Arthritis research & therapy
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Jan 2009
Relationship between body adiposity measures and risk of primary knee and hip replacement for osteoarthritis: a prospective cohort study.
Total joint replacement is considered a surrogate measure for symptomatic end-stage osteoarthritis. It is unknown whether the adipose mass and the distribution of adipose mass are associated with the risk of primary knee and hip replacement for osteoarthritis. The aim of the present investigation was to examine this in a cohort study. ⋯ Risk of primary knee and hip joint replacement for osteoarthritis relates to both adipose mass and central adiposity. This relationship suggests both biomechanical and metabolic mechanisms associated with adiposity contribute to the risk of joint replacement, with stronger evidence at the knee rather than the hip.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Jan 2009
EditorialEffective rheumatoid arthritis treatment requires comprehensive management strategies.
Work by Lee and colleagues has shown that decreased sleep quality and increased psychiatric distress increase pain sensitivity at both articular and nonarticular sites in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. This work is consistent with prior studies showing that factors independent of RA disease activity can influence RA outcome measures. Owing to increasing pressure on rheumatologists to use outcome measures to inform treatment decisions, the work by Lee and colleagues highlights the need for comprehensive RA management strategies to understand and address the human factors that influence outcomes measures. Such strategies will ensure appropriate use of increasingly expensive therapies while maximizing patient satisfaction and reimbursement.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Jan 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyA multicenter, double-blind, randomized, controlled phase III clinical trial of chicken type II collagen in rheumatoid arthritis.
Chicken type II collagen (CCII) is a protein extracted from the cartilage of chicken breast and exhibits intriguing possibilities for the treatment of autoimmune diseases by inducing oral tolerance. A 24-week, double-blind, double-dummy, randomized, methotrexate (MTX)-controlled study was conducted to evaluate the efficacy and safety of CCII in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ⋯ CCII is effective in the treatment of RA and is safe for human consumption. CCII exerts its beneficial effects by controlling inflammatory responses through inducing oral tolerance in RA patients.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Jan 2009
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyRapid and sustained improvements in health-related quality of life, fatigue, and other patient-reported outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with certolizumab pegol plus methotrexate over 1 year: results from the RAPID 1 randomized controlled trial.
The objective of this study was to assess the impact of certolizumab pegol (CZP) treatment on health-related quality of life (HRQoL), fatigue and other patient-reported outcomes (PROs) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ⋯ Treatment with CZP plus MTX resulted in rapid and sustained improvements in all PROs, indicating that the benefits of CZP extend beyond clinical efficacy endpoints into areas that are more relevant and meaningful for patients on a daily basis.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Jan 2009
The relationship between disease activity, sleep, psychiatric distress and pain sensitivity in rheumatoid arthritis: a cross-sectional study.
Despite recent advances in anti-inflammatory therapy, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients continue to rate pain as a priority. The etiology of RA pain is likely multifactorial, including both inflammatory and non-inflammatory components. In this study, we examine the association between disease activity, sleep, psychiatric distress and pain sensitivity in RA. ⋯ Multivariable models are essential in analyses of pain. Among RA patients, inflammation is associated with heightened pain sensitivity at joints. In contrast, poor sleep is associated with diffuse pain sensitivity, as noted in central pain conditions such as fibromyalgia. Future studies examining pain sensitivity at joint and non-joint sites may identify patients with different underlying pain mechanisms and suggest alternative approaches to treating RA pain.