Criterion Validity and Reliability of a New Medicine Ball Rotational Power Test.

Hardy, SGJ, Stelzer-Hiller, OW, Edwards, KM, and Freeston, J. Criterion validity and reliability of a new medicine ball rotational power test. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2024-This study assessed the validity and reliability of 2 medicine ball rotational power assessments, the novel push for maximum velocity by radar (MB vel ), and the commonly used push for maximum distance by tape measure (MB dis ), against the criterion reference 3-dimensional motion capture (MoCap) to identify the best-practice field-based assessment.

Real-world experience of IL-17Ai drug survival in a large cohort of axial spondyloarthritis and psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: The aim was to assess the use and drug survival of IL-17Ai in a real-world cohort of axial SpA (axSpA) and PsA patients.

Methods: Patients ever commenced on an IL-17Ai (secukinumab or ixekizumab) for axSpA or PsA at the Leeds Specialist Spondyloarthritis Service were identified. Demographics, IL-17Ai treatment length and reason for cessation were collected.

Whole-body MRI for the investigation of joint involvement in inflammatory arthritis.

Objectives: This study aimed to develop a novel whole-body MRI protocol capable of assessing inflammatory arthritis at an early stage in multiple joints in one examination.

Materials And Methods: Forty-six patients with inflammatory joint symptoms and 9 healthy volunteers underwent whole-body MR imaging on a 3.0 T MRI scanner in this prospective study.

In-Game Workload Demands of Position Players in Major League Baseball.

Background: Athletes who are well prepared for the physical demands of competition are less susceptible to injury. Defining and then preparing athletes for these in-game demands is critical to athlete health and performance. The injury burden within Major League Baseball (MLB) is significant and differs by position.

National survey of Australian cardiac rehabilitation programmes: does current exercise programming adhere to evidence-based guidelines and best practice?

Objectives: The efficacy of exercise-based cardiac rehabilitation (CR) for patient outcomes is well established, with better outcomes when delivery meets recommended guidelines. The aim of this study was to assess how well Australian practice aligns with national CR guidelines for exercise assessment and prescription.

Method: This cross-sectional online survey was distributed to all 475 publicly listed CR services in Australia and consisted of four sections: (1) Programme and client demographics, (2) aerobic exercise characteristics, (3) resistance exercise characteristics and (4) pre-exercise assessment, exercise testing and progression.

Differences in Glenohumeral Range of Motion and Humeral Torsion Between Right-Handed and Left-Handed Professional Baseball Pitchers.

Background: Elite pitchers have demonstrated significant differences in glenohumeral range of motion and humeral torsion compared with the nonthrowing population. Furthermore, abnormal shoulder range of motion measurements have been associated with different injury risks and challenges in assessing rehabilitation progress. Variations in range of motion and torsion due to handedness in the asymptomatic professional population have yet to be investigated in the literature.

Regulation of entheseal IL-23 expression by IL-4 and IL-13 as an explanation for arthropathy development under dupilumab therapy.

Objectives: Dupilumab blocks the IL-4 receptor (IL-4R) and thus signalling of the 'Th2' cytokines IL-4 and IL-13. It has a license to treat atopic eczema and was recently linked to emergent enthesitis and psoriasis. We investigated the cellular and functional basis for how IL-4/IL-13 regulates the IL-23-IL-17 axis in entheseal stromal, myeloid and lymphocyte cells.

Receptor activator of nuclear factor kappa-Β ligand (RANKL) serum levels are associated with progression to seropositive/negative rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: The aim of this study was to establish whether serum RANKL levels in early inflammatory arthritis (IA) were associated with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) diagnosis at follow-up, and to evaluate the added value of RANKL for RA diagnosis.

Methods: Serum from 298 patients was collected. Demographic and clinical (swollen/tender joint counts, CRP, DAS28-CRP, RF, ACPA and shared-epitope data were recorded.

Bayesian hierarchical modelling of basketball tracking data - a case study of spatial entropy and spatial effectiveness.

Spatio-temporal data in sport is increasing rapidly, however suitable statistical methods for analysing this data are underdeveloped. The current study establishes the need for spatial statistical methods, propose a Bayesian hierarchical model as an appropriate method for comparing spatial variables, and test this model across three spatial scales. The need for spatial statistical methods was established through the identification of spatial autocorrelation.

Comparing Psoriatic Arthritis Low-field Magnetic Resonance Imaging, Ultrasound, and Clinical Outcomes: Data from the TICOPA Trial.

