Arthritis care & research
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Arthritis care & research · Sep 2012
Multicenter Study Comparative StudyAssociation of C-reactive protein with high disease activity in systemic sclerosis: results from the Canadian Scleroderma Research Group.
This study was performed to determine the prevalence of elevated C-reactive protein (CRP) levels and the significance of CRP in clinical parameters in systemic sclerosis (SSc; scleroderma) patients. ⋯ CRP level is elevated in one-quarter of SSc patients, especially early disease. It is correlated with disease activity, severity, poor pulmonary function, and shorter survival.
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Arthritis care & research · Sep 2012
ReviewChildren's experiences of living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a thematic synthesis of qualitative studies.
To describe the experiences and perspectives of children and adolescents living with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). ⋯ JIA disrupts a child's sense of normality and impairs his or her capacity for social participation. Children with JIA have a sense of being misunderstood and stigmatized, and they feel perpetually caught between having hope and control over their bodies and overwhelming pain and despair. To increase their confidence, the ability to manage pain, and their resourcefulness for self-management, children need ongoing information about treatments and lifestyle management, strong social support, community advocacy, and active involvement in their own health decision making.
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Arthritis care & research · Sep 2012
Comparative StudyDo patients with non-radiographic axial spondylarthritis differ from patients with ankylosing spondylitis?
Patients with axial spondylarthritis (SpA) who have structural changes in the sacroiliac joints and/or the spine have been classified as having ankylosing spondylitis (AS), while those without such changes are now classified as having nonradiographic axial SpA (nr-axSpA). The differentiating features are incompletely understood. ⋯ Patients with nr-axSpA were characterized by the low proportion of male patients and the low burden of inflammation compared to patients with AS. While both groups did not differ regarding health status, disease activity, and physical function, they did differ in signs of inflammation; all were higher in patients with AS. Since many patients with nr-axSpA had not developed structural changes after years of symptoms, we propose that those patients should not be regarded as having preradiographic AS but rather as having nr-axSpA.
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Arthritis care & research · Sep 2012
Self-efficacy and pain catastrophizing in systemic lupus erythematosus: relationship to pain, stiffness, fatigue, and psychological distress.
To determine how self-efficacy for pain control and pain catastrophizing, both potentially modifiable pain coping cognitions, are related to pain, stiffness, fatigue, and psychological distress in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). ⋯ These results suggest that pain coping cognitions (i.e., either self-efficacy for pain control or pain catastrophizing) are significantly related to physical symptoms and psychological distress in patients with SLE. This finding is important because the results of studies from other samples of patients with persistent pain conditions have shown that these pain coping variables can be modified using psychological interventions, and that such treatment-related changes in pain cognitions are related to improved patient outcomes.
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Arthritis care & research · Sep 2012
Socioeconomic burden of total joint arthroplasty for symptomatic hip and knee osteoarthritis in the Italian population: a 5-year analysis based on hospitalization records.
To assess the burden of total joint arthroplasties (TJAs) performed for symptomatic hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA) in the Italian population. ⋯ The socioeconomic burden of TJAs performed for symptomatic OA in Italy is remarkable and calls for the adoption of proper preventive measures.