Harm, benefit and costs associated with low-dose glucocorticoids added to the treatment strategies for rheumatoid arthritis in elderly patients (GLORIA trial): study protocol for a randomised controlled trial.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic inflammatory disease of the joints affecting 1% of the world population. It has major impact on patients through disability and associated comorbidities. Current treatment strategies have considerably improved the prognosis, but recent innovations (especially biologic drugs and the new class of so-called "JAK/STAT inhibitors") have important safety issues and are very costly.

A framework for remission in SLE: consensus findings from a large international task force on definitions of remission in SLE (DORIS).

Objectives: Treat-to-target recommendations have identified 'remission' as a target in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), but recognise that there is no universally accepted definition for this. Therefore, we initiated a process to achieve consensus on potential definitions for remission in SLE.

Methods: An international task force of 60 specialists and patient representatives participated in preparatory exercises, a face-to-face meeting and follow-up electronic voting.

Peptide hormones and histamine in plasma and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthrosis.

Objectives: Hormones other than adrenal and gonadal steroids may play also a significant role in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of selected peptide hormones and histamine in synovial fluid of knee joints and in plasma of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and with osteoarthrosis.

Methods: The concentrations of insulin, C-peptide, prolactin, growth hormone, free triiodothyronine (FT3), thyrotropin (TSH), and histamine were determined in synovial fluid and plasma of 27 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and in 12 patients with osteoarthrosis (OA).

Hormone concentrations in synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Alterations in local concentrations of hormones, affecting directly synovial cells, could be involved in the modulation of the rheumatic inflammatory processes. The aim of present study was to investigate the levels of selected hormones (steroids, peptide and thyroid hormones) in synovial fluid of knee joint of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and control individuals with non-rheumatic exudate (with osteoarthrosis, OA).

Methods: Thirty-eight patients, 22 female and 16 males, with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 12 subjects with osteoarthrosis (OA, control group, 6 females and 6 males) participated in the study.

Gonadal and adrenal steroid hormones in plasma and synovial fluid of patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objectives: Gonadal and adrenal steroids were shown to affect multiple immune processes including inflammatory response. These effects were documented, specifically, through an influence on local productions of cytokines and the functions of synovial cells at the site of inflammatory processes. The aim of this study was to investigate the levels of selected hormones in synovial fluid of knee joints of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and with osteoarthrosis (OS, control group).

Cortisol elimination from plasma in premenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To test the hypothesis that cortisol elimination from plasma can contribute to relatively low cortisol in premenopausal women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Twelve premenopausal female patients with RA (39.8 (1.