Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative StudyAcupuncture in patients with osteoarthritis of the knee or hip: a randomized, controlled trial with an additional nonrandomized arm.
To investigate the effectiveness of acupuncture in addition to routine care, compared with routine care alone, in the treatment of patients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee or hip. ⋯ These results indicate that acupuncture plus routine care is associated with marked clinical improvement in patients with chronic OA-associated pain of the knee or hip.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyRisedronate decreases biochemical markers of cartilage degradation but does not decrease symptoms or slow radiographic progression in patients with medial compartment osteoarthritis of the knee: results of the two-year multinational knee osteoarthritis structural arthritis study.
Bisphosphonates have slowed the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) in animal models and have decreased pain in states of high bone turnover. The Knee OA Structural Arthritis (KOSTAR) study, which is the largest study to date investigating a potential structure-modifying OA drug, tested the efficacy of risedronate in providing symptom relief and slowing disease progression in patients with knee OA. ⋯ Although risedronate (compared with placebo) did not improve signs or symptoms of OA, nor did it alter progression of OA, a reduction in the level of a marker of cartilage degradation was observed. A sustained clinically relevant improvement in signs and symptoms was observed in all treatment and placebo groups.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2006
Comparative StudyEffectiveness of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in rheumatoid arthritis in an observational cohort study: comparison of patients according to their eligibility for major randomized clinical trials.
Randomized clinical trials (RCTs) evaluate the efficacy of treatments in selected groups of patients defined by strict inclusion criteria. The value of these trials in predicting therapeutic effectiveness in "real world" patients is limited. This observational cohort study was designed to complement the knowledge obtained in RCTs by evaluating the effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) according to their eligibility for the major trials. ⋯ RCT cohorts reflect only a minor proportion of the patients treated with biologic agents in routine care. In the clinic setting, the indications for treatment with biologic agents are not identical to the inclusion criteria for trials. Despite the smaller relative improvement achieved in these patients with longstanding, severe RA who would not fulfill the inclusion criteria of a major trial, the majority of such patients would nevertheless benefit from biologic therapy.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2006
Comparative Study Clinical TrialAntiviral therapy for hepatitis C virus--associated mixed cryoglobulinemia vasculitis: a long-term followup study.
To evaluate the long-term efficacy of anti-hepatitis C virus (HCV) therapy in patients with HCV-associated mixed cryoglobulinemia (HCV-MC) vasculitis and to assess the factors associated with clinical remission of MC. ⋯ PEG-IFN alfa-2b plus ribavirin should be considered as induction therapy for HCV-MC vasculitis. An early virologic response and the absence of renal insufficiency are the key factors in the clinical response.