammation and fibrosis were determined by Kazerooni scale. We compared Kazerooni ground-glass score with the nearest CDAI score to HRCT date scan of the first medical evaluation at our institution. In nine patients, we compared the first ground-glass score with a second one after treatment with DMARDs and corticosteroids. Spearman's rank correlation coefficient was used to evaluate association between RA disease activity and the Kazerooni ground-glass and fibrosis scores. Thirty-four patients were included. A positive correlation between CDAI and ground-glass scores was found (rs=0.3767, P<0.028). Fibrosis and CDAI scores were not associated (rs=-0.0747, P<0.6745). After treatment, a downward tendency in the ground-glass score was observed (median [IQR]): (2.33 [2,3] vs. 2 [1.33-2.16]), P<0.056, along with a lesser CDAI score (27 [8-43] vs. 9 [5-12]), P<0.063. There is a correlation between RA disease activity and ground-glass appearance in the HRCT of RA-ILD patients. These results suggest a positive association between RA disease activity and lung inflammation in RA-ILD. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist in early rheumatoid arthritis: a pictorial essay

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, N.R.; Crabbe, J.P.; McQueen, F.M.

2001-01-01

This pictorial essay describes the changes seen in the wrist in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on MRI. Magnetic resonance imaging can demonstrate bone erosions, bone marrow signal changes, synovitis and tenosynovitis in early rheumatoid arthritis. Magnetic resonance imaging of the wrist can identify erosions in RA earlier than plain radiographs and can detect more erosions. Common sites include the capitate, lunate and scaphoid. Bone marrow signal changes occur frequently and are most common in the capitate, lunate and triquetrum. Synovial thickening and enhancement are clearly demonstrated with MRI and are most commonly seen in the radiocarpal joint (RCJ). Tenosynovitis can be seen in the wrist in more than half of patients presenting with RA. This most commonly involves the extensor carpi ulnaris tendon and is seen as sheath fluid, thickening and enhancement. Copyright (2001) Blackwell Science Pty Ltd

The course of radiologic damage during the first six years of rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hulsmans, H. M.; Jacobs, J. W.; van der Heijde, D. M.; van Albada-Kuipers, G. A.; Schenk, Y.; Bijlsma, J. W.

2000-01-01

To describe the radiologic course in a large cohort of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to analyze individual components of damage. Five hundred two patients with recent-onset RA (disease duration <1 year) underwent annual radiologic assessment for a maximum of 6 years in this

Discordant perspectives of rheumatologists and patients on COBRA combination therapy in rheumatoid arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tuyl, L.H.D. van; Plass, A.M.C.; Lems, W.F.; Voskuyl, A.E.; Kerstens, P.J.S.M.; Dijkmans, B.A.C.; Boers, M.

2008-01-01

Objective. The COBRA therapy (combination therapy in early rheumatoid arthritis) has proven to be an effective treatment for early RA, but is rarely prescribed. A survey showed reluctance of Dutch reumatologists to apply COBRA therapy in early RA. The present qualitative study was carried out to

Newborn infant characteristics and risk of future rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Svendsen, Anders J; Kyvik, Kirsten O; Houen, Gunnar

2014-01-01

Low birth weight has been proposed as a risk factor for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The twin-control study design provides an opportunity to investigate the significance of potential prenatal determinants for adult morbidity by accounting for maternal characteristics and early environmental...... for developing RA as first born twin was 2.33 (95 % CI 0.97-5.60) when adjusting for birth length, birth weight, and sex, irrespective of ACPA status. In this twin-control study, birth weight was not associated with the development of RA in adult life. Being born first may predispose to RA....

Prostaglandins and Rheumatoid Arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammad Javad Fattahi

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic, autoimmune, and complex inflammatory disease leading to bone and cartilage destruction, whose cause remains obscure. Accumulation of genetic susceptibility, environmental factors, and dysregulated immune responses are necessary for mounting this self-reacting disease. Inflamed joints are infiltrated by a heterogeneous population of cellular and soluble mediators of the immune system, such as T cells, B cells, macrophages, cytokines, and prostaglandins (PGs. Prostaglandins are lipid inflammatory mediators derived from the arachidonic acid by multienzymatic reactions. They both sustain homeostatic mechanisms and mediate pathogenic processes, including the inflammatory reaction. They play both beneficial and harmful roles during inflammation, according to their site of action and the etiology of the inflammatory response. With respect to the role of PGs in inflammation, they can be effective mediators in the pathophysiology of RA. Thus the use of agonists or antagonists of PG receptors may be considered as a new therapeutic protocol in RA. In this paper, we try to elucidate the role of PGs in the immunopathology of RA.

Calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate and hydroxyapatite crystals in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis: Acase report

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Shereen R Kamel

2017-01-01

Full Text Available The association between rheumatoid arthritis (RA and calcium pyrophosphate dihydrate (CPPD crystal deposits can now be easily identified by MSUS, which is a noninvasive technique that can be applied to patients with painful joints and enthesis that are unexplained by rheumatoid activity. In this paper, we report an Egyptian case of a 51-year-old man who had rheumatoid arthritis since 7 years and developed bilateral knee and heel pain of 1.5 months’ duration with gradual onset and progressive course. Radiography revealed features of RA in both hands, as well as features of severe osteoarthritis in both knees with no signs of chondrocalcinosis. Ultrasonography of the joints, Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia detected knee, Achilles tendon, and plantar fascia calcifications, which are characteristic of CPPD, and supraspinatus calcification, which is characteristic of hydroxyapatite (HA deposition. Further investigations revealed no evidence of metabolic disorders. CPPD and HA crystals were identified in his synovial fluid. Subclinical affection with CPPD and HA crystals in RA can be easily detected by ultrasonography, which allows early management to prevent future attacks in RA patients that could lead to exacerbation of joint symptoms that may be missed as rheumatoid disease activity. Diet control and colchicine treatment may be more effective if started early before exacerbation.

Postural control in rheumatoid arthritis patients scheduled for total knee arthroplasty

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tjon A Hen, S.S.K.; Bosch, P.V.; Laan, R.F.J.M.; Mulder, T.

2000-01-01

Objective: To investigate the use of compensatory visual and attentional control strategies for standing balance in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with severe knee joint impairment. Design: Experimental 2-group design. Setting: Specialized clinic for orthopedics, rheumatology, and

Identification of laboratory markers of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis abstract objective

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naqi, N.; Ahmed, T.A.; Malik, J.M.

2012-01-01

To identify the laboratory markers of disease activity, by finding relationship of biochemical markers with clinical disease activity measurement in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Study Design: Cross sectional analytical study. Place and duration of study: Department of Immunology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology (AFIP), Rawalpindi from January 2009 to January 2010 in collaboration with Fauji Foundation Hospital and Military Hospital Rawalpindi. Patients and Methods: One hundred patients diagnosed as having rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as per American college of Rheumatology (ACR) revised criteria 1987 and fulfilling the study's inclusion criteria were studied. These patients were assessed clinically according to Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) and divided into three groups which were mild, moderate and severe based on disease activity. These three groups were then assessed for disease activity by Rheumatoid factor (RA factor), Anti Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide antibodies (anti CCP antibodies), Erythrocyte Sedimentation Rate (ESR) and C- Reactive Proteins (CRP). The association of these laboratory markers with three groups of disease activity was analyzed to detect most sensitive disease activity markers for RA. Results: All the assessed laboratory markers that are RA factor, anti CCP antibodies, ESR and CRP are directly related with RA disease activity and any of them can be used to assess disease activity in RA. However a combination of the tests, analyzed in this study markers maybe used for better prediction of disease activity Conclusion: The identification of the laboratory markers of disease activity may help physician to diagnose aggressive disease early and evaluate prognosis in RA patients. (author)

MR imaging assessment of clinical problems in rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Narvaez, Jose A.; Roca, Yolanda; Aguilera, Carlos; Narvaez, Javier

2002-01-01

Although MR imaging has been increasingly recognized as a useful tool in the diagnosis of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in the assessment of disease activity, these applications have not yet been usually included in the routine management of this condition. Our goal is to review the current role of MRI in the everyday clinical management of patients with RA. The usefulness of MRI in the evaluation of articular and para-articular changes in specific locations, mainly the craniocervical region and the temporomandibular joint, are reviewed. Clinical problems derived from local extra-articular involvement, such as tenosynovitis, ''rice-bodies'' bursitis, and Baker's cyst rupture, are also described. Finally, we also review the value of MRI in evaluation of some complications of RA such as tendinous rupture, osteonecrosis, stress fracture, and septic arthritis/osteomyelitis. (orig.)

Loneliness among women with rheumatoid arthritis: A cross-cultural study in the Netherlands and Egypt

NARCIS (Netherlands)

El-Mansoury, Tarek M.; Taal, Erik; Abdel-nasser, Ahmed M.; Riemsma, R.P.; Mahfouz, Refaat; Mahmoud, Jehan A.; El-badawy, Samir A.; Rasker, Johannes J.

2008-01-01

The objective of this study was to explain loneliness as experienced by women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a cross-cultural context. We studied 36 Egyptian female RA patients and 140 female Dutch RA patients.. Self-report data were collected about loneliness, physical and psychological health

A non-synonymous single-nucleotide polymorphism in the gene encoding Toll-like Receptor 3 (TLR3) is associated with sero-negative Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) in a Danish population

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Laska, Magdalena Janina; Hansen, Bettina; Troldborg, Anne

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: It has been suggested that polymorphisms in Toll-like Receptors (TLRs) are associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), but the implicated alleles have differed between studies. The aim of this investigation was to explore whether polymorphisms of TLR genes are associated with RA...... according to IgM rheumatoid factor (RF) and anti-cyclic citrinullated peptide (CCP) status suggested a significant association of sero-negative RA with the rs3775291 A allele and disease activity in this subset. CONCLUSION: These observations on a RA population of Danish ancestry suggest that variations...... in the TLR3 locus may be implicated in the pathogenesis of sero-negative RA. Since this TLR3 SNP has previously been associated with systemic lupus erythematous (SLE), the present findings support the notion that TLR3 genetic variants may represent a common risk factor in different chronic inflammatory...

Characterization of rheumatoid arthritis subtypes using symptom profiles, clinical chemistry and metabolomics measurements.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Herman A van Wietmarschen

Full Text Available OBJECTIVE: The aim is to characterize subgroups or phenotypes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA patients using a systems biology approach. The discovery of subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis patients is an essential research area for the improvement of response to therapy and the development of personalized medicine strategies. METHODS: In this study, 39 RA patients are phenotyped using clinical chemistry measurements, urine and plasma metabolomics analysis and symptom profiles. In addition, a Chinese medicine expert classified each RA patient as a Cold or Heat type according to Chinese medicine theory. Multivariate data analysis techniques are employed to detect and validate biochemical and symptom relationships with the classification. RESULTS: The questionnaire items 'Red joints', 'Swollen joints', 'Warm joints' suggest differences in the level of inflammation between the groups although c-reactive protein (CRP and rheumatoid factor (RHF levels were equal. Multivariate analysis of the urine metabolomics data revealed that the levels of 11 acylcarnitines were lower in the Cold RA than in the Heat RA patients, suggesting differences in muscle breakdown. Additionally, higher dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS levels in Heat patients compared to Cold patients were found suggesting that the Cold RA group has a more suppressed hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA axis function. CONCLUSION: Significant and relevant biochemical differences are found between Cold and Heat RA patients. Differences in immune function, HPA axis involvement and muscle breakdown point towards opportunities to tailor disease management strategies to each of the subgroups RA patient.

Abatacept in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Posadas, Augusto; Lisse, Jeffrey; Sarkar, Sujata

2009-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory arthritis affecting 1% of the population. The immunologic dysfunction underlying this immune disorder is complex and intricate with the involvement of various immune cells as well as cytokines and surface molecules. While inhibition of TNF-alpha has changed the outlook of patients with this disorder, it regulates only one aspect of the inflammatory cascade associated with RA. This is corroborated by experience in the clinic, where a significant proportion of the patients do not have clinical benefit with such therapies. Furthermore, a number of patients experience blunting of the initial therapeutic benefits of TNF-alpha-targeted therapies. Thus, a different approach to regulate the immune dysfunction associated with RA is necessary. T cells are considered important in the pathogenesis of RA and abatacept, a fusion protein, was developed to abolish the activation of the T cell by blocking its interaction with the antigen-presenting cell. Abatacept has demonstrated promising clinical improvements in patients with RA. Although clinical experience with this new drug is limited and its mechanism of action remains to be understood, the data on the safety profile are reassuring.

A population study on rheumatoid arthritis in Lesotho, southern Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Moolenburgh, J D; Valkenburg, H A; Fourie, P B

1986-01-01

Motivated by the results of a hospital study on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Lesotho (southern Africa) a survey of inflammatory polyarthritis (IP) and RA was undertaken in a sample of the rural population of that country. Contrary to expectations the prevalence of IP grades 2-4 (definite disease) was low (0.4%) and equal in both sexes, while probable and definite RA combined (American Rheumatism Association (ARA) criteria) occurred in 1.8% of both males and females. RA was slightly more severe than in other rural African Negro studies but less so when compared with the disease condition of the patients observed in the hospital study. Rheumatoid factor and particularly that directed against heterologous antigen occurred in 41% of the RA patients and in 16% of the controls. Two thirds of the definite cases and 29% of the combined probable and definite group showed radiological abnormalities. PMID:3740998

Is there an indication for HLA-DR typing for individual patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Jaarsveld, C. H.; Otten, H. G.; Jacobs, J. W.; Kruize, A. A.; Brus, H. L.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1998-01-01

The clinical expression of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) varies considerably among individual patients. Genetic variations in human leucocyte antigen (HLA) may influence susceptibility to RA and the severity of the disease. The literature concerning the association of HLA-DR with the susceptibility to

Efficacy of tofacitinib monotherapy in methotrexate-naive patients with early or established rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Fleischmann, Roy M.; Huizinga, Tom W. J.; Kavanaugh, Arthur F.; Wilkinson, Bethanie; Kwok, Kenneth; DeMasi, Ryan; van Vollenhoven, Ronald F.

2016-01-01

Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Tofacitinib monotherapy was previously shown to inhibit structural damage, reduce clinical signs and symptoms of RA, and improve physical functioning over 24 months in methotrexate (MTX)-naive adult

Burden of rheumatoid arthritis in the Nordic region, 1990-2015

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kiadaliri, A A; Kristensen, L-E; Englund, M

2018-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To report mortality and disability due to rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Nordic region (Denmark, Finland, Greenland, Iceland, Norway, and Sweden) using data from the Global Burden of Disease Study (GBD) 2015. METHOD: Using the results of GBD 2015, we present rates and trends...

The impact of endpoint measures in rheumatoid arthritis clinical trials

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Heide, A.; Jacobs, J. W.; Dinant, H. J.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1992-01-01

In clinical trials on the effectiveness of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), it is common to apply a large number of endpoint measures. This practice has several disadvantages. To determine which endpoint measures are most valuable, reports of

Magnetic resonance imaging in rheumatoid arthritis advances and research priorities

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Mikkel; McQueen, FM; Bird, P

2005-01-01

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has now been used extensively in cross-sectional and observational studies as well as in controlled clinical trials to assess disease activity and joint damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). MRI measurements or scores for erosions, bone edema, and synovitis have been...

Organising pneumonia as the first manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Hoshino, Chisho; Satoh, Noriyuki; Narita, Masashi; Kikuchi, Akio; Inoue, Minoru

2011-01-01

Organising pneumonia (OP) is an inflammatory lung disease with distinctive clinicopathological features. OP can be evident during the course of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with increased disease activity. The authors report an OP associated with RA case in which pulmonary symptoms preceded the onset of joint symptoms. An OP patient with elevated serum anticyclic citrullinated peptide antibody is likely to manifest RA in the near future, reflecting its high disease activity. Thus, an early rheumatologic consultation should be taken into consideration to make an early decision to initiate disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs therapy. PMID:22699479

Rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

... Firestein's Textbook of Rheumatology . 10th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 70. Garneau E. Rheumatoid arthritis. In: ... FF, ed. Ferri's Clinical Advisor 2018 . Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:1125-1128. June RR, Moreland LW. Rheumatoid ...

Elevated rheumatoid factor and long term risk of rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Sune F; Bojesen, Stig E; Schnohr, Peter

2012-01-01

To test whether elevated concentration of rheumatoid factor is associated with long term development of rheumatoid arthritis.......To test whether elevated concentration of rheumatoid factor is associated with long term development of rheumatoid arthritis....

Trochanteric bursitis--a frequent cause of 'hip' pain in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Raman, D; Haslock, I

1982-01-01

One hundred consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were examined for the presence of trochanteric bursitis. This condition was found in 15. Ten patients responded to a single local injection of corticosteroid and the remaining 5 to a second injection. Trochanteric bursitis is an underdiagnosed, easily remediable cause of pain in RA. Specific examination for in presence should be a routine in all patients with RA, especially those with hip pain. PMID:7149797

Rheumatoid arthritis and work: The impact of rheumatoid arthritis on absenteeism and presenteeism.

Science.gov (United States)

Verstappen, Suzanne M M

2015-06-01

For patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), being in paid work is very important, and it increases self-esteem and financial independence. Although the management of RA has changed in the last 15 years to early aggressive treatment and the introduction of biologic treatments, many patients still have to take sick leave or even stop working because of their RA (i.e., absenteeism). For those remaining in paid work, patients may experience problems due to RA resulting in productivity loss while at work (i.e., presenteeism). The costs attributed to absenteeism and presenteeism (i.e., indirect costs) have been estimated to be very high, and they even exceed direct costs. However, there is no consensus on how to calculate these costs. This manuscript examines the relationship between the use of biologic therapy and absenteeism, with a focus on sick leave, and on presenteeism, and it provides an overview of indirect costs of absenteeism and presenteeism in those treated with biologic therapies. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Use of isokinetic muscle strength as a measure of severity of rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schiøttz-Christensen, Berit; Lyngberg, K; Keiding, N

2001-01-01

The aim of this study was to study the association between isokinetic muscle strength (IMS) and other clinical indicators of disability and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A cohort of 36 RA patients was followed over a 1-year period with five measurements of disease...

