Search for: rheumatoid arthritis methotrexate autoimmune disease biomarker gene expression GWAS HLA genes non-HLA genes
| ID | PMID | Title | PublicationDate | abstract |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 14644849 | A fibrin based model for rheumatoid synovitis. | 2003 Dec | Intracavitary fibrin clots may initiate pannus formation and the immunopathology of RA. Two critical steps, probably host dependent, may determine the development of RA: an altered regulation of extravascular haemostasis or an aberrant reactivity of synovial fibroblasts to the adhered fibrin clots. Current treatments for RA target events downstream of fibrin deposition, perhaps agents acting at an earlier stage should be tried. | |
| 14677033 | Rheumatoid meningitis: an autopsy report and review of the literature. | 2003 Dec | We report the clinical and autopsy findings of a 71-year-old Japanese woman with rheumatoid meningitis. This patient developed subacute meningitis during an inactive stage of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and despite intensive examinations no causative agents or underlying disease could be identified except for RA. Based on persistent hypocomplementaemia and increased serum levels of immune complexes she was suspected of having vasculitis, and was treated with intravenous methylprednisolone (1000 mg/day for 3 days) followed by oral prednisolone. Soon after beginning treatment with corticosteroid her symptoms improved, in parallel with a decrease in cell counts and interleukin-6 in the cerebrospinal fluid. During tapering of oral prednisolone she died of a subarachnoid haemorrhage which was ascribed to a relapse of the meningitis. Autopsy demonstrated infiltration of mononuclear cells, including plasma cells, in the leptomeninges, mainly around small vessels, leading to a definite diagnosis of rheumatoid meningitis. When RA patients manifest intractable meningitis with a subacute course, this disease is important as a possible diagnosis even if the arthritis is inactive, and intensive treatment, including corticosteroid and immunosuppressants, should be positively considered as a therapeutic option as soon as possible because of the poor prognosis. | |
| 15124243 | Criteria for improvement in rheumatoid arthritis: alternatives to the American College of | 2004 May | OBJECTIVE: Appropriate outcome measures are critical to estimating treatment effects in clinical trials and observational studies. The American College of Rheumatology 20 (ACR 20) is the standard measure to assess treatment effects in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) randomized controlled clinical trials (RCT). Although the ACR 20, which measures at least a 20% improvement in a number of different measures, is a very useful dichotomous measure for identifying novel treatments with potential activity, it may fail to discriminate among active treatments. In an effort to increase stringency, trials have used the ACR at 50% and 70%. We investigated the behavior of these and other scoring systems to quantify treatment outcome in several RCT in RA. METHODS: The Cooperating Clinics for the Systematic Study of Rheumatic Disease (CSSRD) database contained 2 trials with a total of 6 arms. Using raw data for each patient entered, we calculated ACR 20, 50, and 70 for each arm. We also calculated the average number of criteria met for the ACR 20, 50, and 70 and their respective areas under the curve over time. RESULTS: The ACR 20 failed to discriminate among active therapies; however, the ACR 50 was too stringent, and only one patient in these trials satisfied the ACR 70. The average number of criteria satisfied at the 50% level at the final trial visit discriminated well, as did the area under the curve. CONCLUSION: The average number of ACR criteria met at a 20% or 50% level discriminated better than the traditional ACR criteria in these trials. More of the information is preserved by the area under the curve of the number of ACR criteria satisfied at each level because area preserves both the number of criteria and the time dependence. The area under the curve of the number of ACR criteria met is a discriminatory, specific, time-dependent, responsive, and domain-preserving metric to use as the primary outcome measure in trials of agents for the treatment of RA. These conclusions should be tested in additional data sets. | |
| 15479882 | Defining a role for fibroblasts in the persistence of chronic inflammatory joint disease. | 2004 Nov | The most surprising feature of the inflammatory response in rheumatoid arthritis is not that it occurs but that it does not resolve. The persistence of the chronic inflammatory response in conjunction with ongoing joint destruction is an all too familiar finding in many patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Despite the use of effective anti-inflammatory agents and disease modifying drugs, a significant proportion of patients with rheumatoid arthritis continue to have resistant disease. Complete clinical remission is unusual for more than six months and a formal cure of the disease remains elusive. In this report we focus on how attempts to address the question of why rheumatoid arthritis persists have led to a different interpretation of the pathogenesis of rheumatoid disease; one in which alterations in stromal cells such as fibroblasts play an important role in the switch from resolving to persistent disease. | |
