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ID PMID Title PublicationDate abstract
20012963 Unusual central nervous system involvement of rheumatoid arthritis: successful treatment w 2011 Oct Central nervous system involvement of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) frequently develops in patients who had a long-term history of RA, irrespective of the disease activity of systemic arthritis, and it has a high mortality rate despite treatment. Since clinical symptoms and radiologic signs are rather nonspecific, in short of doing biopsy, the diagnosis of rheumatoid meningitis is one of exclusion. However, the strongly positive rheumatoid factor in the cerebrospinal fluid is quite specific. We here report a 70-year-old man who had not been diagnosed as RA before he was admitted with neurological findings, who was diagnosed as RA later and successfully treated with prednisolone and azathioprine.
21703930 Assessing immune function by profiling cytokine release from stimulated blood leukocytes a 2011 Oct Persons with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suffer a high burden of infections, but currently no biomarkers are available to identify individuals at greatest risk. A prospective longitudinal study was therefore conducted to determine the association between the responsiveness of ex vivo cytokine production and 6-month risk of infections. Infections were identified by billing codes and validated by medical record review. At baseline, the release of 17 cytokines by peripheral blood mononuclear cells in response to stimulation, or media alone, was measured using multiplexed cytokine analysis. Production of IL-2, IL-8, IL-10, IL-17, TNF-α, IFN-γ, and GM-CSF, induced by various conditions, was significantly associated with the occurrence of infections. A multivariable prediction model based on these data provided new information on the risk of infection beyond standard assessments of disease activity, severity, and treatment. Future studies could utilize this information to devise new biomarkers for the prediction of infection in patients with RA.
22580581 Autoantibodies to citrullinated fibrinogen compared with anti-MCV and anti-CCP2 antibodies 2013 Mar OBJECTIVES: To compare the performance of anticitrullinated peptides/protein antibodies (ACPA) detected by three immunoassays in the French ESPOIR cohort of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and undifferentiated arthritis (UA) and to study the relationship between ACPA and disease activity. METHODS: A diagnosis of RA (1987 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria) was established at baseline in 497 patients and after a 2-year follow-up in 592 patients. At baseline, antibodies to citrullinated fibrinogen (AhFibA), antimutated citrullinated vimentin (anti-MCV) and anticyclic citrullinated peptide (anti-CCP2) were assayed and the individual and combined diagnostic sensitivities and predictive values of the tests were determined. Relationships between ACPA positivity and the 28-joint disease activity score and Health Assessment Questionnaire scores were analysed. RESULTS: At a diagnostic specificity of at least 98%, the three tests exhibited similar diagnostic sensitivities (47-48.5%). When considering as positive patients with at least one positive test, the sensitivity increased to 53.5% with a probable loss of specificity. Among the patients classified as having UA at baseline, 30% were positive for one ACPA, the positive predictive values for RA of the three tests ranging from 73% to 80% but increasing when two tests were associated. Whatever the test used, the addition of ACPA positivity to the 1987 criteria enhanced their sensitivity by 6%, close to that of the 2010 ACR/European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) criteria. CONCLUSIONS: In early arthritis, AhFibA, anti-MCV and anti-CCP2 showed similar diagnostic sensitivity with a high diagnostic specificity and a similar high positive predictive value for RA. Adding ACPA to the 1987 ACR criteria significantly increased the number of patients classified as having RA, confirming the validity of the recent inclusion of the serological criterion in the ACR/EULAR criteria.