Rheumatoid arthritis clinical features and management strategies at an urban tertiary facility in Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Rais, Rehan; Saeed, Mohammad; Haider, Rimsha; Jassani, Zahra; Riaz, Amir; Perveen, Tahira

2014-12-01

To determine the presentation patterns, biologically vulnerable patient groups and treatment strategies of rheumatoid arthritis. The retrospective study was conducted at the Rheumatology Clinic of Liaquat National Hospital and Medical College, Karachi, and comprised data of rheumatology patients who presented between September 2006 and September 2012. After screening all the files, rheumatoid arthritis cases were identified. Data collection was done using a questionnaire that included patient demographics, co-morbidities, clinical manifestations and drug therapy. SPSS 13 was used for statistical analysis. Of the 2300 files screened, 500(21.7%) related to patients of rheumatoid arthritis. The mean age at presentation of these 500 patients was 41±15 years. There were 367(73.4%) women and they presented at an earlier age compared to men (p<0.024). Erosions were present in 198(40%) patients on X-rays and 22(4.4%) had joint deformities. Seropositive rheumatoid arthritis was associated with higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate levels (p<0.014), but did not differ from seronegative rheumatoid arthritis in terms of Disease Activity Score-28 levels (p<0.21). The skewed gender distribution was likely an effect of rheumatoid arthritis biology rather than due to issues of healthcare accessibility. Seronegative RA is likely to present late though it is as destructive as the seropositive disease.

Comparing cardiovascular risk factors, disease and treatment in participants with rheumatoid arthritis and without arthritis in a population based study

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

O’Driscoll, N

2017-05-01

Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) is associated with a significant increase in mortality compared to the general population, with cardiovascular disease (CVD) the leading cause of death. The aim of this study is to compare the prevalence and treatment of modifiable CV risk factors and history of CVD in those with RA and those without arthritis in Ireland. Data from the Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA), a population-representative cohort study of people in Ireland aged 50 or over, was used. Participants with RA (n=457) were twice as likely to be obese (OR 2.02, 95% CI 1.99 to 2.06) compared to those without arthritis (n=4,063). Participants with RA were also more likely to be physically inactive (OR 1.73, 95% CI 1.69 to 1.76) and taking antihypertensive medication than those without arthritis. Exercise can have a beneficial impact on CVD and specific interventions to increase physical activity in those with RA may be warranted

[New therapies for rheumatoid arthritis].

Science.gov (United States)

Salgado, Eva; Maneiro, José Ramón

2014-11-18

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by inflammation of the synovial membrane and progressive destruction of the articular cartilage and bone. Advances in the knowledge of disease pathogenesis allowed the identification of novel therapeutic targets such as tumor necrosis factor (TNF), interleukin (IL)-1, IL-6 or the system JAK/STAT phosphorylation. At present there are 5 TNF antagonists approved for RA. Tocilizumab blocks the pathway of IL-6 and is the only biological with proven efficacy in monotherapy. Rituximab modulates B cell response in RA. Abatacept provided new data on T cell involvement in the pathogenesis of RA. Tofacitinib is the first kinase inhibitor approved for this disease. Biologic drugs have proven efficacy, almost always in combination with methotrexate, and even halt radiographic progression. Monitoring infection is the main precaution in handling these patients. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

SAT0125 The impact of selected comorbidities on treatment outcome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: an exploratory cohort study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Emamifar, Amir; Jensen Hansen, Inger Marie

2018-01-01

diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis is associated with poor initial treatment response evaluated by disease activity score in 28 joints-C-reactive protein (DAS28- CRP): An observational cohort study. Medicine (Baltimore) 2017;96:e8357. [2] Emamifar A, et al. Patients with newly diagnosed Rheumatoid Arthritis......Background: Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) may present with various comorbidities resulting in worse treatment response.[1-2] Objectives: To investigate the impact of selected comorbid diseases on RA outcome with the aim of Disease Activity Score in 28 joints-C-Reactive Protein (DAS28-CRP......). Methods: All our RA patients were included in this study. Patients’ demographics, serology results and DAS28-CRP at the time of diagnosis and after 4 months of treatment initiation were collected. Patients’ electronic hospital records were evaluated for a positive history of thyroid diseases, Diabetes...

Detection of rheumatoid arthritis using infrared imaging

Science.gov (United States)

Frize, Monique; Adéa, Cynthia; Payeur, Pierre; Di Primio, Gina; Karsh, Jacob; Ogungbemile, Abiola

2011-03-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an inflammatory disease causing pain, swelling, stiffness, and loss of function in joints; it is difficult to diagnose in early stages. An early diagnosis and treatment can delay the onset of severe disability. Infrared (IR) imaging offers a potential approach to detect changes in degree of inflammation. In 18 normal subjects and 13 patients diagnosed with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), thermal images were collected from joints of hands, wrists, palms, and knees. Regions of interest (ROIs) were manually selected from all subjects and all parts imaged. For each subject, values were calculated from the temperature measurements: Mode/Max, Median/Max, Min/Max, Variance, Max-Min, (Mode-Mean), and Mean/Min. The data sets did not have a normal distribution, therefore non parametric tests (Kruskal-Wallis and Ranksum) were applied to assess if the data from the control group and the patient group were significantly different. Results indicate that: (i) thermal images can be detected on patients with the disease; (ii) the best joints to image are the metacarpophalangeal joints of the 2nd and 3rd fingers and the knees; the difference between the two groups was significant at the 0.05 level; (iii) the best calculations to differentiate between normal subjects and patients with RA are the Mode/Max, Variance, and Max-Min. We concluded that it is possible to reliably detect RA in patients using IR imaging. Future work will include a prospective study of normal subjects and patients that will compare IR results with Magnetic Resonance (MR) analysis.

The association of fatigue, comorbidity burden, disease activity, disability and gross domestic product in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Results from 34 countries participating in the Quest-RA program

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Grøn, Kathrine Lederballe; Ornbjerg, Lykke Midtbøll; Hetland, Merete Lund

2014-01-01

OBJECTIVES: The aim is to assess the prevalence of comorbidities and to further analyse to which degree fatigue can be explained by comorbidity burden, disease activity, disability and gross domestic product (GDP) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Nine thousands eight hundred...

Compliance in rheumatoid arthritis and the role of formal patient education

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brus, H.L.M.; Brus, Herman; van de Laar, Mart A F J; Taal, Erik; Rasker, Johannes J.; Wiegman, O.

1997-01-01

Objective: This study was performed to determine the compliance with the basic treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA; medication, physical therapy, and ergonomic measures), to study psychological factors that influence compliance in light of the social learning theory, to learn whether patient

Spectrum of lymphomas across different drug treatment groups in rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mercer, Louise K; Regierer, Anne C; Mariette, Xavier

2017-01-01

BACKGROUND: Lymphomas comprise a heterogeneous group of malignant diseases with highly variable prognosis. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a twofold increased risk of both Hodgkin's lymphoma (HL) and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). It is unknown whether treatment with biologic disease-...

Receptor protein tyrosine phosphatase alpha enhances rheumatoid synovial fibroblast signaling and promotes arthritis in mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stanford, Stephanie M; Svensson, Mattias N D; Sacchetti, Cristiano; Pilo, Caila A; Wu, Dennis J; Kiosses, William B; Hellvard, Annelie; Bergum, Brith; Aleman Muench, German R; Elly, Christian; Liu, Yun-Cai; den Hertog, Jeroen; Elson, Ari; Sap, Jan; Mydel, Piotr; Boyle, David L; Corr, Maripat; Firestein, Gary S; Bottini, Nunzio

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: During rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) critically promote disease pathogenesis by aggressively invading the joint extracellular matrix. The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling pathway is emerging as a contributor to RA FLS anomalous behavior. The receptor

Gene therapy in animal models of rheumatoid arthritis: are we ready for the patients?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Loo, F.A.J. van de; Smeets, R.L.L.; Berg, W.B. van den

2004-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the synovial joints, with progressive destruction of cartilage and bone. Anti-tumour necrosis factor-alpha therapies (e.g. soluble tumour necrosis factor receptors) ameliorate disease in 60-70% of patients with RA. However, the need for

Gadolinium-DTPA enhanced magnetic resonance imaging of bone cysts in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gubler, F. M.; Algra, P. R.; Maas, M.; Dijkstra, P. F.; Falke, T. H.

1993-01-01

To examine the contents of intraosseous cysts in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) through the signal intensity characteristics on gadolinium-DTPA (Gd-DTPA) enhanced magnetic resonance imaging. The hand or foot joints of nine patients with the cystic form of RA (where the initial radiological

Genetics of rheumatoid arthritis conributes to biology and drug discovery

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Okada, Yukinori; Wu, Di; Trynka, Gosia; Raj, Towfique; Terao, Chikashi; Ikari, Katsunori; Kochi, Yuta; Ohmura, Koichiro; Suzuki, A.; Yoshida, S.; Graham, R.R.; Manoharan, A.; Ortmann, W.; Bhangale, T.; Denny, J.C.; Carroll, R.J.; Eyler, A.E.; Greenberg, J.D.; Kremer, J.M.; Pappas, D.A.; Jiang, L.; Yin, L.; Ye, L.; Su, D.F.; Yang, J.; Xie, G.; Keystone, E.; Westra, H.J.; Esko, T.; Metspalu, A.; Zhou, X.; Gupta, N.; Mirel, D.; Stahl, Eli A.; Diogo, D.; Cui, J.; Liao, K.; Guo, M.H.; Myouzen, K.; Kawaguchi, T.; Coenen, M.J.; van Riel, P.L.; van de Laar, Mart A.F.J.; Guchelaar, H.J.; Huizinga, T.W.; Dieudé, P.; Mariette, X.; Louis Bridges Jr, S.; Zhernakova, A.; Toes, R.E.; Tak, P.P.; Miceli-Richard, C.; Bang, S.Y.; Lee, H.S.; Martin, J.; Gonzales-Gay, M.A.; Rodriguez-Rodriguez, L.; Rantapää-Dhlqvist, S.; Arlestig, L.; Choi, H.K.; Kamatani, Y.; Galan, P.; Lathrop, M.; Eyre, S.; Bowes, J.; Barton, A.; de Vries, N.; Moreland, L.W.; Criswell, L.A.; Karlson, E.W.; Taniguchi, A.; Yamada, R; Kubo, M.; Bae, S.C.; Worthington, J.; Padyukov, L.; Klareskog, L.; Gregersen, Peter K.; Raychaudhuri, S.; Stranger, B.E.; de Jager, P.L.; Franke, L.; Visscher, P.M.; Brown, M.A.; Yamanaka, H.; Mimori, T.; Takahashi, A.; Xu, H.; Behrens, T.W.; Siminovitch, K.A.; Momohara, S.; Matsuda, F.; Yamamoto, K.; Plenge, Robert M.

2013-01-01

A major challenge in human genetics is to devise a systematic strategy to integrate disease-associated variants with diverse genomic and biological data sets to provide insight into disease pathogenesis and guide drug discovery for complex traits such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA)1. Here we performed

ANTI-HETEROGENEOUS NUCLEAR RIBONUCLEOPROTEIN B1 (ANTI-RA33 ANTIBODIES IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AND SYSTEMIC SCLEROSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

P. A. Kuznetsova

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Anti-heterogeneous nuclear ribonucleoprotein (RNP autoantibodies (AAbs are encountered in many autoimmune rheumatic diseases (ARDs. The potential diagnostic value of the RA33 AAb complex consisting of RNP A2 and alternative domains of the splicing proteins RNP B1 and RNP B2 is now of interest to rheumatologists. Subjects and methods. The authors studied the frequency of anti-RNP B1 AAbs in 300 patients with systemic ARDs, including those with rheumatoid arthritis (RA, ankylosing spondylitis (AS, systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE, systemic sclerosis (SSc, and Sjö gren's syndrome (SS and in 53 people without ARDs, who constituted a control group. Serum anti-RNP B1 AAbs were assessed by enzyme immunoassay. Results and discussion. The frequency of anti-RNP B1 AAbs in patients with ARDs was much higher than that in the control group: 170/300 (56.6% and 8/53 (13% patients, respectively. Anti-RNP B1 AAbs were detected in 78.5% (113/144 of the patients with RA; 40.3% (23/57 of those with AS, in 67.5% (27/40 of those with SSc, in 36.4% (16/44 of those with SLE, and in 13.3% (2/15 of those with SS. The diagnostic sensitivity of the marker for RA was 78.5%, its diagnostic specificity was 84.9%; the likelihood ratio of positive and negative results was 5.24 and 0.24, respectively. In the patients with RA, the level of anti-RNP B1 AAbs significantly correlated with that of C-reactive protein and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, while in those with SSc the detection of anti-RNP B1 AAbs was related to the rigidity of the vascular wall and the presence of hypertension. The frequency of anti-RNP B1 AAbs among the RA patients seronegative for rheumatoid factor and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies was 15.4%. Conclusion. Anti-RNP B1 AAs are a useful laboratory marker (with the upper limit of the normal range being 3.3 U/ml, but are of limited value in the diagnosis of RA. Anti-RNP B1 AAbs may be regarded as an additional diagnostic marker for RA.

Non Inherited Maternal HLA Antigens in Susceptibility to Familial Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Guthrie, Katherine A.; Tishkevich, Natalia R.; Nelson, J. Lee

2009-01-01

Objectives Some rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients lack RA-associated HLA alleles. Prior studies investigated non-inherited maternal HLA alleles (NIMA) in RA risk with conflicting results. Methods We examined NIMA in a large cohort of families from the North American Rheumatoid Arthritis Consortium. Results Among 620 patients with one or both parents HLA-genotyped, RA patients informative for analysis included 176 without HLA-DRB1*04 and 86 without the HLA shared epitope (SE). The frequency of NIMA encoding HLA-DR4 or the SE was compared to the non-inherited paternal allele (NIPA). DR4-encoding NIMA vs. NIPA revealed no significant difference (27% vs. 20%). However, parity is known to modulate RA risk and analyses stratified by sex and age of onset showed significant variation among women. Interestingly, among women with onset <45 years DR4-encoding NIMA was increased compared to NIPA; among women ≥45 years at onset the reverse was observed (31% vs. 16% compared to 10% vs. 60%, p=0.008). DR4 encoding NIMA vs. NIPA did not differ in men. The SE did not differ in men or women. Conclusions Risk of RA was associated with HLA-DR4 encoding NIMA in younger-onset women but not in older-onset women or men. These observations could help explain conflicting prior results of NIMA in RA. PMID:18684745

Women, men, and rheumatoid arthritis: analyses of disease activity, disease characteristics, and treatments in the QUEST-RA study.

Science.gov (United States)

Sokka, Tuulikki; Toloza, Sergio; Cutolo, Maurizio; Kautiainen, Hannu; Makinen, Heidi; Gogus, Feride; Skakic, Vlado; Badsha, Humeira; Peets, Tõnu; Baranauskaite, Asta; Géher, Pál; Ujfalussy, Ilona; Skopouli, Fotini N; Mavrommati, Maria; Alten, Rieke; Pohl, Christof; Sibilia, Jean; Stancati, Andrea; Salaffi, Fausto; Romanowski, Wojciech; Zarowny-Wierzbinska, Danuta; Henrohn, Dan; Bresnihan, Barry; Minnock, Patricia; Knudsen, Lene Surland; Jacobs, Johannes Wg; Calvo-Alen, Jaime; Lazovskis, Juris; Pinheiro, Geraldo da Rocha Castelar; Karateev, Dmitry; Andersone, Daina; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Yazici, Yusuf; Pincus, Theodore

2009-01-01

Gender as a predictor of outcomes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evoked considerable interest over the decades. Historically, there is no consensus whether RA is worse in females or males. Recent reports suggest that females are less likely than males to achieve remission. Therefore, we aimed to study possible associations of gender and disease activity, disease characteristics, and treatments of RA in a large multinational cross-sectional cohort of patients with RA called Quantitative Standard Monitoring of Patients with RA (QUEST-RA). The cohort includes clinical and questionnaire data from patients who were seen in usual care, including 6,004 patients at 70 sites in 25 countries as of April 2008. Gender differences were analyzed for American College of Rheumatology Core Data Set measures of disease activity, DAS28 (disease activity score using 28 joint counts), fatigue, the presence of rheumatoid factor, nodules and erosions, and the current use of prednisone, methotrexate, and biologic agents. Women had poorer scores than men in all Core Data Set measures. The mean values for females and males were swollen joint count-28 (SJC28) of 4.5 versus 3.8, tender joint count-28 of 6.9 versus 5.4, erythrocyte sedimentation rate of 30 versus 26, Health Assessment Questionnaire of 1.1 versus 0.8, visual analog scales for physician global estimate of 3.0 versus 2.5, pain of 4.3 versus 3.6, patient global status of 4.2 versus 3.7, DAS28 of 4.3 versus 3.8, and fatigue of 4.6 versus 3.7 (P < 0.001). However, effect sizes were small-medium and smallest (0.13) for SJC28. Among patients who had no or minimal disease activity (0 to 1) on SJC28, women had statistically significantly higher mean values compared with men in all other disease activity measures (P < 0.001) and met DAS28 remission less often than men. Rheumatoid factor was equally prevalent among genders. Men had nodules more often than women. Women had erosions more often than men, but the statistical significance

Patterns of magnetic resonance imaging bone erosion in rheumatoid arthritis--which bones are most frequently involved and show the most change?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ostergaard, Mikkel; Møller Døhn, Uffe; Duer-Jensen, Anne

2011-01-01

To investigate by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which bones in wrists and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints most frequently show bone erosions, and which most frequently demonstrate erosive progression, in early and established rheumatoid arthritis (RA).......To investigate by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) which bones in wrists and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints most frequently show bone erosions, and which most frequently demonstrate erosive progression, in early and established rheumatoid arthritis (RA)....

Nailfold capillaroscopy in 430 patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Rajaei, Alireza; Dehghan, Pooneh; Amiri, Ali

2017-01-01

Microvascular changes are one of the first obvious steps in numerous inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Nailfold video capillaroscopy (NFC) is an easy, reliable and safe method for evaluating peripheral microangiopathy. The objective of this study was to examine nailfold microcirculation in RA patients, assess morphological and structural changes quantitatively and qualitatively, and recognize useful changes. A total of 430 patients diagnosed with RA were examined in a period of 4 years. NFC was performed on all fingers of both hands in each patient. Different parameters indicating microvascular changes were detected and analyzed; such as microvascular architecture, capillary distribution disturbances, capillary morphology, capillary density, efferent/afferent limb ratio, subpapillary venular plexus and morphological abnormalities. The obtained results were categorized into normal pattern, nonspecific morphological abnormality and scleroderma pattern. The mean age of participants was 51.03±14.54 (19-87 years) that consisted of 359 females and 71 males. Based on the findings, angiogenesis (74.7%) was the most pathological condition observed after tortuosity (99.5%). 7.2% and 20.9% of patients were categorized into normal and scleroderma pattern group, respectively. Among morphological abnormalities, angiogenesis, isolated enlarged loop, irregular enlarged loop and architectural derangement were significantly more frequent in scleroderma than normal pattern (p<0.001). NFC may play an important role in monitoring RA disease and patients' follow-up. Therefore, in our opinion it could be considered in the course and follow-up of rheumatoid arthritis.

