Can disease activity in patients with psoriatic arthritis be adequately assessed by a modified Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) based on 28 joints?

Objective: To test the psychometric performance of a modified Disease Activity index for PSoriatic Arthritis (DAPSA) using 28 instead of 66 swollen/68 tender joint counts (SJC/TJC).

Methods: We included patients with psoriatic arthritis (PsA) from the Danish national quality registry DANBIO, divided into examination (n=3157 patients, 23987 visits) and validation cohorts (n=3154 patients, 24160 visits). We defined DAPSA28 = (28TJC × conversion factor) + (28SJC × conversion factor) + patient global (0-10VAS) + pain (0-10VAS) + C reactive protein (CRP) (mg/dL).

Infliximab treatment maintains employability in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate the impact of infliximab therapy on the employment status of patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Methotrexate (MTX)-naive patients with active early RA were randomly allocated to receive MTX plus placebo or MTX plus infliximab (3 mg/kg or 6 mg/kg) at weeks 0, 2, and 6 and then every 8 weeks through week 46. Data for patients younger than age 65 years were included in the analyses.

Predictors of joint damage in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis treated with high-dose methotrexate with or without concomitant infliximab: results from the ASPIRE trial.

Objective: To identify disease characteristics leading to progression of joint damage in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with methotrexate (MTX) versus those treated with infliximab plus MTX.

Methods: Patients who had not previously been treated with MTX with active RA were randomly assigned to receive escalating doses of MTX up to 20 mg/week plus placebo or infliximab at weeks 0, 2, and 6, and every 8 weeks thereafter through week 46. Radiographic joint damage was assessed using the modified Sharp/van der Heijde score (SHS).

Evidence of radiographic benefit of treatment with infliximab plus methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis patients who had no clinical improvement: a detailed subanalysis of data from the anti-tumor necrosis factor trial in rheumatoid arthritis with concomitant therapy study.

Objective: To assess the relationship between inflammation and joint destruction in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients who have not responded clinically to treatment.

Methods: Changes from baseline to week 54 in clinical variables and measures of radiographic progression were compared between patients who received infliximab (3 mg/kg or 10 mg/kg every 4 or 8 weeks) plus methotrexate (MTX) and those who received MTX plus placebo in the Anti-Tumor Necrosis Factor Trial in RA with Concomitant Therapy trial.

Results: At week 54, patients who did not show 20% improvement by American College of Rheumatology criteria (ACR20 nonresponders) while receiving infliximab plus MTX exhibited mild but statistically significant improvement in clinical variables, including the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28) (P < 0.

A simplified disease activity index for rheumatoid arthritis for use in clinical practice.

Objective: The objective of this study was to verify the usefulness of a simple disease activity index (SDAI) for rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: The SDAI is the numerical sum of five outcome parameters: tender and swollen joint count (based on a 28-joint assessment), patient and physician global assessment of disease activity [visual analogue scale (VAS) 0-10 cm] and level of C-reactive protein (mg/dl, normal <1 mg/dl). Analysis initially focused on MN301, one of the three phase III clinical trials of leflunomide, in order to assess possible correlations between the SDAI and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) and Disease Activity Score 28 (DAS 28).

Expression of the VEGF-receptor Flt-1 in benign, premalignant and malignant prostate tissues.

Purpose: Vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) is one of the most potent regulators of angiogenesis and has been shown to act upon two tyrosine kinase family receptors: c-fms-like tyrosine kinase (Flt-1) and fetal liver kinase. Preliminary reports have emphasized that expression of VEGF receptors is endothelial cell-specific. In this study we verified the localization and distribution of Flt-1 protein and mRNA expression in prostatic adenocarcinoma (CaP) as well as prostate intraepithelial neoplasia (PIN) and benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH).