| 11. |
- Alizadeh, Behrooz Z, et al.
(author)
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Functional Variants of Fc Gamma Receptor (FCGR2A) and FCGR3A Are Not Associated with Susceptibility to Systemic Sclerosis in a Large European Study (EUSTAR).
- 2010
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - : The Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; Jul 1, s. 1673-1679
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To investigate the possible role of FCGR2A 519A>G and FCGR3A 559A>C functional polymorphisms in the genetic predisposition to susceptibility to systemic sclerosis (SSc) or clinical phenotype. METHODS: A total of 1566 patients with SSc and 2271 geographically matched controls were included in our study. We analyzed the genotype and allele frequencies of the FCGR2A 519A>G and FCGR3A 559A>C functional variants in 6 independent European cohorts of white patients with SSc, and white controls. The cohorts comprised 165 Dutch patients with SSc and 1326 controls, 236 Spanish patients with SSc and 257 controls, 267 German patients with SSc and 270 controls, 202 Swedish patients with SSc and 261 controls, 416 Italian patients with SSc and 157 controls, and additionally 280 English patients with SSc. Genotyping was performed using Taqman 5' allelic discrimination assay. The study reached a 99% power to detect the effect of a polymorphism at an OR of 1.3. RESULTS: Neither FCGR2A 519A>G nor FCGR3A 559A>C was significantly associated with susceptibility to SSc. We did not find an association with specific disease phenotypes, limited or diffuse cutaneous involvement, autoantibody profiles, or pulmonary involvement. CONCLUSION: Our study strongly suggests the lack of a role for the FCGR2A 519A>G and FCGR3A 559A>C polymorphisms in SSc susceptibility or clinical phenotype in 6 independent European cohorts.
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| 12. |
- Andersson, Maria, et al.
(author)
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Chronic widespread pain in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and the relation between pain and disease activity measures over the first 5 years
- 2013
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - Toronto, ON : Journal of Rheumatology Publishing. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 40:12, s. 1977-1985
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To study the prevalence of chronic widespread pain (ChWP), chronic regional pain (ChRP), and fibromyalgia in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) followed for 5 years after inclusion, and to study the effect of pain on measures of disease activity and function.METHODS: A questionnaire was sent to 1910 patients participating in the Better Anti-Rheumatic Pharmacotherapy study. The responders (73%) were divided into 3 groups according to the reported pain duration and distribution - patients having no chronic pain (NChP), ChWP, and ChRP. Outcome measures were the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and C-reactive protein (CRP).RESULTS: Thirty-four percent of respondents reported ChWP, 46% ChRP, and 20% NChP. Patients reporting ChWP were more often women and had more pain and tender joints at inclusion. From 6 months to 5 years of followup, mean DAS28, visual analog scale (VAS) pain, VAS global health, and HAQ were significantly higher in the ChWP group than in the other groups. However, all groups showed a similar pattern in swollen joint count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), and CRP. From 12 months the ChWP group was treated with prednisolone to a greater extent than the ChRP group, and it had a rate of treatment with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs similar to that of the ChRP group.CONCLUSION: ChWP is a common feature in RA, more associated with high values for variables related to pain such as the DAS28 and HAQ than to indicators of ongoing inflammation such as swollen joint count, ESR, and CRP. Patients with ChWP should be identified so that adequate treatment also of the noninflammatory pain may be instituted.
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| 13. |
- Andersson, Maria L.E., et al.
(author)
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Patients with early rheumatoid arthritis in the 2000s have equal disability and pain despite less disease activity compared with the 1990s : Data from the barfot study over 8 years
- 2017
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - : The Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 44:6, s. 723-731
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. To compare outcomes over the first 8 years in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recruited in the 1990s and the 2000s, with a special focus on functional disability and its possible predictors. Methods. Data were acquired from 1938 patients with early RA (American College of Rheumatology 1987 criteria) included in the BARFOT study, who had completed the 8-year followup. The patients were divided into 2 cohorts: cohort 1 (n = 928, 68% women) included from 1992 to 1999 and cohort 2 (n = 1010, 70% women) included from 2000 to 2006. Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28), visual analog scale pain, and radiographs of hands and feet scored by the van der Heijde modified Sharp method were assessed during the 8 years. Longitudinal data analyses were performed using a generalized linear model. Results. Despite more active medical treatment during the 2000s, the courses of HAQ and pain showed no difference between the cohorts during followup, in either women or in men, with significantly higher levels in women compared with men. However, as expected, disease activity decreased more over time in cohort 2 compared with cohort 1, for both sexes, and women in cohort 2 had less radiographic progression compared with cohort 1. HAQ was associated with DAS28, pain, radiological scores, and sex in both cohorts, and in cohort 2 also with age and smoking. Conclusion. Patients included in the 2000s had lower disease activity, but not less activity limitation and pain over 8 years of followup despite more active treatment. Pain, aging, and smoking might explain why patients included in the 2000s still had the same disability levels as those included in the 1990s.
