Annals of the rheumatic diseases
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The Osteoarthritis Initiative (OAI) is a multicentre study targeted at identifying biomarkers for evaluating the progression and risk factors of symptomatic knee OA. Here cartilage loss using 3 Tesla (3 T) MRI is analysed over 1 year in a subset of the OAI, together with its association with various risk factors. ⋯ In this sample of the OAI progression subcohort, the greatest, but overall very modest, rate of cartilage loss was observed in the weight-bearing medial femoral condyle. Knees with radiographic OA in obese participants showed trends towards higher rates of change than those of other participants, but these trends did not reach statistical significance.
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Tumour necrosis factor (TNF) antagonists have proved effective as treatment against rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but the unresolved issue of whether the use of anti-TNF therapy increases the already elevated risk of lymphoma in RA remains a concern. ⋯ Overall and as used in routine care against RA, TNF antagonists are not associated with any major further increase in the already elevated lymphoma occurrence in RA. Changes in the selection of patients for treatment may influence the observed risk.
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Multicenter Study Clinical Trial
Long-term follow-up on effectiveness and safety of etanercept in juvenile idiopathic arthritis: the Dutch national register.
We undertook an observational study to obtain a complete overview of the long-term effectiveness and safety of etanercept in patients with different juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) subtypes. ⋯ Etanercept is effective and safe in JIA, even for a large proportion of the patients with systemic JIA. The greatest improvement occurred in the first 3 months of treatment, and was sustained for a long time in most patients (up to 75 months).
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Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Investigating the determinants of international differences in the prevalence of chronic widespread pain: evidence from the European Male Ageing Study.
To determine whether among middle-aged and elderly men there is evidence of international differences in the prevalence of chronic widespread pain (CWP) and whether any such differences could be explained by psychological, psychosocial factors or differences in physical health status. ⋯ This study is the first directly to compare the occurrence of CWP internationally. There is an excess prevalence in countries of eastern Europe and this excess is associated with adverse psychosocial factors as well as poorer psychological and physical health.
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Comparative Study
The -670G>A polymorphism in the FAS gene promoter region influences the susceptibility to systemic sclerosis.
To evaluate the role of the single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) at position -670 in the FAS gene promoter (FAS-670G>A) in influencing the susceptibility, clinical features and severity of systemic sclerosis (SSc). ⋯ The FAS-670A allele is significantly associated with susceptibility to SSc, suggesting a role for a genetic control of apoptosis in the pathogenesis of the disease.