Inhibition of cytokine production by methotrexate. Studies in healthy volunteers and patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gerards, A.H.; Lathouder, de S; Groot, E.R.; Dijkmans, B.A.C.; Aarden, L.A.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVES: To analyse whether the beneficial effects of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could be due to inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production. METHODS: Cytokine production was studied using whole blood (WB) and mononuclear cells (MNC) of healthy volunteers and RA patients.

Inhibition of cytokine production by methotrexate. Studies in healthy volunteers and patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gerards, A. H.; de Lathouder, S.; de Groot, E. R.; Dijkmans, B. A. C.; Aarden, L. A.

2003-01-01

Objectives. To analyse whether the beneficial effects of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) could be due to inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production. Methods. Cytokine production was studied using whole blood (WB) and mononuclear cells (MNC) of healthy volunteers and RA patients.

AUTOANTIBODIES TO CIRTULLINATED ANTIGENS FOR DIAGNOSIS AND PREDICTION OF CLINICAL COURSE IN EARLY RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. B. Belyaeva

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Abstract. To study the value of antibodies to cirtullinated antigens in diagnosis and their significance in prediction of erosion formation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA, we examined serological status in 129 patients with early RA (ERA and 55 cases of undifferentiated arthritis, lasting less than 12 months. Another group consisted of 39 patients with long-standing rheumatoid arthritis, in whom the disease persisted for > 2 years. Control group included 39 patients with osteoarthrosis and 29 patients with reactive arthritis. The titers of rheumatoid factor (RF, antikeratin antibodies (AKA, antiperinuclear factor (APF and antibodies to cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP were studied during initial examination and 12 months later. Serial cryosections of rat esophagus and normal human buccal epithelial cells served as substrates for AKA and APF detection. AntiCCPs were revealed by means of DIASTAT technique (Axis Shield, UK.Upon initial observation of the patients with ERA, sensitivity and specificity of anti-CCP was, resp., 63.5% and 97,8%, thus exceeding both parameters for RF (48,8% и 86,7%. Sensitivity of AKA and APF for the same group was 17% and 24 %, with specificity of 97.7%. In RF-seronegative cases of early RA, anti-CCP were detected in 37% with ERA and 42% long-standing RA. In patients with non-differentiated arthritis who developed RA within one year, RF and anti-CCP were found in 12,2% and 45,5%. Following a one-year observation, a statistically significant increase was found in incidence of RF and anti-CCP in ERA patients.Positivity for anti-citrulline antibodies (AKA, APF and anti-CCP in ERA patients were associated with higher levels of CRP, increased HAQ, DAS4, Sharp scores, as compared to the patients who were seronegative. In ERA patients positive for anti-citrulline antibodies, higher frequencies of synovitis and erosive arthritis were detected by means of ultrasound and magnetic resonance imaging. In the patients with ERA

Cardiovascular risk factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in combination with hypertension depending on body weight

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sіrenko O.Yu.

2014-11-01

Full Text Available The objective was to evaluate the frequency of cardiovascular risk factors and hypertension in patients with rheumatoid arthritis depending on body weight. The study involved 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis and stably selected therapy for more than 6 months at the age from 45 to 65 years (mean age 53,19 ± 5,40 years. Traditional cardiovascular risk was assessed, taking into account risk factors by SCORE scale and amended for patients with RA. The levels of total cholesterol, triglycerides, C-reactive protein, serum creatinine, body mass index, body area index were determined. Arterial hypertension was diagnosed in 41 (41% patients with rheuma¬toid arthritis and was associated with traditional risk factors (age, obesity, rheumatoid factor, hyperuricemia and the duration of glucocorticoid therapy. Obesity and excess body mass occurred in the majority of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, herewith the highest level of inflammation indicators and risk of cardiovascular events was in overweight patients. Obesity was associated with duration of rheumatoid arthritis, the activity of the inflammatory process, the duration of glucocorticoids taking. It is found that the traditional SCORE scale does not fully reflect the risk of cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis. Identification of hypertension and obesity increases the information content of the risk assessment of cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis.

Reliability of ultrasonography in detecting shoulder disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

LENUS (Irish Health Repository)

Bruyn, G A W

2009-03-01

To assess the intra and interobserver reproducibility of musculoskeletal ultrasonography (US) among rheumatologists in detecting destructive and inflammatory shoulder abnormalities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to determine the overall agreement between US and MRI.

Discontinuation of Biologic Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis: Analysis from the Corrona RA Registry.

Science.gov (United States)

Strand, Vibeke; Miller, Paul; Williams, Setareh A; Saunders, Katherine; Grant, Shannon; Kremer, Joel

2017-12-01

Despite the availability of multiple effective therapies, discontinuation/switching of treatment is common for many patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). This study was designed to examine initiation of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (bDMARDs) within the Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (Corrona) RA Registry, and characterize reasons for discontinuation. Inclusion criteria were: Corrona-registered adults (≥18 years) with RA (2002-2011); age of RA onset: ≥16 years; ≥6 months' follow-up after initiation of first/subsequent bDMARD. Patients receiving both tumor necrosis factor antagonists and non-TNF antagonists were included. Treatment discontinuation was defined as first report of stopping initial therapy or initiation of new bDMARD at/between visits, using a follow-up physician questionnaire. Overall, 6209 patients met inclusion criteria and 80.7% received TNF antagonists. Median time to discontinuation/change of therapy was 25.1 months (26.5 months with TNF antagonists vs. 20.5 months with non-TNF antagonists; log-rank p < 0.0001); 82.2, 67.3, and 51.1% of patients remained on therapy at 6, 12, and 24 months, respectively. Reasons for discontinuation were captured for 49.2% of patients, including: loss of efficacy (35.8%); physician preference (27.8%); safety (20.1%); patient preference (17.9%); and no access to treatment (9.0%). Baseline factors with greatest correlation to discontinuation were modified Health Assessment Questionnaire scores, patient-reported anxiety/depression, initiation of bDMARD treatment in 2007-2010 versus 2002-2003, and Clinical Disease Activity Index scores. Almost one-third of patients in the US discontinue currently available bDMARD therapies for RA by 12 months and almost half by 24 months, most commonly due to loss of efficacy. Corrona LLC and MedImmune.

Epidemiology of comorbidities in early rheumatoid arthritis: with emphasis on cardiovascular disease

OpenAIRE

Kerola, Anne

2015-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is associated with a substantially increased risk for cardiovascular (CV) morbidity and mortality. Along with their CV burden, RA patients are at increased risk for other comorbidities such as hypothyroidism and depressive symptoms. The aim of this work was to evaluate the prevalence of CV comorbidities and hypothyroidism among RA patients in comparison to those of the general population at the time of RA diagnosis. We also aimed to determine, among patients wit...

Efficacy and safety of tacrolimus treatment for rheumatoid arthritis patients undergoing hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Yamashita, Misuzu; Natsumeda, Masamitsu; Takasugi, Koji; Ueno, Akiko; Ezawa, Kayo; Ezawa, Kazuhiko

2008-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disorder characterized by progressive joint destruction that requires aggressive treatment using appropriate disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs). RA patients with renal failure, however, are intolerant to most DMARDs due to the potential toxicity. In Japan, tacrolimus was approved for the treatment of RA in 2005. Based on its pharmacokinetics, tacrolimus may be administered to the patients undergoing hemodialysis. We report two cases of RA patients on hemodialysis treated effectively and safely with tacrolimus.

Thrombotic microangiopathy: An unusual cause of renal failure in rheumatoid arthritis

OpenAIRE

Sakthirajan, R.; Dhanapriya, J.; Dineshkumar, T.; Gopalakrishnan, N.; Murugan, S.; Balasubramaniyan, T.

2017-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the commonest rheumatological diseases. Renal involvement is not common but can occur as a result of chronic inflammation as part of disease process or drug toxicity. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and organ failure of variable severity. Only a few cases of TMA in patients with RA were reported to date. We describe a 45-year-old female patient with RA who presented with oliguria and ...

Parental rheumatoid arthritis and long-term child morbidity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rom, Ane Lilleøre; Wu, Chun Sen; Olsen, Jørn

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the influence of parental rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on child morbidity. DESIGN: Nationwide cohort study. SETTING: Individual linkage to nationwide Danish registries. PARTICIPANTS: All singletons born in Denmark during 1977-2008 (n=1 917 723) were followed for an average of 16...... years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Adjusted HRs for child morbidity; that is, 11 main diagnostic groups and specific autoimmune diseases within the International Classification of Diseases 8th and 10th versions. RESULTS: Compared with unexposed children, children exposed to maternal RA ('clinical...

The effect of cognitive behavior therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kraaimaat, F. W.; Brons, M. R.; Geenen, R.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1995-01-01

In order to examine the effectiveness of cognitive behavioral therapy for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) three patients groups were studied: a cognitive behavioral therapy group (CBT), an occupational therapy group (OT), and a waiting-list control group. The CBT received a comprehensive,

MR imaging assessment of clinical problems in rheumatoid arthritis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Narvaez, Jose A.; Roca, Yolanda; Aguilera, Carlos [Department of CT and MR Imaging, Hospital Duran i Reynals, Universitaria de Bellvitge, Barcelona (Spain); Narvaez, Javier [Department of Medicine, Delfos Medical Center, Barcelona (Spain)

2002-07-01

Although MR imaging has been increasingly recognized as a useful tool in the diagnosis of early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in the assessment of disease activity, these applications have not yet been usually included in the routine management of this condition. Our goal is to review the current role of MRI in the everyday clinical management of patients with RA. The usefulness of MRI in the evaluation of articular and para-articular changes in specific locations, mainly the craniocervical region and the temporomandibular joint, are reviewed. Clinical problems derived from local extra-articular involvement, such as tenosynovitis, ''rice-bodies'' bursitis, and Baker's cyst rupture, are also described. Finally, we also review the value of MRI in evaluation of some complications of RA such as tendinous rupture, osteonecrosis, stress fracture, and septic arthritis/osteomyelitis. (orig.)

Reliability of ultrasonography in detecting shoulder disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruyn, G. A. W.; Naredo, E.; Moeller, I.; Moragues, C.; Garrido, J.; de Bock, G. H.; d'Agostino, M-A; Filippucci, E.; Iagnocco, A.; Backhaus, M.; Swen, W. A. A.; Balint, P.; Pineda, C.; Milutinovic, S.; Kane, D.; Kaeley, G.; Narvaez, F. J.; Wakefield, R. J.; Narvaez, J. A.; de Augustin, J.; Schmidt, W. A.; Moller, I.; Swen, N.; de Agustin, J.

Objective: To assess the intra and interobserver reproducibility of musculoskeletal ultrasonography ( US) among rheumatologists in detecting destructive and inflammatory shoulder abnormalities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis ( RA) and to determine the overall agreement between US and MRI.

Reevaluation of the role of duration of morning stiffness in the assessment of rheumatoid arthritis activity

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Khan, Nasim A; Yazici, Yusuf; Calvo-Alen, Jaime

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the utility of the duration of morning stiffness (MS), as a patient-reported outcome (PRO), in assessing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity. METHODS: We acquired information on 5439 patients in QUEST-RA, an international database of patients with RA evaluated by a s...

A STUDY OF THE OCULAR MANIFESTATIONS OF RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS AMONG PATIENTS PRESENTING TO A TERTIARY CENTRE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dhanya Sukumaran

2017-08-01

Full Text Available BACKGROUND Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown aetiology marked by a symmetric peripheral polyarthritis. It is the most common form of chronic inflammatory arthritis and often results in joint damage and physical disability. The name is based on the term "rheumatic fever", an illness, which includes joint pain and is derived from the Greekword ῥεύμα-rheuma (nom., ῥεύματος-rheumatos (gen. ("flow, current". The suffix oid ("resembling" gives the translation as joint inflammation that resembles rheumatic fever. The first recognised description of rheumatoid arthritis was made in 1800 by Dr. Augustin Jacob Landré-Beauvais (1772-1840 of Paris. Because, it is a systemic disease, RA may result in a variety of extra-articular manifestations including fatigue, subcutaneous nodules, lung involvement, pericarditis, peripheral neuropathy, vasculitis and haematologic abnormalities. MATERIALS AND METHODS Patients who were diagnosed cases of rheumatoid arthritis attending the rheumatology clinic were referred to the Ophthalmology OPD in Government Medical College, Thrissur, for detailed eye examination. RESULTS The study was conducted in 100 patients (88 females and 12 males. Rheumatoid Factor (RF was found to be positive in 60 patients (60%, presence of dry eye did not correlate with rheumatoid positivity (Fishers exact test- the two-tailed P value = 0.4256. Through various tests, we concluded that there was aqueous deficiency in 61% and mucin deficiency in 46% of the patients. Other ocular manifestations present were- scleritis (2%, episcleritis (2% and keratomalacia (2%. CONCLUSION From the present study, we found out that extra-articular involvement of organs in rheumatoid arthritis is significant. The main ocular manifestations in rheumatoid arthritis found in our study were keratoconjunctivitis sicca, episcleritis, scleritis and keratomalacia. Though keratoconjunctivitis sicca was the most common, it did

Fatigue and sleep quality in rheumatoid arthritis patients during hospital admission

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paulina Szady

2017-04-01

Full Text Available Objectives : Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a systemic disease of connective tissue characterised by chronic course with periods of exacerbation and remission. Even in the early stages of the disease patients report the occurrence of fatigue and sleep disorders. Reduced sleep quality and chronic fatigue are common among patients with rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of the research was to evaluate the severity of fatigue and sleep quality assessment among patients hospitalised with rheumatoid arthritis and to determine the relation between the level of symptoms of fatigue and sleep quality and variables such as: age, gender, disease duration, marital status, applied pharmacological treatment, and pain intensity. Materials and methods : The study involved 38 patients (12 men and 26 women hospitalised in the Rheumatologic Ward of the Orthopaedics and Rehabilitation Hospital of the University of Medical Sciences. The average age of the entire group was 56.26 years. Fatigue was evaluated with use of Polish version of Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy-Fatigue (FACIT-F, while in order to evaluate sleep quality within the examined group of patients the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI was used. Results : Patients with rheumatoid arthritis in the analysed group have lower sleep quality, and within subjects with such a diagnosis the fatigue is present. The relation was found between fatigue and such variables as: age, illness duration, marital status, applied pharmacological treatment, and severity of pain. Sleep quality within patients with RA is correlated by such variables as: age, gender, applied pharmaceutical treatment, and severity of pain. It was identified that patients with lower sleep quality experience increased levels of fatigue. Conclusions : There is a need to clarify which factors determine the level of fatigue and sleep quality in patients suffering from RA in future population-based research and to indicate to doctors

HLA Dr beta 1 alleles in Pakistani patients with rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Naqi, N.; Ahmed, T.A.; Bashir, M.M.

2011-01-01

Objective: To determine frequencies of HLA DR beta 1 alleles in rheumatoid arthritis in Pakistani patients. Study Design: Cross sectional / analytical study. Place and Duration of Study: Department of Immunology, Armed Forces Institute of Pathology, Rawalpindi in collaboration with Rheumatology departments of Military Hospital, Rawalpindi and Fauji Foundation Hospital, Rawalpindi, from January 2009 to January 2010. Methodology: HLA DR beta 1 genotyping of one hundred Pakistani patients, diagnosed as having RA as per American College of Rheumatology revised criteria 1987, was done. HLA DR beta 1 genotyping was carried out at allele group level (DR beta 1*01-DR beta 1*16) by sequence specific primers in RA patients. Comparison of HLA DR beta 1 allele frequencies between patients and control groups was made using Pearson's chi-square test to find possible association of HLA DR?1 alleles with RA in Pakistani rheumatoid patients. Results: HLA DR beta 1*04 was expressed with significantly increased frequency in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (p <0.05). HLA DR?1*11 was expressed statistically significantly more in control group as compared to rheumatoid patients indicating a possible protective effect. There was no statistically significant difference observed in frequencies of HLA DR beta 1 allele *01, DR beta 1 allele *03, DR beta 1 allele *07, DR beta 1 allele *08, DR beta 1 allele *09, DR beta 1 allele *10, DR beta 1 allele *12, DR beta 1 allele *13, DR beta 1 allele *14, DR?1 allele *15 and DR beta 1 allele *16 between patients and control groups. Conclusion: The identification of susceptible HLA DR beta 1 alleles in Pakistani RA patients may help physicians to make early decisions regarding initiation of early intensive therapy with disease modifying anti rheumatic medicines and biological agents decreasing disability in RA patients. (author)

Which dimensions of fatigue should be measured in patients with rheumatoid arthritis? A Delphi study

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Nikolaus, Stephanie; Bode, Christina; Taal, Erik; van de Laar, Mart A F J

2012-01-01

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients experience fatigue as a multidimensional symptom. The aim of the present study was to use health professionals and patients alike to identify which dimensions of fatigue should be measured in RA. Methods: Twelve fatigue dimensions were constructed, based

Content and Construct Validity, Reliability, and Responsiveness of the Rheumatoid Arthritis Flare Questionnaire: OMERACT 2016 Workshop Report

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bartlett, S.J.; Barbic, S.P.; Bykerk, V.P.; Choy, E.H.; Alten, R.; Christensen, R.; Broeder, A. den; Fautrel, B.; Furst, D.E.; Guillemin, F.; Hewlett, S.; Leong, A.L.; Lyddiatt, A.; March, L.; Montie, P.; Pohl, C.; Voshaar, M.; Woodworth, T.G.; Bingham, C.O.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Flare Group was established to develop a reliable way to identify and measure RA flares in randomized controlled trials (RCT). Here, we summarized the development and field testing of the RA Flare Questionnaire

Cigarette smoking and pulmonary diffusion defects in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Westedt, M L; Hazes, J M; Breedveld, F C; Sterk, P J; Dijkman, J H

1998-01-01

The pathogenesis of lung disease in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has still to be defined. Risk factors associated with lung involvement in RA were investigated by means of pulmonary function studies in 40 RA patients without apparent lung disease. A decreased carbon monoxide (CO) diffusion capacity indicative of interstitial lung disease (ILD) was the main pulmonary function defect found in the first 20 patients. The occurrence was associated with current cigarette smoking. This association was confirmed in a case control study performed subsequently. These data suggest that ILD in RA is stimulated by smoking and provide an additional argument that modification of smoking behaviour in RA patients might lead to less severe complications.

CD6 and syntaxin binding protein 6 variants and response to tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitors in Danish patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Krintel, Sophine B; Essioux, Laurent; Wool, Assaf

2012-01-01

TNFα inhibitor therapy has greatly improved the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, however at least 30% do not respond. We aimed to investigate insertions and deletions (INDELS) associated with response to TNFα inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)....

