Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2011
Screening for pulmonary arterial hypertension in patients with systemic sclerosis: clinical characteristics at diagnosis and long-term survival.
Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is a severe, life-limiting complication of systemic sclerosis (SSc). Guidelines recommend early detection and management of SSc-PAH. However, little is known about the impact of detection programs on patients with SSc-PAH. This study was undertaken to assess the clinical characteristics of patients with SSc-PAH at diagnosis and their long-term outcomes. ⋯ Compared with patients in routine clinical practice, PAH detection programs in SSc are able to identify patients with milder forms of the disease, allowing earlier management.
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To investigate the role of joint shape in knee osteoarthritis (OA) by determining which aspects of bone shape are different in OA knees compared with control knees. ⋯ In women, knees with OA were wider, more extended during radiography, and had an elevated lateral tibial plateau. These results show that the shape of the knee is involved in OA, which might lead to novel imaging biomarkers to monitor or predict knee OA.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2011
Objective physical activity measurement in the osteoarthritis initiative: Are guidelines being met?
Osteoarthritis (OA) clinical practice guidelines identify a substantial therapeutic role for physical activity, but objective information about the physical activity of this population is lacking. The aim of this study was to objectively measure levels of physical activity in adults with knee OA and report the prevalence of meeting public health physical activity guidelines. ⋯ Despite substantial health benefits from physical activity, adults with knee OA were particularly inactive based on objective accelerometry monitoring. The proportions of men and women who met public health physical activity guidelines were substantially less than those previously reported based on self-reported activity in arthritis populations. These findings support intensified public health efforts to increase physical activity levels among people with knee OA.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Nov 2011
Remission of rheumatoid arthritis in clinical practice: application of the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism 2011 remission criteria.
To describe use of the American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) rheumatoid arthritis (RA) remission criteria in clinical practice. ⋯ Cross-sectional remission occurred in 5.0-10.1% of the patients in these cohorts, with cumulative remission being 2-3 times greater; however, long-term remission was rare. Problems with reliability and agreement limit the usefulness of these criteria in the individual patient. However, the criteria can be an effective method for measuring clinical status and treatment effect in groups of patients in the community.