Work productivity loss in early arthritis during the first 3 years of disease: a study from a French National Multicenter Cohort.

Objective: To assess work productivity (WP) loss during the first 3 years of disease in a cohort of patients with early arthritis (EA) diagnosed between 2002 and 2005.

Methods: The ESPOIR (Etude et Suivi des Polyarthrites Indifférenciées Récentes) cohort included 813 EA patients; we included those of working age at baseline in the present study. WP loss was assessed by 3 components: sick leave, permanent disability, and early retirement.

Determining a magnetic resonance imaging inflammatory activity acceptable state without subsequent radiographic progression in rheumatoid arthritis: results from a followup MRI study of 254 patients in clinical remission or low disease activity.

Objective: To assess the predictive value of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-detected subclinical inflammation for subsequent radiographic progression in a longitudinal study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in clinical remission or low disease activity (LDA), and to determine cutoffs for an MRI inflammatory activity acceptable state in RA in which radiographic progression rarely occurs.

Methods: Patients with RA in clinical remission [28-joint Disease Activity Score-C-reactive protein (DAS28-CRP) < 2.6, n = 185] or LDA state (2.

Prevalence and incidence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis: a systematic review.

Objectives: To conduct a systematic literature review on incidence and prevalence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and to estimate these figures in Europe for 2010.

Methods: Articles on incidence or prevalence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis were searched in Medline. Pooled incidence and prevalence were calculated overall, by gender, age, classification and arthritis categories.

Worker productivity outcome measures: OMERACT filter evidence and agenda for future research.

The objective of the Outcome Measures in Rheumatology (OMERACT) Worker Productivity working group is to identify worker productivity outcome measures that meet the requirements of the OMERACT filter. At the OMERACT 11 Workshop, we focused on the at-work limitations/productivity component of worker productivity (i.e.

[Clinical case of the month. A rare case of arthritis and fever].

We present the case report ofa 28 year old male presenting with recurrent fever episodes and arthralgia. Based on the presence of an inflammatory syndrome, a hyperferritinemia, a salmon-pink rash and recurrent fever episodes, the diagnosis of an adult onset Still's disease (AOSD) was made. A treatment with corticosteroids was started.

Safety of biologics: elaboration and validation of a questionnaire assessing patients' self-care safety skills: the BioSecure questionnaire. An initiative of the French Rheumatology Society Therapeutic Education section.

Background: Biologics are known to entail specific risks (e.g. infections).

Association of tobacco exposure and reduction of radiographic progression in early rheumatoid arthritis: results from a French multicenter cohort.

Objective: To investigate the initial response to treatment and risk of radiographic disease progression in current smokers (S), ex-smokers (EX), and nonsmokers (NS) in a prospective early arthritis cohort and to analyze the influence of smoking cessation on arthritis outcome.

Methods: The ESPOIR cohort is a prospective cohort study monitoring clinical, biologic, and radiographic data for patients with inflammatory arthritis lasting 6 weeks to 6 months. We examined the influence of smoking status on disease presentation (baseline characteristics) and therapeutic response at 1 year.

[Medical and economic aspects of rheumatoid arthritis].

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic disabling disease that induces substantial costs in terms of healthcare resources (direct costs) and lost productivity (indirect costs). The main cost drivers used to be disability and hospitalization. Recently, however, the cost of new and expensive therapies has exceeded that of hospitalization.

Factors associated with radiographic lesions in early axial spondyloarthritis. Results from the DESIR cohort.

Objective: To assess whether factors such as inflammation by laboratory tests and MRI differ between early axial SpA with and without radiographic lesions.

Methods: Cross-sectional analysis of baseline data from Devenir des Spondylarthropathies Indifferenciées Récentes (DESIR) cohort patients having recent-onset inflammatory back pain and meeting Assessment of SpondyloArthritis international Society criteria. The baseline evaluation included radiographs and MRI of the SI joints (SIJs) and spine.

Kinetic profiles and management of hepatitis B virus reactivation in patients with immune-mediated inflammatory diseases.

Objective: Immunosuppressive therapy may trigger hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation for increased morbidity and mortality. We aimed to describe HBV reactivation in patients receiving treatment for immune-mediated inflammatory diseases (IMIDs) and to evaluate a predefined algorithm for its prevention.

Methods: Physicians submitted data for patients receiving treatment for IMIDs and exhibiting HBV reactivation, defined as an increase of >1 log10 IU/ml of HBV DNA levels or DNA reappearance.