Rheumatoid disease without arthritis; clinical case of pulmonary fibrosis, rheumatoid nodulosis and positive rheumatoid factor without arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ochoa Franco, Julian Andres; Canas Davila, Carlos Alberto

2003-01-01

We reported a case of a patient suffering pulmonary fibrosis rapidly progressive and a positive rheumatoid factor test with the presence of HLA DR11 y HLADR17, without arthritis, We discuss how rare is this clinical appearance, and remark the concept that rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease, with a wide clinical presentation, that some authors with a right criteria have called rheumatoid disease

Outcome after 40 years with rheumatoid arthritis : a prospective study of function, disease activity and mortality

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Minaur, Nicola J.; Jacoby, Richard K.; Cosh, John A.; Taylor, Gordon; Rasker, Johannes J.

2004-01-01

In an inception cohort of 100 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) we studied course and outcome after 40 years, regarding function, disease activity, cause and age of death, and prognostic factors. Function, joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), hemoglobin (Hb), rheumatoid factor

Ghrelin gene polymorphisms in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozgen, Metin; Koca, Suleyman Serdar; Etem, Ebru Onalan; Yuce, Huseyin; Aydin, Suleyman; Isik, Ahmet

2011-07-01

Ghrelin, an endogenous orexigenic peptide, has anti-inflammatory effects, down-regulates pro-inflammatory cytokines, and its altered levels are reported in various inflammatory diseases. The human preproghrelin (ghrelin/obestatin) gene shows several single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) including Arg51Gln, Leu72Met, Gln90Leu, and A-501C. The aim of this study was to investigate the frequency, and clinical significance, of these four SNPs in a small cohort of Turkish patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The study included 103 patients with RA and 103 healthy controls. In the RA group, disease activity and disease-related damage were assessed using the Disease Activity Score-28 (DAS-28), and the modified Larsen scoring (MLS) methods. In all the participants, genomic DNA was isolated and genotyped by polymerase chain reaction and restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis. The frequencies of ghrelin gene SNPs were 82.5 and 79.6% in the RA and control groups, respectively, and there were no significant differences in terms of genotype distributions and allele frequencies for these four SNPs between the groups. However, the A-501C SNP was found to be associated with early disease onset, and Gln90Leu SNP with less frequent rheumatoid factor positivity, in the RA group. A-501C SNP is associated with earlier onset of RA suggesting that genetic variations in the ghrelin gene may have an impact on RA. Copyright © 2010 Société française de rhumatologie. Published by Elsevier SAS. All rights reserved.

Fatal pulmonary fibrosis complicating low dose methotrexate therapy for rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Veen, M. J.; Dekker, J. J.; Dinant, H. J.; van Soesbergen, R. M.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1995-01-01

We report the fatal disease course of 2 aged patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Both had respiratory complaints after 10-15 weeks of treatment with methotrexate (MTX). After withdrawal of MTX, and despite the use of corticosteroids and ventilatory support, both died of respiratory failure.

COMORBIDITY IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. A. Panafidina

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The peak onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA is at 30-55 years of age. At this age, the patients have also other concomi- tant diseases (comorbidities that affect the course and prognosis of RA, the choice of its treatment policy, quality of life of the patients. Objective: to identify the most important and common comorbidities in patients with RA. Subjects and methods. Two hundred patients (median age 55 [46; 61] years were enrolled; there was a preponderance of women (82.5% with median disease duration 5 [1; 10] years, seropositive for IgM rheumatoid factor (83.0% and anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies (81.6% with moderate and high disease activity (median DAS28 value 3.9 [3.1; 4.9]. Varying degrees of destructive changes in hand and foot joints were radiologically detected in 71.2% of the patients; 64.5% of the patients had Functional Class II. Methotrexate was given to 69.5% of the patients; therapy with biological agents was used in 21.0% of the cases. 15.5% of the patients did not receive DMARD or biologics. 43.0% of the patients with RA received glucocorticoids. Results. Comorbidities were present in 72.0% of the patients with RA. The most common diseases were hypertension (60.0%, dyslipidemia (45.0%, fractures at various sites (29.5%, and coronary heart disease (21.0%. Myocardial infarction and stroke were observed in 1.5 and 1.0% of cases, respectively. There was diabetes mellitus (DM in 7.5% of the cases and osteoporosis in 15.5% of the patients. 81.7% of the patients with RA and hypertension and 80.0% of those with RA and DM received antihypertensive and sugar-lowering therapy, respectively. At the same time the RA patients with dyslipidemia and osteoporosis received specific drugs far less frequently (30.0 and 29.0%, respectively. Conclusion. Comorbidities are frequently encountered in RA. By taking into account the fact that cardiovascular dis- eases are a main cause of death in RA; it is necessary to adequately and timely

Rheumatoid Arthritis: Can It Affect the Eyes?

Science.gov (United States)

Rheumatoid arthritis: Can it affect the eyes? Can rheumatoid arthritis affect the eyes? Answers from April Chang-Miller, M.D. Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic inflammatory disease that primarily affects the ...

The OMERACT rheumatoid arthritis magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) scoring system

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Mikkel; Peterfy, Charles G.; Bird, Paul

2017-01-01

Objective: The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) scoring system (RAMRIS), evaluating bone erosion, bone marrow edema/osteitis, and synovitis, was introduced in 2002, and is now the standard method of objectively quantifying...... inflammation and damage by MRI in RA trials. The objective of this paper was to identify subsequent advances and based on them, to provide updated recommendations for the RAMRIS. Methods: MRI studies relevant for RAMRIS and technical and scientific advances were analyzed by the OMERACT MRI in Arthritis Working...... Group, which used these data to provide updated considerations on image acquisition, RAMRIS definitions, and scoring systems for the original and new RA pathologies. Further, a research agenda was outlined. Results: Since 2002, longitudinal studies and clinical trials have documented RAMRIS variables...

Life events and disability in rheumatoid arthritis : A European cohort

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leymarie, F; Jolly, D; Sanderman, R.; Briancon, S; Marchant, A.-C; Cuillemin, F; Eschard, J.-P; Suurmeijer, Th.P.B.M.; Pointrinal, P

1997-01-01

The objective was to study the relationship between life events (LE) and the clinical status of patients suffering from recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a 2 yr follow-up. As part of a multicentre European cohort study, 370 French and Dutch patients were questioned three times at I yr

Is a long-term high-intensity exercise program effective and safe in patients with rheumatoid arthritis? Results of a randomized controlled trial

NARCIS (Netherlands)

de Jong, Zuzana; Munneke, Marten; Zwinderman, Aeilko H.; Kroon, Herman M.; Jansen, Annemarie; Ronday, Karel H.; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Dijkmans, Ben A. C.; van den Ende, Cornelia H. M.; Breedveld, Ferdinand C.; Vliet Vlieland, Theodora P. M.; Hazes, Johanna M. W.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: There are insufficient data on the effects of long-term intensive exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We undertook this randomized, controlled, multicenter trial to compare the effectiveness and safety of a 2-year intensive exercise program (Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

Is a long-term high-intensity exercise program effective and safe in patients with rheumatoid arthritis? Results of a randomized controlled trial.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Jong, Z. de; Munneke, M.; Zwinderman, A.H.; Kroon, H.M.; Jansen, A.; Ronday, K.H.; Schaardenburg, D. van; Dijkmans, B.A.C.; Ende, C.H.M. van den; Breedveld, F.C.; Vliet Vlieland, T.P.M.; Hazes, J.M.W.

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: There are insufficient data on the effects of long-term intensive exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We undertook this randomized, controlled, multicenter trial to compare the effectiveness and safety of a 2-year intensive exercise program (Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients

The role of Porphyromonas gingivalis in the pathogenesis of Rheumatoid Arthritis: Review of the literature

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zulma Johanna Moreno Huertas

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Scientific evidence on the relationship between Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA and Periodontal Disease (PD has been focused on the presence of the peri- odontopathogen Porphyromonas gingivalis (P.g. Di erent studies have established its relationship with the citrullination process and production of citrullinated antipeptide antibodies. Currently, scienti c evidence on this topic is heterogeneous with new contributions and di erent ndings, but studies in human populations are the ones generating most interest. Objective: To review scientific evidence on clinical studies related to the pathogenesis of Periodontal Disease and Porphyromonas gingivalis in Rheumatoid Arthritis. Methodology: Through a literature search, publications about the de ned topic were identi ed taking into account only of clinical studies. The search period was from 2012 to 2016. The search terms used were: rheumatoid arthritis and Porphyromonas gingivalis. After reviewing titles and abstracts of the papers initially identi ed, literature reviews, case reports, in vitro studies and studies conducted in animals were excluded. Results: After performing the search in three databases (PubMed, Lilacs y Embase, 166 articles were found, 140 articles were rejected and 25 were included given that they described clinical studies on the relationship between RA and P.g. The majority of these studies showed quantitative analysis determining the presence of P.g in patients with RA. In patients with RA and periodontal disease, it is clear the presence of antibodies to P.g in serum, also P.g. DNA, while very little has been reported in synovial uid. New evidence suggests associations with other pathogens and detection in early onset arthritis.

Cytokine production of stimulated whole blood cultures in rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving short-term infliximab therapy.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Popa, C.; Netea, M.G.; Barrera Rico, P.; Radstake, T.R.D.J.; Riel, P.L.C.M. van; Kullberg, B.J.; Meer, J.W.M. van der

2005-01-01

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with anti-tumor necrosis factor (TNF) strategies have an increased susceptibility to infections, especially those caused by intracellular pathogens. In this study we assessed the cytokine production capacity in patients with RA and we further

Chronotherapy for rheumatoid arthritis: current perspectives

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

To H

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Hideto To Department of Medical Pharmaceutics, Graduate School of Medicine and Pharmaceutical Sciences for Research, University of Toyama, Toyama, Japan Abstract: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is an autoimmune disorder of unknown etiology. Morning stiffness, a characteristic feature of RA, shows a 24-hour rhythm. Cytokines, which are considered to play an important role in the pathogenesis of RA, also exhibit a 24-hour rhythm, with a peak in the early morning. These rhythms have been attributed to the endogenous hormone balance and changes in expression levels of clock-related genes. Chronotherapy based on the 24-hour rhythm of RA has been performed using glucocorticoids and disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs. In a previous study, it was reported that modified-release prednisone tablets were administered to patients with RA at night, which demonstrated that the severity of morning stiffness was markedly less than that in patients receiving the standard treatment. Methotrexate (MTX is the most frequently used RA drug worldwide. In a basic study, cytokines and inflammatory responses in RA model animals showed 24-hour rhythms, based on which MTX was administered and exerted dosing time-dependent antirheumatic effects. Plasma C-reactive protein and cytokine levels also exhibit 24-hour rhythms in patients with RA, with peaks occurring in the early morning. MTX has been shown to markedly inhibit the exacerbation of arthritis in patients with RA when it is administered as inflammatory responses and tumor necrosis factor-α levels begin to increase. Tacrolimus (TAC is an immunosuppressive agent that is administered to patients who undergo organ transplants. Since one of the mechanisms of action of TAC is the inhibition of inflammatory cytokine production, it is used as an RA therapeutic drug. When TAC was previously administered in the early light or early dark phase to RA model animals, the group treated in the early light phase had notably inhibited

Mast cells in rheumatoid arthritis: friends or foes?

Science.gov (United States)

Rivellese, Felice; Nerviani, Alessandra; Rossi, Francesca Wanda; Marone, Gianni; Matucci-Cerinic, Marco; de Paulis, Amato; Pitzalis, Costantino

2017-06-01

Mast cells are tissue-resident cells of the innate immunity, implicated in the pathogenesis of many autoimmune diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). They are present in synovia and their activation has been linked to the potentiation of inflammation in the course of RA. However, recent investigations questioned the role of mast cells in arthritis. In particular, animal models generated conflicting results, so that many of their pro-inflammatory, i.e. pro-arthritogenic functions, even though supported by robust experimental evidence, have been labelled as redundant. At the same time, a growing body of evidence suggests that mast cells can act as tunable immunomodulatory cells. These characteristics, not yet fully understood in the context of RA, could partially explain the inconsistent results obtained with experimental models, which do not account for the pro- and anti-inflammatory functions exerted in more chronic heterogeneous conditions such as RA. Here we present an overview of the current knowledge on mast cell involvement in RA, including the intriguing hypothesis of mast cells acting as subtle immunomodulatory cells and the emerging concept of synovial mast cells as potential biomarkers for patient stratification. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Radiographic estimation in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Rexhepi, Sylejman; Manxhuka-Kërliu, Suzana; Rexhepi, Mjellma

2011-08-01

Long since it have been suggested that a subpopulation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, diagnosed with negative rheumatoid factor tests, represents a clinical entity quite distinct from that of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our aim was to establish a scientific comparative analysis between seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, regarding some radiological and clinical parameters, applied for the first time on patients from Kosovo. Two hundred fifty patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were retrospectively studied by analysis the radiographic damage and clinical parameters of the disease, using a data base. All examinees were between 25-60 years of age (Xb=49.96, SD=10.37) with disease duration between 1-27 years (Xb = 6.41, SD=6.47). All patients underwent a standardised evaluation radiographs. Baseline standardised poster anterior radiographs of hands and feet and radiographs of other joints, depending on indications, were assessed. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate values correlated with the radiological damages and statistical difference was found for seronegative subset (r=0.24, p<0.01). Longer duration of the disease resulted in the increase of radiological changes in both subsets (r=0.66, p<0.01) seronegative, (r=0.49, p<0.01) seropositive. Anatomic changes of IInd and IIIrd level were nearly equally distributed in both subsets, 76 (60.8%) seronegative, 75 (60%) seropositive. Radiological damages are nearly equal in both subsets, elevate in relation to the duration of the disease and correlate with ESR values. Regarding the sero-status, differences within sex, with some exceptions, are not relevant. Although there are some definite quantitative and qualitative differences regarding sero-status, obviously there is a great deal of overlap between the two groups.

Radiographic estimation in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vjollca Sahatçiu-Meka

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Long since it have been suggested that a subpopulation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, diagnosed with negative rheumatoid factor tests, represents a clinical entity quite distinct from that of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (RA. Our aim was to establish a scientific comparative analysis between seronegative and seropositive rheumatoid arthritis, regarding some radiological and clinical parameters, applied for the first time on patients from Kosovo. Two hundred fifty patients with rheumatoid arthritis according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria were retrospectively studied by analysis the radiographic damage and clinical parameters of the disease, using a data base. All examinees were between 25-60 years of age (Xb=49.96, SD=10.37 with disease duration between 1-27 years (Xb = 6.41, SD=6.47. All patients underwent a standardised evaluation radiographs. Baseline standardised poster anterior radiographs of hands and feet and radiographs of other joints, depending on indications, were assessed. Erythrocyte sedimentation rate values correlated with the radiological damages and statistical difference was found for seronegative subset (r=0.24, p<0.01. Longer duration of the disease resulted in the increase of radiological changes in both subsets (r=0.66, p<0.01 seronegative, (r=0.49, p<0.01 seropositive. Anatomic changes of IInd and IIIrd level were nearly equally distributed in both subsets, 76 (60.8% seronegative, 75 (60% seropositive. Radiological damages are nearly equal in both subsets, elevate in relation to the duration of the disease and correlate with ESR values. Regarding the sero-status, differences within sex, with some exceptions, are not relevant. Although there are some definite quantitative and qualitative differences regarding sero-status, obviously there is a great deal of overlap between the two groups.

CLINICAL-PATHOGENIC IMPORTANCE OF CORRELATION BETWEEN HISTOCHEMICAL INDICES OF BLOOD SYSTEM AND RHEUMATOID FACTOR IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A B Zborovsky

2001-01-01

Full Text Available Summary Relation between rheumatoid factor (RF and levels of Myeloperoxidase (MPO, Na*-K +-A TPh- ase (ATPh-ase, 5'-Nucleotidase (5 ’-NT, Succinate dehydrogenase (SDG in cells of peripheral blood of rheumatoid arthritis (RA patients was investigated. 83 RA patients were observed. The activities of MPO, ATP-ase, 5’NT, SDG in blood cells were determined by hystochemical methods. In patients having increasing MPO activity in monocytes, normal level of SDG in lymphocytes and decreasing of 5'NT in monocytes and lymphocytes increasing of RF level was noted in 3 weeks after hystochemical changes (p<0.05. Determination of MPO in monocytes was the most informative test for forecasting of immunological changes in RA. The role of macrophage system in RA is discussed.

The OMERACT-RAMRIS Rheumatoid Arthritis Magnetic Resonance Imaging Joint Space Narrowing Score

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Møller Døhn, Uffe; Conaghan, Philip G; Eshed, Iris

2014-01-01

To test the intrareader and interreader reliability of assessment of joint space narrowing (JSN) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) wrist and metacarpophalangeal (MCP) joints on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and computed tomography (CT) using the newly proposed OMERACT-RAMRIS JSN scoring method...

Increased risk of revision for infection in rheumatoid arthritis patients with total hip replacements

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schrama, Johannes Cornelis; Fenstad, Anne M; Dale, Håvard

2015-01-01

Background and purpose-Medical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has changed dramatically over the last 15 years, including immune modulation. We investigated the risk of revision for infection after primary total hip replacement (THR) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis over a 16-year...... period, and compared it with that in THR patients with osteoarthritis (OA).Patients and methods-We identified 13,384 THRs in RA patients and 377,287 THRs in OA patients from 1995 through 2010 in a dataset from the Nordic Arthroplasty Register Association (NARA). Kaplan-Meier survival curves......, with revision for infection as the endpoint, were constructed. Cox regression analyses were performed to calculate the relative risk (RR) of revision for infection adjusted for age, sex, fixation technique, and year of primary surgery.Results-RA patients had a 1.3 times (95% CI 1.0-1.6) higher risk of revision...

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in rheumatoid arthritis

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zordo, Tobias de; Mlekusch, Sabine P.; Feuchtner, Gudrun M.; Mur, Erich; Schirmer, Michael; Klauser, Andrea S.

