Aim: To evaluate efficiency and safety of intensive treatment program (synchroneous plasmapheresis, large-dose methotrexate and methypred) for patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis (RA).
Material And Methods: 45 patients with highly active and progressive RA, systemic symptoms, corticosteroid dependence who had intolerance to standard therapy or had not responded to it were divided into 2 comparable groups. 25 patients of group 1 for a month got 6 plasmapheresis procedures with synchroneous intravenous injection of 40 mg of methotrexate and 250 mg of methypred. 20 patients of group 2 received pulse therapy with methypred (3 g) and methotrexate (200 mg). The intensive therapy was followed in all the patients with methotrexate in a dose 10-20 mg/week.
Results: One, six and twelve months after treatment patients of group 1 demonstrated a decrease in RA clinical activity and inflammation. In a year remission by ACR criteria was achieved in one-third of the patients.
Conclusion: The sychroneous program of intensive therapy is highly effective in RA patients with vasculitis, ineffective standard therapy and corticosteroid dependence.
Download full-text PDF |
Source |
|---|
Publication Analysis
Top Keywords
Similar Publications
Impact of mechanical ventilation on severe acute kidney injury in critically ill patients with and without COVID-19 - a multicentre propensity matched analysis.
Ann Intensive Care
January 2025
Division of Intensive Care and Emergency Medicine, Department of Internal Medicine, Medical University Innsbruck, Anichstrasse 35, Innsbruck, 6020, Austria.
Background: Acute kidney injury (AKI) is common in critically ill patients and is associated with increased morbidity and mortality. Its complications often require renal replacement therapy (RRT). Invasive mechanical ventilation (IMV) and infections are considered risk factors for the occurrence of AKI.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFImpact of reporting rapid susceptibility results in Gram negative bloodstream infections: a real world prospective study.
Eur J Clin Microbiol Infect Dis
January 2025
Laboratory of Medical Microbiology, Ghent University Hospital, Ghent, Belgium.
Purpose: Mortality and morbidity of patients with bloodstream infection (BSI) remain high despite advances in diagnostic methods and efforts to speed up reporting. This study investigated the impact of reporting rapid Minimum Inhibitory Concentration (MIC)-results in Gram negative BSIs with the ASTar system (Q-linea, Uppsala, Sweden) on the adaptation of empirically started antimicrobial therapy. We performed a real-world study during which antimicrobial susceptibility testing (AST) results were instantly reported to the treating physician in an established multidisciplinary antimicrobial stewardship setting.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFCranioplasty infection in porous hydroxyapatite: Potential antibacterial properties.
J Appl Biomater Funct Mater
January 2025
Department of Neurosurgery, Neurocenter of South Switzerland, Ente Ospedaliero Cantonale, Lugano, Switzerland.
Introduction: Intensive research is dedicated to the development of novel biomaterials and medical devices to be used as grafts in reconstructive surgery, with the purpose of enhancing their therapeutic effectiveness, safety, and durability. A variety of biomaterials, from autologous bone to polymethylmetacrylate, polyether ether ketone, titanium, and calcium-based ceramics are used in cranioplasty. Porous hydroxyapatite (PHA) is reported as a possible material for bone reconstruction, with good signs of biocompatibility, osteoconductive and osteointegrative properties.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFDesign and early progress of the Comparison of Anticoagulation and anti-Platelet Therapies for Intracranial Vascular Atherostenosis (CAPTIVA) trial.
Int J Stroke
January 2025
Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston, SC, USA.
Background: The usual antithrombotic treatment for symptomatic intracranial atherosclerotic stenosis (ICAS) consists of dual treatment with clopidogrel and aspirin for 90 days followed by aspirin alone but the risk of recurrent stroke remains high up to 12 months. The Comparison of Anticoagulation and anti-Platelet Therapies for Intracranial Vascular Atherostenosis (CAPTIVA) trial was designed to determine whether other combinations of dual antithrombotic therapy are superior to clopidogrel and aspirin.
Methods: CAPTIVA is an ongoing, prospective, double-blinded, three-arm clinical trial at over 100 sites in the United States and Canada that will randomize 1683 high-risk subjects with a symptomatic infarct attributed to 70-99% stenosis of a major intracranial artery to 12 months of treatment with (1) ticagrelor (180 mg loading dose, then 90 mg twice daily), (2) low-dose rivaroxaban (2.
Neural Correlates of Social Touch Processing: An fMRI Study on Brain Functional Connectivity.
J Integr Neurosci
January 2025
Laboratory for the Study of Tactile Communication, Pushkin State Russian Language Institute, 117485 Moscow, Russia.
Background: The significance of tactile stimulation in human social development and personal interaction is well documented; however, the underlying cerebral processes remain under-researched. This study employed functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) to investigate the neural correlates of social touch processing, with a particular focus on the functional connectivity associated with the aftereffects of touch.
Methods: A total of 27 experimental subjects were recruited for the study, all of whom underwent a 5-minute calf and foot massage prior to undergoing resting-state fMRI.
Want AI Summaries of new PubMed Abstracts delivered to your In-box?
Enter search terms and have AI summaries delivered each week - change queries or unsubscribe any time!