Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2006
Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter StudyStability of the patient acceptable symptomatic state over time in outcome criteria in ankylosing spondylitis.
The Patient Acceptable Symptomatic State (PASS) is the highest level of symptoms beyond which patients consider themselves well. It provides clinically meaningful information to interpret results from scales or questionnaires. Our goal was to determine the PASS in main outcome criteria when assessing patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and to evaluate whether the PASS is stable over time. ⋯ This study provides cutoff values for the PASS for the main outcome measures in AS and shows that PASS values are stable over time.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialEffectiveness of behavioral graded activity in patients with osteoarthritis of the hip and/or knee: A randomized clinical trial.
To determine the effectiveness of a behavioral graded activity program (BGA) compared with usual care (UC; exercise therapy and advice) according to the Dutch guidelines for physiotherapy in patients with osteoarthritis (OA) of the hip and/or knee. The BGA intervention is intended to increase activity in the long term and consists of an exercise program with booster sessions, using operant treatment principles. ⋯ Because both interventions resulted in beneficial long-term effects, the superiority of BGA over UC has not been demonstrated. Therefore, BGA seems to be an acceptable method to treat patients with hip and/or knee OA, with equivalent results compared with UC.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2006
Prevalence of conventional and lupus-specific risk factors for cardiovascular disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: A case-control study.
Patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are significantly more likely to experience a myocardial infarction or a stroke than age-matched controls. We compared the prevalence of conventional and lupus-specific risk factors in patients with SLE just before a cardiovascular event and in matched controls with SLE but no cardiovascular disease (CVD). ⋯ We identified significantly increased prevalence of some conventional and lupus-specific risk factors in patients with SLE immediately before a CVD event compared with controls matched for age or disease duration.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2006
Muscle strength, functional performance, and self-reported outcomes four years after arthroscopic partial meniscectomy in middle-aged patients.
To examine thigh muscle strength, functional performance, and self-reported outcome in patients with nontraumatic meniscus tears 4 years after operation, and to study the impact of a strength deficit on self-reported outcome and evaluate the feasibility of 3 performance tests in this patient group. ⋯ Quadriceps strength is reduced in the meniscectomized leg compared with the nonoperated leg 4 years after surgery. This relative quadriceps weakness significantly affects objective and self-reported knee function, pain, and quality of life, indicating the importance of restoring muscle function after meniscectomy in middle-aged patients.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Dec 2006
Availability of pediatric rheumatology training in United States pediatric residencies.
To characterize the availability of pediatric rheumatology training in general pediatric residencies. ⋯ Programs without pediatric rheumatologists on site are less likely to have pediatric rheumatology rotations and are more likely to rely on internist rheumatologists and nonrheumatologists to address rheumatology-related curriculum components. Lack of exposure to pediatric rheumatology during residency may impede general pediatricians' ability to identify and treat children with rheumatic diseases, undermine resident interest in this field, and perpetuate low levels of supply.