Effect of metformin use on clinical outcomes and serum urate in gout patients with diabetes mellitus: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Gout and diabetes mellitus type 2 (DM) frequently co-exist. The pharmacological effects of metformin may include anti-inflammatory and urate lowering effects. The objective of this study was to test these effects in patients with gout starting uric acid lowering treatment (ULT) in secondary care.

Sex differences in response to allopurinol and benzbromarone in gout: a retrospective cohort study.

Objective: Owing to lower mean uric acid excretion in women compared with men, uricosuric agents might be preferred in women over xanthine oxidase (XO) inhibitors. We therefore investigated the differences in response to two urate-lowering therapies (ULTs) with different modes of action within and between sexes.

Methods: This retrospective cohort study included patients with a clinical diagnosis of gout who started allopurinol and/or benzbromarone.

Etanercept in patients with inflammatory hand osteoarthritis (EHOA): a multicentre, randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: Hand osteoarthritis is a prevalent disease with limited treatment options. Since joint inflammation is often present, we investigated tumour necrosis factor (TNF) as treatment target in patients with proven joint inflammation in a proof-of-concept study.

Methods: This 1-year, double-blind, randomised, multicentre trial (NTR1192) enrolled patients with symptomatic erosive inflammatory hand osteoarthritis.

Malignant Transformation of Hepatocellular Adenoma.

The patient was a 20-year-old male in whom a hepatic hypervascular mass accompanied by intratumoral hemorrhage was detected on examination for epigastric pain. Based on the enlargement of the mass and diagnostic imaging, hepatocellular adenoma (HCA) was suspected and hepatectomy was performed. The lesion was diagnosed as malignant transformation of β-catenin-activated HCA.

Brief Report: Association of Inflammation With Development of Erosions in Patients With Hand Osteoarthritis: A Prospective Ultrasonography Study.

Objective: To investigate the association between features of ultrasound-detected inflammation and development of erosive disease in patients with hand osteoarthritis (OA) over 2.3 years of followup.

Methods: The study group comprised 56 consecutive patients with hand OA (mean age 61 years, 86% female) fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria.

Magnetic Resonance Imaging in Hand Osteoarthritis: Intraobserver Reliability and Criterion Validity for Clinical and Structural Characteristics.

Objective: To investigate criterion validity and intraobserver reliability of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: In 16 patients with HOA (median age 57 yrs, 62% women, 13 with erosive OA), 3 Tesla MRI scans with gadolinium-chelate administration of right second to fifth distal interphalangeal/proximal interphalangeal joints were scored according to the Oslo HOA scoring method for synovial thickening, bone marrow lesions (BML), osteophytes, joint space narrowing (JSN), and erosions (grade 0-3). Ultrasound (US) was scored for synovial thickening and osteophytes, radiographs for osteophytes and JSN (Osteoarthritis Research Society International score), and anatomical phases (Verbruggen-Veys score).

Inflammatory ultrasound features show independent associations with progression of structural damage after over 2 years of follow-up in patients with hand osteoarthritis.

Objective: To study the development of inflammatory features and it's relation to structural damage over a 2.3-year period in patients with hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: Synovial thickening, effusion and power Doppler signal (PDS) in distal interphalangeal (DIP), proximal interphalangeal (PIP), 1st carpometacarpal (CMC) metacarpal phalangeal (MCP) and 1st interphalangeal (IP) joints were assessed using ultrasonography in 56 consecutive HOA patients (mean age 61.

Erosive osteoarthritis: a more severe form of radiographic hand osteoarthritis rather than a distinct entity?

Objectives: To determine whether erosive osteoarthritis shares the same pattern of joint involvement and risk profile as increasing grades of non-erosive hand osteoarthritis.

Methods: Participants were from two population-based cohorts, aged ≥50 years, reporting hand symptoms in the previous month. Interphalangeal joints were assessed for erosive osteoarthritis (Verbruggen-Veys erosive or remodelled phase) and radiographic osteoarthritis (sliding cut-offs of K&L≥2, K&L≥3 and K&L=4).

Comparison of clinical burden between patients with erosive hand osteoarthritis and inflammatory arthritis in symptomatic community-dwelling adults: the Keele clinical assessment studies.

Objective: To investigate in the general population the clinical impact of erosive OA in interphalangeal joints (IPJs) compared with symptomatic radiographic hand OA and inflammatory arthritis.

