Rheumatology
-
Psychological factors may be important in the assessment and management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Our primary objective was to describe associations between disease and psychological status in AS, using AS-specific assessment tools and questionnaires. Our secondary objectives were to identify patient subgroups based on such associations and to determine the stability of the measures over time. ⋯ Disease status scores in AS correlated significantly with anxiety, depression, internality and health status. Interpretation of AS disease scores should take an account of psychological status and the choice of measures used. These findings have important potential applications in AS management and monitoring, including the identification of patients for biological therapies.
-
To identify the most significant salivary biomarkers in Sjögren's syndrome (SS) using proteomic methods. ⋯ The salivary proteomic profile of SS is a mixture of increased inflammatory proteins and decreased acinar proteins when compared with non-SS. Future studies will test the ability of these biomarker levels, alone and in combination, to diagnose the salivary component of SS.
-
Review Meta Analysis
Spa therapy and balneotherapy for treating low back pain: meta-analysis of randomized trials.
Low back pain is a major public health concern and complementary treatments are frequently used for this condition. The objective of this systematic review and meta-analysis was to assess the evidence for or against the effectiveness of spa therapy and balneotherapy for treating low back pain. ⋯ Even though the data are scarce, there is encouraging evidence suggesting that spa therapy and balneotherapy may be effective for treating patients with low back pain. These data are not compelling but warrant rigorous large-scale trials.
-
Randomized Controlled Trial
Analgesic action of acetaminophen in symptomatic osteoarthritis of the knee.
The study was designed to investigate the analgesic effects and mechanisms of acetaminophen (paracetamol) in symptomatic osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. ⋯ There is a correlation between reduction in circulating BEND and OA pain relief in patients treated with acetaminophen.