Clin Exp Rheumatol
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To assess the clinical features of nervous system (NS) involvement in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitides (AAV), including microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), Wegener's granulomatosis (WG), and Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS). ⋯ NS involvement was common in AAVs and the characteristic of NS involvement was different among MPA, WG and CSS patients. DAH and infection instead of NS damage remained the leading causes of death in AAVs.
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Comparative Study
The patient-rated wrist evaluation (PRWE): cross-cultural adaptation into German and evaluation of its psychometric properties.
To cross-culturally adapt the Patient-Rated Wrist Evaluation form (PRWE) into German (PRWE-G) and to evaluate its reliability and validity. ⋯ The PRWE-G represents a valid and reliable instrument to evaluate self-rated outcome in German-speaking patients with hand and wrist pathology.
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To investigate the association between articular chondrocalcinosis and calcification of the atlantoaxial region on a cervical computed tomography (CT) scan and to explore the relation between such calcifications and neck pain. ⋯ These results suggest that CPPD deposition disease frequently involves the cervical spine. Although such calcification often remains asymptomatic, it may be associated with attacks of acute neck pain with segmentary stiffness, fever, and an increased erythrocyte sedimentation rate, sometimes mimicking PMR and/or GCA or neurological symptoms.
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Systemic sclerosis is a rare and potentially devastating connective tissue disease. It is highly heterogeneous in terms of clinical presentation, extent and severity of organ involvement, immunologic abnormalities, and clinical course. ⋯ Results of these studies are presented and discussed, with emphasis on methodological limitations. Suggestions are made for the design, conduct, and reporting of further research on these themes.
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To adapt and validate the Hungarian version of the DASH and the shorter QuickDASH Outcome Measures and to establish their validity in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). ⋯ The Hungarian version of the DASH and QuickDASH demonstrated equivalent reproducibility, internal consistency and validity to the originals. The strong correlations of the DASH and QuickDASH with the HAQ-DI, and with the physical dimensions of the SF-36 show that the disability of the patient with SSc is predominantly caused by the functional impairment of the upper limb. Because both questionnaires were valuable tools for measuring upper extremity function and joint damage in SSc patients, we recommend the shorter and simpler QuickDASH for everyday clinical use.