Physician's Global Assessment in Psoriatic Arthritis: A Multicenter GRAPPA Study.

Objective: Physician's global assessment (PGA) of disease activity is a major determinant of therapeutic decision making. This study assesses the reliability of the PGA, measured by means of 0-100 mm visual analog scale (VAS), and the additional use of separate VAS scales for musculoskeletal (PhysMSK) and dermatologic (PhysSk) manifestations in patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods: Sixteen centers from 8 countries enrolled 319 consecutive patients with PsA.

Regulatory B cells in rheumatoid arthritis: Alterations in patients receiving anti-TNF therapy.

Unlabelled: Cytokines, including tumor necrosis factor alpha (TNFα) are involved in Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) pathogenesis by augmenting autoimmunity, sustaining long term inflammation in the synovium, and promoting joint damage. Anti-TNF therapy is one of the most efficient and widely used therapies for RA, although its mechanism is not clarified yet. Earlier we demonstrated that RA patients have a reduced number of IL-10 producing regulatory B cells (B10 cells) as compared to healthy individuals and they are functionally impaired.

Acceptability of less than perfect health states in rheumatoid arthritis: the patients' perspective.

Some health problems are considered by many individuals as a 'normal' part of ageing. Our aim was to investigate whether patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) consider different types and levels of health losses as acceptable beyond a certain age. A multicenter cross-sectional survey was performed involving RA patients at the initiation of the first biological therapy.

The development of candidate composite disease activity and responder indices for psoriatic arthritis (GRACE project).

Objective: To develop new composite disease activity indices for psoriatic arthritis (PsA).

Methods: Data from routine clinic visits at multiple centres were collected in a systematic manner. Data included all domains identified as important in randomised controlled trials in PsA.

Patient global assessment in psoriatic arthritis: a multicenter GRAPPA and OMERACT study.

Objective: During OMERACT 8, delegates selected patient global assessment (PGA) of disease as a domain to be evaluated in randomized controlled trials in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). This study assessed the reliability of the PGA, measured by means of 0-100 mm visual analog scale (VAS), and the additional utility of separate VAS scales for joints (PJA) and skin (PSA).

Methods: In total, 319 consecutive patients with PsA (186 men, 133 women, mean age 51 ± 13 yrs) were enrolled.