2007-01-01

The purpose of this review is to describe the spectrum of sonographic findings in rheumatic diseases with respect to the diagnostic potential using US contrast media which prove activity or inactivity in synovial tissue where new treatment regimes target. Synovial activity can be found in non-erosive and erosive forms of primary and secondary osteoarthritis, and in inflammatory forms of joint diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and peripheral manifestations of spondyloarthritis including, ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome, psoriatic arthritis and enteropathic arthritis. It can also be present in metabolic and endocrine forms of arthritis, in connective tissue arthropathies like systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma and in infectious arthritis. Ultrasound should be used as first-line imaging modality in suspected early cases of RA and other forms of arthritis, whereas contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can further enable for sensitive assessment of vascularity which correlates with disease activity

Value of contrast-enhanced ultrasound in rheumatoid arthritis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zordo, Tobias de; Mlekusch, Sabine P.; Feuchtner, Gudrun M. [Department of Radiology II, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck (Austria); Mur, Erich [Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck (Austria); Schirmer, Michael [Department of Internal Medicine, Hospital of the Elisabethines Klagenfurt, Voelkermarkter Strasse 15-19, 9020 Klagenfurt (Austria); Klauser, Andrea S. [Department of Radiology II, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, 6020 Innsbruck (Austria)], E-mail: andrea.klauser@i-med.ac.at

2007-11-15

The purpose of this review is to describe the spectrum of sonographic findings in rheumatic diseases with respect to the diagnostic potential using US contrast media which prove activity or inactivity in synovial tissue where new treatment regimes target. Synovial activity can be found in non-erosive and erosive forms of primary and secondary osteoarthritis, and in inflammatory forms of joint diseases like rheumatoid arthritis and peripheral manifestations of spondyloarthritis including, ankylosing spondylitis, Reiter's syndrome, psoriatic arthritis and enteropathic arthritis. It can also be present in metabolic and endocrine forms of arthritis, in connective tissue arthropathies like systemic lupus erythematosus or scleroderma and in infectious arthritis. Ultrasound should be used as first-line imaging modality in suspected early cases of RA and other forms of arthritis, whereas contrast-enhanced ultrasound (CEUS) can further enable for sensitive assessment of vascularity which correlates with disease activity.

[Professor LIN Guohua's experience of gold implantation at acupoint for rheumatoid arthritis].

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Jingjing; Pei, Wenya

2015-12-01

Based on the pathogenesis and symptom of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), professor LIN Guohua's unique opinion and method for RA in clinical treatment are summarized and analyzed. In the opinion of Professor Lin, RA is considered as "Jinbi" and "Gubi" in TCM, which is caused by deficient root with superficial excess. Based on the symptoms of RA, attention should be focused on lung-kidney diagnosis and treatment, and gold and catgut implantation at acupoint can be mutually combined, which is aimed to provide a special and effective method for clinical treatment of RA.

Case report patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis

OpenAIRE

Váňová, Tereza

2012-01-01

Title of bachelors thesis: Case report patients diagnosed with rheumatoid arthritis Summary: The work is focused on diseases rheumatoid arthritis and its physiotherapy care. It consists of two parts. Part of the general anatomy of the joint contains a general, deals with the disease rheumatoid arthritis, its diagnosis, treatment and comprehensive rehabilitation treatment. Part has its own special case report physiotherapy sessions on this topic. Key words: rheumatoid arthritis, comprehensive ...

Insight into the Endocrine System and the Immune System: A Review of the Inflammatory Role of Prolactin in Rheumatoid Arthritis and Psoriatic Arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Tang, Man W.; Garcia, Samuel; Gerlag, Danielle M.; Tak, Paul P.; Reedquist, Kris A.

2017-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease that affects females three times more frequently than males. A potential role for hormones, such as prolactin (PRL), may in part explain this phenomenon. The risk of developing RA is increased in women who are lactating after the first

Analysis of serum immune markers in seropositive and seronegative rheumatoid arthritis and in high-risk seropositive arthralgia patients

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chalan, Paulina; Bijzet, Johan; van den Berg, Anke; Kluiver, Joost; Kroesen, Bart-Jan; Boots, Annemieke M. H.; Brouwer, Elisabeth

2016-01-01

Presence of autoantibodies precedes development of seropositive rheumatoid arthritis (SP RA) and seropositive arthralgia patients (SAP) are at risk of developing RA. The aims of the study are to identify additional serum immune markers discriminating between SP and seronegative (SN) RA, and markers

Subfertility in Women With Rheumatoid Arthritis and the Outcome of Fertility Assessments.

Science.gov (United States)

Brouwer, Jenny; Fleurbaaij, Rosalie; Hazes, Johanna M W; Dolhain, Radboud J E M; Laven, Joop S E

2017-08-01

Subfertility is frequently encountered among female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and has been associated with disease activity and antirheumatic drugs. However, little is known about the results of the fertility assessments in these women. Our aim was to study the outcome of fertility assessments in subfertile women with RA. A cross-sectional study was performed in a nationwide cohort of female RA patients who were pregnant or trying to conceive between 2002 and 2010 (Pregnancy-Induced Amelioration of Rheumatoid Arthritis Study). Patients who had given consent for future contact (n = 260) received a questionnaire on reproductive history, fertility examinations, and fertility treatments. Medical files were obtained from attending gynecologists. A completed questionnaire was returned by 178 women (68%), of whom 96% had ended their efforts to conceive. Eighty-two subjects (46%) had at least 1 subfertile episode, and for 61 women a diagnosis for subfertility was available. Unexplained subfertility (48%) and anovulation (28%) were the most common gynecologic diagnoses, and both occurred more often in RA patients than reported in the general population. Women with unexplained subfertility more often used nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) during the periconceptional period. Seventeen percent of all pregnancies were conceived after fertility treatments. Fertility treatments had equal or higher pregnancy rates in RA compared to other subfertile populations. Unexplained subfertility is more often diagnosed in subfertile female RA patients than in the general population, and is related to periconceptional NSAID use. Despite the higher incidence of subfertility in women with RA, the outcome of fertility treatments in these women appears favorable. © 2016 The Authors. Arthritis Care & Research published by Wiley Periodicals, Inc. on behalf of American College of Rheumatology.

The number needed to treat for adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab based on ACR50 response in three randomized controlled trials on established rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, L E; Christensen, R; Bliddal, H

2011-01-01

To compare the efficacy of adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking concomitant methotrexate (MTX) by calculating the number needed to treat (NNT) using three different methods.......To compare the efficacy of adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking concomitant methotrexate (MTX) by calculating the number needed to treat (NNT) using three different methods....

The number needed to treat for adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab based on ACR50 response in three randomized controlled trials on established rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, L E; Christensen, R; Bliddal, H

2007-01-01

To compare the efficacy of adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking concomitant methotrexate (MTX) by calculating the number needed to treat (NNT) using three different methods.......To compare the efficacy of adalimumab, etanercept, and infliximab in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking concomitant methotrexate (MTX) by calculating the number needed to treat (NNT) using three different methods....

Is rheumatoid arthritis a consequence of natural selection for enhanced tuberculosis resistance?

Science.gov (United States)

Mobley, James L

2004-01-01

Although the bubonic plague or "Black Death" is notorious for the toll it took on the population of Europe in the middle ages, another epidemic, the "White Death" of tuberculosis is responsible for millions of deaths worldwide over the past 300 years. With one in four deaths due to tuberculosis in Western Europe and the United States in the 19th century, this disease undoubtedly acted as a powerful genetic selective force. The epidemiology of modern day rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is strikingly similar to the epidemiology of tuberculosis 100-200 years ago, suggesting the possibility that genetic factors that enhanced survival in tuberculosis epidemics are now influencing susceptibility to RA. Recent advances in the analysis of genetic polymorphisms associated with disease have identified several genes linked to RA susceptibility that encode proteins involved in the immune response to Mycobacterium tuberculosis infection, including TNF-alpha, NRAMP1, PARP-1, HLA-DRB1, and PADI4. These results suggest that rheumatoid arthritis, and possibly other autoimmune diseases, are modern day manifestations of the genetic selective pressure exerted by tuberculosis epidemics of the recent past.

Current treatment paradigms in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Fries, J F

2000-06-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has traditionally been treated using the pyramid approach, in which non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are the first-line treatment and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are introduced relatively late in the disease. This approach is no longer valid. Previously regarded as a benign disease, RA is now recognized as causing substantial morbidity and mortality, as do the NSAIDs used in treatment. DMARDs are more effective in controlling the pain and disability of RA than NSAIDs, and are often no more toxic. The current treatment paradigm emphasizes early, consistent use of DMARDs. A 'sawtooth' strategy of DMARD use has been proposed, in which a rising but low level of disability triggers a change in therapy. Determining the most clinically useful DMARD combinations and the optimal sequence of DMARD use requires effectiveness studies, Bayesian approaches and analyses of long-term outcomes. Such approaches will allow optimization of multiple drug therapies in RA, and should substantially improve the long-term outcome for many patients.

Social support, rheumatoid arthritis and quality of life : concepts, measurement and research

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Krol, B; SANDERMAN, R; SUURMEIJER, TPBM

In recent years, medical technology has improved considerably and the possibilities to replace destructed parts of the body that have been affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA), have grown also. However, the availability and application of advanced techniques does not automatically entail an

Somatoform dissociation and traumatic experiences in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Näring, G.W.B.; Lankveld, W.G.J.M. van; Geenen, M.J.M.

2007-01-01

OBJECTIVE: Trauma and dissociation tend to be interrelated. The objective of this study was to examine the frequency of traumatic experiences and somatoform dissociation in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), two conditions that are both characterized by pain and

Somatoform dissociation and traumatic experiences in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and fibromyalgia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Näring, G.W.B.; Lankveld, W.G.J.M. van; Geenen, M.J.M.

2007-01-01

Objective: Trauma and dissociation tend to be interrelated. The objective of this study was to examine the frequency of traumatic experiences and somatoform dissociation in patients with Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) or rheumatoid arthritis (RA), two conditions that are both characterized by pain and

Understanding emerging treatment paradigms in rheumatoid arthritis

OpenAIRE

Breedveld, Ferdinand C; Combe, Bernard

2011-01-01

Treatment strategies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) will continue to evolve as new drugs are developed, as new data become available, and as our potential to achieve greater and more consistent outcomes becomes more routine. Many patients will find both symptom relief and modest control of their disease with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), yet this course of therapy is clearly not effective in all patients. In fact, despite strong evidence that intensive treatment in the early ...

Cardio-pulmonary manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis among ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease, characterized by polyarthritis and extraarticular manifestations. The cardiopulmonary manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis were studied retrospectively in a cohort of rheumatoid arthritis patients. Methods: This was a retrospective study of all ...

How comparable are rates of malignancies in patients with rheumatoid arthritis across the world? A comparison of cancer rates, and means to optimise their comparability, in five RA registries.

Science.gov (United States)

Askling, Johan; Berglind, Niklas; Franzen, Stefan; Frisell, Thomas; Garwood, Christopher; Greenberg, Jeffrey D; Ho, Meilien; Holmqvist, Marie; Horne, Laura; Inoue, Eisuke; Michaud, Kaleb; Nyberg, Fredrik; Pappas, Dimitrios A; Reed, George; Tanaka, Eiichi; Tran, Trung N; Verstappen, Suzanne M M; Yamanaka, Hisashi; Wesby-van Swaay, Eveline; Symmons, Deborah

2016-10-01

The overall incidence of cancer in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is modestly elevated. The extent to which cancer rates in RA vary across clinical cohorts and patient subsets, as defined by disease activity or treatment is less known but critical for understanding the safety of existing and new antirheumatic therapies. We investigated comparability of, and means to harmonise, malignancy rates in five RA registries from four continents. Participating RA registries were Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) (USA), Swedish Rheumatology Quality of Care Register (SRR) (Sweden), Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) (UK), CORRONA International (several countries) and Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) (Japan). Within each registry, we analysed a main cohort of all patients with RA from January 2000 to last available data, and sensitivity analyses of sub-cohorts defined by disease activity, treatment change, prior comorbidities and restricted by calendar time or follow-up, respectively. Malignancy rates with 95% CIs were estimated, and standardised for age and sex, based on the distributions from a typical RA clinical trial programme population (fostamatinib). There was a high consistency in rates for overall malignancy excluding non-melanoma skin cancer (NMSC), for malignant lymphomas, but not for all skin cancers, across registries, in particular following age/sex standardisation. Standardised rates of overall malignancy excluding NMSC varied from 0.56 to 0.87 per 100 person-years. Within each registry, rates were generally consistent across sensitivity analyses, which differed little from the main analysis. In real-world RA populations, rates of both overall malignancy and of lymphomas are consistent. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

Can rheumatoid arthritis (RA) registries provide contextual safety data for modern RA clinical trials? The case for mortality and cardiovascular disease.

Science.gov (United States)

Michaud, Kaleb; Berglind, Niklas; Franzén, Stefan; Frisell, Thomas; Garwood, Christopher; Greenberg, Jeffrey D; Ho, Meilien; Holmqvist, Marie; Horne, Laura; Inoue, Eisuke; Nyberg, Fredrik; Pappas, Dimitrios A; Reed, George; Symmons, Deborah; Tanaka, Eiichi; Tran, Trung N; Verstappen, Suzanne M M; Wesby-van Swaay, Eveline; Yamanaka, Hisashi; Askling, Johan

2016-10-01

We implemented a novel method for providing contextual adverse event rates for a randomised controlled trial (RCT) programme through coordinated analyses of five RA registries, focusing here on cardiovascular disease (CVD) and mortality. Each participating registry (Consortium of Rheumatology Researchers of North America (CORRONA) (USA), Swedish Rheumatology Quality of Care Register (SRR) (Sweden), Norfolk Arthritis Register (NOAR) (UK), CORRONA International (East Europe, Latin America, India) and Institute of Rheumatology, Rheumatoid Arthritis (IORRA) (Japan)) defined a main cohort from January 2000 onwards. To address comparability and potential bias, we harmonised event definitions and defined several subcohorts for sensitivity analyses based on disease activity, treatment, calendar time, duration of follow-up and RCT exclusions. Rates were standardised for age, sex and, in one sensitivity analysis, also HAQ. The combined registry cohorts included 57 251 patients with RA (234 089 person-years)-24.5% men, mean (SD) baseline age 58.2 (13.8) and RA duration 8.2 (11.7) years. Standardised registry mortality rates (per 100 person-years) varied from 0.42 (CORRONA) to 0.80 (NOAR), with 0.60 for RCT patients. Myocardial infarction and major adverse cardiovascular events (MACE) rates ranged from 0.09 and 0.31 (IORRA) to 0.39 and 0.77 (SRR), with RCT rates intermediate (0.18 and 0.42), respectively. Additional subcohort analyses showed small and mostly consistent changes across registries, retaining reasonable consistency in rates across the Western registries. Additional standardisation for HAQ returned higher mortality and MACE registry rates. This coordinated approach to contextualising RA RCT safety data demonstrated reasonable differences and consistency in rates for mortality and CVD across registries, and comparable RCT rates, and may serve as a model method to supplement clinical trial analyses for drug development programmes. Published by the BMJ Publishing

Weather effects in rheumatoid arthritis: from controversy to concensus. A review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patberg, Wiebe R.; Rasker, Johannes J.

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To review and evaluate the evidence for the widespread view that signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are influenced, or even caused, by the weather. METHODS: A literature search from 1985 to April 2003 was performed using the PubMed database of the US National Library of

Weather effects in rheumatoid arthritis : From controversy to consensus. A review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Patberg, WR; Rasker, JJ

Objective. To review and evaluate the evidence for the widespread view that signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are influenced, or even caused, by the weather. Methods. A literature search from 1985 to April 2003 was performed using the PubMed database of the US National Library of

Macrophage activity assessed by soluble CD163 in early rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greisen, Stinne Ravn; Møller, Holger Jon; Stengaard-Pedersen, Kristian

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease where TNF-α is a central mediator of inflammation, and is cleaved from the cell surface by TACE/ADAM17. This metalloproteinase is also responsible for the release of soluble (s) CD163. Soluble CD163 reflects macrophage activati...

Macrophage activity assessed by soluble CD163 in early rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Greisen, Stinne Ravn; Møller, Holger Jon; Stengaard-Pedersen, Kristian

2015-01-01

OBJECTIVES: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease where TNF-α is a central mediator of inflammation, and is cleaved from the cell surface by TACE/ADAM17. This metalloproteinase is also responsible for the release of soluble (s) CD163. Soluble CD163 reflects macrophage activation...

Obstacle avoidance in persons with rheumatoid arthritis walking on a treadmill.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smulders, E.; Schreven, C.; Lankveld, W.G.J.M. van; Duysens, J.E.J.; Weerdesteijn, V.G.M.

2009-01-01

OBJECTIVE:Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are at increased risk of falling. In healthy elderly persons with a history of falling, a reduced ability to avoid obstacles while walking has been shown to relate to increased fall risk. The aim of this study was to determine whether this potential

Efficacy of tofacitinib monotherapy in methotrexate-naive patients with early or established rheumatoid arthritis

OpenAIRE

Fleischmann, Roy M; Huizinga, Tom W J; Kavanaugh, Arthur F; Wilkinson, Bethanie; Kwok, Kenneth; DeMasi, Ryan; van Vollenhoven, Ronald F

2016-01-01

Introduction Tofacitinib is an oral Janus kinase inhibitor for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Tofacitinib monotherapy was previously shown to inhibit structural damage, reduce clinical signs and symptoms of RA, and improve physical functioning over 24?months in methotrexate (MTX)-naive adult patients with RA. In this post hoc analysis, we compared efficacy and safety of tofacitinib in patients with early (disease duration

Bioavailability of higher dose methotrexate comparing oral and subcutaneous administration in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoekstra, Monique; Haagsma, C.; Neef, C; Proost, Johannes H; Knuif, A.; van der Laar, M.

Objective. To determine the bioavailability of higher oral doses of methotrexate (MTX) in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods. A pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in 15 patients with RA taking a stable dose of MTX (greater than or equal to25 mg weekly). Separated by 2 weeks,

Exploring a new ultrasound score as a clinical predictive tool in patients with rheumatoid arthritis starting abatacept

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

D'Agostino, Maria-Antonietta; Boers, Maarten; Wakefield, Richard J

2016-01-01

Objectives: To explore whether changes in a composite ( power Doppler/greyscale ultrasound (PDUS)) synovitis score, developed by the OMERACT-EULAR-Ultrasound Task Force, predict disease activity outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Patients with RA who were methotrexate inadequate...

Express-diagnostics of rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Zoltan M. Sigal

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Introduction: Diseases of bones and joints have the third greatest impact on the health of the world population. Rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis are uppermost inflammatory diseases of the joints. The aim of the study is the assessment of the ultrasonography and transillumination pulsooptometry of the knee joint as the diagnostic tools for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis. Materials and Methods: 2 266 people (29 % – rheumatoid arthritis, 62 % – osteoarthritis, 9 % – healthy, aged 19–75 years took part in the study. The ultrasonography and transillumination pulsooptometry were conducted. Measurements of hemodynamics and optical density were performed using the device and method of Z. M. Sigal (2007. Results. Various indicators were established, for example, the volume of synovial fluid in the suprapatellar bag for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Optical density for rheumatoid arthritis is three times less than for osteoarthritis. There are significant differences in the amplitude of pulse oscillations in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Results: Various indicators were established, for example, the volume of synovial fluid in the suprapatellar bag for rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Optical density for rheumatoid arthritis is three times less than for osteoarthritis. There are significant differences in the amplitude of pulse oscillations in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Discussion and Conclusions: The volume of synovial fluid in the suprapatellar bag of the knee joint with rheumatoid arthritis is higher than in osteoarthritis and normal: 55.8 cm3 and above and 3,29 cm3, 1,85 cm3 and below, respectively. With osteoarthritis and normal amount of synovial fluid did not differ significantly. The optical density in the suprapatellar bag of the knee joint for rheumatoid arthritis was 0.56 ± 0.2, the amplitude of pulse oscillations was 13.45 ± 3.62 mm. In osteoarthritis, these values were 1

Rheumatoid arthritis and sleep quality.

