The effectiveness and medication costs of three anti-tumour necrosis factor alpha agents in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis from prospective clinical practice data.

Aim: to evaluate the effects of adalimumab, etanercept and infliximab on disease activity, functional ability and quality of life and the medication costs in a naturalistic design.

Methods: All patients from the Dutch Rheumatoid Arthritis Monitoring (DREAM) register starting on tumour necrosis factor (TNF)alpha-blocking agents for the first time were monitored and assessed by trained research nurses every 3 months. The primary outcome was the Disease Activity Score (DAS28) course over the 12 months follow-up, analysed by linear mixed models.

The efficacy of anti-TNF in rheumatoid arthritis, a comparison between randomised controlled trials and clinical practice.

Background: Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) evaluating the efficacy of antagonists to tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha) showed high response percentages in the groups treated with active drugs.

Objective: To compare the efficacy of anti-TNF treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in RCTs and in daily clinical practice, with an emphasis on the efficacy for patients eligible and not eligible for RCTs of anti-TNF treatments.

Methods: First, randomised placebo-controlled trials written in English for etanercept, infliximab and adalimumab for patients with RA were selected by a systematic review.

Prevalence of vertebral deformities and symptomatic vertebral fractures in corticosteroid treated patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: This study was designed to determine whether the prevalence of vertebral deformities in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with corticosteroids (Cs) is higher than in RA patients not receiving Cs therapy.

Patients And Methods: This multicentre cross-sectional study included 205 patients with RA who were receiving Cs orally on a daily basis and 205 patients with RA who did not receive Cs, matched for sex and age. Vertebral deformities were scored according to the Kleerekoper method.

[The incidence of multiple ovulations in Dutch warmblood mares].

In the period 1994-1996 1030 oestruses of Dutch Warmblood mares were evaluated on the incidence of multiple ovulations diagnosed by rectal palpation. Ultrasonography was not used. All follicles > 25 mm were noted.