Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in chronic pain: implications of new data for clinical practice.

COX2-selective and nonselective (ns) nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) are widely used for chronic pain management. There are marked differences in the risk of adverse gastrointestinal (GI) and cardiovascular (CV) events among different NSAIDs. In 2017, publication of two randomized controlled trials and an individual patient-data meta-analysis provided robust data on the relative GI and CV tolerability profiles of currently available NSAIDs.

Efficacy and cytokine modulating effects of tacrolimus in systemic lupus erythematosus: a review.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a complex systemic autoimmune disease with involvement of both B cells and cytotoxic T lymphocytes and several cytokines aberrations. Standard therapy for SLE has its limitations. Tacrolimus, a novel calcineurin inhibitor with potent immunosuppressive effects, has been shown in the recent years to be effective in SLE therapy.

Proliferation signal inhibitors for the treatment of refractory autoimmune rheumatic diseases: a new therapeutic option.

Sirolimus and everolimus belong to the novel class of immunosuppressant agents known as proliferation signal inhibitors (PSIs). They act by preventing antigen-driven T cell proliferation. While PSIs are widely used in transplantation, there are few reports of PSI usage in the treatment of autoimmune rheumatic diseases.

Fatal cytomegalovirus infection in two patients with systemic lupus erythematosus undergoing intensive immunosuppressive therapy: role for cytomegalovirus vigilance and prophylaxis?

Cytomegalovirus (CMV) infection is an uncommon but potentially fatal opportunistic infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We report 2 patients with severe SLE with life-threatening, multisystemic involvement who were treated with intensive immunosuppressive therapy. SLE was successfully controlled, but the patients succumbed to fatal reactivation of CMV disease despite antiviral therapy.

A comparison of the EuroQol-5D and the Health Utilities Index mark 3 in patients with rheumatic disease.

Objective: To compare the performance of 2 commonly used utility-based health-related quality of life (HRQoL) instruments [the EuroQol-5D (EQ-5D) and Health Utilities Index mark 3 (HUI3)] in patients with rheumatic disease.

Methods: Consecutive outpatients with rheumatic diseases were interviewed twice within 2 weeks using a standard questionnaire containing the EQ-5D, HUI3, and the Medical Outcome Study Short-Form 36 Health Survey (SF-36, used to categorize health status) and assessing clinical and demographic characteristics. EQ-5D and HUI3 utility scores were compared and their construct validity and test-retest reliability were examined by comparing these scores in groups differing in health status and using intraclass correlation coefficients (ICC), respectively.

Do English and Chinese EQ-5D versions demonstrate measurement equivalence? An exploratory study.

Background: Although multiple language versions of health-related quality of life instruments are often used interchangeably in clinical research, the measurement equivalence of these versions (especially using alphabet vs pictogram-based languages) has rarely been assessed. We therefore investigated the measurement equivalence of English and Chinese versions of the EQ-5D, a widely used utility-based outcome instrument.

Methods: In a cross-sectional study, either EQ-5D version was administered to consecutive outpatients with rheumatic diseases.

Paraneoplastic Raynaud phenomenon and idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura in non-small-cell lung cancer.

The association of Raynaud phenomenon with malignancy has rarely been reported. Idiopathic thrombocytopenic purpura is also an infrequent complication of solid tumors. We report a 62-year-old man who sought treatment for severe Raynaud phenomenon requiring medical therapy and was subsequently diagnosed to have non-small-cell lung cancer.