J Rheumatol
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To determine the role of putative target cytokines for methotrexate (MTX) treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) as predictors for treatment outcome. ⋯ Determination of cellularly produced IL-1beta and even more of the IL-1ra/IL-1beta synthesis in PBMC may be useful to predict the outcome of RA patients undergoing treatment with MTX and may characterize a subset of RA that is more responsive to IL-1 directed therapeutic interventions.
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A longitudinal prospective study was undertaken to examine the outcome of fibromyalgia (FM) with standard medical care, as well as factors that might either predict or influence this outcome. ⋯ The overall outcome in this group was favorable, with almost half the sample reporting clinically meaningful improvement in overall FM status. These findings are discussed in terms of their implications regarding current theory on the pathogenesis of FM.