J Rheumatol
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Investigators use several physical examination measures to assess clinical features and severity of psoriasis and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) in clinical trials, clinical registries, and clinical practice; however, no relevant training modules are widely available to teach and standardize the performance of these measures. At a GRAPPA (Group for Research and Assessment of Psoriasis and Psoriatic Arthritis) meeting adjacent to the 2009 International Federation of Psoriasis Associations in Stockholm, members were updated on the development status of online training videos of psoriasis and PsA examination measures. ⋯ Each module will include background information for each measure, diagrams and photographs to emphasize teaching points, demonstration video of examination where applicable, and an optional examination at the end. Future plans include evaluating the modules for their influence on interrater and intrarater reliability and development of additional modules.
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Previously, a preliminary patient responder index (RI) in chronic low back pain (CLBP) was developed and validated in 5 placebo-controlled clinical trials. The resulting RI was a > 30% improvement in CLBP and patient global assessment (PGA), and no worsening (< 20%) in the Roland Morris Disability Questionnaire (RMDQ) total score. Our objective was to provide further characterization of the preliminary RI in a trial with an active control. ⋯ The RI appears to be particularly sensitive to the cutoff point used for improvement in the PGA component. Further testing of the index in trials with other active comparators is required to gain a fuller understanding of its performance.
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To estimate prospectively any association between measures of physical activity and the risk of either primary knee or hip replacement due to osteoarthritis (OA). ⋯ Increasing levels of total physical activity are positively associated with the risk of primary knee but not hip replacement due to OA. Physical activity might affect the knee and hip joints differently depending on the preexisting health status and anatomy of the joint, as well as the sort of physical activity performed.
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25-hydroxy-vitamin D (25-OH-D) insufficiency/deficiency is increasingly prevalent and has been associated with many chronic diseases, including rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Our purpose was to define the prevalence and associations of 25-OH-D insufficiency/deficiency in a cohort of US veterans with RA. ⋯ in a predominantly elderly, male RA population, 25-OH-D insufficiency was highly prevalent. With the increasing adverse health outcomes associated with hypovitaminosis D, screening and supplementation, particularly among minority, seropositive patients with RA, should be performed routinely.