Annals of the rheumatic diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
IL-6 receptor inhibition with tocilizumab improves treatment outcomes in patients with rheumatoid arthritis refractory to anti-tumour necrosis factor biologicals: results from a 24-week multicentre randomised placebo-controlled trial.
The phase III RADIATE study examined the efficacy and safety of tocilizumab, an anti-IL-6 receptor monoclonal antibody in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) refractory to tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonist therapy. ⋯ Tocilizumab plus methotrexate is effective in achieving rapid and sustained improvements in signs and symptoms of RA in patients with inadequate response to TNF antagonists and has a manageable safety profile.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Reduction of fatigue in Sjögren syndrome with rituximab: results of a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study.
Primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS) causes significant systemic symptoms including fatigue as well as glandular dysfunction. There are currently no effective systemic therapies; however, open label series have suggested that rituximab may be beneficial for systemic and glandular manifestations. Therefore, we performed a double blind, placebo-controlled, randomised pilot study of the efficacy of rituximab in reducing fatigue in pSS. ⋯ This is the first double blind study of rituximab in pSS to show benefit; further studies are justified.
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To characterise and investigate the functional consequences of a novel TNFRSF1A splice site mutation causing tumour necrosis factor receptor associated periodic syndrome (TRAPS) in a 16-year-old male patient and his mother. ⋯ A novel, TRAPS causing, TNFRSF1A splice site mutation is associated with decreased sTNFR1 levels, cell surface and whole cell extract expression and increased NF-kappaB transcription factor activation.