Can remission in rheumatoid arthritis be assessed without laboratory tests or a formal joint count? possible remission criteria based on a self-report RAPID3 score and careful joint examination in the ESPOIR cohort.

Objective: To explore 5 possible criteria for remission in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) based on a patient self-report index, the Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data (RAPID3), with a careful joint examination and possible physician global estimate (DOCGL), but without a formal joint count or laboratory test.

Methods: The ESPOIR early RA cohort of 813 French patients recruited in 2002-2005 was analyzed to identify patients in remission 6 months after enrollment, according to 2 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism (ACR/EULAR) criteria: Boolean ≤ 1 for total tender joint count-28, swollen joint count-28, C-reactive protein, and patient global estimate (PATGL), and Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI) ≤ 3.3.

Baseline laboratory test abnormalities are common in early arthritis but rarely contraindicate methotrexate: study of three cohorts (ESPOIR, VErA, and Brittany).

Objective: To evaluate the prevalence of baseline abnormalities in standard laboratory tests in patients with early arthritis and their impact on selection of disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs according to American College of Rheumatology (ACR) recommendations and/or of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs.

Methods: In three cohorts of patients with early arthritis (the ESPOIR, VErA, and Brittany cohorts), we evaluated the prevalence of anemia (hemoglobin <1 3 g/dL in men and 12 g/dL in women), leukopenia (<3500 per mm(3)), thrombocytopenia (<150000 per mm(3)), renal dysfunction (mild, creatinine clearance [CrCl]=60-89.9 mL/min; moderate, CrCl=30-59.

[Management of patients with rheumatoid arthritis in remission].

Remission is the main goal to achieve in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treatment. Several definitions of RA remission exist and are actually based on clinical and biological features. The last definition was obtained thanks to collaboration between European and American experts.

Anakinra in adult-onset Still's disease: long-term treatment in patients resistant to conventional therapy.

Objective: Anakinra is effective in adult-onset Still's disease (AOSD) in the short term, but little is known regarding its efficacy over the long term. Our objective was to assess the long-term efficacy and safety of anakinra in AOSD.

Methods: A nationwide survey was conducted between 2009 and 2010 to identify AOSD patients treated with anakinra.

Impact of co-morbidities on measuring indirect utility by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 6D in lower-limb osteoarthritis.

Introduction: Co-morbidities can influence generic measurement of health indirect utility. We investigated their impact to assess indirect utility with the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form 6D (SF-6D) in patients with osteoarthritis (OA).

Methods: In patients with hip and knee OA from the Knee and Hip Osteo-Arthritis Long-term Assessment (KHOALA) study, co-morbidities were assessed by the Functional Co-morbidity Index.

Matrix to predict rapid radiographic progression of early rheumatoid arthritis patients from the community treated with methotrexate or leflunomide: results from the ESPOIR cohort.

Introduction: Early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may show rapid radiographic progression (RRP) despite rapid initiation of synthetic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDs). The present study aimed to develop a matrix to predict risk of RRP despite early DMARD initiation in real life settings.

Methods: The ESPOIR cohort included 813 patients from the community with early arthritis for < 6 months; 370 patients had early RA and had received methotrexate or leflunomide during the first year of follow-up.

Treatment strategy for chronic low back pain.

The management of non-specific low back pain relies chiefly on analgesics, education, and physical exercises. Of the many risk factors for chronicity, the most relevant are psychosocial and occupational. Identifying homogeneous patient subgroups helps to develop personalized treatment strategies, thus improving the outcomes.

Cost effectiveness of therapeutic interventions in ankylosing spondylitis: a critical and systematic review.

Objectives: This report reviews the cost effectiveness of different therapeutic interventions used in the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS).

Methods: We performed a systematic search of the databases MEDLINE via PubMed, EMBASE and the Cochrane Library and used hand-searching to identify articles on cost effectiveness of therapies for adult patients with AS published up to November 2010.

Results: Of 135 articles, 13 studies were analysed.

Who are the patients with early arthritis with worse than death scores on the EQ-5D? Results from the ESPOIR cohort.

Objectives: The EQ-5D is a five-dimension multi-attribute questionnaire widely used to calculate quality-adjusted life-year scores. We aimed to describe patients with early arthritis (EA) and EQ-5D < 0, a state worse than death, at baseline and over 2 years and determine aspects of EA associated with a negative score.

Methods: EQ-5D scores for 813 patients were longitudinally assessed over 24 months.