22267330 Cholesterol efflux by high density lipoproteins is impaired in patients with active rheuma 2012 Jul OBJECTIVES: Reverse cholesterol transport (RCT) is a major antiatherogenic function of high density lipoprotein (HDL). In the current work, the authors evaluated whether the RCT capacity of HDL from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is impaired when compared to healthy controls. METHODS: HDL was isolated from 40 patients with RA and 40 age and sex matched healthy controls. Assays of cholesterol efflux, HDL's antioxidant function and paraoxanase-1 (PON-1) activity were performed as described previously. Plasma myeloperoxidase (MPO) activity was assessed by a commercially available assay. RESULTS: Mean cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL was not significantly different between RA patients (40.2% ± 11.1%) and controls (39.5% ± 8.9%); p=0.75. However, HDL from RA patients with high disease activity measured by a disease activity score using 28 joint count (DAS28>5.1), had significantly decreased ability to promote cholesterol efflux compared to HDL from patients with very low disease activity/clinical remission (DAS28<2.6). Significant correlations were noted between cholesterol efflux and the DAS28 (r=-0.39, p=0.01) and erythrocyte sedimentation rate, (r=-0.41, p=0.0009). Higher plasma MPO activity was associated with worse HDL function (r=0.41/p=0.009 (antioxidant capacity); r=0.35, p=0.03 (efflux)). HDL's ability to promote cholesterol efflux was modestly but significantly correlated with its antioxidant function (r=-0.34, p=0.03). CONCLUSIONS: The cholesterol efflux capacity of HDL is impaired in RA patients with high disease activity and is correlated with systemic inflammation and HDL's antioxidant capacity. Attenuation of HDL function, independent of HDL cholesterol levels, may suggest a mechanism by which active RA contributes to increased cardiovascular (CV) risk.
22467992 Sleep loss exacerbates fatigue, depression, and pain in rheumatoid arthritis. 2012 Apr 1 STUDY OBJECTIVES: Disturbances of sleep are hypothesized to contribute to pain. However, experimental data are limited to healthy pain-free individuals. This study evaluated the effect of sleep loss during part of the night on daytime mood symptoms and pain perceptions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in comparison with control subjects. DESIGN: A between-groups laboratory study with assessment of mood symptoms and pain perception before and after partial night sleep deprivation (PSD; awake 23:00 hr to 03:00 hr). SETTING: General clinical research center. PARTICIPANTS: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n = 27) and volunteer comparison control subjects (n = 27). MEASUREMENTS: Subjective reports of sleep, mood symptoms and pain, polysomnographic assessment of sleep continuity, and subjective and objective assessment of rheumatoid arthritis-specific joint pain. RESULTS: PSD induced differential increases in self-reported fatigue (P < 0.09), depression (P < 0.04), anxiety (P < 0.04), and pain (P < 0.01) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis compared with responses in control subjects, in whom differential increases of self-reported pain were independent of changes in mood symptoms, subjective sleep quality, and objective measures of sleep fragmentation. In the patients with rheumatoid arthritis, PSD also induced increases in disease-specific activity as indexed by self-reported pain severity (P < 0.01) and number of painful joints (P < 0.02) as well as clinician-rated joint counts (P < 0.03). CONCLUSION: This study provides the first evidence of an exaggerated increase in symptoms of mood and pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after sleep loss, along with an activation of rheumatoid arthritis-related joint pain. Given the reciprocal relationship between sleep disturbances and pain, clinical management of pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis should include an increased focus on the prevention and treatment of sleep disturbance in this clinical population.
21963809 Reproducibility and influence of hand rotation on computer-aided joint space analysis. 2012 Jul OBJECTIVES: Computer-aided joint space analysis (CAJSA) is a recently developed, semi-automated tool to aid in the measurement of joint space margins based on hand radiographs. The objective of this study is to verify the potential effect of hand rotation during X-ray imaging on the measurement of joint space width using CAJSA and to evaluate the reproducibility of the CAJSA technique in healthy subjects and in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: All joint space distance (JSD) measurements were performed using CAJSA-technology at the metacarpophalangeal articulation based on conventional and digital hand radiographs. RESULTS: I. Hand rotation showed an effect on the reproducibility with CV ranging between 0.39% (angulation 1°) and 1.66% (angulation 19°). II. Regarding the overall reproducibility of the CAJSA method, the intra-radiograph reproducibility of JSD was calculated with CV=0.54% for conventional images and CV=0.38% for digital images. The inter-radiograph reproducibility error was observed with CV=0.66% (conventional images) and CV=0.63% (digital images). III. The study revealed a reproducibility for CAJSA measurements in RA ranging between 0.37% (JSD-MCP ring finger; van der Heijde-modification of the Sharp method score 1) to 1.37% (JSD-MCP index finger; van der Heijde-modification of the Sharp method score 3). CONCLUSION: CAJSA measures JSD at the metacarpophalangeal articulation with high reproducibility in healthy subjects and in patients with differing stages of rheumatoid arthritis. Additional findings show that hand rotation during X-ray imaging has an impact on the CAJSA measurements; thus avoiding acquisition of hand radiographs with a rotation error of more than 15 degrees can be recommended.
