The combination of Chinese and Western Medicine in the management of rheumatoid arthritis: A real-world cohort study across China.

To investigate the efficacy of Integrative medicine (IM), compare with Western medicine (WM), in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in a cohort study. This is a cohort study with recruitment of RA patients from 10 hospitals in China. The primary outcome was change in disease activity score 28 (DAS28) during 4 follow-up visits.

China rheumatoid arthritis registry of patients with Chinese medicine (CERTAIN): Rationale, design, and baseline characteristics of the first 11,764 enrollees.

Background: Chinese medicine (CM) has become a popular interventional treatment for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, limited knowledge about general characteristics and long-term clinical outcomes hampers the development of CM for RA.

Purpose: The main objectives of the China Rheumatoid Arthritis Registry of Patients with Chinese Medicine (CERTAIN) were to describe the population of RA patients receiving CM treatment in multiple centers in China using different variables and compare these findings with internationally reported data.

The Impact of Traditional Chinese Medicine QingreHuoxue Treatment and the Combination of Methotrexate and Hydroxychloroquine on the Radiological Progression of Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: A 52-Week Follow-Up of a Randomized Controlled Clinical Study.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used successfully to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). QingreHuoxue treatment (QingreHuoxue decoction [QRHXD]/QingreHuoxue external preparation [QRHXEP]) is a Chinese medicine treatment for RA. To date, very few studies have compared the long-term effects of QRHXD with those of conventional disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs on RA disease activity and radiological progression.

Traditional Chinese Medicine Qingre Huoxue Treatment vs. the Combination of Methotrexate and Hydroxychloroquine for Active Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Multicenter, Double-Blind, Randomized Controlled Trial.

Traditional Chinese medicine (TCM) has been used successfully to treat rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Qingre Huoxue treatment (Qingre Huoxue decoction (QRHXD)/Qingre Huoxue external preparation (QRHXEP)) is a therapeutic scheme of TCM for RA. To date, there have been few studies comparing the efficacy and safety of QRHXD and conventional synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (csDMARDs) for the treatment of active RA.

Clinical Practice Guideline for Glycosides/ Tablets in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Hook F (HF) is one of the most commonly used and effective traditional Chinese herbal medicines against rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Both Tripterygium Glycoside Tablets (TGT) and Tablets (TWT) are the representative HF-based agents enrolled into the 2019 edition of Medicine Catalog for National Basic Medical Insurance, Injury Insurance, and Maternity Insurance. However, individual differences in TGT/TWT response across patients usually exist in the process of treating RA, implying that the clinical application of the two agents may not be standardized leading to the ineffective treatment and the risk of side effects.

Treatment satisfaction with rheumatoid arthritis in patients with different disease severity and financial burden: A subgroup analysis of a nationwide survey in China.

Background: Despite the recent advances in treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there are still unmet needs in disease outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the satisfaction with drug therapies for RA according to the levels of disease severity (patient-assessed) and proportions of treatment cost to household income.

Methods: This was a subgroup study of a cross-sectional study in patients with RA and their physicians.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibody predicts the development of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with undifferentiated arthritis.

Background: Clinical outcomes of undifferentiated arthritis (UA) are diverse, and only 40% of patients with UA develop rheumatoid arthritis (RA) after 3 years. Discovering predictive markers at disease onset for further intervention is critical. Therefore, our objective was to analyze the clinical outcomes of UA and ascertain the predictors for RA development.

Proteomic analysis of plasma from rheumatoid arthritis patients with mild cognitive impairment.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients may suffer from comorbid neuropsychiatric symptoms including mild cognitive impairment (MCI). Although comorbidity of MCI is common, there are currently no validated plasma biomarkers to aid MCI diagnosis. This study screened plasma from patients with RA with and without comorbid MCI to identify potential biomarkers useful in the differential diagnosis of comorbid MCI.

High remission and low relapse with prolonged intensive DMARD therapy in rheumatoid arthritis (PRINT): A multicenter randomized clinical trial.

Objectives: To determine whether prolonged intensive disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) treatment (PRINT) leads to high remission and low relapse rates in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: In this multicenter, randomized and parallel treatment trial, 346 patients with active RA (disease activity score (28 joints) [DAS28] (erythrocyte sedimentation rate [ESR]) > 5.1) were enrolled from 9 centers.

Magnetic resonance imaging in early rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter, prospective study.

To identify the magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) features of hands and wrists in early rheumatoid arthritis (RA). A total of 129 early arthritis patients (≤1 year) were enrolled in the study. At presentation, MRI of the hands was performed, with clinical and laboratory analyses.

Efficacy and safety of weekly leflunomide for the treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis: a randomized, multi-center study.

