Challenges of cardiovascular risk assessment in the routine rheumatology outpatient setting: an observational study of 110 rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objective: An annual assessment of cardiovascular (CV) risk factors in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is recommended, but its practical modalities have not been determined. The objective was to assess the feasibility and usefulness of a standardized CV risk assessment in RA, performed by rheumatologists during outpatient clinics.

Methods: We used a cross-sectional design within a network of rheumatologists.

Floctafenin versus acetaminophen for pain control in patients with osteoarthritis in the lower limbs. Franco-Belgian Task Force.

A multicenter, double-blind, cross-over, random-order study compared the efficacy of floctafenin, 800 mg/day and acetaminophen, 3000 mg/day, in providing pain relief to 192 patients with chronic pain due to osteoarthritis in the lower limbs. Each drug was given for 12 days and the interval between the two treatment periods was two days. The primary evaluation criterion was pain relief as assessed using the visual analog scale developed by Huskisson (mean baseline score, 62.