| 15593103 | Physical self perceptions of women with rheumatoid arthritis. | 2004 Dec 15 | OBJECTIVE: To assess the reliability and validity of the Physical Self-Perception Profile (PSPP) and the Perceived Importance Profile (PIP) and to assess relationships between these scales and disease, function, and negative affect in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. METHODS: Fifty-two women (mean+/-SD age 48.4+/-10.4 years) completed the PSPP, PIP, and other measurements: the core measures of European League Against Rheumatism; the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale; distance walked; and peak and extrapolated maximal oxygen consumption during a 10-meter shuttle walk test. RESULTS: PSPP subscales showed high internal consistency (Chronbach's alpha 0.73-0.81) and factor structure and strong relationships with physical self-worth (PSW; r=0.40-0.63). Multiple regression analysis showed that all subscales (except sport) significantly contributed to PSW variance (R2=59.1%). Very low PSPP scores, particularly for strength and sport competence, and PIP scores were observed in RA patients (significantly lower than US college-aged and obese women), which were reflected in low PSW scores. Aspects of PSPP were related to depression and swollen joint count but not functional fitness. Discrepancy scores were associated with lower PSW scores (r=0.48), substantiating that subjects were unable to meet their perceptual needs concerning their physical selves. CONCLUSION: The PSPP and PIP are both reliable and valid and are sensitive to significant constructs in the mental health of women with RA. The PSPP appears to measure distinct mental properties not represented in other common RA measures; hence it may be useful in measuring an important aspect of RA patients' psychology. | |
| 11952297 | Rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis: an initial dermatological manifestation of seronegativ | 2002 Jan | Rheumatoid neutrophilic dermatitis (RND) is an uncommon, but distinctive manifestation of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We describe the case of a 35-year-old female who developed RND as an early stage of seronegative RA. Clinically, the lesions were presented by erythematous, slightly tender, papules, 5-10 mm in diameter, on the extensor surface of the left arm. The histopathological findings revealed a dense, dermal, mainly neutrophilic infiltrate, with prominent leucocytoclasia, but without any features of vasculitis. There was fibrinoid degeneration of collagen, resembling the collagen changes present in rheumatoid nodules in a miniaturized form. RND can be a reliable, early clinical sign of RA, as seen in our patient. Furthermore, this case demonstrates that RND may be associated not only with seropositive RA, as described in the literature, but also with seronegative RA, never before reported. The histological findings in our case are remarkable because of the fibrinoid collagen degeneration, which is described here for the first time in RND. Thus, RND may, in fact, be the initial phase of a spectrum that begins with a neutrophilic reaction and mild fibrinoid collagen degeneration, and evolves into rheumatoid nodules at the final stage. | |
| 12096232 | Diagnostic tests for rheumatoid arthritis: comparison of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide | 2002 Jul | OBJECTIVES: To examine the value of anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP) antibodies, anti-keratin antibodies (AKA) and immunoglobulin M rheumatoid factors (IgM RF) in discriminating between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and other rheumatic diseases, and to determine whether the clinical manifestations or severity of erosions in RA are associated with anti-CCP positivity. METHODS: In a cross-sectional study, we determined the concentrations or titres of these three markers in 179 RA patients and 50 controls. Erosions were quantified using the Larsen score in 129 patients. RESULTS: Sensitivity was highest for IgM RF (75%), followed by anti-CCP antibodies (68%) and AKA (46%). Specificity was highest for anti-CCP antibodies (96%), followed by AKA (94%) and IgM RF (74%). A correlation with clinical manifestations and severity of erosions was observed mainly for IgM RF positivity. CONCLUSIONS: With their excellent specificity, anti-CCP antibodies can be useful in establishing the diagnosis of RA, but IgM RF is a better predictor of disease severity. | |
