Effects of prasterone on bone mineral density in women with active systemic lupus erythematosus receiving chronic glucocorticoid therapy.

Objective: To assess prevention of bone mineral density (BMD) loss and durability of the response during treatment with prasterone in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) receiving chronic glucocorticoids.

Methods: 155 patients with SLE received 200 mg/day prasterone or placebo for 6 months in a double-blind phase. Subsequently, 114 patients were re-randomized to receive 200 or 100 mg/day prasterone for 12 months in an open-label phase.

Safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of oxymorphone extended release for moderate to severe osteoarthritis pain: a one-year study.

A 52-week, multicenter, open-label extension study was performed to evaluate the safety, tolerability, and effectiveness of oxymorphone extended release (ER), a novel tablet formulation of oxymorphone hydrochloride, in 153 patients with moderate to severe chronic osteoarthritis-related pain. Sixty-one patients (39.9%) completed the study.

Recombinant variant of ciliary neurotrophic factor for weight loss in obese adults: a randomized, dose-ranging study.

Context: Obese individuals tend to resist the weight-regulating effects of exogenously administered leptin. A genetically engineered recombinant human variant ciliary neurotrophic factor (rhvCNTF) that signals through leptinlike pathways in the hypothalamus has been shown to bypass leptin resistance in animal models of obesity.

Objective: To identify a safe and well-tolerated dose of rhvCNTF that causes weight loss in obese adults.

Glucocorticoid-induced osteoporosis: pathogenesis, diagnosis, and management.

Glucocorticoid-induced bone loss is dose- and duration-related, develops rapidly (within months of therapy), and leads to an increased risk of fractures. Moreover, less than one in four patients prescribed oral glucocorticoids receive any treatment to prevent or treat osteoporosis. The American College of Rheumatology recommends bisphosphonate therapy to prevent bone loss in most patients beginning long-term glucocorticoid therapy (prednisone equivalent of > or =5 mg/day for at least 3 months), and in men and postmenopausal women receiving long-term glucocorticoids who have an abnormal bone mineral density (T score below -1).

A randomized, controlled, clinical trial of etoricoxib in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the efficacy and tolerability of the highly selective cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor etoricoxib for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: A double blind, randomized, placebo and active comparator controlled, 12 week study conducted at 88 US sites. Eligible patients were chronic nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) users with clinical worsening of RA upon withdrawal of prestudy NSAID.