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| 14. |
- Antovic, Aleksandra, et al.
(author)
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Microparticles Expressing Myeloperoxidase and Complement C3a and C5a as Markers of Renal Involvement in Antineutrophil Cytoplasmic Antibody-associated Vasculitis
- 2020
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - : The Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 47:5, s. 714-721
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. To investigate expression of terminal complement components C3a and C5a on circulating myeloperoxidase (MPO)-positive microparticles (MPO+MP) in relation to disease activity and renal involvement in patients with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV). Methods. Forty-six clinically well-characterized patients with AAV and 23 age-and sex-matched healthy controls were included. The concentration of MPO+MP expressing C3a and C5a was analyzed from citrate plasma by flow cytometry. Serum levels of C3a and C5a were determined using commercial ELISA. The assessment of vasculitis disease activity was performed using the Birmingham Vasculitis Activity Score (BVAS). Among patients, 23 had active disease with BVAS >= 2 and 14 patients had active renal flares. Results. AAV patients had significantly increased expression of C3a and C5a on MPO+MP compared to controls (both p < 0.0001). When the group of patients with active AAV was divided according to the presence of renal activity, the concentration of MPO+MP expressing C3a and C5a was significantly higher in patients with renal involvement compared to patients with nonrenal disease and controls (p < 0.05 and p < 0.01, respectively). The serum levels of C3a were significantly decreased (p < 0.01) in the renal subgroup, while there were no changes in serum levels of C5a comparing the renal and nonrenal groups. There was significant correlation between the disease activity measured by BVAS and the levels of C3a and C5a expressed on MPO+MP. Conclusion. Determination of C3a and C5a on MPO+MP might be considered as a novel biomarker of renal involvement in patients with AAV and may be of importance in the pathogenetic process.
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| 15. |
- Arguedas, O., et al.
(author)
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A prospective population based study on outcome of juvenile chronic arthritis in Costa Rica
- 2002
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 29:1, s. 174-83
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To study the disease process and outcome in an unselected group of patients with juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA). METHODS: From a population based study in San Jose, Costa Rica, 47 patients with JCA with disease onset from 1993 through 1995 were investigated after median duration of 4.1 yrs (range 2.9-4.9) (incidence group). Another 49 children with disease onset prior to 1993 and younger than 16 years of age on December 31, 1995 (cross sectional group) were also followed. RESULTS: In the incidence group, 4/47 children changed subtype during the course of the disease. All did so within 2 years from disease onset, and the same observation was made in the cross sectional group. Uveitis was described at onset in a single case, and no child developed uveitis later. In patients from the incidence group in the process of being transferred to adult rheumatology clinics, 48% were still taking medication. Patients who had involvement of proximal interphalangeal (PIP) joints at onset had an increased risk of being active or stable at followup (RR 12.3, 95% CI 1.4-108.3). A higher chance of no continuing disease activity at followup was observed in children with oligoarticular disease than in the other subtypes (RR 2.8, 95% CI 1.2-6.9). CONCLUSION: Uveitis associated with antinuclear antibody positive JCA and psoriatic arthritis in Costa Rican children is uncommon, and the risk of developing uveitis remains low during the course of the disease. Involvement of PIP joints predicts an increased risk of continuing disease. The course of JCA in Costa Rican children is not milder than in Caucasian populations, since 48% of the patients showed persistent disease activity at the transition to adult care.
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| 16. |
- Arguedas, O., et al.
(author)
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Development of a Costa Rican version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire
- 1997
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 24:11, s. 2233-41
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To validate a Spanish language version of the Childhood Health Assessment Questionnaire (CHAQ) for use in Costa Rica and to evaluate the feasibility, reliability, and cross cultural equivalency of this version. METHODS: The original questionnaire, translated without modification into Spanish, was administered to 12 children, all above 10 years of age, with the diagnosis of juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) and to their parents. There were several problems in comprehension, and self-administration with this version was not possible. For this reason a teacher and a psychologist were consulted to create a modified Costa Rican version. We administered this 2nd version to 46 children with JCA and 62 of their parents. RESULTS: The modified Costa Rican HAQ (CR-CHAQ) was self-administered by 93.5% of the patients and 84% of the parents. The median time to complete the questionnaire was 12 min for the children, 10 min for the parents. The main difficulty in comprehension was the pain score for both groups. Test-retest (Spearman R = 0.73) and interobserver (Spearman R = 0.70) reliability were good. Validity of the instrument was confirmed by the high correlation between the disability and discomfort scores and conventional clinical variables. There was satisfactory correlation between the disability score and conventional clinical variables. Discriminant validity was confirmed by the capacity of the CR-CHAQ to evaluate patients as being in different categories of disease activity. CONCLUSION: After modifications, the CR-CHAQ achieved cross cultural equivalency.