| 11953966 | Rheumatoid factor is the major predictor of increasing severity of radiographic erosions i | 2002 Apr | OBJECTIVE: To identify the relative contributions of clinical and laboratory variables, determined at baseline, in predicting the deterioration of radiographic damage 5 years after presentation in patients with inflammatory polyarthritis. METHODS: Data from 439 subjects who sought primary care for inflammatory polyarthritis were analyzed. All subjects had paired radiographs, of which the first was obtained within 24 months of presentation and the second at 5 years after presentation. The contribution of baseline clinical and laboratory variables in predicting the degree of radiologic severity as judged by the Larsen score was assessed at both time points. Additionally, the role of these factors in predicting change after adjustment for baseline severity was also measured. RESULTS: By 5 years, 49% of subjects had evidence of erosions. The median Larsen score on the first film was 2 (interquartile range [IQR] 0-10) and the median score on the followup film was 7 (IQR 1-25). These corresponded to a median deterioration of 3 (IQR 0-14) in all subjects, whereas those subjects with evidence of erosions at first film showed a median deterioration of 15 (IQR 6-29) on followup. The rheumatoid factor (RF) status, C-reactive protein levels, the presence of nodules, and number of swollen joints at baseline were all predictive of radiographic severity at first film. Not surprisingly, the baseline radiographic score was a predictor of severity of deterioration. However, after adjusting for baseline severity, a high titer of RF (>1:160) was also an independent predictor of deterioration over 5 years: individuals with an initial RF at that level had a progression in their Larsen score that was 2.3 times (95% confidence interval 1.7-3.2) higher than that in the RF-negative individuals. Apart from this, only age had an independent effect, after adjusting for baseline severity, in predicting increasing radiographic joint damage. CONCLUSION: High-titer RF is an important variable in predicting continuing severity of radiographic damage during the first 5 years after presentation with inflammatory polyarthritis. | |
| 15338485 | Dating the "window of therapeutic opportunity" in early rheumatoid arthritis: accuracy of | 2004 Sep | OBJECTIVE: A "window of therapeutic opportunity" has been hypothesized to be present in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To determine the date of this window, we must know the symptom-onset date of the RA. Patients participating in an observational study of early aggressive rheumatoid factor (RF) positive RA were evaluated to assess the accuracy of their recall of symptom-onset date by comparing the onset date they reported at the first visit with that reported on subsequent 6-monthly questionnaires. METHODS: One hundred eighty-six patients with early RA (at entry: median disease duration 5.8 mo, mean RF 413.8 +/- 630.7 IU/ml, 20.6 +/- 10.9 swollen and 23.7 +/- 13.4 tender joints) completed a self-reported mailed questionnaire every 6 months for up to 5 years. As a part of each questionnaire, patients were asked to recall their RA symptom-onset date. These dates were then compared to the dates reported on the initial questionnaire. RESULTS: Thirteen months after symptom onset (i.e., about 6 mo after study entry) 61% of patients recalled the symptom-onset date (within 1 mo) that they had reported at baseline; the proportion decreased to 39% at 31 months and 25% after 70 months. During this period, the proportion overestimating RA duration remained about 20%, but the proportion underestimating it increased from 23% at 13 months to 39% at 31 months, and to 50% after 56 months. Patients with longer disease duration, less disease activity, and higher pain levels tended to be less accurate. CONCLUSION: Accuracy of recall of RA symptom-onset date by patients tends to decline over a period of 5 years. This should be taken into consideration when enrolling patients, when interpreting the findings of early RA clinical trials, and when attempting to ascertain the presence of a window of therapeutic opportunity. | |
| 14760787 | The influence of sex on rheumatoid arthritis: a prospective study of onset and outcome aft | 2004 Feb | OBJECTIVE: This prospective study analyzed influence of patient's sex on early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) within one year of disease onset and after 2 years' followup. METHODS: A total of 844 consecutive patients, 538 women, with RA of less than 12 months were studied. Standardized clinical and radiographic assessments were performed at study entry and after 2 years. The association of several variables at study entry with the outcome variables Disease Activity Score (DAS28), functional disability measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and, in 390 patients, Larsen score at the 2-year followup were analyzed in men and women separately. RESULTS: At study entry the women were younger compared with the men and the sexes showed different age distributions. The women had higher DAS28 and HAQ scores. However, women below 50 years of age at study entry had milder disease than older women and close to that of men. At 2-year followup the women still had higher DAS28 and HAQ scores compared to men, who had achieved remission in a higher frequency. Larsen score showed no sex difference either at study entry or after 2 years. Presence of rheumatoid factor (RF) was associated with lower age at study entry and higher DAS28 at followup in men only. Higher DAS28 and HAQ scores at entry were more strongly correlated with severe disease at followup in women than in men. Presence of the "shared epitope" was not associated with age or the outcome variables DAS28 and Larsen score in either sex. CONCLUSION: The disease phenotype in early RA was significantly different between men and women, particularly concerning age, disease activity, and functional capacity. There were differences between the sexes concerning early disease characteristics associated with outcome at 2 years of followup. | |