21979318 [Treat-to-target from the perspective of office-based rheumatology]. 2011 Oct The development of evidence-based treat-to-target (T2T) recommendations alleviates decision-making for the rheumatologist and simultaneously promises substantial improvement of outcome for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. For the office-based rheumatologist in Germany, however, implementation of T2T recommendations contains several difficulties. Limitations arise as a result of an insufficient number of rheumatologists as well as a lack of adequate remuneration both resulting in a lack of time for the individual RA patient. Furthermore budget limitations hinder the appropriate use of antirheumatic drugs and insofar counteract treating to the target of remission. Establishment of selective contracts for rheumatologists by health insurance funds might reduce many of these problems in future for the office-based rheumatologist in Germany.
21840198 A sensitive diagnostic assay of rheumatoid arthritis using three-dimensional ZnO nanorod s 2011 Oct 15 We synthesized a three-dimensional nanorod structure of zinc oxide (ZnO) using a simple sol-gel process and systematically investigated properties of the ZnO nanorods regarding protein adsorption and effect on fluorescence emission. As compared to conventional polystyrene plate that has been widely used for strong protein adsorption, the ZnO nanorods had a superior protein adsorption capacity and significantly amplified fluorescence emission, suggesting the ZnO nanorods are attractive for fluorescence-based biomolecular detection assays. When applied to diagnostic assay of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) using cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) probe with a RCGRS motif that reportedly has a strong affinity for ZnO, the ZnO nanorods gave apparently high positive signals for all the RA-positive standards and patient sera, whereas upon the detection using conventional polystyrene plate, all the detection signals were relatively negligible. Moreover, the streptavidin-mediated immobilization of well oriented CCP further enhanced sensitivity, even for a 5000-times diluted patient serum. A highly sensitive detection of a very small amount of RA autoantibodies is important because individuals at high risk of developing RA can be identified several years before the clinical onset. Consequently, the fluorescence-based sensitive assay of RA was successfully performed using the three-dimensional ZnO nanorods, owing to the fluorescence amplification and protein/peptide adsorption properties and dimensionality of ZnO nanorods that in turn increases probe accessibility to anti-CCP RA autoantibodies. Although RA was assayed here for proof-of-concept, the ZnO nanorods-based assay can be applied in general to sensitive detection of a wide variety of antibody or protein targets.
21529304 Impact of impaired morning function on the lives and well-being of patients with rheumatoi 2011 Morning joint stiffness and pain are prominent features in patients suffering from rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and contribute to impaired function. A survey was conducted across 11 European countries to assess the impact of impaired morning function on patients' quality of life. A total of 518 rheumatologists, and 750 patients aged 18-75 years with RA for ≥ 6 months and impaired morning function at least three times a week, completed the structured questionnaires. Impaired morning function was defined as 'stiffness and pain in the joints first thing in the morning that results in difficulty to function or perform tasks'. The mean duration of morning stiffness and pain was 83 min according to patients, slightly longer than that estimated by rheumatologists (70 min). Impaired morning function lasting more than 30 min/day was reported by 75% of patients, with 76% of rheumatologists estimating this duration for their patients. Most respondents (82% of patients and 96% of rheumatologists) considered that impaired morning function had a significant effect on patient quality of life. Around two-thirds of patients reported changes in how they carry out usual morning activities. Patients who were unable to function normally in the morning reported feeling frustrated (58%) and angry (32%). Almost one in five patients in the survey (18%) was unable to work as a direct result of their RA. Of the 274 patients included in the survey who were in paid work, 73% reported that impaired morning function had a significant impact on their job; 40% missed time from work in the past 6 months due to impairment in morning function, resulting in a mean of 4.5 days lost from work/employed person. In conclusion, the survey shows that impaired morning function has a considerable impact on the lives and well-being of patients with RA.
