International journal of rheumatic diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Efficacy and safety of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in Asian patients with knee osteoarthritis: summary of a randomized, placebo-controlled study.
To compare the efficacy, tolerability and safety of celecoxib, naproxen and placebo in Asian patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. ⋯ Celecoxib and naproxen were comparable in their effects to reduce the signs and symptoms of knee OA in Asian patients. Celecoxib was shown to be safe and well tolerated in this patient population.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Assessment of pulsed electromagnetic field therapy with Serum YKL-40 and ultrasonography in patients with knee osteoarthritis.
The use of biomarkers of osteoarthritis (OA) have potential for early diagnosis, evaluation of disease severity and monitoring treatment. Serum and synovial fluid YKL-40 levels are increased in severe knee OA. Pulsed electromagnetic field (PEMF) therapy is a novel treatment method for OA. However, studies evaluating the PEMF therapy in treatment of knee OA revealed conflicting results. This study was conducted to objectively assess the effect of PEMF therapy in patients with knee OA, by using ultrasonographic measurements and a novel biomarker, YKL-40. ⋯ This study revealed that adjuvant PEMF therapy has no additional effect on pain in patients with knee OA. Serum YKL-40 level seems to be unuseful for monitoring the treatment in knee OA.
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Comparative Study Observational Study
Determining the necessity for right heart catheterization in pulmonary hypertension associated with connective tissue diseases assessed by echocardiography.
The prognosis of pulmonary hypertension (PH) in systemic sclerosis (SSC) and in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is different. According to the guidelines, right heart catheterization (RHC) is necessary in pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD). However, there is little supporting evidence. Therefore, we attempted to determine the necessity for RHC and the causes of differences in prognosis of PH by comparing SSC to SLE. ⋯ PVR was an important cause of PH in SSC. Left ventricular dysfunction was an important cause of PH in SLE. Thus, these findings demonstrate the necessity for RHC and differences in prognosis of PH in CTD.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
The effect of vitamin D on nonspecific low back pain.
Nonspecific low back pain is known as one of the most common reasons for chronic low back pain (CLBP) that burdens healthcare systems with high costs. According to a hypothesis, CLBP has been associated with vitamin D3 deficiency, the goal of this study is to evaluate the effect of vitamin D3 administration on improvements in CLBP. ⋯ According to our results, both vitamin D(3) and placebo treatments improved CLBP and there was no significant difference between vitamin D(3) and placebo groups.
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To assess the clinical and laboratory features of primary Sjogren's syndrome (pSS) in a large teaching hospital in China. ⋯ Labial salivary gland biopsy and anti-nuclear antibodies spectrum were important to the diagnosis of pSS. The pSS patients had high percentage of ILD, especially small airway function abnormalities. The combination of corticosteroids and immunosuppressants appears to be effective in treatment of pSS patients with ILD.