Modern rheumatology
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Modern rheumatology · Mar 2014
Case ReportsFavorable outcome with hemoperfusion of polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column for rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia associated with clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis: report of three cases.
We present 3 cases of rapidly progressive interstitial pneumonia (RPIP) associated with clinically amyopathic dermatomyositis (C-ADM) that were treated with two courses of direct hemoperfusion with polymyxin B-immobilized fiber column (PMX-DHP). Despite initial treatment with high-dose corticosteroids, pulsed cyclophosphamide, and cyclosporine, the lung disease and hypoxemia deteriorated in all the patients. After PMX-DHP treatment, the PaO2/FiO2 ratio and serum LDH and KL-6 were improved, the abnormal shadows in chest high-resolution computed tomography (HRCT) scans gradually decreased, and, finally, all patients survived. These findings indicate that PMX-DHP treatment could be effective in the management of RPIP in patients with C-ADM in combination with conventional therapy.
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Modern rheumatology · Mar 2014
Prevalence of low back pain as the primary pain site and factors associated with low health-related quality of life in a large Japanese population: a pain-associated cross-sectional epidemiological survey.
This study aimed to estimate the prevalence, magnitude, and direction of the associations among disability, pain intensity, number of pain sites, and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients reporting low back pain (LBP) as their primary pain. ⋯ Approximately 13.5 % of patients reported LBP as their primary pain. Disability with absence from social activity and ≥7 pain sites were strongly associated with low HRQoL.
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Modern rheumatology · Nov 2013
An open-label long-term phase III extension trial to evaluate the safety and efficacy of pregabalin in Japanese patients with fibromyalgia.
To assess the long-term safety and efficacy of pregabalin for the treatment of Japanese patients with fibromyalgia (FM). ⋯ These data indicate that the long-term treatment of Japanese FM patients with pregabalin may be both safe and effective.
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Modern rheumatology · Sep 2013
Dynamics of serum angiopoietin-2 levels correlate with efficacy of intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide therapy for interstitial lung disease associated with systemic sclerosis.
Angiopoietin-2 (Ang2) regulates the transition between vascular quiescence and angiogenesis in a context-dependent manner. In systemic sclerosis (SSc), serum Ang2 levels correlate with its disease activity. Therefore, we investigated the clinical significance of monitoring serum Ang2 levels during intravenous pulse cyclophosphamide (IVCY) therapy in SSc patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD). ⋯ Monitoring Ang2 levels during IVCY treatment may be useful to evaluate and predict the efficacy of this treatment for SSc-ILD.
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Modern rheumatology · Sep 2013
The influence of locomotive syndrome on health-related quality of life in a community-living population.
The Japanese Orthopaedic Association (JOA) has proposed the term "locomotive syndrome" (LS) to designate a condition in individuals with musculoskeletal disease in high-risk groups who are highly likely to require nursing care. The present study investigated the influence of LS on the quality of life (QOL) of a community-living population. ⋯ We found that LS strongly impacted QOL and the scores from the VASs. LS appears to be a useful concept for screening subjects who are experiencing a lowered QOL due to musculoskeletal diseases, especially degenerative lumbar diseases and knee osteoarthritis.