21345286 Ultrasound imaging for the rheumatologist. XXXI. Sonographic assessment of the foot in pat 2011 Jan OBJECTIVES: The aims of our study were to investigate the prevalence of ultrasound (US) abnormalities in the foot of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to compare them with the clinical findings. METHODS: One hundred RA patients were enrolled in the study. Bilateral US examination of metatarsophalangeal (MTP) joints, proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints, midfoot joints (talonavicular, calcaneo-cuboid, medial, intermediate and lateral navicular-cuneiform and cuneiform-metatarsal joints and cuboid-4th and 5th metatarsal joints) were examined for synovitis and erosion. In addition the plantar fascia and the insertion of the anterior and posterior tibialis and peroneous brevis tendons were imaged. RESULTS: Effusion with synovial proliferation was visualised only at MTP joints in 84 out of 200 (42%) feet, at MTP plus at least one joint of the midfoot in other 41 out of 200 (20%) feet (making a total of 125 out of 200 (62%) MTP joints) exclusively in one or more joints of the midfoot in 7 out 200 (3%) feet, in the PIP joint of the 2nd and 3rd toes in 3 (1.5%) and 4 (2%) feet respectively, while no effusion with synovial proliferation was visualised in the PIP joint of the 4th and 5th toes. Synovitis was present most frequently in the 2nd MTP joint whilst erosions were most frequently imaged in the 5th MTP joint. CONCLUSIONS: US examination appears to be a useful imaging technique to study joint and tendon involvement of the foot in RA patients. Moreover, US examination of the foot is more sensitive than clinical examination in the detection of joint inflammation and allows for a better understanding of the features and the progression of the disease.
21303481 Leflunomide in Pakistani patients with rheumatoid arthritis: prospective study in daily rh 2011 Feb INTRODUCTION: Leflunomide is a disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drug (DMARD) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). It has been widely studied in the West but there is no available local Pakistani data. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety profile of leflunomide in Pakistani patients with RA, either alone or in combination with methotrexate. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A prospective, non-comparator, open-label study in a setting of 'care as usual' was performed. In this study, 63 consecutive RA patients on leflunomide were enrolled. Leflunomide dose was started with full loading in 5 (8%), half loading in 39 (62%) and without loading in 19 (30%) patients. Methotrexate was also used in 20 (32%) patients. Primary end-point was 20% improvement in American College of Rheumatology response criteria (ACR-20). Safety was assessed by adverse events and abnormalities in laboratory parameters. RESULTS: Out of 63 patients, 54 (85.7%) were female. Mean age was 46 ± 12.6 years. Mean disease duration was 5.1 ± 4.5 years. Fifty-two (86.6%) patients achieved ACR-20 response at 6 months; 32 (53%) achieved ACR-50 response at 6 months; 20% experienced at least one adverse event, which resolved by reducing leflunomide dose. Only seven (11%) had raised liver enzymes from baseline. CONCLUSION: This prospective study conducted in the setting of a daily rheumatology practice shows that leflunomide is an effective and safe DMARD in treatment of RA in Pakistani patients.
20138722 Colour Doppler ultrasonography evaluation of vascularization in the wrist and finger joint 2012 Aug OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the presence of blood flow by colour Doppler ultrasonography (CDUS) in the wrist and finger joints of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and healthy subjects and to define a cut-off value of CDUS resistive index (RI). METHODS: Forty-three patients with RA and 43 healthy controls were examined by CDUS. The wrists, second and third metacarpophalangeal (MCP) and proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints were evaluated in each patient and healthy subject. Spectral Doppler analysis was performed in order to characterize the type of flow and a mean RI was measured to define a cut-off level. The area under receiver operating characteristic curve was used to evaluate the screening method's performance. RESULTS: Flow was detected in 219 of the 430 total joints (50.9%) of RA patients (111 in the wrists, 49 in the MCP and 30 in the PIP joints). Healthy subjects had a quantifiable flow in 45 of the 430 joints (10.5%) and, in particular, 39 (86.4%) in the wrist, 5 (11.14%) in the MCP and 1 (2.2%) in the PIP joints. The intra- and inter-reader agreements for the detection of Doppler signal were very good (kappa 0.82 and 0.89, respectively). Mean RI values were 0.72±0.06 in RA patients and 0.86±0.06 in healthy subjects (p<0.01). At cut-off point of RI<0.79 the sensitivity was 89.6% and the specificity was 78.8% (positive likelihood ratio 4.22). CONCLUSION: DUS is a useful tool for the detection of abnormal blood flow in inflammatory joints of RA patients.
