Beneficial effect of risedronate on arterial thickening and stiffening with a reciprocal relationship to its effect on bone mass in female osteoporosis patients: a longitudinal study.

Aims: A longitudinal study was performed to examine the effect of risedronate on arterial thickening and stiffening in postmenopausal female osteoporosis patients.

Main Methods: Patients treated with risedronate (2.5mg/day) (n=33) and those that did not receive risedronate (n=30, control group) were monitored over a 1-year period.

Time-course of health status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis during the first year of treatment with infliximab.

Objectives: A longitudinal study was performed to examine changes in health status in comparison with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) inflammation in patients with RA during the first 54 weeks of infliximab (IFX) treatment.

Methods: Health status in active RA patients (n=13) was assessed monthly using the Arthritis Impact Measurement Scale 2 (AIMS2) and the VAS-GH during the first year of IFX treatment. Simultaneously, RA activity was assessed using inflammation markers, MMP-3 and the Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS-28) based on CRP [DAS-28(CRP)] and ESR[DAS-28(ESR)].

Adrenocorticotropic hormone and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels of rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with glucocorticoids.

To assess adrenal function with respect to the presence or absence of steroid therapy, we investigated differences in the blood levels of adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) and dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate (DHEAS) in relation to steroid (prednisolone) administration in 123 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Levels of ACTH and DHEAS were significantly lower in the steroid-treated group than in the non-treated group (ACTH: 11.79 pg/ml vs 27.

[Depressive tendency in patients with RA].

Objectives: To determine if depression scores are higher in patients with RA and to identify risk factors for depression.

Method: The subjects were 287 RA in-patients and outpatients. We investigated the tendency of depression by SDS of Zung and whether SDS is correlated with age, face scale, VAS (visual analog scale), MHAQ, class, BSG and CRP.