Arthritis care & research
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Arthritis care & research · Aug 2015
Meta AnalysisEffect of Aerobic Exercise Training on Fatigue in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Meta-Analysis.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) fatigue is not being well-managed currently, and evidence of effective interventions is limited. Aerobic exercise may provide benefit to treat fatigue in RA. Therefore, the purpose of this meta-analysis is to analyze the effect of aerobic land-based exercise on fatigue in RA. ⋯ There is evidence with low risk of bias that an aerobic exercise program is effective in reducing fatigue among patients with RA, especially in the short term; however, effects are small. To substantiate the evidence, RCTs should be performed in patients with RA selected for having fatigue.
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Arthritis care & research · Aug 2015
Randomized Controlled TrialCharacterizing Pain Flares From the Perspective of Individuals With Symptomatic Knee Osteoarthritis.
Although pain in knee osteoarthritis (OA) commonly affects activity engagement, the daily pain experience has not been fully characterized. Specifically, the nature and impact of pain flares is not well understood. This study characterized pain flares as defined by participants with knee OA. Pain flare occurrence and experience were measured over 7 days. ⋯ Pain flares were common, fleeting, and often experienced in the context of activity engagement. Participants' views on what constitutes a pain flare differ from commonly accepted definitions. Pain flares are an understudied aspect of the knee OA pain experience and require further characterization.
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Arthritis care & research · Jul 2015
Cardiac biomarkers in systemic sclerosis: contribution of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin in addition to N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide.
To measure plasma concentrations of high-sensitivity cardiac troponin T (HS-cTnT) and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP) in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) and age- and sex-matched healthy control subjects, and to examine the contribution of traditional cardiovascular risk factors and SSc features to the concentrations of these 2 cardiac biomarkers. ⋯ HS-cTnT and NT-proBNP concentrations are increased in patients with SSc, even in those who are free of cardiovascular risk factors. These easily obtained biomarkers may be useful for systematic evaluation and stratification of SSc patients, especially to identify those at risk of pulmonary hypertension.
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Arthritis care & research · Jul 2015
Expert panel consensus on assessment checklists for a rheumatology objective structured clinical examination.
While several regional fellowship groups conduct rheumatology objective structured clinical examinations (ROSCEs), none have been validated for use across programs. We aimed to establish agreement among subspecialty experts regarding checklist items for several ROSCE stations. ⋯ This single-round expert panel survey established consensus on 133 items to assess on 11 proposed ROSCE stations. The method used in this study, which can engage a diverse geographic representation and employs rigorous statistical methods to establish checklist content agreement, can be used in any medical field.
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Arthritis care & research · May 2015
Direct hospital cost determinants following hip and knee arthroplasty.
Total joint arthroplasty (TJA) places a significant economic burden on health care resources. This cohort study examines the costs associated with arthroplasty in 827 patients undergoing hip and knee TJA from January 2011 to June 2012 at a single center in Melbourne, Australia. ⋯ This unique study has identified important factors influencing TJA costs and providing guidance for future research and resource allocation.