| 14558052 | Adherence and satisfaction of rheumatoid arthritis patients with a long-term intensive dyn | 2003 Oct 15 | OBJECTIVE: To evaluate adherence and satisfaction of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a long-term intensive dynamic exercise program. METHODS: A total of 146 RA patients started an intensive (strength and endurance training for 75 minutes, twice a week, for 2 years) exercise program (Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients In Training) aimed at improving physical fitness. Program attendance and satisfaction were examined. Additional assessments at baseline were done to find possible predictors of attendance. RESULTS: Median (interquartile range) age and disease duration of the patients were 54 (45-61) and 5 (3-10) years, respectively. After 2 years, 118 (81%) patients still participated in an exercise class. The median attendance rate of all patients was 74%. Low attendance was weakly associated with high disease activity, low functional ability, and low quality of life at baseline but not with the severity of joint damage at baseline. At the end, 78% of all participants would (strongly) recommend the program to other RA patients. CONCLUSION: Adherence and satisfaction of RA patients with an intensive dynamic exercise program over a prolonged time can be high. Disease severity parameters do not strongly predict the compliance of participants in an intensive exercise program. | |
| 12073147 | Major histocompatibility complex controls susceptibility and dominant inheritance, but not | 2002 Jun | Collagen-induced arthritis (CIA) in DBA/1 and proteoglycan-induced arthritis (PGIA) in BALB/c mice are the most frequently used mouse models for studying clinical, immunological and genetic factors contributing to rheumatoid arthritis. DBA/1 ( H2(q)) mice are susceptible to CIA but resistant to PGIA, whereas BALB/c mice ( H2 (d)) are susceptible to PGIA and resistant to CIA. To gain insight into the mechanisms of how the major clinical (disease susceptibility, severity and onset of arthritis) and immunological traits (antigen-specific T- and B-cell responses) are influenced by the major histocompatibility complex (MHC), we have generated a unique intercross of BALB/c and DBA/1 parent strains, and the F1 and F2 hybrids were immunized for either CIA or PGIA. The major clinical and immunological traits were identified as either binary (qualitative) or quantitative traits on Chromosome 17 with a peak at MHC when the entire population was analyzed. In contrast, when only arthritic (susceptible) mice were selected and analyzed, the major clinical traits (severity and onset) 'lost' the linkage to MHC. Thus, MHC dictates disease susceptibility, but not the severity of arthritis. This was even more evident in the case of the H2(q) allele, which was clearly responsible for the dominant inheritance of arthritis in F2 hybrids (either CIA or PGIA). In conclusion, while certain MHC alleles strongly affect disease susceptibility and determine the mode of inheritance of a polygenic autoimmune disease, neither the type of inheritance (dominant vs recessive) nor other MHC components have evident effects upon the clinical symptoms of arthritis. | |
| 14872457 | How rheumatologists and patients with rheumatoid arthritis discuss exercise and the influe | 2004 Feb 15 | OBJECTIVE: To describe how patients and their rheumatologists discuss exercise, and to identify predictors of exercise prescriptions. METHODS: Twenty-five rheumatologists and 132 patients with rheumatoid arthritis completed questionnaires and were audiotaped during a subsequent clinic visit. Chi-square and t-tests assessed associations between variables. Principal components analysis identified patterns of talk about exercise. Multivariate logistic regression identified predictors of an exercise prescription. RESULTS: Seventy of the 132 patients (53%) discussed exercise. Of these, 18 (26%) received an exercise prescription. Principal components analysis identified 3 patterns of talk about exercise. Aerobic exercise discussions contained more information about drawbacks, side effects, pain, and bargaining than did discussions about general exercises, and referral to physical therapy for exercise. Significant predictors of a prescription included rheumatologist-initiated discussion about exercise (odds ratio [OR] 4.6; P = 0.03); talk about exercise in improving function, exercise instructions, opinions about the usefulness of exercise (OR 3.1; P = 0.01); and discussions about non-exercise treatments (OR 1.6; P = 0.01). CONCLUSION: Exercise and referral to physical therapy for exercise are discussed differently and are 4 times more likely to occur when the rheumatologist initiates the discussion. These discussions strongly impact on the likelihood a patient receives an exercise prescription. | |
