Comparison of the Effects of a Pharmaceutical Industry Decision Guide and Decision Aids on Patient Choice to Intensify Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Objective: To compare the effects a pharmaceutical industry decision guide and International Patient Decision Aids Standard (IPDAS) compliant patient decision aids (PtDA) on patient medication beliefs and choice to intensify therapy.

Methods: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, who had never taken etanercept (Enbrel), took part in a mail survey. They were presented with a hypothetical decision scenario where they were asked to consider adding etanercept to their current regimen.

High dose Anakinra for treatment of severe neonatal Kawasaki disease: a case report.

We report an 11-week-old female who presented with Kawasaki disease (KD) complicated by macrophage activation syndrome (MAS). The infant presented to the hospital with persistent fever, cough, diarrhea, and emesis, among other symptoms. Her condition quickly began to decompensate, and she developed classic features (conjunctivitis, rash, cracked lips, distal extremity edema) prompting a diagnosis of acute KD.

Randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial of the efficacy and safety of rilonacept in the treatment of systemic juvenile idiopathic arthritis.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of rilonacept, an interleukin-1 inhibitor, in a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Methods: An initial 4-week double-blind placebo phase was incorporated into a 24-week randomized multicenter design, followed by an open-label phase. Seventy-one children who had active arthritis in ≥2 joints were randomized (1:1) to the 2 arms of the study.

Influence of patient characteristics on perceived risks and willingness to take a proposed anti-rheumatic drug.

Background: The causes of the underutilization of disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs (DMARDS) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are not fully known, but may in part, relate to individual patient factors including risk perception. Our objective was to identify the determinants of risk perception (RP) in RA patients and predictors of their willingness to take a proposed DMARD (DMARD willingness).

Methods: A cross-sectional mail survey of RA patients in a community rheumatology practice.