Rheumatology
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Randomized Controlled Trial Clinical Trial
Influence of therapy with chimeric monoclonal tumour necrosis factor-alpha antibodies on intracellular cytokine profiles of T lymphocytes and monocytes in rheumatoid arthritis patients.
It has been shown that T lymphocytes and monocytes/macrophages, producing pro-inflammatory cytokines, play a pivotal role in the pathophysiology of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In recent placebo-controlled double-blind randomized studies, chimeric (human/mouse) tumour necrosis factor-alpha (TNFalpha) antibodies (cA2) proved to be very effective in improving clinical disease activity and reducing inflammatory parameters in RA. ⋯ Anti-TNFalpha therapy might down-regulate the monocytic capacity to produce pro-inflammatory cytokines and induces a shift to a more pronounced anti-inflammatory T(H2) cytokine production.
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Multicenter Study
Psychometric properties of a Dutch short form of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 (Dutch-AIMS2-SF).
To evaluate the reliability and validity of a Dutch version of the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scales 2 short form (AIMS2-SF) and examine the agreement between the AIMS2 and AIMS2-SF in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. ⋯ The Dutch-AIMS2-SF, with Modified Symptom and Social Interaction components has good psychometric properties, similar to those of the Dutch-AIMS2 long form.
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Computers and the Internet form a large part of our professional and personal lives. There are advantages and disadvantages to computer-assisted learning which will be discussed. An Internet and Medline search was performed to assess the educational content of rheumatology websites and also their effect on learning in the undergraduate and postgraduate setting.
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The objective of this study was to verify the usefulness of a simple disease activity index (SDAI) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). ⋯ The SDAI is a valid and sensitive assessment of disease activity and treatment response that is comparable with the DAS 28 and ACR response criteria; it is easy to calculate and therefore a viable tool for day-to-day clinical assessment of RA treatment. Overall results indicate that the SDAI has content, criterion and construct validity.
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Comparative Study
A controlled pilot study of the utility of mirror visual feedback in the treatment of complex regional pain syndrome (type 1).
We assessed mirror visual feedback (MVF) to test the hypothesis that incongruence between motor output and sensory input produces complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS) (type 1) pain. ⋯ In early CRPS (type 1), visual input from a moving, unaffected limb re-establishes the pain-free relationship between sensory feedback and motor execution. Trophic changes and a less plastic neural pathway preclude this in chronic disease.