Rheumatology international
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
The treatment of osteoporosis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving glucocorticoids: a comparison of alendronate and intranasal salmon calcitonin.
The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of alendronate and intranasal salmon calcitonin (sCT) treatments on bone mineral density and bone turnover in postmenopausal osteoporotic women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) receiving low-dose glucocorticoids. ⋯ The results of this study demonstrated that alendronate treatment produced significantly greater increases in the femoral neck BMD and greater decreases in bone turnover than intranasal sCT in RA patients receiving low dose glucocorticoids.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Comparison of lidocaine injection, botulinum toxin injection, and dry needling to trigger points in myofascial pain syndrome.
Myofascial pain syndrome (MPS) is one of the most common causes of chronic musculoskeletal pain. Several methods have been recommended for the inactivation of trigger points (TrP). ⋯ Injection is more practical and rapid, since it causes less disturbance than dry needling and is more cost effective than BTX-A injection, and seems the treatment of choice in MPS. On the other hand, BTX-A could be selectively used in MPS patients resistant to conventional treatments.
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The objective of this study is to provide a critical overview of available instruments to assess impairments in patients with rheumatic disorders, and to recommend reliable and valid instruments for use in allied health care and rehabilitation medicine. A computer-aided literature search (1982-2004) in several databases was performed to identify studies focusing on the clinimetric properties of instruments designed to assess impairments in function in patients with rheumatic disorders. Data on intra-rater reliability, inter-rater reliability and construct validity were extracted in a standardized way. Explicit criteria were applied for reliability and validity. ⋯ The search identified a total of 49 instruments to assess impairments in functions in patients with rheumatic disorders; 19 met the criteria for reliability, 22 met the criteria for validity, and 11 out of the 49 appeared to meet the criteria for both reliability and validity. In summary, evidence of both reliability and validity was only found for 11 out of 49 instruments for the assessment of impairments in patients with rheumatic disorders. Only a limited number of the identified instruments for the assessment of impairments is both reliable and valid. Allied health care professionals should be cautious in the selection of measurement instruments to assess their patients.
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Case Reports Clinical Trial
The effect of infliximab on extraintestinal manifestations of Crohn's disease.
The purpose of this open pilot study was to assess prospectively the effect of infliximab on extraintestinal manifestations in patients with active Crohn's disease refractory to conventional treatment. ⋯ These preliminary results are encouraging and suggest a promising role of infliximab in the treatment of extraintestinal symptoms of Crohn's disease.
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Review Case Reports
Systemic lupus erythematosus with simultaneous onset of Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease complicated with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome: a case report and review of the literature.
Histiocytic necrotizing lymphadenitis, called Kikuchi-Fujimoto's disease (KFD), is an idiopathic, self-limited condition rarely associated with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The cause of concomitant KFD and SLE is still unknown. ⋯ To the best of our knowledge, this is the first case report of KFD associated with SLE complicated with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS). Our patient was successfully treated with intravenous pulse methylprednisolone, anticoagulation with heparin, oral hydroxychloroquine, azathioprine, and low-dose aspirin.