21239744 Early prediction of increased arterial stiffness in patients with chronic inflammation: a 2011 Apr OBJECTIVE: Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), a chronic inflammatory disease, have increased cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. We investigated whether early markers of RA inflammatory disease activity could predict later increased levels of pulse-wave velocity (PWV) and augmentation index (AIx), 2 measures of arterial stiffness. METHODS: In total 238 patients with early RA were followed longitudinally and 108 were available for the 15-year followup examination. Comprehensive baseline clinical and radiographic data were collected in 1992. Arterial stiffness, measured as AIx and PWV (Sphygmocor apparatus), was recorded at the 15-year followup. Adjusted logistic univariate and multivariate analyses were performed with levels of AIx and PWV as the dependent variables, and variables reflecting baseline RA disease activity as possible predictors. The validity of the final models was examined in linear regression analyses. RESULTS: Baseline C-reactive protein (CRP) above the median predicted increased AIx (OR 3.52, 95% CI 1.04-11.90) and PWV (OR 4.84, 95% CI 1.39-16.83) at the 15-year assessment in multivariate models. Patients with elevated baseline CRP had significantly higher AIx (ß = 2.67, 95% CI 0.06-5.31, p = 0.045) and lnPWV (ß = 0.08, 95% CI 0.01-0.14, p = 0.02) after 15 years, after adjustments for age, sex, heart rate (AIx only) and mean arterial pressure. CONCLUSION: Inflammation early in the RA disease course was associated with increased AIx and PWV after 15 years. These findings support the importance of early control of the inflammatory process in patients with RA.
21116853 Sphingosine-1-phosphate: a potential therapeutic target for rheumatoid arthritis. 2011 Aug Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic autoimmune disease, which has as its primary target, the synovial tissues and articular cartilage. The current pharmacological treatment of RA includes non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs, corticosteroids, and disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs. Newer biological agents that work by inactivation of proinflammatory cytokines are available for treatment of RA. Sphingosine-1-phosphate (S1P) is a bioactive lipid that is generated from phosphorylation of sphingosine by activation of sphingosine kinase, and has been implicated as an important mediator in pathophysiological processes, including cell growth, differentiation, migration and survival, and angiogenesis. Several studies have explored the role of S1P in the pathogenesis of RA. The aim of this article was to review the biology and distribution of S1P, together with its role in RA, and to discuss its potential as a therapeutic target for RA.
22006121 Positional occlusion of the vertebral artery in a case of rheumatoid atlantoaxial subluxat 2012 Aug We report an uncommon case of positional occlusion of the vertebral artery associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Plain radiography showed reducible atlantoaxial subluxation, and dynamic vertebral arteriography demonstrated positional occlusion of the left vertebral artery. The patient was treated with C1-2 posterior fusion and has since experienced no recurrent symptoms. Insufficiency of the vertebrobasilar artery is a relatively uncommon complication with cervical lesions in RA patients. However, when RA patients manifest recurrent cerebral and cerebellar symptoms, this condition should be kept in mind and actions taken to avoid further irreversible cerebral damage. Recommended imaging methods include vertebral dynamic lateral plain radiography of the cervical spine and vertebral arteriography at multiple cervical positions.
21963739 A case of organizing pneumonia induced by tocilizumab. 2011 A 66-year-old woman rheumatoid arthritis was treated with methotrexate and tocilizumab. Chest radiography revealed bilateral consolidation of an upper lesion in the lung. Laboratory data indicated a hepatic disorder and increased eosinophils. Transbronchial lung biopsy specimens showed organizing pneumonia. Infection was unfavorable based on culture and PCR. Drug lymphocyte stimulation test showed positive results both for methotrexate and tocilizumab. We were concerned that her pneumonitis was drug-induced. And the symptoms appeared after the infusion of tocilizumab. Here, we report a case of tocilizumab-induced organizing pneumonia.
