J Rheumatol
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Comparative Study
Health-related quality of life: validity, reliability, and responsiveness of SF-36, 15D, EQ-5D [corrected] RAQoL, and HAQ in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
To compare validity, reliability, and responsiveness of generic and disease specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) instruments in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ⋯ All instruments were valid measures for HRQOL in RA. The RAQoL and HAQ displayed the best reliability, while the SF-36 bodily pain scale and VAS pain were the most responsive. The choice of instrument should depend on the study objectives.
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Vascular impairment, a main feature of the pathogenesis of systemic sclerosis (SSc), involves both the macro- and the microvasculature. We compared and correlated simultaneously measured skin microvascular and brachial artery macrovascular post-occlusive hyperemia in 3 groups: patients with SSc, patients with primary Raynaud's phenomenon (RP), and healthy volunteers. ⋯ We observed a loss of the correlation between brachial FMD and digital cutaneous PORH in patients with SSc and primary RP. Microvascular function is impaired in SSc, whereas brachial artery endothelial function is normal.
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Despite much evidence showing racial disparities in the use of surgical procedures, it is unknown whether ethnicity affects perception of surgical risk. ⋯ Patient ethnicity is an important factor to consider in understanding a patient's perception of risk in joint replacement surgery.