Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Jul 2009
Multicenter StudySociodemographic, disease, and symptom correlates of fatigue in systemic sclerosis: evidence from a sample of 659 Canadian Scleroderma Research Group Registry patients.
To assess fatigue levels and demographic, socioeconomic, disease, and psychosocial correlates of fatigue in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc). ⋯ High levels of fatigue are common in patients with SSc and are independently associated with clinical variables, including number of comorbidities, breathing problems, GI symptoms, and smoking.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Jul 2009
Effect of baseline quadriceps activation on changes in quadriceps strength after exercise therapy in subjects with knee osteoarthritis.
To examine whether pretreatment magnitude of quadriceps activation (QA) helps predict changes in quadriceps strength after exercise therapy in subjects with knee osteoarthritis (OA). We hypothesized that subjects with lower magnitudes of QA (greater failure of muscle activation) would have smaller gains in strength compared with those with higher magnitudes of QA following exercise therapy. ⋯ Baseline QA did not predict changes in quadriceps strength following exercise therapy. Measurement of QA using the central activation ratio method does not appear to be helpful in identifying subjects with knee OA who will have difficulty improving quadriceps strength with exercise therapy.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Jul 2009
Comparative StudyValidation of whole-body against conventional magnetic resonance imaging for scoring acute inflammatory lesions in the sacroiliac joints of patients with spondylarthritis.
To compare the performance of whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) versus conventional MRI in assessing acute inflammatory lesions of the sacroiliac (SI) joints in patients with established and active spondylarthritis (SpA) using the Spondyloarthritis Research Consortium of Canada (SPARCC) MRI index. This study is validating whole-body MRI against the current MRI standard for assessing active inflammatory lesions of the SI joints in patients with SpA. ⋯ Whole-body and conventional MRI scores show a strong correlation and comparable reliability for the detection of inflammatory lesions of the SI joints.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Jul 2009
Sensitivity and specificity of spinal inflammatory lesions assessed by whole-body magnetic resonance imaging in patients with ankylosing spondylitis or recent-onset inflammatory back pain.
To determine the diagnostic utility of different spinal inflammatory lesions assessed by whole-body magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) or with recent-onset inflammatory back pain (IBP) compared with healthy controls. ⋯ Diagnostic utility of STIR MRI for AS is optimal when > or =2 CIL are present. A single CIL can be found in up to 26% of healthy individuals.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Jul 2009
Multicenter StudyA multicenter survey of rituximab therapy for refractory antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis.
B cell depletion with rituximab has allowed remissions in relapsing or refractory antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis in small studies. The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of rituximab for ANCA-associated vasculitis in a larger multicenter cohort. This permitted comparison of rituximab dosing regimens, the value of continuing immunosuppression, and investigation of ANCA and B cell levels as re-treatment biomarkers. ⋯ Rituximab was effective remission induction therapy for refractory ANCA-associated vasculitis in this study. There was no difference in efficacy between the 2 main treatment regimens. Continuing immunosuppression did not reduce relapses. Relapses occurred, but re-treatment was effective and safe. There was no clear influence of rituximab on the frequency of serious adverse events. ANCA and B cell levels lacked sufficient sensitivity to guide the timing of re-treatment.