Clin Exp Rheumatol
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Review Meta Analysis Comparative Study
A comparison of discontinuation rates of tofacitinib and biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in rheumatoid arthritis: a systematic review and Bayesian network meta-analysis.
The purpose of this study was to compare the discontinuation rates of tofacitinib and biologics (tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), abatacept, rituximab, and tocilizumab) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients considering inadequate responses (IRs) to previous treatment(s). ⋯ The comparability of discontinuation rate between tofacitinib and biologics was different based on previous treatments and discontinuation reasons: LOE, AEs, and total (due to other reasons). Therefore, those factors need to be considered to decide the optimal treatment strategy.
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Fibromyalgia (FM) is a complex syndrome characterised by chronic pain, fatigue and functional symptoms. Widespread pain is often its most typical feature, whereas other manifestations may be associated to various extents. Its aetiopathogenesis is still a matter of debate, but various pharmacological and non-pharmacological therapies are currently available for its treatment. We review the literature concerning the most recent findings relating to the aetiopathogenesis, assessment and treatment of FM published between January 2016 and January 2017.
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Ultrasound (US) has acquired an increasing role in the assessment of joint and periarticular abnormalities in osteoarthritis (OA). It is able to image a large set of abnormalities in this disease which include both inflammatory and structural changes at different peripheral joint sites and it is helpful in guiding local procedures that can be easily and safely performed with optimal patient's tolerance. US is a feasible imaging modality that has become a bedside procedure in the rheumatology clinical practice, thus filling the gap between clinical and radiographic evaluations of patients with OA. The present review focuses and summarises the currently available data on the applications of US in OA.
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Large-vessel vasculitides comprise giant cell arteritis and Takayasu's arteritis. In both conditions, early changes consist of transmural inflammation of the arterial wall, while later complications include lumen changes, such as stenoses or aneurysms. Colour Doppler sonography has the ability to depict the arterial wall as well as the lumen, and is therefore ideally suited both to diagnose early vasculitis and to monitor patients over time. In this review article, we addressed the following issues: 1) the role of colour Doppler sonography in the diagnosis of large-vessel vasculitis and its common pitfalls; 2) whether colour Doppler sonography can increase the yield of temporal artery biopsy in giant cell arteritis; 3) the role of colour Doppler sonography in monitoring patients with LVV over time; and 4) how colour Doppler sonography performs compared to other imaging techniques.
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Ten years ago, the METEOR tool was developed to simulate treatment-to-target and create an international research database. The development of the METEOR tool and database, research opportunities and future perspectives are described. ⋯ Since METEOR was founded 10 years ago, many rheumatologists worldwide have used the METEOR tool to follow-up their patients and improve the quality of care they provide to their patients. Combined with uploaded data, this has led to an extensive growth of the database. It now offers a unique opportunity to study daily practice care and to perform research regarding cross-country differences in a large, worldwide setting, which could provide important knowledge about disease and its treatment in different geographic and clinical settings.