Science.gov (United States)

Goes, Ana Claudia Janiszewski; Reis, Larissa Aparecida Busatto; Silva, Marilia Barreto G; Kahlow, Barbara Stadler; Skare, Thelma L

Sleep disturbances are common in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and contribute to loss of life quality. To study associations of sleep quality with pain, depression and disease activity in RA. This is a transversal observational study of 112 RA patients submitted to measurement of DAS-28, Epworth scale for daily sleepiness, index of sleep quality by Pittsburg index, risk of sleep apnea by the Berlin questionnaire and degree of depression by the CES-D (Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression scale) questionnaire. We also collected epidemiological, clinical, serological and treatment data. Only 18.5% of RA patients had sleep of good quality. In univariate analysis a bad sleep measured by Pittsburg index was associated with daily doses of prednisone (p=0.03), DAS-28 (p=0.01), CES-D (p=0.0005) and showed a tendency to be associated with Berlin sleep apnea questionnaire (p=0.06). In multivariate analysis only depression (p=0.008) and Berlin sleep apnea questionnaire (p=0.004) kept this association. Most of RA patients do not have a good sleep quality. Depression and risk of sleep apnea are independently associated with sleep impairment. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Editora Ltda. All rights reserved.

Use of etanercept in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis on hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sugioka, Yuko; Inui, Kentaro; Koike, Tatsuya

2008-01-01

Disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs) are typically used for the therapy of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but most have some nephrotoxicity. In several clinical studies, etanercept had fewer adverse effects on renal function than other DMARDs. We report the case of a 64-year-old woman with RA and renal insufficiency on hemodialysis treated using etanercept therapy. This case suggests that etanercept therapy might be effective in the short term for such patients.

Visceral leishmaniasis in a rheumatoid arthritis patient receiving methotrexate.

Science.gov (United States)

Reina, Delia; Cerdà, Dacia; Güell, Elena; Martínez Montauti, Joaquín; Pineda, Antonio; Corominas, Hèctor

Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs are susceptible to severe infections such as leishmaniasis. As L. infantum is endemic in the Mediterranean region, it is necessary to rule this infectious process out in any RA patient presenting with fever and pancytopenia. An early diagnosis based on a high suspicion can prevent a fatal outcome. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier España, S.L.U. and Sociedad Española de Reumatología y Colegio Mexicano de Reumatología. All rights reserved.

Association study of ghrelin receptor gene polymorphisms in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Robledo, G; Rueda, B; Gonzalez-Gay, M A; Fernández, B; Lamas, J R; Balsa, A; Pascual-Salcedo, D; García, A; Raya, E; Martín, J

2010-01-01

Ghrelin is a newly characterised growth hormone (GH) releasing peptide widely distributed that may play an important role in the regulation of metabolic balance in inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA) by decreasing the pro-inflammatory Th1 responses. In this study we investigated the possible contribution of several polymorphisms in the functional Ghrelin receptor to RA susceptibility. A screening of 3 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) was performed in a total of 950 RA patients and 990 healthy controls of Spanish Caucasian origin. Genotyping of all 3 SNPs was performed by real-time polymerase chain reaction technology, using the TaqMan 5'-allele discrimination assay. We observed no statistically significant deviation between RA patients and controls for the GHSR SNPs analysed. In addition, we performed a haplotype analysis that did not reveal an association with RA susceptibility. The stratification analysis for the presence of shared epitope (SE), rheumatoid factor (RF) or antibodies anti cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) did not detect significant association of the GHSR polymorphisms with RA. These findings suggest that the GHSR gene polymorphisms do not appear to play a major role in RA genetic predisposition in our population.

Experimentally challenged reactivity of the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal axis in patients with recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Dekkers, J. C.; Geenen, R.; Godaert, G. L.; Glaudemans, K. A.; Lafeber, F. P.; van Doornen, L. J.; Bijlsma, J. W.

2001-01-01

There is evidence that the hypothalamic pituitary adrenal (HPA) axis is subresponsive in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We assessed HPA axis responses to experimental stressors mimicking daily life challenges in patients with RA to determine whether HPA axis activity is associated with Th1

EULAR definition of erosive disease in light of the 2010 ACR/EULAR rheumatoid arthritis classification criteria

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Heijde, Désirée; van der Helm-van Mil, Annette H. M.; Aletaha, Daniel; Bingham, Clifton O.; Burmester, Gerd R.; Dougados, Maxime; Emery, Paul; Felson, David; Knevel, Rachel; Kvien, Tore K.; Landewé, Robert B. M.; Lukas, Cédric; McInnes, Iain; Silman, Alan J.; Smolen, Josef S.; Stanislawska-Biernat, Ewa; Zink, Angela; Combe, Bernard

2013-01-01

The aim of this report was to propose a definition for erosive disease in the context of inflammatory arthritis in light of the 2010 American College of Rheumatology (ACR)/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) criteria for use in clinical practice and studies. A EULAR

Clinical course and outcome of early rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Papadopoulos, I A; Katsimbri, P; Katsaraki, A; Temekonidis, T; Georgiadis, A; Drosos, A A

2001-07-01

We studied whether patients with seropositivity in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) comprise a different clinical group than those with seronegativity. Four hundred seventeen patients with early RA according to the American College of Rheumatology criteria (disease duration less than 1 year) were retrospectively studied by analysis of demographic, clinical, laboratory, radiological, and therapeutic disease characteristics from the time of diagnosis until the end of the study period (1981 1999) using a data base. There were 248 seropositive patients and 169 seronegative patients with RA. No statistically significant differences were seen between the two groups before commencement of the study period in relation to age of disease onset, male:female ratio, and disease duration. However, seropositive patients showed longer medical follow-up. In addition, at disease onset, seropositive RA patients presented more frequently with symmetrical polyarthritis and small joint involvement than seronegative patients. The seropositive group also had more tender and swollen joints, weaker grip strength, and higher erythrocyte sedimentation and C-reactive protein rates during the follow-up period. In contrast, the seronegative group had less severe radiological findings and greater functional ability at the end of the study. In Greek patients with early RA, rheumatoid factor seems to be a predictor of more severe disease activity.

Is Hearing Impairment Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Emamifar, Amir; Bjoerndal, Kristine; Jensen Hansen, Inger Marie

2016-01-01

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a systemic, inflammatory disease that affects 1% of the population. The auditory system may be involved during the course of disease; however the association of RA and hearing impairment has not been clearly defined. OBJECTIVE: The objective of this review...... is to evaluate published clinical reports related to hearing impairment in patients with RA. Furthermore, we discuss possible pathologies and associated factors as well as new treatment modalities. METHOD: A thorough literature search was performed using available databases including Pubmed, Embase, Cochrane...... and ComDisDome to cover all relative reports. The following keywords were used: hearing loss, hearing difficulties, hearing disorders, hearing impairment, sensorineural hearing loss, conductive hearing loss, mixed hearing loss, autoimmune hearing loss, drug ototoxicity, drug-induced hearing loss, hearing...

Adjuvant auricular electroacupuncture and autogenic training in rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized controlled trial

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bernateck, M.; Becker, M.; Schwacke, C.

2008-01-01

BACKGROUND: In contrast to psychological interventions the usefulness of acupuncture as an adjuvant therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has not yet been demonstrated. OBJECTIVE: The efficacy of auricular electroacupuncture (EA) was directly compared with autogenic training (AT). METHODS: Patients...

Productivity at work and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vilsteren, M. van; Boot, C.R.; Knol, D.L.; Schaardenburg, D. van; Voskuyl, A.E.; Steenbeek, R.; Anema, J.R.

2015-01-01

Background The aim of this study was to determine which combination of personal, disease-related and environmental factors is best associated with at-work productivity loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine whether at-work productivity loss is associated with the quality

Emotion regulation and disease adjustment in women and men with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Middendorp, Henriet; Geenen, Rinie; Sorbi, Marjolijn J.; Vingerhoets, Ad J. J. M.; van Doornen, Lorenz J. P.; Bijlsma, Johannes W. J.

2008-01-01

Strategies to regulate emotions (alexithymia, affect intensity, and emotional expression) were examined by questionnaires in 249 female and 96 male patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA; age range: 19-87 years) and compared to the scores of 196 female control participants (age range: 19-82 years).

ER Stress: A Therapeutic Target in Rheumatoid Arthritis?

Science.gov (United States)

Rahmati, Marveh; Moosavi, Mohammad Amin; McDermott, Michael F

2018-04-22

Diverse physiological and pathological conditions that impact on protein folding of the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) cause ER stress. The unfolded protein response (UPR) and the ER-associated degradation (ERAD) pathway are activated to cope with ER stress. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), inflammation and ER stress work in parallel by driving inflammatory cells to release cytokines that induce chronic ER stress pathways. This chronic ER stress may contribute to the pathogenesis of RA through synoviocyte proliferation and proinflammatory cytokine production. Therefore, ER stress pathways and their constituent elements are attractive targets for RA drug development. In this review, we integrate current knowledge of the contribution of ER stress to the overall pathogenesis of RA, and suggest some therapeutic implications of these discoveries. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Genetics and epigenetics of rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Viatte, Sebastien; Plant, Darren; Raychaudhuri, Soumya

2013-01-01

Investigators have made key advances in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) genetics in the past 10 years. Although genetic studies have had limited influence on clinical practice and drug discovery, they are currently generating testable hypotheses to explain disease pathogenesis. Firstly, we review here the major advances in identifying RA genetic susceptibility markers both within and outside of the MHC. Understanding how genetic variants translate into pathogenic mechanisms and ultimately into phenotypes remains a mystery for most of the polymorphisms that confer susceptibility to RA, but functional data are emerging. Interplay between environmental and genetic factors is poorly understood and in need of further investigation. Secondly, we review current knowledge of the role of epigenetics in RA susceptibility. Differences in the epigenome could represent one of the ways in which environmental exposures translate into phenotypic outcomes. The best understood epigenetic phenomena include post-translational histone modifications and DNA methylation events, both of which have critical roles in gene regulation. Epigenetic studies in RA represent a new area of research with the potential to answer unsolved questions. PMID:23381558

Significant improvement in synovitis, osteitis, and bone erosion following golimumab and methotrexate combination therapy as compared with methotrexate alone: A magnetic resonance imaging study of 318 methotrexate-naive rheumatoid arthritis patients

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Østergaard, Mikkel; Emery, Paul; Conaghan, Philip G

2011-01-01

To evaluate the effects of golimumab on inflammation/structural damage detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).......To evaluate the effects of golimumab on inflammation/structural damage detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA)....

Thrombotic microangiopathy: An unusual cause of renal failure in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakthirajan, R; Dhanapriya, J; Dineshkumar, T; Gopalakrishnan, N; Murugan, S; Balasubramaniyan, T

2017-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is one of the commonest rheumatological diseases. Renal involvement is not common but can occur as a result of chronic inflammation as part of disease process or drug toxicity. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA) is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and organ failure of variable severity. Only a few cases of TMA in patients with RA were reported to date. We describe a 45-year-old female patient with RA who presented with oliguria and edema. Renal biopsy showed TMA with patchy cortical necrosis. She improved with hemodialysis and plasmapheresis.

Thrombotic microangiopathy: An unusual cause of renal failure in rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R Sakthirajan

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is one of the commonest rheumatological diseases. Renal involvement is not common but can occur as a result of chronic inflammation as part of disease process or drug toxicity. Thrombotic microangiopathy (TMA is characterized by microangiopathic hemolytic anemia, thrombocytopenia, and organ failure of variable severity. Only a few cases of TMA in patients with RA were reported to date. We describe a 45-year-old female patient with RA who presented with oliguria and edema. Renal biopsy showed TMA with patchy cortical necrosis. She improved with hemodialysis and plasmapheresis.

Investigation of potential non-HLA rheumatoid arthritis susceptibility loci in a European cohort increases the evidence for nine markers

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Plant, Darren; Flynn, Edward; Mbarek, Hamdi; Dieudé, Philippe; Cornelis, François; Arlestig, Lisbeth; Dahlqvist, Solbritt Rantapää; Goulielmos, George; Boumpas, Dimitrios T; Sidiropoulos, Prodromos; Johansen, Julia S; Ørnbjerg, Lykke M; Hetland, Merete Lund; Klareskog, Lars; Filer, Andrew; Buckley, Christopher D; Raza, Karim; Witte, Torsten; Schmidt, Reinhold E; Worthington, Jane

BACKGROUND: Genetic factors have a substantial role in determining development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and are likely to account for 50-60% of disease susceptibility. Genome-wide association studies have identified non-human leucocyte antigen RA susceptibility loci which associate with RA with

Impaired lymph node stromal cell function during the earliest phases of rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hähnlein, Janine S.; Nadafi, Reza; de Jong, Tineke; Ramwadhdoebe, Tamara H.; Semmelink, Johanna F.; Maijer, Karen I.; Zijlstra, Ijsbrand A.; Maas, Mario; Gerlag, Danielle M.; Geijtenbeek, Teunis B. H.; Tak, Paul P.; Mebius, Reina E.; van Baarsen, Lisa G. M.

2018-01-01

Systemic autoimmunity can be present years before clinical onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Adaptive immunity is initiated in lymphoid tissue where lymph node stromal cells (LNSCs) regulate immune responses through their intimate connection with leucocytes. We postulate that malfunctioning of

Psychophysiological responses to stress after stress management training in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Brouwer, S.J.M. de; Kraaimaat, F.W.; Sweep, F.C.; Donders, A.R.T.; Eijsbouts, A.; Koulil, S. van; Riel, P.L.C.M. van; Evers, A.W.M.

2011-01-01

BACKGROUND: Stress management interventions may prove useful in preventing the detrimental effects of stress on health. This study assessed the effects of a stress management intervention on the psychophysiological response to stress in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Seventy-four

Contact Frequency, Travel Time, and Travel Costs for Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

OpenAIRE

Sørensen, Jan; Linde, Louise; Hetland, Merete Lund

2014-01-01

Objectives. To investigate travel time, and travel cost related to contacts with health care providers for patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during a three-month period. Methods. Patient-reported travel time and travel cost were obtained from 2847 patients with RA. Eleven outpatient clinics across Denmark recruited patients to the study. Data collected included frequency, travel time and travel costs for contacts at rheumatology outpatient clinics, other outpatient clinics, general prac...

Zingiber officinale: A Potential Plant against Rheumatoid Arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Al-Nahain, Abdullah; Jahan, Rownak

2014-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an autoimmune disease particularly affecting elderly people which leads to massive bone destruction with consequent inflammation, pain, and debility. Allopathic medicine can provide only symptomatic relief. However, Zingiber officinale is a plant belonging to the Zingiberaceae family, which has traditionally been used for treatment of RA in alternative medicines of many countries. Many of the phytochemical constituents of the rhizomes of this plant have therapeutic benefits including amelioration of RA. This review attempts to list those phytochemical constituents with their reported mechanisms of action. It is concluded that these phytochemicals can form the basis of discovery of new drugs, which not only can provide symptomatic relief but also may provide total relief from RA by stopping RA-induced bone destruction. As the development of RA is a complex process, further research should be continued towards elucidating the molecular details leading to RA and drugs that can stop or reverse these processes by phytoconstituents of ginger. PMID:24982806

Cardiovascular disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Naranjo, Antonio; Sokka, Tuulikki; Descalzo, Miguel

2008-01-01

ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: We analyzed the prevalence of cardiovascular (CV) disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its association with traditional CV risk factors, clinical features of RA, and the use of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) in a multinational cross...... by patients. The clinical assessment included a review of clinical features of RA and exposure to DMARDs over the course of RA. Comorbidities were recorded; CV morbidity included myocardial infarction, angina, coronary disease, coronary bypass surgery, and stroke. Traditional risk factors recorded were...... any CV event and age and male gender and between extra-articular disease and myocardial infarction. Prolonged exposure to methotrexate (HR 0.85; 95% CI 0.81 to 0.89), leflunomide (HR 0.59; 95% CI 0.43 to 0.79), sulfasalazine (HR 0.92; 95% CI 0.87 to 0.98), glucocorticoids (HR 0.95; 95% CI 0.92 to 0...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Arthritis Managing Your Arthritis Managing Chronic Pain and Depression in Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health- ... on this website. Copyright Johns Hopkins Arthritis Center © 2018 Patient Privacy Johns Hopkins Rheumatology

MRI pattern of arthritis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative study with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy subjects

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Tani, Chiara; Possemato, Niccolo; Delle Sedie, Andrea; Bombardieri, Stefano; Mosca, Marta [University of Pisa, Rheumatology Unit, Department of Clinical and Experimental Medicine, Pisa (Italy); D' aniello, Dario; Caramella, Davide [Radiology Unit, University of Pisa, Pisa (Italy)

2014-10-24

In this study we aimed to describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pattern of the distribution of bone marrow edema (BME) and joint erosion in hands and wrists of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with arthritis in comparison with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy subjects (H). SLE patients with arthritis (n = 50), patients with RA (n = 22), and H (n = 48) were enrolled. Every patient underwent a non-dominant hand (2nd-5th metacarpophalangeal joints) and wrist MRI without contrast injection with a low-field extremity dedicated 0.2-Tesla instrument. BME was observed in two SLE patients in the hand (4 %) and in 15 in the wrist (13 %) versus three (30 %), and 14 (63 %) RA patients. No BME was found in H. Erosions were observed in the hand in 24 SLE patients (48 %), 15 RA patients (68 %), and 9 H (18 %); in the wrist, in 41 (82 %) SLE, all RA and 47 (97 %) H. The cumulative erosive burden in SLE was significantly higher than in H (c = 0.002) but similar to RA patients. Joint involvement of the wrist in SLE is similar to RA and is not as rare as expected, as shown by the comparison with healthy subjects. On the contrary, the involvement of the hand in SLE is significantly lower compared to RA. (orig.)

