Patient-acceptable symptom state as an outcome measure in the daily care of patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Objective: We assessed the prevalence of patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), rating their state as acceptable (patient-acceptable symptom state; PASS), among 190 patients with AS seen in daily practice. Factors associated with PASS status and PASS thresholds for outcome measures were also analyzed.

Methods: The characteristics of patients with affirmative and negative assignment to PASS were compared.

Pattern of use and safety of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in rheumatoid arthritis patients. A prospective analysis from clinical practice.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the prescription pattern and the safety profile of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAID), including cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors (COXIB) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) under a real life clinical setting.

Patients And Methods: Data was obtained from the EMECAR study, a prospective cohort of randomly selected RA patients (n=789) followed up from 1999 to 2004 in Spain.

Results: Upon entry into the cohort, 613 (78%) patients included took or had taken NSAID because of RA.

Treatment for children with severe aplastic anemia and sickle cell disease in low income countries in Latin America: a report on the recent meetings of the Monza International School of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (MISPHO): Part III.

Treatment of hematologic disorders in low-income countries (LIC) is difficult. This report summarizes treatment of sickle cell disease and aplastic anemia by pediatric hematologists from 15 LIC who participate in the Monza International School of Pediatric Hematology/Oncology (MISPHO). Patients with severe sickle cell disease were treated with low dose hydroxyurea, which safely reduced vaso-occlusive crises.