| 12645617 | Application of a novel protein biochip technology for detection and identification of rheu | 2002 Nov | We compared protein profiles of the synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis by using surface-enhanced laser desorption/ionization mass spectrometry technology. With this approach, we identified a protein expressed specifically in the synovial fluid of the patients with rheumatoid arthritis. During the investigation, we found several reproducible and discriminatory biomarker candidates for distinction between rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis. Among these candidates, a 10 850 Da protein peak was the clearest example of a single signal found specifically in the rheumatoid arthritis samples. This candidate was purified using a size-exclusion spin column followed by gel electrophoresis and subsequently identified by peptide mapping and post-source decay (PSD) analysis. The results clearly indicate that the protein is myeloid-related protein 8, which was verified by the enzyme immunoassay. It is known that the myeloid-related protein 8 level in serum and synovial fluid is related to disease activity in juvenile rheumatoid arthritis. The results suggest that the ProteinChip platform is useful to detect and identify protein biomarkers expressed specifically in diseases or in some stage of diseases. | |
| 15181130 | Assessment of disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis with (18)F-FDG PET. | 2004 Jun | The aim of this study was to assess synovitis by (18)F-FDG PET in an individual joint analysis and in a global analysis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) disease activity and to compare (18)F-FDG PET parameters with clinical, biologic, and sonographic (US) rheumatoid parameters. METHODS: Three hundred fifty-six joints were assessed in 21 patients with active RA: the knees in all subjects and either wrists as well as metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal joints in 13 patients, or ankles and the first metatarsophalangeal joints in the remaining 8 patients. PET analysis consisted of a visual identification of (18)F-FDG uptake in the synovium and measurements of standardized uptake values (SUVs). Independent assessors performed the clinical and US examinations. RESULTS: PET positivity was found in 63% of joints, whereas 75%, 79%, and 56% were positive for swelling, tenderness, and US analysis, respectively. Both the rate of PET-positive joints and the SUV increased with the number of positive parameters present (swelling, tenderness, US positivity) and with the synovial thickness. The mean SUV was significantly higher in joints where a power Doppler signal was found. In a global PET analysis, the number of PET-positive joints and the cumulative SUV were significantly correlated with the swollen and tender joint counts, the patient and physician global assessments, the erythrocyte sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein serum levels, the disease activity score and the simplified disease activity index, the number of US-positive joints, and the cumulative synovial thickness. CONCLUSION: (18)F-FDG PET is a unique imaging technique that can assess the metabolic activity of synovitis and measure the disease activity in RA. | |
| 15188318 | Quality of life of people with rheumatoid arthritis as measured by the World Health Organi | 2004 Jun 15 | OBJECTIVE: To assess the psychometric properties, including responsiveness, of the World Health Organization Quality of Life instrument, short form (WHOQOL-BREF) in people with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: A sample of 142 persons with rheumatoid arthritis were randomly selected from a regional disease register and completed questionnaires by postal survey. An additional sample of 72 consecutive inpatients completed questionnaires a few days prior to admission, the day of admission, the day of discharge, and 2 weeks following discharge. RESULTS: Test-retest reliability was adequate (intraclass correlation coefficient 0.71-0.91). Internal consistency was adequate except for the social relationships domain (Cronbach's alpha 0.64-0.87). Factor structure was fairly similar to that previously reported. Correlation with other measures of quality of life was supportive of concurrent validity. Indices of responsiveness were satisfactory except for the social relationships and environment domains, although there was actually no statistical difference in the area under a receiver operating characteristic plot between the WHOQOL-BREF domains and the Health Assessment Questionnaire. CONCLUSION: The WHOQOL-BREF has adequate psychometric properties in people with rheumatoid arthritis and should be considered a valid outcome measure for interventions that aim to improve quality of life for people with this disease. | |