MRI pattern of arthritis in systemic lupus erythematosus: a comparative study with rheumatoid arthritis and healthy subjects

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tani, Chiara; Possemato, Niccolo; Delle Sedie, Andrea; Bombardieri, Stefano; Mosca, Marta; D'aniello, Dario; Caramella, Davide

2015-01-01

In this study we aimed to describe the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) pattern of the distribution of bone marrow edema (BME) and joint erosion in hands and wrists of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with arthritis in comparison with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and healthy subjects (H). SLE patients with arthritis (n = 50), patients with RA (n = 22), and H (n = 48) were enrolled. Every patient underwent a non-dominant hand (2nd-5th metacarpophalangeal joints) and wrist MRI without contrast injection with a low-field extremity dedicated 0.2-Tesla instrument. BME was observed in two SLE patients in the hand (4 %) and in 15 in the wrist (13 %) versus three (30 %), and 14 (63 %) RA patients. No BME was found in H. Erosions were observed in the hand in 24 SLE patients (48 %), 15 RA patients (68 %), and 9 H (18 %); in the wrist, in 41 (82 %) SLE, all RA and 47 (97 %) H. The cumulative erosive burden in SLE was significantly higher than in H (c = 0.002) but similar to RA patients. Joint involvement of the wrist in SLE is similar to RA and is not as rare as expected, as shown by the comparison with healthy subjects. On the contrary, the involvement of the hand in SLE is significantly lower compared to RA. (orig.)

Screening for amyloid in subcutaneous fat tissue of Egyptian patients with rheumatoid arthritis : clinical and laboratory characteristics

NARCIS (Netherlands)

El Mansoury, T.M.; Hazenberg, B. P. C.; Badawy, S. A. El; Ahmed, A.H.; Bijzet, J.; Limburg, P.C.; Van Rijswijk, M.H.

Objective: To screen for amyloid and to assess associated clinical and laboratory characteristics in Egyptian patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Abdominal subcutaneous fat aspirates were consecutively collected from 112 patients (103 women, nine men) having RA for five years or more.

Think Rheumatoid Arthritis: Causes, Consequences, and Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josef Smolen

2016-07-01

Full Text Available Prof Josef Smolen opened the symposium and briefly described the aims of the meeting. Co-host Prof Constantino Pitzalis first discussed the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA, identifying the pro-inflammatory cytokines involved and explaining why specific drugs only work in certain conditions. Prof Simon Jones followed with a discussion on comorbidities and adverse events associated with interleukin (IL-6 intervention in rheumatic disease. Dr Frank McKenna presented on the psychological impact of RA, including mood changes and development of depressive disorders, and Prof Smolen described the upcoming therapeutic approaches for the condition while also comparing and contrasting existing treatment options. The symposium concluded with a question and answer session.

Gender, body mass index and rheumatoid arthritis disease activity: results from the QUEST-RA Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Jawaheer, D; Olsen, J; Lahiff, M; Forsberg, S; Lähteenmäki, J; da Silveira, I G; Rocha, F A; Magalhães Laurindo, I M; Henrique da Mota, L M; Drosos, A A; Murphy, E; Sheehy, C; Quirke, E; Cutolo, M; Rexhepi, S; Dadoniene, J; Verstappen, S M M; Sokka, T

2010-01-01

To investigate whether body mass index (BMI), as a proxy for body fat, influences rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity in a gender-specific manner. Consecutive patients with RA were enrolled from 25 countries into the QUEST-RA program between 2005 and 2008. Clinical and demographic data were collected by treating rheumatologists and by patient self-report. Distributions of Disease Activity Scores (DAS28), BMI, age, and disease duration were assessed for each country and for the entire dataset; mean values between genders were compared using Student's t-tests. An association between BMI and DAS28 was investigated using linear regression, adjusting for age, disease duration and country. A total of 5,161 RA patients (4,082 women and 1,079 men) were included in the analyses. Overall, women were younger, had longer disease duration, and higher DAS28 scores than men, but BMI was similar between genders. The mean DAS28 scores increased with increasing BMI from normal to overweight and obese, among women, whereas the opposite trend was observed among men. Regression results showed BMI (continuous or categorical) to be associated with DAS28. Compared to the normal BMI range, being obese was associated with a larger difference in mean DAS28 (0.23, 95% CI: 0.11, 0.34) than being overweight (0.12, 95% CI: 0.03, 0.21); being underweight was not associated with disease activity. These associations were more pronounced among women, and were not explained by any single component of the DAS28. BMI appears to be associated with RA disease activity in women, but not in men.

Productivity at work and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Vilsteren, Myrthe; Boot, Cecile R. L.; Knol, Dirk L.; van Schaardenburg, Dirkjan; Voskuyl, Alexandre E.; Steenbeek, Romy; Anema, Johannes R.

2015-01-01

The aim of this study was to determine which combination of personal, disease-related and environmental factors is best associated with at-work productivity loss in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to determine whether at-work productivity loss is associated with the quality of life for

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... She is a critical member of our patient care team. Managing Your Arthritis Managing Your Arthritis Managing Chronic Pain and Depression in Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health- ...

A systems approach to rheumatoid arthritis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sungyong You

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is a chronic autoimmune disease that primarily attacks synovial joints. Despite the advances in diagnosis and treatment of RA, novel molecular targets are still needed to improve the accuracy of diagnosis and the therapeutic outcomes. Here, we present a systems approach that can effectively 1 identify core RA-associated genes (RAGs, 2 reconstruct RA-perturbed networks, and 3 select potential targets for diagnosis and treatments of RA. By integrating multiple gene expression datasets previously reported, we first identified 983 core RAGs that show RA dominant differential expression, compared to osteoarthritis (OA, in the multiple datasets. Using the core RAGs, we then reconstructed RA-perturbed networks that delineate key RA associated cellular processes and transcriptional regulation. The networks revealed that synovial fibroblasts play major roles in defining RA-perturbed processes, anti-TNF-α therapy restored many RA-perturbed processes, and 19 transcription factors (TFs have major contribution to deregulation of the core RAGs in the RA-perturbed networks. Finally, we selected a list of potential molecular targets that can act as metrics or modulators of the RA-perturbed networks. Therefore, these network models identify a panel of potential targets that will serve as an important resource for the discovery of therapeutic targets and diagnostic markers, as well as providing novel insights into RA pathogenesis.

Treatment-specific changes in circulating adipocytokines: a comparison between tumour necrosis factor blockade and glucocorticoid treatment for rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Klaasen, R.; Herenius, M. M. J.; Wijbrandts, C. A.; de Jager, W.; van Tuyl, L. H.; Nurmohamed, M. T.; Prakken, B. J.; Gerlag, D. M.; Tak, P. P.

2012-01-01

Objective There is increasing evidence that adipocytokines may exert proinflammatory and destructive effects in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Hence, the authors investigated the relationship between adipocytokines and several features associated with RA (inflammation, joint destruction and

Anti-cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Antibody (Anti-CCP and Diagnostic Value for Rheumatoid Arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mehmet Agilli

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Rheumatoid arthritis (RA is an inflammatory multisystem disease of unknown etiology characterized by chronic destructive synovitis. It and #8217;s prevalence is about 1% all over the world. Serologic markers are also important beside some clinical situations upon RA diagnosis. Today, the most commonly used laboratory test is rheumatoid factor (RF in patients with suspected RA. RF is sensitive but not a specific biomarker for diagnosing RA. Early diagnosis of RA is essential to prevent of progressive joint damage. In recent years, anticyclic citrullinated peptide/protein antibody (anti-CCP attracts the attention as a remarkable biomarker for early diagnosis. Anti-CCP which is a family of anti-citrullinated protein antibodies (ACPA family, showed quite satisfactory specificity in the diagnosis of RA. Due to the prescence of ACPA was included to 2010 RA diagnostic criteria, in a manner of speaking, importance of anti-CCP was registered. [TAF Prev Med Bull 2014; 13(1.000: 83-88

Up-regulated dipeptidyl-peptidase IV (CD26) on monocytes was unaffected by effective DMARD treatment in early steroid and DMARD-naive rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ellingsen, Torkell Juulsgaad; Hansen, I; Thorsen, J

2012-01-01

To study the CD26 density on monocytes and CD4+ T-lymphocytes in steroid and DMARD-naïve, early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to analyse for correlations with disease activity, including long-term radiographic progression.......To study the CD26 density on monocytes and CD4+ T-lymphocytes in steroid and DMARD-naïve, early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and to analyse for correlations with disease activity, including long-term radiographic progression....

The number needed to treat for second-generation biologics when treating established rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Kristensen, L. E.; Jakobsen, A. K.; Bartels, E. M.

2011-01-01

To evaluate the number needed to treat (NNT) and the number needed to harm (NNH) of the second-generation biologics abatacept, certolizumab, golimumab, rituximab, and tocilizumab in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA) taking concomitant methotrexate (MTX)....

Work disability remains a major problem in rheumatoid arthritis in the 2000s: data from 32 countries in the QUEST-RA Study

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sokka, Tuulikki; Kautiainen, Hannu; Pincus, Theodore

2010-01-01

,039 patients in 86 sites in 32 countries, 16 with high gross domestic product (GDP) (>24K US dollars (USD) per capita) and 16 low-GDP countries (work and disability status at onset and over the course of RA and clinical status of patients who continued working or had stopped working...... countries) and 64% (19%-87%) of women working. More than one third (37%) of these patients reported subsequent work disability because of RA. Among 1,756 patients whose symptoms had begun during the 2000s, the probabilities of continuing to work were 80% (95% confidence interval (CI) 78......ABSTRACT: INTRODUCTION: Work disability is a major consequence of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), associated not only with traditional disease activity variables, but also more significantly with demographic, functional, occupational, and societal variables. Recent reports suggest that the use...

Additional diagnostic and clinical value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies compared with rheumatoid factor isotypes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Vallbracht, Inka; Helmke, Klaus

2005-07-01

In the past decade significant advantages have been made in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and therapeutic strategies have changed a lot. These days, highly effective disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs enable intervention early in the disease process, in order to prevent major joint damage. For years, serological support in the diagnosis of RA has been limited to the presence of rheumatoid factors, although not very specific for RA. During the last years a variety of circulating non-RF antibodies have been discovered and reported to be of potential diagnostic value. CCP2 proved to be a very disease-specific and even sensitive marker for RA. In addition to the diagnostic properties, CCP showed to be a good prognostic marker, CCP helps to predict the erosive or nonerosive progression of the disease, and CCP is already present early in the disease. This diagnostic tool enables the clinician to choose the optimal therapeutic management for each single RA patient.

Cervical Myelopathy in Rheumatoid Arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

N. Mukerji

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Involvement of the cervical spine is common in rheumatoid arthritis. Clinical presentation can be variable, and symptoms may be due to neck pain or compressive myeloradiculopathy. We discuss the pathology, grading systems, clinical presentation, indications for surgery and surgical management of cervical myelopathy related to rheumatoid arthritis in this paper. We describe our surgical technique and results. We recommend early consultation for surgical management when involvement of the cervical spine is suspected in rheumatoid arthritis. Even patients with advanced cervical myelopathy should be discussed for surgical treatment, since in our experience improvement in function after surgery is common.

EVALUATION OF ULTRASOUND REMISSION CRITERIA IN PATIENTS WITH RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS DURING TOCILIZUMAB THERAPY

OpenAIRE

Rita Aleksandrovna Osipyants; D E Karateev; E Yu Panasyuk; G V Lukina; A V Smirnov; S I Glukhova; E N Aleksandrova; A V Volkov; E L Nasonov

2013-01-01

Objective: to study the association of ultrasound (US) remission criteria with the clinical and laboratory indicators of inflammatory activity, functional status, and X-ray changes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) during tocilizumab (TCZ) therapy.Subjects and methods. The trial included 36 patients with RA (meeting the 1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria) who had received TCZ for 6 months. The authors made a clinical and laboratory assessment of RA activity (DAS28-C...

Effects of Libby amphibole asbestos exposure on two rat models of rheumatoid arthritis

Science.gov (United States)

Epidemiological data suggests that occupational exposure to the amphibole-containing vermiculite in Libby, MT was associated with increased risk for developing autoimmune diseases and had an odds ratio of 3.23 for developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our goal was to determine wh...

Could early rheumatoid arthritis resolve after periodontitis treatment only?: case report and review of the literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Salemi, Simonetta; Biondo, Michela I; Fiorentino, Chiara; Argento, Giuseppe; Paolantonio, Michele; Di Murro, Carlo; Malagnino, Vito A; Canzoni, Marco; Diamanti, Andrea Picchianti; D'Amelio, Raffaele

2014-12-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is an immune-mediated polyarthritis; currently no pathogenic agent has been identified as a disease trigger. A patient with RA, presumably caused by periodontal infection, whose remission has been observed after periodontitis treatment in absence of specific RA therapy, is reported here for the first time, to our knowledge. A 61-year-old male patient presented migrant arthritis associated with antibodies against citrullinated protein antigens positivity. The clinical features allowed to make RA diagnosis according to the 2010 European League against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology RA classification criteria. X-ray of the second upper molar showed chronic apical periodontitis. After its treatment, arthritis remission has been observed in the absence of specific RA therapy. It has been suggested that periodontitis may have a trigger role in RA pathogenesis. This could be explained by the enzymatic action of Porphyromonas gingivalis, probably leading to break tolerance to collagen. The identification and subsequent treatment of periodontitis should therefore be considered pivotal in RA prophylaxis and management.

Preventing work disability among employees with rheumatoid arthritis: what medical professionals can learn from the patients' perspective

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Varekamp, Inge; Haafkens, Joke A.; Detaille, Sarah I.; Tak, Paul P.; van Dijk, Frank J. H.

2005-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To compare the perspectives of employees with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with those of medical professionals regarding what persons with RA need to prevent work disability. METHODS: Concept mapping was conducted in a group session with 21 employees and by mail with 17 medical

Severity indices in rheumatoid arthritis: A systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Toledano, Esther; García de Yébenes, M Jesús; González-Álvaro, Isidoro; Carmona, Loreto

2017-08-11

To identify tools designed to evaluate the severity of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in order to use them in the investigation of prognostic markers in early arthritis. We conducted a systematic review of studies that developed/validated an index for RA disease severity. They were analyzed using the COSMIN checklist to assess their methodological quality. In addition, all the variables included were evaluated for their clarity of definition, feasibility and probability of being present in each outcome during the first 2 years of the disease course. To estimate redundancy, variables were grouped by domains. After reviewing 3,519 articles, 3 studies were included. The first study, the PAS, assessed whether current and lifetime treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs and/or biologics accurately predicted RA severity, as measured by the patient-reported PAS. Treatment variables did not fully distinguish patients in the highest and lowest quartiles of PAS scores. Another severity index, the Claims-Based Index for RA Severity (CIRAS), included the variables age, sex, Felty's syndrome, number of rehabilitation and rheumatology visits, test for inflammatory markers, number of chemistry panels/platelet counts ordered and rheumatoid factor test. The correlation was low (r=0.56) with an index previously validated by the same research group, the RA medical records-based index of severity (RARBIS), with Disease Activity Score-C-reactive protein (DAS28-PCR) (r=0.07) and Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MD-HAQ) (r=0.008). Finally, the RARBIS, used to validate the CIRAS, was devised as an RA severity index based on medical records. It includes as domains surgery, radiology, extra-articular manifestations, clinical and laboratory variables, previously chosen by an expert panel. RARBIS had a weak correlation with treatment intensity (r=0.35) and with DAS28 (r=0.41). There is no index to assess the severity of RA based on the course of the

RITUXIMAB: NEW POTENTIALITIES OF THERAPY FOR RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D E Karateev

2008-01-01

Full Text Available Some patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA are unresponsive or intolerant to both synthetic first-line anti-inflammatory drugs (FLAID and tumor necrosis factor (TNF а inhibitors already included into all the treatment standards . Along with the conventional methods for overcoming drug resistance - switching to another FLAID or another TNF а blocker, the use of biologicals with another mechanism of action rather than suppression of TNF а gives a good account of itself. Prominent among these agents is the anti-B-cell drug rituximab. The new possibilities of the therapy, which open up the use of rituximab in patients with RA, are discussed.

Receptor Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase α-Mediated Enhancement of Rheumatoid Synovial Fibroblast Signaling and Promotion of Arthritis in Mice

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Stanford, Stephanie M; Svensson, Mattias N D; Sacchetti, Cristiano; Pilo, Caila A; Wu, Dennis J; Kiosses, William B; Hellvard, Annelie; Bergum, Brith; Muench, German R Aleman; Elly, Christian; Liu, Yun-Cai; den Hertog, Jeroen; Elson, Ari; Sap, Jan; Mydel, Piotr; Boyle, David L; Corr, Maripat; Firestein, Gary S; Bottini, Nunzio

OBJECTIVE: During rheumatoid arthritis (RA), fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS) critically promote disease pathogenesis by aggressively invading the extracellular matrix of the joint. The focal adhesion kinase (FAK) signaling pathway is emerging as a contributor to the anomalous behavior of RA FLS.

Methotrexate: the emerging drug of choice for serious rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Salach, R H; Cash, J M

1994-01-01

The recently recognized high morbidity and unexpected mortality associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has spurred new interest in more aggressive, early treatment of this disease. Methotrexate (MTX) has rapidly become the rheumatologist's drug of choice for serious RA because of its favorable efficacy to toxicity ratio and rapid onset of action compared with other second-line agents. The initial concerns about hepatic fibrosis and cirrhosis in psoriatic patients has subsided somewhat as long-term liver toxicity data are accumulating in patients with RA. Routine liver biopsy with incremental doses of MTX is no longer recommended. Potential for severe lung, hematologic, and infectious complications exists, mandating careful monitoring of RA patients taking MTX.

Effects of rheumatoid arthritis on household chores and leisure-time activities.

Science.gov (United States)

Leino, Mauri; Tuominen, Sini; Pirilä, Laura; Tuominen, Risto

2015-11-01

The aim of the study was to determine household chores and leisure-time activities most affected by rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to evaluate the perceived impact on performing these activities. Also, our aim was to estimate the required and received assistance for household chores. In an interview study via telephone, 124 patients with moderate-to-severe RA, visiting a tertiary-level dermatological clinic, listed spontaneously without predefined list the household chores and leisure-time activities that they considered were particularly affected by the RA. Ability to perform household chores and leisure-time activities were asked. The need for outside assistance with household chores and help received were also determined. Rheumatoid arthritis affected wide range of everyday household activities, with tasks related to cleaning of the house mentioned most often. Eleven of the categories out of 16 were similar to those included in the HAQ index. The majority of the patients (84.6 %) reported disadvantage in performing household chores because of RA. More than half of the patients (55.7 %) received assistance with household chores, women significantly more often than men (69.0 vs. 26.3 %, p Leisure-time activities listed by respondents as affected by RA were mostly related to sport. The majority of patients (77.2 %) had either reduced or completely given up at least one leisure-time activity. When estimating the total burden of the disease, the impact on both household chores and leisure-time activities should be taken into account.

The specialist physician's approach to rheumatoid arthritis in South Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Bester, Frederik C J; Bosch, Fredricka J; van Rensburg, Barend J Jansen

2016-03-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is expected to increase in Africa and South Africa. Due to the low numbers of rheumatologists in South Africa, specialist physicians also have to care for patients with RA. Furthermore several new developments have taken place in recent years which improved the management and outcome of RA. Classification criteria were updated, assessment follow-up tools were refined and above all, several new biological disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs were developed. Therefore it is imperative for specialist physicians to update themselves with the newest developments in the management of RA. This article provides an overview of the newest developments in the management of RA in the South African context. This approach may well apply to countries with similar specialist to patient ratios and disease profiles.

