Methotrexate (MTX), the anchor drug in the current treatment strategy for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), was first approved for the treatment of RA in Japan in 1999 at a recommended dose of 6-8 mg/week. The approved maximum dose of MTX has been 16 mg/week since February 2011 when MTX was approved as a first-line drug in the treatment of RA. Recent evidence of MTX-polyglutamate concentration in the red blood cells of Japanese patients with RA justifies the current daily use of MTX in Japan.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: This study aimed to identify the challenges faced by nurses engaged in rheumatology care in Japan.
Methods: We conducted a questionnaire survey of nurses in Japan in 2020 on challenges experienced in rheumatology care. The participants were nurses certified by the Japan Rheumatism Foundation.
Aim: To investigate nurses' opinions and practices regarding psychological support and patient-centered care (PCC) for patients with rheumatoid arthritis.
Method: Registered nurses engaged in rheumatic care in Japan were asked to complete the questionnaire regarding nurses' perceived necessity, understanding, and implementation of psychological support, and six patient supports related to PCC, using a seven-point Likert scale. Correlation on practice between psychological support and PCC was evaluated.
Objectives: To disseminate and assess the level of acceptability and applicability of the European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR) recommendations for patient education among professionals in rheumatology across Europe and three Asian countries and identify potential barriers and facilitators to their application.
Methods: A parallel convergent mixed-methods design with an inductive approach was used. A web-based survey, available in 20 different languages, was distributed to health professionals by non-probability sampling.
Objectives: To explore patients' agreement and reasons for agreement or disagreement with the EULAR recommendations for patient education (PE) for people with inflammatory arthritis (IA).
Methods: This mixed-method survey collected data using snowball sampling. The survey had been translated into 20 languages by local healthcare professionals, researchers and patient research partners.
Objective: We seek to evaluate the opinions of nurses and doctors in Japan regarding EULAR recommendations for nurses' roles in the management of chronic inflammatory arthritis.
Methods: This is a cross-sectional survey within Japan. We randomly selected nurses and doctors engaged in consultation of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and assessed their agreement and opinions on the feasibility of implementing EULAR recommendations, including potential barriers.
Objectives: To evaluate whether the psychological state is related to the Boolean-based definition of patient global assessment (PGA) remission in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Methods: Patients with RA who met the criteria of swollen joint count (SJC) ≤ 1, tender joint count (TJC) ≤ 1 and C-reactive protein (CRP) ≤ 1 were divided into two groups, PGA remission group (PGA ≤ 1 cm) and non-remission group (PGA > 1 cm). Anxiety was evaluated utilizing the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale-Anxiety (HADS-A), while depression was evaluated with HADS-Depression (HADS-D) and the Center for Epidemiologic Studies Depression Scale (CES-D).
Objective: To evaluate the improvement of health status in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with tocilizumab.
Methods: Thirty-nine patients were treated with 8 mg/kg tocilizumab every 4 weeks for 24 weeks. Disease activity was assessed by Clinical Disease Activity Index (CDAI) and Simplified Disease Activity Index (SDAI).
A female patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) suffered from Mycobacterium avium (M. avium) infection during tocilizumab treatment. Tocilizumab was discontinued and she was treated with a recommended chemotherapy, resulting in improvement of M.
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