Arthritis and rheumatism
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Oct 2006
Premature induction of hypertrophy during in vitro chondrogenesis of human mesenchymal stem cells correlates with calcification and vascular invasion after ectopic transplantation in SCID mice.
Functional suitability and phenotypic stability of ectopic transplants are crucial factors in the clinical application of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) for articular cartilage repair, and might require a stringent control of chondrogenic differentiation. This study evaluated whether human bone marrow-derived MSCs adopt natural differentiation stages during induction of chondrogenesis in vitro, and whether they can form ectopic stable cartilage that is resistant to vascular invasion and calcification in vivo. ⋯ An unnatural pathway of differentiation to chondrocyte-like cells was induced in MSCs by common in vitro protocols. MSC pellets transplanted to ectopic sites in SCID mice underwent alterations related to endochondral ossification rather than adopting a stable chondrogenic phenotype. Further studies are needed to evaluate whether a more stringent control of MSC differentiation to chondrocytes can be achieved during cartilage repair in a natural joint environment.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Oct 2006
Randomized Controlled TrialOral salmon calcitonin reduces Lequesne's algofunctional index scores and decreases urinary and serum levels of biomarkers of joint metabolism in knee osteoarthritis.
To evaluate the effects of oral salmon calcitonin (sCT) on Lequesne's algofunctional index scores and on biomarkers of joint metabolism in knee osteoarthritis. ⋯ By improving functional disability and by reducing levels of biomarkers that are thought to be predictive of joint space narrowing (and thus cartilage loss), oral sCT at a dose of 1 mg might be a useful pharmacologic agent in human knee OA.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Oct 2006
The influence of aerobic fitness and fibromyalgia on cardiorespiratory and perceptual responses to exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome.
To investigate cardiorespiratory and perceptual responses to exercise in patients with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), accounting for comorbid fibromyalgia (FM) and controlling for aerobic fitness. ⋯ With matching for aerobic fitness, cardiorespiratory responses to exercise in patients with CFS only and CFS plus FM are not different from those in sedentary healthy subjects. While CFS patients with comorbid FM perceive exercise as more effortful and painful than do controls, those with CFS alone do not. These results suggest that aerobic fitness and a concurrent diagnosis of FM are likely explanations for currently conflicting data and challenge ideas implicating metabolic disease in the pathogenesis of CFS.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Oct 2006
A prospective population-based study of the predictors of undergoing total joint arthroplasty.
To examine prospectively the predictors of time to total joint arthroplasty (TJA). ⋯ Willingness to consider TJA was the strongest predictor of the time to first TJA. Given that previous research indicates that willingness is largely explained by perceptions of the indications for and risks associated with TJA and not disease severity, this finding supports the need for population education about arthritis treatments, including TJA.
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Arthritis and rheumatism · Oct 2006
Letter Historical ArticleFood and Drug Administration centennial: recognizing the guardians of our drug supply.