International journal of rheumatic diseases
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Comparative Study
Do male and female patients with chronic neck pain really have different health-related physical fitness, depression, anxiety and quality of life parameters?
The purpose of this study was to investigate whole body physical fitness parameters such as maximal aerobic capacity (VO2 max), muscle strength, trunk flexibility, daily physical activity, pulmonary function, body composition, anxiety and depression, as well as other disease-related changes in patients with chronic neck pain (CNP), and to compare them with healthy controls. ⋯ We suggest that, on the basis of gender, consideration of not only the neck region but also whole body physical fitness, anxiety and depression parameters in patients with CNP might be helpful to the development of more benefical strategies for illness management.
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Comparative Study
Sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonographic features of gout in intercritical and chronic phase.
This study aimed to assess the sensitivity and specificity of ultrasonographic features of gout in intercritical and chronic stages and compared ultrasonographic features of gout between patients with persistent high serum uric acid (SUA) and patients with low SUA. ⋯ MSUS is useful for diagnosis of gout in intercritical or chronic stages, especially in patients with persistently high SUA level.
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To analyze the association between depression severity and other fibromyalgia- (FM) related symptoms such as pain, fatigue, sleep problems, severity of the disease, activity pattern, functional capacity and quality of life. ⋯ Depressed women with FM exhibited higher symptom severity and reported worse physical fitness and quality of life than their non-depressed peers.
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Anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCA) are associated with small vessel vasculitis now termed 'ANCA associated vasculitis' (AAV). ANCAs are reported in diverse diseases where they have no clinical utility. We carried out an audit in a clinical immunology laboratory and assessed if use of ordering practices could have improved utility of ANCA. ⋯ Reduction in false positive can be achieved by considering only those samples as ANCA positive that test positive both on IIF and ELISA and by following ordering guidelines before requesting ANCA testing, and by use of ordering criteria by clinicians.
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Fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) is defined as chronic widespread pain that cannot be accounted for by any other medical disorder. Our aim was to explore the prevalence of thyroid autoimmunity in patients with FMS. ⋯ We found a high prevalence of AITD among 207 patients with clinically defined FMS, with TRAb being especially prominent among these patients. Further study is needed to evaluate changes in thyroid function among FMS patients with AITD.