Health Professionals' Perceptions of the Effects of Exercise on Joint Health in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Objectives: Although exercise is an important factor in the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), research indicates that patients perceive that health professionals (HPs) are uncertain about the place of exercise in treatment and its relationship with joint damage. The present study investigated the perceptions of HPs regarding the effects of exercise on joint health in RA patients.

Methods: A questionnaire investigating perceptions of exercise and joint health was distributed via professional networks and websites.

Tight control of disease activity fails to improve body composition or physical function in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objective: RA typically features rheumatoid cachexia [loss of muscle mass (MM) and excessive total fat mass (TFM), especially trunk FM], which contributes to physical disability. Since rheumatoid cachexia is driven by inflammation, it would be anticipated that the success of tight control of disease activity, such as treat-to-target (T2T), in attenuating inflammation would benefit body composition and physical function. This aim of this cross-sectional study was to assess the impact of T2T on body composition and objectively assessed function in RA patients.

Does an early home-based progressive resistance training program improve function following total hip replacement? Results of a randomized controlled study.

Background: In-hospital progressive resistance training (PRT) has been shown to be an effective method of rehabilitation following hip surgery. The aim of this study was to assess whether a home-based PRT program would be beneficial in improving patients' muscle strength and physical function compared to standard rehabilitation.

Methods: Subjects (n = 49) either received home-based PRT rehabilitation (n = 25) or standard rehabilitation (n = 24) in a prospective single blinded randomized trial carried out over a two-year period.

Can Creatine Supplementation Improve Body Composition and Objective Physical Function in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients? A Randomized Controlled Trial.

Objective: Rheumatoid cachexia (muscle wasting) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients contributes to substantial reductions in strength and impaired physical function. The objective of this randomized controlled trial was to investigate the effectiveness of oral creatine (Cr) supplementation in increasing lean mass and improving strength and physical function in RA patients.

Methods: In a double-blind design, 40 RA patients were randomized to either 12 weeks' supplementation of Cr or placebo.

The frequency and outcome of lupus nephritis: results from an international inception cohort study.

Objective: To determine nephritis outcomes in a prospective multi-ethnic/racial SLE inception cohort.

Methods: Patients in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics inception cohort (≤15 months of SLE diagnosis) were assessed annually for estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), proteinuria and end-stage renal disease (ESRD). Health-related quality of life was measured by the Short Form (36 questions) health survey questionnaire (SF-36) subscales, mental and physical component summary scores.

The Effects of Aerobic and Resistance Exercise on Markers of Large Joint Health in Stable Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Pilot Study.

Objective: Exercise is beneficial for people with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, patients and health professionals have expressed concern about the possible detrimental effects of exercise on joint health. The present study investigated the acute and chronic effects of high-intensity, low-impact aerobic and resistance exercise on markers of large joint health in RA.

Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors versus combination intensive therapy with conventional disease modifying anti-rheumatic drugs in established rheumatoid arthritis: TACIT non-inferiority randomised controlled trial.

Objective: To determine whether intensive combinations of synthetic disease modifying drugs can achieve similar clinical benefits at lower costs to high cost biologics such as tumour necrosis factor inhibitors in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis resistant to initial methotrexate and other synthetic disease modifying drugs.

Design: Open label pragmatic randomised multicentre two arm non-inferiority trial over 12 months.

Setting: 24 rheumatology clinics in England.

A simple step test to estimate cardio-respiratory fitness levels of rheumatoid arthritis patients in a clinical setting.

Purpose. Exercise tests represent an important clinical tool to evaluate cardio-respiratory fitness and to predict future adverse cardiovascular events. However, use of such tests in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is relatively uncommon despite well-established evidence that low exercise capacity and high CVD mortality are features of this disease.

Patellar tendon properties and lower limb function in rheumatoid arthritis and ankylosing spondylitis versus healthy controls: a cross-sectional study.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and ankylosing spondylitis (AS) lead to inflammation in tendons and peritendinous tissues, but effects on biomechanical tendon function are unknown. This study investigated patellar tendon (PT) properties in stable, established RA and AS patients.

Methods: We compared 18 RA patients (13 women, 59.

What does standard rehabilitation practice after total hip replacement in the UK entail? Results of a mixed methods study.

Background: There is evidence of prolonged poor function in patients following total hip replacement (THR). Studies of progressive resistance training (PRT) interventions to improve function are often compared to 'standard' practice which is not well defined. This study aimed to investigate 'standard' rehabilitation care in the UK after total hip replacement (THR) as well as determine whether PRT was part of 'standard' care.

Perceptions of issues relating to exercise and joint health in rheumatoid arthritis: a UK-based questionnaire study.

Objectives: This questionnaire study investigated the perceptions of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients across the UK in relation to exercise and joint health. The validity of the measure was also assessed.

Methods: Members of the National Rheumatoid Arthritis Society (NRAS) with self-reported RA completed the questionnaire online.

Baseline vWF factor predicts the development of elevated pulmonary artery pressure in systemic sclerosis.

