High-resolution manometry compared with the University of California, Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium GIT 2.0 in Systemic Sclerosis.

Objectives: To study esophageal high resolution manometry (HRM) in systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients and the correlation of findings to The University of California, Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium gastrointestinal tract 2.0 (UCLA SCTC_GIT 2.0).

Diagnostic performance and predictive value of rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic-citrullinated peptide antibodies and HLA-DRB1 locus genes in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: We evaluated the significance of the genes, defined as DRB1*04 or DRB1*01, in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients. We focused on the role of genetic and serologic markers to predict disease activity and destructive process of joints.

Methods: Sixty patients with RA were examined.

Tendon transfer around the shoulder in obstetric brachial plexus paralysis: clinical and computed tomographic study.

One hundred nine obstetrical palsy patients with defective shoulder abduction and external rotation had subscapularis release and transfer of teres major to infraspinatus with or without pedicle transfer of the clavicular head of pectoralis major to deltoid. The age at surgery averaged 67 months (11-192) and follow-up averaged 36 months (12-80). Thirty-nine cases had follow-up CT scan of both shoulders.

Outcomes of surgical treatment of brachial plexus injuries using nerve grafting and nerve transfers.

Between 1993 and 1998, 32 male patients with brachial plexus injuries were surgically treated. Eighteen interfascicular grafting and 71 extraplexal neurotization procedures were performed separately or in combination. Donor nerves were the intercostals, spinal accessory, phrenic, contralateral C7, and cervical plexus, in order of frequency.