Rheumatology
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To submit serum levels of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs) and tissue inhibitors of metalloproteinases (TIMPs) to statistical analyses to test their exact degrees of clinical usefulness as biomarkers for detecting high disease activity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS), comparing them with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). ⋯ Using several analytical approaches that have never been reported previously, we showed that MMP-3 is a more useful biomarker than ESR and CRP to detect high disease activity in AS.
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To assess the impact of teaching about back pain to medical students using trained patient partners (PP). ⋯ Using PPs with back pain to teach medical students has a positive effect on student learning and patient well-being. The feasibility of delivering this programme will depend on faculty resources. The effects on examination performance are small but significant.