Objectives: This study aims to examine the utility of von Willebrand factor (vWF) as a biomarker in lcSSc, in particular the ability of vWF to predict the future development of disease manifestations in this disease.

Methods: vWFAg concentrations were measured in the serum of patients with lcSSc at baseline and at 3 years, during the QUINs trial [Prevention of Vascular Damage in Scleroderma with Angiotensin-Converting Enzyme (ACE) Inhibition]. %DL(CO), %KCO, %FVC, pulmonary artery pressure (PAP) estimation by echocardiography, Raynaud's attack frequency, Raynaud's severity, digital ulcer frequency, urinary protein excretion, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR), modified Rodnan skin score and Medsger disease activity score were also measured at baseline and 3 years.

Derivation and validation of the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics classification criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: The Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) group revised and validated the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) classification criteria in order to improve clinical relevance, meet stringent methodology requirements, and incorporate new knowledge regarding the immunology of SLE.

Methods: The classification criteria were derived from a set of 702 expert-rated patient scenarios. Recursive partitioning was used to derive an initial rule that was simplified and refined based on SLICC physician consensus.

A randomized placebo-controlled trial of methotrexate in psoriatic arthritis.

Objective: MTX is widely used to treat synovitis in PsA without supporting trial evidence. The aim of our study was to test the value of MTX in the first large randomized placebo-controlled trial (RCT) in PsA.

Methods: A 6-month double-blind RCT compared MTX (15 mg/week) with placebo in active PsA.

An appraisal of rehabilitation regimes used for improving functional outcome after total hip replacement surgery.

This study aimed to systematically review the literature with regards to studies of rehabilitation programmes that have tried to improve function after total hip replacement (THR) surgery. 15 randomised controlled trials were identified of which 11 were centre-based, 2 were home based and 2 were trials comparing home and centre based interventions. The use of a progressive resistance training (PRT) programme led to significant improvement in muscle strength and function if the intervention was carried out early (< 1 month following surgery) in a centre (6/11 centre-based studies used PRT), or late (> 1 month following surgery) in a home based setting (2/2 home based studies used PRT).

Are the benefits of a high-intensity progressive resistance training program sustained in rheumatoid arthritis patients? A 3-year followup study.

Objective: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients were reassessed for body composition and physical function mean ± SD 39 ± 6 months after commencing a randomized controlled trial involving 24 weeks of either high-intensity progressive resistance training (PRT) or low-intensity range of movement exercise (control) to determine whether the benefits of PRT (i.e., reduced fat mass [FM], increased lean mass [LM], and improved function) were retained.

Decreased live births in women with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Multiple disease-related factors may limit the number of children born to women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). We calculated live births in women with SLE and compared this with general population rates.

Methods: We studied women with SLE from a subset of centers participating in the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Prospective Inception Cohort Study of SLE.

Benefits of exercise in rheumatoid arthritis.

This paper aims to highlight the importance of exercise in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to demonstrate the multitude of beneficial effects that properly designed exercise training has in this population. RA is a chronic, systemic, autoimmune disease characterised by decrements to joint health including joint pain and inflammation, fatigue, increased incidence and progression of cardiovascular disease, and accelerated loss of muscle mass, that is, "rheumatoid cachexia". These factors contribute to functional limitation, disability, comorbidities, and reduced quality of life.

Antinuclear antibodies and clinical associations in a british cohort with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis.

Objective: To assess the prevalence of disease-specific autoantibodies in patients with limited cutaneous systemic sclerosis (lcSSc).

Methods: Sera from 180 patients with lcSSc were analyzed for antinuclear antibody (ANA). Clinical characteristics were compared in the presence or absence of specific autoantibodies.

Perceptions of the effects of exercise on joint health in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objectives: Exercise is important in RA management. However, RA patients are less active than the general population. This qualitative study explores the perceptions of patients regarding the effects of exercise on joint health.

The LupusQoL and associations with demographics and clinical measurements in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: Having developed and validated a disease-specific health-related quality of life (HRQOL) measure for patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), the LupusQoL, we determined its relationship to demographic and clinical measurements in a group of patients with SLE.

Methods: A group of 322 outpatients completed the LupusQoL. Demographic (age, sex, marital status, ethnicity) and clinical variables (disease duration, disease activity, damage) were recorded.

Skeletal muscle properties in rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Purpose: Disability in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a multifactorial process involving various unaccounted factors. Loss of lean body mass plays an important role in impaired physical function, and exercise studies in RA have shown promising results in restoring muscle mass, strength, and function. However, no comprehensive assessment of the muscle characteristics has been undertaken to determine whether qualitative changes in muscle also contribute to RA disability.

The BILAG multi-centre open randomized controlled trial comparing ciclosporin vs azathioprine in patients with severe SLE.

Objective: To determine whether low-dose ciclosporin was a more effective corticosteroid-sparing agent than AZA in patients with SLE.

Methods: Patients with SLE requiring a change or initiation of a corticosteroid-sparing agent and who were taking > or =15 mg of prednisolone/day were randomized to receive either ciclosporin or AZA during this 12-month open-label multi-centre trial. There were strict guidelines for the reduction of prednisolone.