Aim: The aim of this study was to determine the efficacy and safety of a weekly dose of leflunomide (50 mg/week) in early rheumatoid arthritis patients with mild or moderate disease activity.

Methods: The patients of early rheumatoid arthritis (ERA) with mild or moderate disease activity were randomly selected for inclusion in this study and were assigned to either the treatment group (leflunomide 50 mg/week, LEF50) or the control group (leflunomide 10 mg/day, LEF10). All patients were treated for 24 weeks.

[Single nuclear polymorphisms in exon 3 of POMC gene and the association with growth traits in Hu sheep and East Friesian x Hu crossbred sheep].

Pro-opiomelancortin (POMC) plays important roles in the regulation of food intake and energy expenditure. The sheep exon 3 of gene POMC was amplified and sequenced by screening the DNA pools to select single nuclear polymorphisms and analyze the association with the growth traits. Two silent SNP mutations (g.

Logistic regression analysis of damp-heat and cold-damp impeding syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis: a perspective in Chinese medicine.

Objective: To investigate a method for quantitative differential diagnosis of damp-heat and cold-damp impeding syndrome of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Chinese medicine (CM).

Methods: Laboratory parameters were collected from 306 patients with RA. The clinical symptoms and laboratory parameters were compared between patients with these two syndromes (158 with RA of damp-heat impeding syndrome, and 148 with RA of cold-damp impeding syndrome), and a regression equation was established to facilitate discrimination of the two RA syndromes.

[The objectivity research on 322 rheumatoid arthritis patients of dampness-heat impeding and cold-dampness impeding Chinese medical syndrome types].

Objective: To analyze the Chinese medical syndrome typing laws in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients of the dampness-heat impeding syndrome and the cold-dampness impeding syndrome.

Methods: Clinical data and serum of 322 inpatients and outpatients were collected to perform DAS28 score. Laboratory indices including erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), C-reactive protein (CRP), albumin (ALB), globulin (GLB), and blood routines (white blood cell, red blood cell, and platelet) were tested by conventional methods, and the serum levels of tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-alpha and interleukin (IL)-1beta were detected by ELISA.

[Effect of methotrexate in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis of different Chinese medical syndrome patterns].

Objective: To study whether the effects of methotrexate were different in treating patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) of different Chinese medical syndrome patterns.

Methods: Retrospective analysis was conducted in 312 RA patients treated with methotrexate, the Chinese medical syndrome patterns in them were differentiated into the cold-dampness blocking collateral type (SA), the heat-dampness blocking collateral type (SB), the phlegm blood-stasis intermingling type (SC), and the heat-cold complex type (SD). Parameters including numbers of joint with tenderness (Njt) and that with arthroncus (Nja); patient's morning stiffness duration (MSD), scores estimated by visual analog scale (VAS) and health assessment questionnaire (HAQ); as well as laboratory indices involving rheumatoid factor (RF), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), etc.

Localization of cerebral functional deficits in patients with non-neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus.

Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus (NP-SLE) is a common complication of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and clinical interventions are of only limited efficacy despite relatively high prevalence. Such complications have been studied extensively, but the pathoetiology of NP-SLE has not yet been elucidated. Diagnosis of NP-SLE focuses primarily on psychological manifestations, and the underlying mechanisms leading to neuropsychiatric complications remain unknown.

[Efficacy and safety of infliximab in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

Objective: To investigate the efficacy and safety of Infliximab (IFX) plus methotrexate (MTX) combination therapy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Prospectively observe refractory RA patients who were treated with combination therapy of MTX and IFX. IFX was infused at the dosage of 3 mg/kg, in week 0, 2, 6, and then every 8 weeks.

[TCM differentiation and treatment of fibromyalgia syndromes based on meridian science].

Fibromyalgia syndrome (FS) is a rheumatic and immunologic disease and the disease incidence is ranked at the third in the rheumatic diseases, characterized by whole-body myalgia, and with mental and nervous symptoms and signs. At present, there is no ideal therapy for it. Based on TCM theories, this article tries to analyze the pathogenesis of FS from the angle of meridian and collateral science, and according to location of pain of the patient, TCM syndrome differentiation for corresponding channels and collaterals is made and FS possible relation with dysfunction of qi is raised, which is used to guide the treatment, so as to provide a better physical treatment way.

Analyses of differential proteome of human synovial fibroblasts obtained from arthritis.

There is mounting evidence indicating that the synovial fibroblasts (SFs) contribute to the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The present study showed the differential proteins expression pattern of SFs from patients with RA or osteoarthritis (OA) and healthy control. Cellular proteins of cultured SFs were subjected to 2-DE and visualized by silver nitrate staining.