Clin Exp Rheumatol
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To evaluate the immunogenicity, safety, and efficacy of 50 mg/mL liquid etanercept. ⋯ The 50 mg/mL liquid etanercept formulation administered once weekly was well tolerated. The incidence of anti-etanercept antibodies, the nature and frequency of adverse events, and improvements in signs and symptoms of RA and patient physical function were similar to those in previous etanercept studies.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Polymerized-type I collagen for the treatment of patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Effect of intramuscular administration in a double blind placebo-controlled clinical trial.
To determine the efficacy, tolerance and safety of intramuscular injections of porcine type I collagen-PVP in patients with RA in a long term-therapy. ⋯ Collagen-PVP has been shown to be a safe and well-tolerated drug for the long-term treatment of RA. Combination of collagen-PVP plus methotrexate was more efficacious than methotrexate alone. This biodrug can be useful in the treatment of RA.
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Randomized Controlled Trial Comparative Study
Interferential and horizontal therapies in chronic low back pain: a randomized, double blind, clinical study.
Chronic Low Back Pain (CLBP) is one of the most frequent medical problems. Electrical nerve stimulation is frequently used but its efficacy remains controversial. ⋯ This randomized double-blind controlled study provides the first evidence that IFT and HT therapy are significantly effective in alleviating both pain and disability in patients with CLBP. The placebo effect is remarkable at the beginning of the treatment but it tends to vanish within a couple of weeks.
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Case Reports
Outcome of patients with scleroderma admitted to intensive care unit. A report of nine cases.
Patients with systemic rheumatic disease constitute a small percentage of admissions to the medical intensive care units (ICUs). Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is one of the rheumatic diseases that together with secondary complications may lead to a critical illness requiring hospitalization in the ICU. We present the features, clinical course and outcome of critically ill patients with scleroderma that were admitted to the ICU. ⋯ The outcome of scleroderma patients admitted to the ICU was extremely poor. Infectious complication was the most common cause of death in our patients. Although infections are treatable, the high mortality rate for this group of patients was dependent on the severity of the underlying visceral organ involvement, particularly severe pulmonary fibrosis. The severity of this involvement is a poor outcome predictor. An early diagnosis and an appropriate treatment of such complications may help to reduce the mortality in scleroderma patients.
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Diagnostic value of procalcitonin measurement in febrile patients with systemic autoimmune diseases.
To determine the usefulness of plasma procalcitonin (PCT) measurement to suspect infectious etiology in febrile patients with systemic autoimmune disease. ⋯ Our data indicate that elevated PCT concentrations offer good sensitivity and specificity for the diagnosis of systemic bacterial infection in febrile patients with systemic autoimmune diseases. However, in fever associated with AOSD PCT may be elevated even in the absence of infectious complication.