Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of Kawasaki disease (KD), focusing on clinical scenarios more commonly addressed by rheumatologists.
Methods: Sixteen clinical questions regarding diagnostic testing, treatment, and management of KD were developed in the Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO) question format. Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of Kawasaki disease (KD), focusing on clinical scenarios more commonly addressed by rheumatologists.
Methods: Sixteen clinical questions regarding diagnostic testing, treatment, and management of KD were developed in the Patient/Population, Intervention, Comparison, and Outcomes (PICO) question format. Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV), including granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).
Methods: Clinical questions regarding the treatment and management of AAV were developed in the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome (PICO) format (47 for GPA/MPA, 34 for EGPA). Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of systemic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN).
Methods: Twenty-one clinical questions regarding diagnostic testing, treatment, and management were developed in the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome (PICO) format for systemic, non-hepatitis B-related PAN. Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TAK) as exemplars of large vessel vasculitis.
Methods: Clinical questions regarding diagnostic testing, treatment, and management were developed in the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome (PICO) format for GCA and TAK (27 for GCA, 27 for TAK). Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of systemic polyarteritis nodosa (PAN).
Methods: Twenty-one clinical questions regarding diagnostic testing, treatment, and management were developed in the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome (PICO) format for systemic, non-hepatitis B-related PAN. Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated vasculitis (AAV), including granulomatosis with polyangiitis (GPA), microscopic polyangiitis (MPA), and eosinophilic granulomatosis with polyangiitis (EGPA).
Methods: Clinical questions regarding the treatment and management of AAV were developed in the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome (PICO) format (47 for GPA/MPA, 34 for EGPA). Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Objective: To provide evidence-based recommendations and expert guidance for the management of giant cell arteritis (GCA) and Takayasu arteritis (TAK) as exemplars of large vessel vasculitis.
Methods: Clinical questions regarding diagnostic testing, treatment, and management were developed in the population, intervention, comparator, and outcome (PICO) format for GCA and TAK (27 for GCA, 27 for TAK). Systematic literature reviews were conducted for each PICO question.
Semin Arthritis Rheum
February 2021
Cortisone was introduced in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in 1948 by Hench and colleagues at the Mayo Clinic which resulted in dramatic improvement of inflammation, function and sense of well-being. It became obvious early on that side effects could develop depending on the dose and duration of use. When cortisone became available in 1950 the practicing physician developed practice patterns without guidance from government agencies, professional organizations or the pharmaceutic industry.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFOne of the author's name on this article was incorrectly spelled as "Shuling Li". The correct spelling is "Shuling Liu" and is now presented correctly in this article.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDetermine the effect of daily low divided or single daily dose of prednisone on the longitudinal change in the number of tender and swollen joints and HAQ scores in African Americans (AA) with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) 1 Registry. In a prospective, multicenter observational cohort study, AA with early RA were enrolled and followed longitudinally for up to 5 years. 345 were enrolled.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFBackground: There is abundant evidence that low socioeconomic status (SES) is associated with worse health outcomes among people with Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA); however, the influence of socioeconomic disadvantage in early life has yet to be studied within that population.
Methods: Data originated from the cross-sectional arm of the Consortium Evaluation of African-Americans with Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR II), which recruited African-Americans with RA from six sites in the Southeastern United States. We used linear regression models to evaluate associations of parental homeownership status and educational level at participant time of birth with participant-reported fatigue (Visual Analog scale, cm), pain (Visual Analog scale, cm), disability (Health Assessment Questionnaire) and helplessness (Rheumatology Attitudes Index), independently of participant homeownership status and educational level.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)
March 2016
Objective: To examine cross-sectional baseline data from the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis registry for the association between socioeconomic status (SES) with clinical and self-report health outcomes.
Methods: We analyzed data on 937 African Americans who provided comprehensive sociodemographic data in addition to self-reported health outcomes. SES measures included educational attainment, homeownership, household income, and occupation.
Arthritis Care Res (Hoboken)
February 2014
Objective: Racial/ethnic differences with regard to complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) use have been reported in the US. However, specific details of CAM use by African Americans with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are lacking.
Methods: Data were collected from African Americans with RA enrolled in a multicenter registry regarding the use of CAM, including food supplements, topical applications, activities, and alternative care providers.
Objective: The Disease Activity Score based on 28 joints (DAS28) has been increasingly used in clinical practice and research studies of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Studies have reported discordance between DAS28 based on erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) versus C-reactive protein (CRP) in patients with RA. However, such comparison is lacking in African Americans with RA.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To investigate the associations of alcohol consumption and radiographic disease progression in African Americans with recently diagnosed rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: Patients with RA included in the study were participants in the Consortium for the Longitudinal Evaluation of African Americans with Early Rheumatoid Arthritis (CLEAR) registry. Patients were categorized based on self-reported alcohol consumption; those consuming < 15 beverages per month versus those with ≥ 15 per month.
The purpose of the study was to determine the effect of the Arthritis Self-Management Program (ASMP) on a cohort of patients, primarily African American (90 %), with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) served by a public hospital. One hundred four patients were randomly assigned to the ASMP group or the usual care group and followed for 18 months. The primary endpoint was clinical improvement indicated by the American College of Rheumatology (ACR20).
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjective: To examine whether polymorphisms in genes coding for drug-metabolizing enzymes (DMEs) have an impact on rheumatoid arthritis (RA) risk due to cigarette smoking in African Americans.
Methods: Smoking status was evaluated in African American patients with RA compared with non-RA controls, with smoking exposure categorized as heavy smoker (≥10 pack-years) versus never smoker/<10 pack-years. Individuals were genotyped for a homozygous deletion polymorphism in the M1 gene loci of glutathione S-transferase (GSTM1-null) in addition to tagging single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in N-acetyltransferase 1 (NAT1), NAT2, and epoxide hydrolase 1 (EPXH1).