Arthritis care & research
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Arthritis care & research · Nov 2013
Association of circulating level of high mobility group box 1 with disease activity in antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-associated vasculitis.
High mobility group box 1 (HMGB-1), a kind of proinflammatory mediator, is associated with inflammatory conditions and tissue damage. Previous studies have reported that circulating HMGB-1 levels in patients with active antineutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) were associated with renal manifestations and burdens of granulomatous inflammation. The current study aimed to investigate whether circulating HMGB-1 levels were associated with disease activity in AAV. ⋯ Circulating HMGB-1 levels might reflect the disease activity and renal involvement of AAV vasculitis.
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Arthritis care & research · Nov 2013
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyPsychological profiles and pain characteristics of older adults with knee osteoarthritis.
To identify psychological profiles in persons with knee osteoarthritis (OA) and to determine the relationship between these profiles and specific pain and sensory characteristics, including temporal summation and conditioned pain modulation. ⋯ Our findings demonstrate the existence of homogeneous psychological profiles displaying unique sets of clinical and somatosensory characteristics. Multidisciplinary treatment approaches consistent with the biopsychosocial model of pain should provide significant advantages if targeted to profiles such as those in our OA sample.
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Arthritis care & research · Nov 2013
ReviewExperiences and perspectives of adults living with systemic lupus erythematosus: thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.
Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a chronic inflammatory autoimmune disease that significantly impairs patients’ quality of life and can be life threatening. This study aimed to describe the experiences and perspectives of adults living with SLE. ⋯ SLE has a severe and pervasive impact on patients’ self-esteem and independence. Their physical and social functioning is limited and they feel anxious about their future. Patients perceive that SLE is trivialized, misunderstood,and stigmatized by their family, friends, and physicians, which intensifies their sense of isolation. Educational, psychosocial, and self-care interventions are needed to promote mental resilience, positive coping strategies, self-advocacy, and capacities for social participation, and thereby to achieve better treatment and health outcomes in patients with SLE.