Arthritis research & therapy
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Jan 2015
Neuropathic-like pain features and cross-sectional associations in rheumatoid arthritis.
Increasing evidence indicates that features suggestive of neuropathic pain may also be present in patients with common rheumatic conditions. The objective of this study was to examine neuropathic-like pain symptoms and associated factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. ⋯ These findings suggest that a sizeable proportion of patients with relatively well-controlled rheumatoid arthritis report symptoms suggestive of neuropathic pain. Neuropathic-like pain symptoms are independently associated with worse self-reported physical and mental health.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Nov 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyEvaluation of the nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug-sparing effect of etanercept in axial spondyloarthritis: results of the multicenter, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled SPARSE study.
In clinical practice, nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are commonly discontinued after response to biologic therapy is achieved in patients with axial spondyloarthritis (axSpA), but the impact of NSAID discontinuation has not been assessed in prospective controlled trials. The aim of the SPARSE study was to evaluate the effects of the anti-tumor necrosis factor agent etanercept on NSAID intake and conventional clinical outcomes in axSpA patients. ⋯ In patients with axSpA, etanercept was associated with clinically relevant NSAID-sparing effects in addition to significant improvements in conventional clinical outcomes.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Oct 2014
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyEfficacy and safety of pateclizumab (anti-lymphotoxin-α) compared to adalimumab in rheumatoid arthritis: a head-to-head phase 2 randomized controlled study (The ALTARA Study).
Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) and, possibly, lymphotoxin alpha (LTα) signaling contribute to inflammation and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis. Pateclizumab (anti-lymphotoxin- alpha; MLTA3698A) is a humanized monoclonal antibody that blocks and depletes anti-LTα. This phase 2, randomized, head-to-head, active- and placebo-controlled trial examined the safety and efficacy of pateclizumab compared to adalimumab in RA patients with an inadequate response to disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARD-IR). ⋯ Pateclizumab had a good safety profile in patients inadequately responsive to DMARDs, but no statistically significant improvement in RA signs and symptoms after 12 weeks of treatment. Adalimumab demonstrated efficacy and safety comparable to published results in this head-to-head comparison in DMARD-IR RA patients.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Oct 2014
Potential use of human adipose mesenchymal stromal cells for intervertebral disc regeneration: a preliminary study on biglycan-deficient murine model of chronic disc degeneration.
Biglycan is an important proteoglycan of the extracellular matrix of intervertebral disc (IVD), and its decrease with aging has been correlated with IVD degeneration. Biglycan deficient (Bgn-/0) mice lack this protein and undergo spontaneous IVD degeneration with aging, thus representing a valuable in vivo model for preliminary studies on therapies for human progressive IVD degeneration. The purpose of the present study was to assess the possible beneficial effects of adipose-derived stromal cells (ADSCs) implants in the Bgn-/0 mouse model. ⋯ Overall, this work demonstrates that ADSC implant into degenerated disc of Bgn-/0 mice ameliorates disc damage, promotes new expression of biglycan and increased levels of aggrecan. This suggests a potential benefit of ADSC implant in the treatment of chronic degenerative disc disease and prompts further studies in this field.
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Sep 2014
The risk of cancer in patients with rheumatoid arthritis taking tumor necrosis factor antagonists: a nationwide cohort study.
The association between cancer and use of biologic therapy among rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients remains controversial. We aimed to compare the relative risk of cancer development between RA patients taking tumor necrosis factor α (TNFα) antagonists and those taking nonbiologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (nbDMARDs). ⋯ These findings suggested that RA patients taking TNF-α antagonist are associated with a lower risk of cancer, but not for hematologic cancers, than RA patients taking nbDMARDs alone.