J Rheumatol
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Problem elicitation to assess patient priorities in ankylosing spondylitis and fibromyalgia.
To elicit patient priorities as outcome measures in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and fibromyalgia (FM); to relate these measures to other outcomes; to assess construct validity and sensitivity to change of the problem elicitation technique (PET) questionnaire. ⋯ Obtaining patient priorities was generally feasible. In both groups of patients construct validity of the PET questionnaire was satisfactory. The PET was much more sensitive to change in patients with AS than in patients with FM.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Meta Analysis Clinical Trial
The effect of pulsed electromagnetic fields in the treatment of osteoarthritis of the knee and cervical spine. Report of randomized, double blind, placebo controlled trials.
We conducted a randomized, double blind clinical trial to determine the effectiveness of pulsed electromagnetic fields (PEMF) in the treatment of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee and cervical spine. ⋯ PEMF has therapeutic benefit in painful OA of the knee or cervical spine.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Intravenous iloprost treatment of Raynaud's phenomenon and ischemic ulcers secondary to systemic sclerosis.
We conducted this study to assess the clinical usefulness and physiologic effects of intravenous iloprost in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis. ⋯ Iloprost appears useful for the treatment of digital ulcers in systemic sclerosis and is associated with evidence of prolonged physiologic improvement although the mechanism of this effect remains unclear.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of topical capsaicin in the therapy of painful osteoarthritis of the hands.
Topical capsaicin 0.075% was evaluated for the treatment of the painful joints of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) in a 4 week double blind, placebo controlled randomized trial. Twenty-one patients were selected, all of whom had either RA (n = 7) or OA (n = 14) with painful involvement of the hands. Assessments of pain (visual analog scale), functional capacity, morning stiffness, grip strength, joint swelling and tenderness (dolorimeter) were performed before randomization. ⋯ Capsaicin reduced tenderness (p less than 0.02) and pain (p less than 0.02) associated with OA, but not RA as compared with placebo. A local burning sensation was the only adverse effect noted. These findings suggest that topical capsaicin is a safe and potentially useful drug for the treatment of painful OA of the hands.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Effect of spa therapy in Tiberias on patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis.
Forty-one patients with rheumatoid arthritis were treated for 2 weeks at a Tiberias spa hotel. Randomized into 2 groups, Group 1 received a combination of mineral baths and mud packs, and Group 2 had tap water baths only. Both groups had a significant but temporary improvement in Ritchie index. ⋯ No improvement was noticed in morning stiffness, 15 meter walk time and laboratory variables of disease activity in either group. Twelve patients with osteoarthritis (OA) received 2 weeks of treatment with mineral baths and mud packs. Statistically significant improvement for a period of 6 months was noticed in night pain, pain on passive motion, tenderness on palpation and in the index of severity of OA of the knee.