Annals of the rheumatic diseases
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study
Corticosteroid injections effective for trigger finger in adults in general practice: a double-blinded randomised placebo controlled trial.
To study efficacy and safety of corticosteroid injections for trigger finger (flexor tenosynovitis) in adults in general practice. ⋯ Local injection with TCA is effective and safe for treating trigger finger as compared to placebo injection. The effects of steroid injections last up to 12 months.
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To study the clinical outcome, treatment response, T-cell subsets and functional consequences of a novel tumour necrosis factor (TNF) receptor type 1 (TNFRSF1A) mutation affecting the receptor cleavage site. ⋯ The TNFRSF1A V173D cleavage site mutation may be associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular complications and shows a strong response to etanercept. T-cell senescence does not seem to have a pathogenetic role in affected patients.
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To study the expression of adhesion molecules in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) with and without pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) and the effects of therapy with the endothelin-1 (ET-1) receptor antagonist, bosentan. ⋯ This study confirms that endothelial activation occurs in SSc, and suggests that changes in the T cell/endothelium interplay take place in SSc-associated PAH. Bosentan seems to be able to hamper these changes and restore T cell functions in these patients.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Multicenter Study Comparative Study
Efficacy and safety of abatacept or infliximab vs placebo in ATTEST: a phase III, multi-centre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled study in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and an inadequate response to methotrexate.
This double-blind trial evaluated the efficacy and safety of abatacept or infliximab vs placebo. The primary objective of this study was to evaluate the mean change from baseline in Disease Activity Score (based on erythrocyte sedimentation rates; DAS28 (ESR)) for the abatacept vs placebo groups at day 197. ⋯ In this study, abatacept and infliximab (3 mg/kg every 8 weeks) demonstrated similar efficacy. Overall, abatacept had a relatively more acceptable safety and tolerability profile, with fewer SAEs, serious infections, acute infusional events and discontinuations due to AEs than the infliximab group.
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We report on a workshop on ethical and legal constraints on data sharing between countries in multinational epidemiologic research in Europe that was held in January 2007 in Potsdam, Germany. The participants were experienced epidemiologic and clinical researchers from eight European countries. The aim of the workshop was to share current knowledge on the above-mentioned topics, to identify areas for joint action and to enhance the likelihood of success for the new funding programmes. ⋯ Epidemiologic and clinical studies are increasingly planned and conducted on a European level, and funds are available for this kind of studies. However, data sharing in multi-centre clinical and epidemiological studies is hampered by the different legal and ethical constraints individual national researchers face.