| 15199221 | The role of perceived and actual disease status in adjustment to rheumatoid arthritis. | 2004 Sep | OBJECTIVES: To examine the role and relative impact of illness perceptions, coping strategies and clinical disease indicators on adjustment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. METHOD: Participants were 75 women with rheumatoid arthritis. The Illness Perception Questionnaire (IPQ), the COPE questionnaire and the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale (AIMS) were administered during a semistructured interview. Disease status was indicated by physician ratings of joint involvement and by the laboratory indices of erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) and C-reactive protein (CRP). RESULTS: Statistically significant correlations (P<0.01) were in the expected direction. Various aspects of adjustment (good physical function, low pain and depression) were associated with perceptions of low illness identity, high control/cure, more serious illness consequences and long illness timeline. Low disease activity was related to good physical function. Depression was associated with high use of coping by denial and with less frequent use of five COPE strategies: active coping, planning, seeking instrumental social support, positive reinterpretation and growth, and acceptance. In hierarchical regression analysis, disease status explained variance in physical function (15%). Illness perceptions accounted for variance in all three adjustment outcomes, ranging from 22 to 27%. Coping variables did not add to the explanation of variance on adjustment. CONCLUSIONS: Illness perceptions have significant implications for adaptation to illness and they outweigh the impact of medical disease status on depression, physical function and pain. Health interventions based on understanding and modifying perceptions of illness may prove useful in facilitating patient well-being. | |
| 14761141 | Rheumatoid nodulosis: report of two cases. | 2003 Nov | We present two patients with subcutaneous nodular lesions of several years' duration. These lesions were well defined and painless and were located next to bony surfaces or in the pulps of fingers and elbows. No other symptoms were observed except for frequent attacks of palindromic rheumatism with no evidence of arthritis or systemic manifestations suggestive of rheumatoid arthritis. Other studies performed were normal with negative results for rheumatoid factor and antinuclear antibodies. Radiographs of affected sites showed no signs of arthritis while the histopathologic study revealed some findings compatible with rheumatoid nodule. One of the patients also presented desquamate papular lesions at the level of elbows while histologically a process of transepidermal elimination of fibrinoid could be observed. Our patients fulfil all the diagnostic criteria for rheumatoid nodulosis as they present multiple rheumatoid nodules confirmed on biopsy, symptoms of palindromic rheumatism, no evidence of arthritis or radiological alterations and negative rheumatoid factor. | |
| 15589436 | Foot orthotics decrease pain but do not improve gait in rheumatoid arthritis patients. | 2004 Nov | OBJECTIVES: Prescribing foot orthotics in rheumatoid arthritis patients with symptomatic forefoot involvement is a standard practice. However, limited research has been reported regarding gait and pain improvement with the use of foot orthotics. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Sixteen patients (13 F, 3 M; mean age: 52 +/- 12 years) with metatarsalgia due to rheumatoid arthritis were included in this prospective, randomized with crossover study, and received foot orthotics. At 1 month follow-up, space and time gait variables with and without foot orthotics were assessed by Bessou's locometer; pain was assessed by visual analogue scale (VAS). RESULTS: Pain levels significantly decreased (P = 0.008) by wearing foot orthotics. Despite a significant step length increase (P = 0.05) with orthotics, there was no significant improvement of stride length, cadence, or walking speed which was the main assessment criterion. CONCLUSIONS: Wearing foot orthotics improves pain, but not sufficiently to improve gait in rheumatoid arthritis patients with metatarsalgia. Foot orthotics improved comfort levels because of a decrease in pain, but was not sufficient to correct gait. | |
| 15104856 | Corporeality: women's experiences of a body with rheumatoid arthritis. | 2004 May | The purpose of this research report is to describe women's experiences living with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Twenty women diagnosed with RA participated in semistructured interviews that were analyzed using qualitative content analysis. Findings indicated that how women with RA experience life in their physical bodies is fundamentally important. Corporeality, the name we chose for this phenomenon, is quite literally being one's body. This experience of the reality of being in or being of a body or corpus was central, not only to participants' perceptions of well-being but also to the impact rheumatoid arthritis was having on their lives and the actions they took to contend with the illness. The authors identified three themes that described what corporeality was for women with RA: relating to a noncompliant body, body out of synch, and private body made public. These results are discussed in light of other research about embodied experience in persons living with chronic illness. |