Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2008
Is health equity considered in systematic reviews of the Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group?
To determine whether Cochrane Musculoskeletal Group (CMSG) systematic reviews and corresponding primary studies of rheumatoid arthritis interventions report and analyze the data needed to assess the effectiveness of interventions in reducing socioeconomic differences in health and/or improving the health of the poor. ⋯ Primary studies of interventions for rheumatoid arthritis generally reported few variables necessary to answer questions about health inequalities. Most CMSG systematic reviews failed to assess those variables even when described in the primary studies. The Cochrane Health Equity Field welcomes the opportunity to provide guidance to systematic review authors on incorporating equity considerations into their reviews.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2008
Severity of baseline magnetic resonance imaging-evident sacroiliitis and HLA-B27 status in early inflammatory back pain predict radiographically evident ankylosing spondylitis at eight years.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used to detect sacroiliitis earlier. This study was undertaken to investigate what proportion of patients with MRI-evident sacroiliitis develop ankylosing spondylitis (AS) in the long term and whether there are predictors of outcome. ⋯ Our findings indicate that in patients with early IBP, a combination of severe sacroiliitis and HLA-B27 positivity has a high specificity for development of AS, compared with mild or no sacroiliitis, regardless of HLA-B27 status, which confers a low likelihood of developing AS. This has implications for the diagnosis of "early" AS and possibly for selection of more aggressive therapies.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2008
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyCertolizumab pegol plus methotrexate is significantly more effective than placebo plus methotrexate in active rheumatoid arthritis: findings of a fifty-two-week, phase III, multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study.
To evaluate the efficacy and safety of 2 dosage regimens of lyophilized certolizumab pegol (a novel PEGylated anti-tumor necrosis factor agent) as adjunctive therapy to methotrexate (MTX) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with an inadequate response to MTX therapy alone. ⋯ Treatment with certolizumab pegol 200 or 400 mg plus MTX resulted in a rapid and sustained reduction in RA signs and symptoms, inhibited the progression of structural joint damage, and improved physical function as compared with placebo plus MTX treatment in RA patients with an incomplete response to MTX.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2008
Illness perceptions in patients with fibromyalgia and their relationship to quality of life and catastrophizing.
In the last decade, illness perceptions have been identified as important in the treatment of fibromyalgia (FM). The aim of the present study was to examine illness perceptions and use of the revised Illness Perception Questionnaire in patients with FM (IPQ-R-FM) and their relationship to quality of life and catastrophizing. ⋯ The IPQ-R-FM is a useful tool to assess illness perceptions in patients with FM. Illness perceptions are related to quality of life and catastrophizing; therefore, it seems important to assess and integrate illness perceptions into the management of patients with FM.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Oct 2008
Work and sick leave among patients with early inflammatory joint conditions.
To study the occurrence of sick leave and to identify work characteristics related to sick leave in patients with early inflammatory joint conditions. ⋯ Substantial sick leave in the past 6 months was reported by 26% of patients with early inflammatory joint conditions. Pain, functional limitations, and fewer opportunities to determine one's work activities were associated with the occurrence of sick leave.