Objective: The Tight Control of inflammation in Psoriatic arthritis (TICOPA; isrctn.com: ISRCTN30147736) trial compared standard care (StdC) and tight control (TC) in early psoriatic arthritis (PsA), demonstrating better outcomes for TC. This substudy evaluated the performance metrics of modern imaging outcomes and compared them to the clinical data.

Long-term follow-up of patients in the TIght COntrol of inflammation in early Psoriatic Arthritis (TICOPA) trial.

Objectives: The TIght COntrol of inflammation in early Psoriatic Arthritis (TICOPA) study was the first strategy trial in psoriatic arthritis using an early treat-to-target strategy to improve clinical outcomes. The current study aimed to review a cohort of patients who had completed TICOPA to judge if the clinical advantage gained by participants in the tight control (TC) arm was sustained, and to explore subsequent therapy.

Methods: A case note review was conducted for a cohort of patients who had participated in TICOPA.

MRI inflammation of the hand interosseous tendons occurs in anti-CCP-positive at-risk individuals and may precede the development of clinical synovitis.

Unlabelled: Interosseous tendon inflammation (ITI) has been described in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Whether ITI occurs in at-risk individuals before the onset of clinical synovitis is unknown.

Objectives: To investigate, by MRI, ITI in anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP)-positive at-risk individuals (CCP +at risk) and to describe the anatomy, prevalence and clinical associations across the RA continuum.

Assessing arthritis in the context of cystic fibrosis.

Inflammatory arthritis in the context of cystic fibrosis (CF) can represent a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge. Poor recognition and under-treatment of musculoskeletal conditions increases symptom burden, affects quality of life, and may lead to changes to an individual's ability to carry out activities of daily living and to exercise. A careful assessment and multidisciplinary approach is essential when considering a diagnosis of CF-associated arthritis (CFA), both in terms of identifying other treatable conditions, such as rheumatoid arthritis, and effectively addressing symptoms.

Validity of a two-component imaging-derived disease activity score for improved assessment of synovitis in early rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Imaging of joint inflammation provides a standard against which to derive an updated DAS for RA. Our objectives were to develop and validate a DAS based on reweighting the DAS28 components to maximize association with US-assessed synovitis.

Methods: Early RA patients from two observational cohorts (n = 434 and n = 117) and a clinical trial (n = 59) were assessed at intervals up to 104 weeks from baseline; all US scans were within 1 week of clinical exam.

Genome-wide association study of response to methotrexate in early rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Methotrexate (MTX) monotherapy is a common first treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but many patients do not respond adequately. In order to identify genetic predictors of response, we have combined data from two consortia to carry out a genome-wide study of response to MTX in 1424 early RA patients of European ancestry. Clinical endpoints were change from baseline to 6 months after starting treatment in swollen 28-joint count, tender 28-joint count, C-reactive protein and the overall 3-component disease activity score (DAS28).

Comorbidities in Anti-Cyclic Citrullinated Peptide Positive At-Risk Individuals Do Not Differ from Those Patients with Early Inflammatory Arthritis.

Objectives: To compare comorbidities in a cohort of cyclic citrullinated peptide (CCP) antibody positive patients without or prior to onset of inflammatory arthritis (IA) to those in patients with early IA.

Methods: Baseline data from two established cohorts were used. The first recruited people at risk of IA: CCP antibody positive cases without IA (CCP Cohort,  = 296).

Physical Activity Assessment in Clinical Studies of Substance Use Disorder.

The therapeutic effect of exercise in promoting mental health is well known, and there is a growing body of evidence for incorporating physical activity-based interventions in the management of substance use disorders (SUD). A particular challenge in this area is a lack of standardized testing protocols between studies and clear descriptive statistics on the capacity of the SUD patient to perform exercise. Therefore, an essential starting point for new studies that seek to incorporate exercise into usual care therapy for SUD is an appropriate suite of baseline fitness assessments that include measures of aerobic capacity as well as muscular strength and/or endurance.

Does Strength-Promoting Exercise Confer Unique Health Benefits? A Pooled Analysis of Data on 11 Population Cohorts With All-Cause, Cancer, and Cardiovascular Mortality Endpoints.

Public health guidance includes recommendations to engage in strength-promoting exercise (SPE), but there is little evidence on its links with mortality. Using data from the Health Survey for England and the Scottish Health Survey from 1994-2008, we examined the associations between SPE (gym-based and own-body-weight strength activities) and all-cause, cancer, and cardiovascular disease mortality. Multivariable-adjusted Cox regression was used to examine the associations between SPE (any, low-/high-volume, and adherence to the SPE guideline (≥2 sessions/week)) and mortality.