Late onset rheumatoid arthritis an observational study.

Science.gov (United States)

Rexhepi, Sylejman; Rexhepi, Mjellma; Sahatçiu-Meka, Vjollca; Rexhepi, Blerta; Bahtiri, Elton; Mahmutaj, Vigan

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) may have an onset at older age. The onset of the disease at the age of 60 and over is called late-onset rheumatoid arthritis (LORA). The aim of this study was to analyze the clinical, laboratory, radiological, and treatment characteristics of patients with LORA compared to those with early-onset RA (EaORA), provided that all the patients had an approximately equal duration of the disease. This is an observational single-center study, which involved 120 patients with an established diagnosis of RA, of which 60 patients had LORA, and 60 patients EaORA. The disease activity, measured by the Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS28-ESR), was significantly higher in the LORA group compared to the EaORA group (p0.05), while the number of patients positive for anti-citrullinated protein antibody (ACPA) was signifi cantly greater in the EaORA group (p<0.05). The values of C-reactive protein (CRP) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) were significantly higher in the LORA than in the EaORA group. Hemoglobin levels were lower in the LORA group (11.96±1.64 g/dL) than in the EaORA group (12.18±1.56 g/dL). The most used disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) were methotrexate and sulfasalazine, while biological drugs were not used. In conclusion, based on the results of our study, LORA has some features that distinguish it from EaORA, such as higher disease activity, more frequent involvement of large joints, and more pronounced structural damage. This should be taken in account in clinical practice, especially regarding treatment choices.

Recombinant human monoclonal autoantibodies specific for citrulline-containing peptides from phage display libraries derived from patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Raats, J.M.H.; Wijnen, E.M.; Pruijn, G.J.M.; Hoogen, F.H.J. van den; Venrooij, W.J.W. van

2003-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To isolate and characterize monoclonal autoantibodies (Mab) directed to citrullinated antigens from patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Using lymphocytes from bone marrow or peripheral blood from RA patients, we constructed antibody fragment libraries representing the

Rheumatoid Arthritis Diet: Can Certain Foods Reduce Symptoms?

Science.gov (United States)

... Can diet affect symptoms? Can certain diets affect rheumatoid arthritis symptoms? Answers from April Chang-Miller, M.D. ... article: http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/rheumatoid-arthritis/expert-answers/rheumatoid-arthritis/FAQ-20058041 . Mayo Clinic Footer Legal Conditions ...

Shared care or nurse consultations as an alternative to rheumatologist follow-up for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) outpatients with stable low disease-activity RA

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sørensen, Jan; Primdahl, J; Horn, Hc

2014-01-01

per quality-adjusted life year (QALY) threshold, shared care and nurse care were cost-effective with more than 90% probability. Nurse care was cost-effective in comparison with shared care with 75% probability. Conclusions: Shared care and nurse care seem to cost less but provide broadly similar......Objectives: To compare the cost-effectiveness of three types of follow-up for outpatients with stable low-activity rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Method: In total, 287 patients were randomized to either planned rheumatologist consultations, shared care without planned consultations, or planned nurse...... consultations. Effectiveness measures included disease activity (Disease Activity Score based on 28 joint counts and C-reactive protein, DAS28-CRP), functional status (Health Assessment Questionnaire, HAQ), and health-related quality of life (EuroQol EQ-5D). Cost measures included activities in outpatient...

Dynamics Determine Signaling in a Multicomponent System Associated with Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Lindgren, Cecilia; Tyagi, Mohit; Viljanen, Johan; Toms, Johannes; Ge, Changrong; Zhang, Naru; Holmdahl, Rikard; Kihlberg, Jan; Linusson, Anna

2018-05-24

Strategies that target multiple components are usually required for treatment of diseases originating from complex biological systems. The multicomponent system consisting of the DR4 major histocompatibility complex type II molecule, the glycopeptide CII259-273 from type II collagen, and a T-cell receptor is associated with development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We introduced non-native amino acids and amide bond isosteres into CII259-273 and investigated the effect on binding to DR4 and the subsequent T-cell response. Molecular dynamics simulations revealed that complexes between DR4 and derivatives of CII259-273 were highly dynamic. Signaling in the overall multicomponent system was found to depend on formation of an appropriate number of dynamic intramolecular hydrogen bonds between DR4 and CII259-273, together with the positioning of the galactose moiety of CII259-273 in the DR4 binding groove. Interestingly, the system tolerated modifications at several positions in CII259-273, indicating opportunities to use analogues to increase our understanding of how rheumatoid arthritis develops and for evaluation as vaccines to treat RA.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Arthritis and Health-related Quality of Life Rehabilitation Management for Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients Rehabilitation of Older Adult Patients with Arthritis Complementary ...

Metabolomic Elucidation of the Effects of Curcumin on Fibroblast-Like Synoviocytes in Rheumatoid Arthritis

OpenAIRE

Ahn, Joong Kyong; Kim, Sooah; Hwang, Jiwon; Kim, Jungyeon; Lee, You Sun; Koh, Eun-Mi; Kim, Kyoung Heon; Cha, Hoon-Suk

2015-01-01

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disease characterized by synovial inflammation and joint disability. Curcumin is known to be effective in ameliorating joint inflammation in RA. To obtain new insights into the effect of curcumin on primary fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLS, N = 3), which are key effector cells in RA, we employed gas chromatography/time-of-flight mass spectrometry (GC/TOF-MS)-based metabolomics. Metabolomic profiling of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-α...

Administration costs of intravenous biologic drugs for rheumatoid arthritis

OpenAIRE

Soini, Erkki J; Leussu, Miina; Hallinen, Taru

2013-01-01

Background Cost-effectiveness studies explicitly reporting infusion times, drug-specific administration costs for infusions or real-payer intravenous drug cost are few in number. Yet, administration costs for infusions are needed in the health economic evaluations assessing intravenously-administered drugs. Objectives To estimate the drug-specific administration and total cost of biologic intravenous rheumatoid arthritis (RA) drugs in the adult population and to compare the obtained costs wit...

Validation of automatic joint space width measurements in hand radiographs in rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schenk, Olga; Huo, Yinghe; Vincken, Koen L; van de Laar, Mart A; Kuper, Ina H H; Slump, Kees C H; Lafeber, Floris P J G; Bernelot Moens, Hein J

2016-01-01

Computerized methods promise quick, objective, and sensitive tools to quantify progression of radiological damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Measurement of joint space width (JSW) in finger and wrist joints with these systems performed comparable to the Sharp-van der Heijde score (SHS). A next

Validation of automatic joint space width measurements in hand radiographs in rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Schenk, Olga; Huo, Yinghe; Vincken, Koen L.; van de Laar, Mart A F J; Kuper, Ina H.H.; Slump, Cornelis H.; Lafeber, Floris P.J.G.; Bernelot Moens, Hein J.

2016-01-01

Computerized methods promise quick, objective, and sensitive tools to quantify progression of radiological damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Measurement of joint space width (JSW) in finger and wrist joints with these systems performed comparable to the Sharp–van der Heijde score (SHS). A next

Strong combined gene-environment effects in anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide-positive rheumatoid arthritis

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Pedersen, Line Merete Blak; Jacobsen, Søren; Garred, Peter

2007-01-01

To study the role of shared epitope (SE) susceptibility genes, alone and in combination with tobacco smoking and other environmental risk factors, for risk of subtypes of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) defined by the presence or absence of serum antibodies against cyclic citrullinated peptides (CCPs)....

Parental rheumatoid arthritis and childhood epilepsy

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rom, Ane Lilleøre; Wu, Chunsen; Olsen, Jørn

2016-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To assess the influence of parental rheumatoid arthritis (RA) on risk of epilepsy. METHODS: We performed a nationwide cohort study including all singletons born in Denmark from 1977 to 2008 (n = 1,917,723) through individual linkage to nationwide Danish registries. The children were...... followed for an average of 16 years. Main outcome measures were adjusted hazard ratios (HRs) for epilepsy with onset in early childhood (29 days-4 years), late childhood (5-15 years), adolescence/adulthood (≥15 years), and at any age until the end of follow-up (December 31, 2010). RESULTS: Compared...... to unexposed children, children exposed to maternal RA had an increased risk of early and late childhood epilepsy (adjusted HRs 1.34 [95% confidence interval (CI) 1.13-1.60] and 1.26 [95% CI 1.13-1.41]), while children exposed to maternal RA had no increased risk of epilepsy in adolescence/adulthood (HR 1...

Serodiagnosis and immune profile in rheumatoid arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Chakraborty, P; Bhattacharya, S; Chakraborty, M; Pal, B

1997-11-01

One hundred and seventy-five cases of clinically diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis, 82 non-rheumatoid cases suffering from various other diseases and 40 healthy normal controls were investigated for detection of rheumatoid factor, quantitation of serum immunoglobulin, demonstration of antinuclear antibody (ANA) and LE cell phenomenon. Microlatex agglutination test of serum for rheumatoid factor (RF) showed 64% positivity in rheumatoid group and 1.2% positivity in non-rheumatoid group. All three immunoglobulins (IgG, IgM, IgA) were found to be raised in serum of patients with rheumatoid arthritis, whereas only IgA level was elevated in serum of patients with non-rheumatoid diseases. ANA and LE cell phenomenon were observed in 3.4% and 2.8% cases respectively in cases of clinically diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis who had been suffering from severe active rheumatoid arthritis. In non-rheumatoid group RF was positive in significant titre in only one case of leprosy. Synovial fluid and synovium were found to be heavily infiltrated by plasma cells and lymphocytes. RF appears first in synovial fluid and then in serum. Hence RF titre in blood may not attain significant level for the first several months.

Rheumatoid Arthritis Educational Video Series

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... Arthritis Managing Chronic Pain and Depression in Arthritis Nutrition & Rheumatoid Arthritis Arthritis and Health-related Quality of ... Hopkins Rheumatology Arthritis Center Lupus Center Lyme Disease Clinical Research Center Myositis Center Scleroderma Center Sjogren’s Syndrome ...

Automatic image analysis for decision support in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoporosis

OpenAIRE

Kälvesten, Johan

2015-01-01

Low-energy trauma and fragility fractures represent a major public health problem. The societal cost of the fragility fractures that occurred in Sweden 2010 has been estimated at €4 billion. In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), patient outcomes have improved greatly in recent years. However, the therapeutic decision making is still hampered by a lack of effective validated biomarkers. The cost of RA in Sweden 2010 has been estimated at €600 million, of which biologic drugs was €180 million. Digital ...

A comparison of disease burden in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brigitte Michelsen

Full Text Available The main objective of this study was to compare disease burden in rheumatoid arthritis (RA, psoriatic arthritis (PsA and axial spondyloarthritis (ax-SpA.In this cross-sectional study, all the RA (1093, PsA (365 and ax-SpA (333 patients who visited the out-patient clinic of the Hospital of Southern Norway Trust during the year 2013 were included; the RA patients all had a RA diagnosis verified by the treating rheumatologist, the PsA patients all fulfilled the ClASsification for Psoriatic ARthritis (CASPAR criteria and the ax-SpA patients all fulfilled the Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society (ASAS classification criteria for ax-SpA. Patient-reported health status, demographic variables, medications, and composite scores of disease activity were assessed. The main analyses were performed using General Linear Models adjusted for age, sex and multiple comparisons. Correlation analyses were performed using Spearman's rho.The reported pain, joint pain, patient's global assessment and fatigue were similar in PsA and ax-SpA, but significantly lower in RA. The 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28 (0.3±0.1, p = 0.003, Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI (1.0±0.4, p = 0.028 and Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3 (0.4±0.1, p = 0.004 were all significantly higher in PsA vs. RA. RAPID3 showed moderate to high correlation with DAS28 (rho = 0.521, p<0.001 and CDAI (rho = 0.768, p<0.001 in RA and PsA, and with Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI (rho = 0.902, p<0.001 and Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index (BASFI (0.865, p<0.001 in ax-SpA and PsA.In conclusion, patient- reported outcome measures were similar in our population of PsA and ax-SpA patients, but significantly lower for the RA patients. Composite disease activity measures were lower in RA than in PsA and ax-SpA, but the magnitude of these differences was small and probably not of clinical significance. Our study indicates that

Infliximab treatment in a patient with rheumatoid arthritis on hemodialysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, Ranju; Cuchacovich, Raquel; Huang, Wenqun; Espinoza, Luis R

2002-03-01

We describe a 60-year-old woman with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and endstage renal disease secondary to hypertensive nephrosclerosis undergoing hemodialysis. She had tried multiple antirheumatic medications; however, their usefulness was limited due to toxic side effects or lack of efficacy. She was then treated with chimeric antitumor necrosis factor monoclonal antibody (infliximab), which resulted in immediate improvement in clinical and laboratory measures. After about 2 years of therapy, no side effects have been observed. This report expands the spectrum of infliximab to include RA patients with renal insufficiency.

Psychological variables and physical exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Amabile Borges Dario

2010-09-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study was to provide a literature review aiming to clarify the most prevalent psychological changes present in individuals suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA, the impact of exercise on such changes, and the exercise protocols commonly adopted to improve these individuals' mental health. The few studies available report anxiety disorders and depression as most prevalent and physical exercise as a significant therapeutic strategy for this population. There is some evidence of the beneficial effects of exercise on those psychological variables providing RA patients with more effective treatments.

Altered Natural Killer Cell Subsets in Seropositive Arthralgia and Early Rheumatoid Arthritis Are Associated with Autoantibody Status

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Chalan, Paulina; Bijzet, Johan; Kroesen, Bart-Jan; Boots, Annemieke M. H.; Brouwer, Elisabeth

Objective. The role of natural killer (NK) cells in the immunopathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is unclear. Therefore, numerical and functional alterations of CD56(dim) and CD56(bright) NK cells in the early stages of RA development were studied. Methods. Whole blood samples from newly

Bioavailibility of higher dose methotrexate comparing oral and subcutaneous route of administration in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hoekstra, Monique; Hoekstra, M.; Haagsma, Cees; Neef, Cees; Proost, Johannes; van de Laar, Mart A F J; Knuif, Antonius

2004-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the bioavailability of higher oral doses of methotrexate (MTX) in adult patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: A pharmacokinetic analysis was performed in 15 patients with RA taking a stable dose of MTX (> or = 25 mg weekly). Separated by 2 weeks, a pharmacokinetic

Application of a prediction model for the progression of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with undifferentiated arthritis.

Science.gov (United States)

Arana-Guajardo, Ana; Pérez-Barbosa, Lorena; Vega-Morales, David; Riega-Torres, Janett; Esquivel-Valerio, Jorge; Garza-Elizondo, Mario

2014-01-01

Different prediction rules have been applied to patients with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) to identify those that progress to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Leiden Prediction Rule (LPR) has proven useful in different UA cohorts. To apply the LPR to a cohort of patients with UA of northeastern Mexico. We included 47 patients with UA, LPR was applied at baseline. They were evaluated and then classified after one year of follow-up into two groups: those who progressed to RA (according to ACR 1987) and those who did not. 43% of the AI patients developed RA. In the RA group, 56% of patients obtained a score ≤ 6 and only 15% ≥ 8. 70% who did not progress to RA had a score between 6 and ≤ 8. There was no difference in median score of LPR between groups, p=0.940. Most patients who progressed to RA scored less than 6 points in the LPR. Unlike what was observed in other cohorts, the model in our population did not allow us to predict the progression of the disease. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Is it possible to predict the first year extent of pain and disability for patients with rheumatoid arthritis?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van der Heide, A.; Jacobs, J. W.; Haanen, H. C.; Bijlsma, J. W.

1995-01-01

To investigate prediction of the extent of suffering during the first year of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with patient characteristics found to be capable of predicting short term or longterm endpoint disability. Ninety-five patients with recently diagnosed RA, participating in a prospective clinical

CLINICAL AND FUNCTIONAL FEATURES OF PANCREAS STATE IN RHEUMATOID ARTHRITIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. O. Basieva

2000-01-01

Full Text Available Aim of study: complex pancreas study in rheumatoid arthritis (RA. Material and methods: 120 RA pts were examined clinically Pancreas US-and biochemical study (level of a-amylase and lipase of blood serum by kinetic-calorimetric method was performed in this grouh. Results: 50.8% of pts demonstrated increase of pancreas echo, in 23.3%- widened Wirsung s duct, in 45%- single small focal indurations, more often in the body and cauda pancreatis. Decrease of lipolitic and amylolytic pancreas activity is characteristic for RA, especially in systemic process and long-term disease. Clinical and functional disturbances are connected with morphological changes.

Impact of Stopping Tumor Necrosis Factor inhibitors on Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients' Burden of Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ghiti Moghadam, Marjan; ten Klooster, Peter M.; Vonkeman, Harald Erwin; Kneepkens, Eva L.; Klaasen, Ruth; Stolk, Jan N.; Tchetverikov, Ilja; Vreugdenhil, Simone A.; van Woerkom, Jan M.; Goekoop-Ruiterman, Yvonne P.M.; Landewé, Robert B.M.; van Riel, Piet L.C.M.; van de Laar, Mart A F J; Jansen, Tim L.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of stopping tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of physical and mental health status, health utility, pain, disability and fatigue in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In the pragmatic

Impact of Stopping Tumor Necrosis Factor-inhibitors on Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients' Burden of Disease

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Ghiti Moghadam, Marjan; ten Klooster, Peter M.; Vonkeman, Harald Erwin; Kneepkens, Eva L.; Klaasen, Ruth; Stolk, Jan N.; Tchetverikov, Ilja; Vreugdenhil, Simone A.; van Woerkom, Jan M.; Goekoop-Ruiterman, Yvonne P.M.; Landewé, Robert B.M.; van Riel, Piet L.C.M.; van de Laar, Mart A F J; Jansen, Tim L.

2017-01-01

OBJECTIVE: To determine the impact of stopping tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) treatment on patient-reported outcomes (PROs) of physical and mental health status, health utility, pain, disability and fatigue in patients with established rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In the pragmatic

Relevance of the new pre-cachexia and cachexia definitions for patients with rheumatoid arthritis

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Bokhorst-de van der Schueren, M.A.E.; Konijn, N.P.C.; Bultink, I.E.M.; Lems, W.F.; Earthman, C.P.; van Tuyl, H.D.

2012-01-01

Background & aims: The recently proposed definitions of 'pre-cachexia' and 'cachexia' might offer new possibilities for the detection of malnutrition in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: The prevalence of different components of nutritional status and the compiled definitions of

Rheumatoid arthritis and Swine influenza vaccine: a case report.