Scandinavian journal of rheumatology
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Scand. J. Rheumatol. · Jan 2011
Smoking at onset of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its effect on disease activity and functional status: experiences from BARFOT, a long-term observational study on early RA.
To assess the effects of smoking on disease outcome in a large cohort of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ⋯ The present study gives some support to earlier data indicating that RA patients who smoke have a more active disease but further studies are needed to confirm this.
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Scand. J. Rheumatol. · Jan 2011
Impaired cardiovascular autonomic nervous system function in patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome.
Although peripheral nervous system involvement in patients with Churg-Strauss syndrome (CSS) has been described, little is known about its autonomic part. Autonomic nervous system (ANS) function can be assessed by studying heart rate variability (HRV) and a decrease in the spectrum of HRV correlates with ANS impairment. ⋯ The CSS patients show impaired HRV parameters, indicating parasympathetic ANS dysfunction in addition to peripheral nervous system involvement.