Methods: Standardized assessments with hand radiographs were performed in participants of two population-based cohorts in North Staffordshire with hand symptoms lasting ≥1 day in the past month. Erosive OA was defined as the presence of an eroded or remodelled phase in ≥1 IPJ using the Verbruggen-Veys method.

Metabolic health in families enriched for longevity is associated with low prevalence of hand osteoarthritis and influences OA biomarker profiles.

Objectives: Individual metabolic characteristics and age-related changes may affect osteoarthritis (OA) risk as well as levels of potential OA biomarkers such as serum cartilage oligomeric protein (sCOMP) and urinary cross-linked C-telopeptide of type 2 collagen (uCTX2). We investigated hand OA and these putative OA biomarker characteristics at different ages in individuals with a propensity for healthy ageing, in controls, and in patients with OA.

Methods: We investigated hand radiological OA (ROA) and levels of sCOMP and uCTX2 in the Leiden Longevity Study, which consisted of the middle-aged offspring of long-lived sibling pairs as metabolically healthy agers and their partners as controls, and for ROA we compared patients with OA at multiple joint sites from the Genetics, osteoARthritis and Progression Study with the healthy agers and controls.

In erosive hand osteoarthritis more inflammatory signs on ultrasound are found than in the rest of hand osteoarthritis.

Objective: To compare inflammation as assessed by ultrasound between patients with the subset erosive hand osteoarthritis (EOA) versus non-EOA.

Methods: Consecutive hand osteoarthritis (HOA) patients (fulfilling ACR criteria) were included. Eighteen interphalangeal joints were scored on radiographs using the Verbruggen-Veys anatomical phase score; E and R phases were defined as erosive.

Role of rheumatology clinical nurse specialists in optimizing management of hand osteoarthritis during daily practice in secondary care: an observational study.

Background: The purpose of this study was to describe the effectiveness of a single one-hour consultation by a clinical nurse specialist in patients with hand osteoarthritis during daily rheumatology practice in secondary care.

Methods: Consecutive patients diagnosed by rheumatologists to have primary hand osteoarthritis and referred to the clinical nurse specialist were eligible for entry into this study. The standardized 1-hour consultation consisted of assessments and education on hand osteoarthritis by a clinical nurse specialist.

Hand osteoarthritis--a heterogeneous disorder.

Hand osteoarthritis (OA) is a prevalent disorder. Hand OA is not one single disease, but a heterogeneous group of disorders. Radiographic signs of hand OA, such as osteophytes or joint space narrowing, can be found in up to 81% of the elderly population.

Osteophytes and joint space narrowing are independently associated with pain in finger joints in hand osteoarthritis.

Objective: To study the associations between structural abnormalities on ultrasound (US) or conventional x-rays (CR) and pain in hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: In 55 consecutive patients with HOA (mean age 61 years, 86% women) fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria, pain in 30 separate hand joints was assessed upon palpation; osteophytes were assessed by US and CR and joint space narrowing (JSN) by CR. Associations between structural abnormalities and pain per joint were analysed using generalised estimated equations to account for patient effects and adjusted for age, sex, body mass index, US inflammatory features and other remaining structural abnormalities.

Pain in hand osteoarthritis is associated with inflammation: the value of ultrasound.

Objectives: To investigate the association of ultrasound (US) features-grey scale (GS) synovitis, synovial thickening, effusion and power Doppler signal (PDS)-with symptoms in hand osteoarthritis (HOA).

Methods: Fifty-five consecutive patients (mean age 62 years, 87% women) with HOA, fulfilling the American College of Rheumatology criteria, were assessed for pain upon palpation and filled in Australian/Canadian Osteoarthritis Index (AUSCAN) scores, visual analogue scale pain and Short Form-36 (SF-36). US was performed in all metacarpophalangeal, proximal interphalangeal, distal interphalangeal, first interphalangeal and first carpometacarpal joints, and features were semiquantitatively scored (0-3).

Incidence rates and management of urinary tract infections among children in Dutch general practice: results from a nation-wide registration study.

Background: We aimed to investigate incidence rates of urinary tract infections in Dutch general practice and their association with gender, season and urbanisation level, and to analyse prescription and referral in case of urinary tract infections.

Method: During one calendar year, 195 general practitioners in 104 practices in the Netherlands registered all their patient contacts. This study was performed by the Netherlands Institute for Health Services Research (NIVEL) in 2001.