Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Sep 1989
Comparative StudySerum IgG antibodies to C1q in hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome.
Urticaria, angioedema, and arthritis are cardinal features of hypocomplementemic urticarial vasculitis syndrome (HUVS). Considered to be an immune complex-mediated disorder, HUVS has been differentiated from systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), based on its clinical manifestations and the C1q precipitin (C1q-p) reaction, which is manifested as gel precipitation of C1q by a small percentage of HUVS IgG molecules. This phenomenon has been attributed to an Fc region abnormality, and the responsible IgG molecules are said to possess C1q-p activity. ⋯ Preincubation of HUVS F(ab')2 fragments with antibody to human F(ab')2 prevented subsequent binding to C1q. We conclude that IgG antibodies to C1q are present in HUVS serum, and it is likely that these antibodies are C1q-p. Because the clinical manifestations of HUVS and the presence of anti-C1q antibodies have been described in patients with SLE, our findings support the concept that HUVS is an autoimmune syndrome related to SLE.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Jan 1989
Development and evaluation of a scale to measure perceived self-efficacy in people with arthritis.
There is evidence that the psychological attribute of perceived self-efficacy plays a role in mediating health outcomes for persons with chronic arthritis who take the Arthritis Self-Management Course. An instrument to measure perceived self-efficacy was developed through consultation with patients and physicians and through study of 4 groups of patients. Tests of construct and concurrent validity and of reliability showed that the instrument met appropriate standards. Health outcomes and self-efficacy scores improved during the Arthritis Self-Management Course, and the improvements were correlated.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · May 1988
Comparative Study Clinical Trial Controlled Clinical TrialPain management in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A cognitive-behavioral approach.
To examine the effectiveness of a cognitive-behavioral pain management program for patients with rheumatoid arthritis, three patient groups were studied: a cognitive-behavioral group (CB), an attention-placebo group, and a control group. The CB group received a comprehensive, 12-month pain management program that taught coping strategies such as problem-solving techniques, relaxation training, strategies for attention diversion, and training in family dynamics and communication. ⋯ Specifically, the CB subjects showed significantly greater use of coping strategies and significantly more confidence in their ability to manage pain. The findings are discussed in terms of the importance of enhanced self-efficacy and personal control for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Apr 1988
Increase in levels of serum keratan sulfate following cartilage proteoglycan degradation in the rabbit knee joint.
Following injection of chymopapain into a single knee joint in rabbits, serum keratan sulfate levels rose sharply and remained elevated for at least 48 hours before returning to preinjection levels. These changes were accompanied by depletion of proteoglycans from articular cartilage in the injected joint. We conclude that serum keratan sulfate levels rise predictably following acute loss of proteoglycan from a single joint.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Feb 1988
Tenderness in 75 anatomic sites. Distinguishing fibromyalgia patients from controls.
We studied tenderness at 75 unilateral anatomic locations in 10 fibromyalgia patients and 10 normal control subjects to determine which sites best identified patients with fibromyalgia. Using a dolorimeter, the mean amount of pressure required to elicit tenderness was significantly lower in patients than in controls at 19 sites (P less than 0.001). ⋯ The 19 sites that we have identified best separate patients with fibromyalgia from controls, although the discriminating power of these sites in other chronic pain syndromes will require further study. Examination of specific regions may be more useful clinically than the exact anatomic sites within these regions.