J Rheumatol
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Pain and reduced physical activity levels are common in children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). Currently, there is no consensus about the role of physical activity in managing pain in JIA. The purpose of our study was to assess the relationship between physical activity level and pain in children ages 11 to 18 years with JIA. ⋯ Children with JIA report significantly less activity than healthy children based on PAQ scores, with physical activity declining throughout adolescence. Physical activity is inversely related to pain interference and severity in children with JIA. Our findings suggest that physical activity interventions may play an important role in the management of pain in JIA.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Disease control and safety of belimumab plus standard therapy over 7 years in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.
To evaluate the efficacy/safety of belimumab plus standard therapy in patients (n = 449) with active systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) treated up to 7 years (n = 177 currently ongoing). ⋯ Disease control and safety profile were maintained in patients with active SLE taking belimumab plus standard therapy for up to 7 years. [ClinicalTrials.gov numbers: NCT00071487 and NCT00583362].
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As a wider variety of therapeutic options for osteoarthritis (OA) becomes available, there is an increasing need to objectively evaluate disease severity on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). This is more technically challenging at the hip than at the knee, and as a result, few systematic scoring systems exist. The OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology) filter of truth, discrimination, and feasibility can be used to validate image-based scoring systems. Our objective was (1) to review the imaging features relevant to the assessment of severity and progression of hip OA; and (2) to review currently used methods to grade these features in existing hip OA scoring systems. ⋯ Two methods for semiquantitative assessment of hip OA on MRI have been described and validation according to the OMERACT Filter is limited to evaluation of reliability.
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Randomized Controlled Trial
Clinical, functional, and radiographic implications of time to treatment response in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis: a posthoc analysis of the PREMIER study.
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment recommendations suggest target attainment within the first 3 months of therapy, yet delayed clinical responses can occur. This analysis assessed the longterm clinical, functional, and radiographic outcomes associated with delayed responses to methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy or to the combination of adalimumab (ADA) + MTX. ⋯ Response speed and magnitude predict longterm outcomes in patients with early RA treated with MTX or ADA + MTX. MTX-treated patients failing to demonstrate a Month 3 clinical response have less-favorable outcomes than other groups, while outcomes in ADA + MTX Month 3 and Month 6 responders tended to be comparable.
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Development of a validated magnetic resonance image (MRI) scoring system is essential in hip OA because radiographs are insensitive to change. We assessed the feasibility and reliability of 2 previously developed scoring methods: (1) the Hip Inflammation MRI Scoring System (HIMRISS) and (2) the Hip Osteoarthritis MRI Scoring System (HOAMS). ⋯ The BML and synovitis-effusion components of both HIMRISS and HOAMS scoring systems are feasible and reliable, and should be validated further.