Rapid reduction in tenosynovitis of the wrist and fingers evaluated by MRI in patients with rheumatoid arthritis after treatment with etanercept.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of etanercept in reducing tenosynovitis evaluated by MRI of the hand (h-MRI) in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) refractory to disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) after 6 weeks of treatment.

Methods: 31 patients with active RA defined by a disease activity score (DAS28) >3.2 and synovitis in the hands were randomised into two groups: 19 patients received 50 mg weekly subcutaneous etanercept added to previous DMARD treatment and 12 patients continued with previous DMARD therapy.

Etanercept reduces synovitis as measured by magnetic resonance imaging in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis after only 6 weeks.

Objective: To demonstrate the efficacy of etanercept to reduce synovitis as measured by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) as early as 6 weeks after starting treatment in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Twenty-two patients with active RA despite disease modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment were included in this prospective, controlled study. Patients were randomized in 2 groups.

The synthesis of phosphopeptides via the Bpoc-based approach.

The 2-(p-biphenylyl)-2-propyloxycarbonyl (Bpoc) group was examined as an N(alpha)-protecting group in the stepwise assembly of the MAP Kinase ERK2 [178-188; Thr(P)(183), Tyr(P)(185)] peptide. The mild acid deprotection of the Bpoc group permitted (i) incorporation of a fully protected phosphothreonyl derivative and (ii) a TFA-based final cleavage step. The first five C-terminal residues (184-188) were incorporated in the Fmoc mode of peptide synthesis, with all subsequent amino acids coupled as their Bpoc-Xxx-OH derivatives.

Serotonin transporter occupancy induced by paroxetine in patients with major depression disorder: a 123I-ADAM SPECT study.

Rationale: To assess the paroxetine-induced serotonin transporter (SERT) occupancy (SERTocc) using in vivo (123)I-ADAM SPECT.

Objectives: (123)I-ADAM SPECT was used to investigate the SERTocc induced by paroxetine in major depression disorder (MDD) patients, to compare the SERT availability in drug-free MDD patients and healthy volunteers, and to study the relationship between paroxetine plasma concentrations (Cp) and SERTocc.

Materials And Methods: Measures of SERT availability by means of (123)I-ADAM SPECT were obtained in ten MDD patients before and after 4- to 6-week treatment with paroxetine 20 mg/day.

Characterization of the SPECT 5-HT2A receptor ligand 123I-R91150 in healthy volunteers: Part 1--pseudoequilibrium interval and quantification methods.

Unlabelled: With the aim of characterizing radioiodinated 4-amino-N-1-[3-(4-fluorophenoxy)propyl]-4-methyl-4-piperidinyl]5-iodo-2-methoxybenzamide ((123)I-R91150) as a SPECT ligand for subtype 2A of the 5-hydroxytryptamine receptor (5-HT(2A)), tracer kinetic compartmental analyses were compared with the tissue ratio method (TR). The pseudoequilibrium interval after a single bolus injection was identified, and a reference database of specific uptake ratio (SUR) values was obtained. Within-scan and between-subject variability was also assessed.