Arthritis research & therapy
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Arthritis Res. Ther. · Jan 2010
Transcriptional profiling of bovine intervertebral disc cells: implications for identification of normal and degenerate human intervertebral disc cell phenotypes.
Nucleus pulposus (NP) cells have a phenotype similar to articular cartilage (AC) cells. However, the matrix of the NP is clearly different to that of AC suggesting that specific cell phenotypes exist. The aim of this study was to identify novel genes that could be used to distinguish bovine NP cells from AC and annulus fibrosus (AF) cells, and to further determine their expression in normal and degenerate human intervertebral disc (IVD) cells. ⋯ This study has identified a number of novel genes that characterise the bovine and human NP and IVD transcriptional profiles, and allows for discrimination between AC, AF and NP cells. Furthermore, the similarity in expression profiles of the separated NP and NC cell populations suggests that these two cell types may be derived from a common lineage. Although interspecies variation, together with changes with IVD degeneration were noted, use of this gene expression signature will benefit tissue engineering studies where defining the NP phenotype is paramount.
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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.