21807797 Identifying preliminary domains to detect and measure rheumatoid arthritis flares: report 2011 Aug BACKGROUND: While disease flares in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are a recognized aspect of the disease process, there is limited formative research to describe them. METHODS: The Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials (OMERACT) RA Flare Definition Working Group is conducting an international research project to understand the specific characteristics and impact of episodic disease worsening, or "flare," so that outcome measures can be developed or modified to reflect this uncommonly measured, but very real and sometimes disabling RA disease feature. Patient research partners provided critical insights into the multidimensional nature of flare. The perspectives of patients and healthcare and research professionals are being integrated to ensure that any outcome measurement to detect flares fulfills the first OMERACT criteria of Truth. Through an iterative data-driven Delphi process, a preliminary list of key domains has been identified to evaluate flare. RESULTS: At OMERACT 10, consensus was achieved identifying features of flare in addition to the existing core set for RA, including fatigue, stiffness, symptom persistence, systemic features, and participation. Patient self-report of flare was identified as a component of the research agenda needed to establish criterion validity for a flare definition; this can be used in prospective studies to further evaluate the Discrimination and Feasibility components of the OMERACT filter for a flare outcome measure. CONCLUSION: Our work to date has provided better understanding of key aspects of the RA disease process as episodic, potentially disabling disease worsening even when a patient is in low disease activity. It also highlights the importance of developing ways to enhance communication between patients and clinicians and improve the ability to achieve "tight control" of disease.
21267738 [Foot and ankle surgery]. 2011 Jan Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease that often affects the foot and ankle (85%-100% of patients). There are characteristic deformities in relation to the stage of disease. Clinical assessment of both lower limbs is important, since factors such as valgus deformity of the knee can cause malposition of the foot and ankle. In the early stages, patients present with joint effusion which causes destruction of the cartilage ("stiff type") and distends ligaments and capsules ("loose type"). Medial and lateral ankle tendons are destroyed and become insufficient. A reduction in walking distance, pain, instability and difficulties with footwear lead to reduced quality of life. The talonavicular joint and rheumatoid forefoot destruction are in most cases the central problem in the foot deformity. Adequate medical therapy of the rheumatic disease is mandatory. Conservative treatment such as orthotic shoe devices should be used in the early stages and are concomitantly used after surgical treatment. Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease requiring careful, stage-specific perioperative management.
22258482 Comparison of health-related quality of life in rheumatoid arthritis, psoriatic arthritis 2012 Jul OBJECTIVES: To compare health-related quality of life (HRQoL) before and after treatment with etanercept in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA), psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and psoriasis using spydergram representations. METHODS: Data from randomised, controlled trials of etanercept in patients with RA, PsA and psoriasis were analysed. HRQoL was assessed by the medical outcomes survey short form 36 (SF-36) physical (PCS) and mental (MCS) component summary and domain scores. Baseline comparisons with age and gender-matched norms and treatment-associated changes in domain scores were quantified using spydergrams and the health utility SF-6D measure. RESULTS: Mean baseline PCS scores were lower than age and gender-matched norms in patients with RA and PsA, but near normative values in patients with psoriasis; MCS scores at baseline were near normal in PsA and psoriasis but low in RA. Treatment with etanercept resulted in improvements in PCS and MCS scores as well as individual SF-36 domains across all indications. Mean baseline SF-6D scores were higher in psoriasis than in RA or PsA; clinically meaningful improvements in SF-6D were observed in all three patient populations following treatment with etanercept. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with RA, PsA and psoriasis demonstrated unique HRQoL profiles at baseline. Treatment with etanercept was associated with improvements in PCS and MCS scores as well as individual domain scores in patients with RA, PsA and psoriasis.
23007234 [Imaging in rheumatic diseases. Rheumatoid arthritis and differential diagnostics]. 2012 Oct Differential diagnostics of arthritides is challenging even for experienced radiologists. Nevertheless, there are simple signs that can give important clues to make a diagnosis. Close cooperation with the attending clinicians is essential to get the most from imaging studies and to provide relevant information for patient management and therapy.