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| 17. |
- Arguedas, O., et al.
(author)
-
Juvenile chronic arthritis in urban San Jose, Costa Rica : a 2 year prospective study
- 1998
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 25:9, s. 1844-50
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To find the incidence and prevalence of juvenile chronic arthritis (JCA) in the urban area of San Jose, Costa Rica. METHODS: During the year preceding our 2 year prospective, population based study, we conducted an educational program on JCA. The physicians caring for children < 16 years of age from all centers in the study area followed the program. They were asked to refer all cases of possible JCA according to EULAR criteria. The children were all evaluated at the National Children's Hospital. RESULTS: Of 189 children referred, 48 fulfilled EULAR criteria for JCA. The 2 year incidence rate for JCA was 13.7 per 100,000 children < 16 years old. This corresponds to an annual incidence per 100,000 children of 6.8 (95% CI 4.1-9.6). The incidence rate for pauciarticular onset JCA was 3.9 per 100,000. At the prevalence date, 122 cases of JCA were recorded, corresponding to a prevalence of 34.9 per 100,000 children < 16 years. When patients in remission were excluded, the prevalence was 31.4 per 100,000 (95% CI 25.5-37.2). The pauciarticular onset form was the most common, 71% of all prevalence cases. The highest incidence and prevalence were noted for pauciarticular girls with late onset JCA. No incidence peak was found in preschool age. The girl-to-boy ratio was 1.5/1. Antinuclear antibodies (ANA) were positive in only 7 cases (6.3%). IgM rheumatoid factor was found in 13 children (10.6%). Chronic iritis was observed in 4 cases, all of them ANA negative and older than 7 years of age at onset of arthritis. CONCLUSION: The incidence and prevalence observed were lower than those reported in other population based studies, but within the confidence intervals of their data. The incidence rate for pauciarticular JCA was significantly lower than that reported in other comparable studies. ANA positive pauciarticular preschool girls and associated uveitis were rarely encountered.
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| 18. |
- Beaton, Dorcas E, et al.
(author)
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OMERACT Filter Evidence Supporting the Measurement of At-work Productivity Loss as an Outcome Measure in Rheumatology Research.
- 2016
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - : The Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 43:1, s. 214-222
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Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Indicators of work role functioning (being at work, and being productive while at work) are important outcomes for persons with arthritis. As the worker productivity working group at OMERACT (Outcome Measures in Rheumatology), we sought to provide an evidence base for consensus on standardized instruments to measure worker productivity [both absenteeism and at-work productivity (presenteeism) as well as critical contextual factors].
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| 19. |
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| 20. |
- Bergman, Stefan, 1959-, et al.
(author)
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Chronic widespread pain: A three year followup of pain distribution and risk factors
- 2002
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In: Journal of Rheumatology. - Toronto : Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Co. Ltd.. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 29:4, s. 818-825
-
Journal article (peer-reviewed)abstract
- Objective. To describe the change of pain reports over time in 3 cohorts derived from the general population: (1) no chronic pain (NCP, n = 1156); (2) chronic regional pain (CRP n = 502) and (3) chronic widespread pain (CWP; n = 242). To identify risk factors that predict the development or persistence of chronic widespread pain. Methods. A 3-year followup from 1995 to 1998 with postal questionnaire to 2425 subjects of both sexes aged 20-74 years on the west coast of Sweden. Results. At followup, a larger proportion of subjects with initial CRP compared to initial NCP reported CWP (16.4 and 2.2%, respectively; p < 0.001). The majority of subjects (56.9%) who primarily reported CWP remained in that group at followup, but 26.8% had changed status to CRP and 16.3% to NCP. The number of painful regions (7-12 vs 0 regions) reported at baseline was the strongest predictor for the development of CWP with an odds ratio (OR) of 12,13 (95% CI 4.47-32.88). The development of CWP was also predicted by higher age (OR = 3.13, 95% CI 1.47-6.69, age-group 59-74 years vs age-group 20-34 years), and a family history of chronic pain (OR = 1.87, 95% CI 1.14-3.07). A habit of drinking alcohol weekly (OR = 0.42, 95% Cl 0.21-0.85) compared to the habit of never or seldom drinking alcohol was protective, as well as having personal social support (OR = 0.49, 95% CI 0.28-0.85). The persistence of CWP was predicted by the number of painful regions (13-18 vs 1-6 regions) at baseline (OR = 7.56, 95% CI 2.17-26.30), and being an immigrant (OR 3.22, 95% CI 1.33-7.77). Conclusion. Although the overall prevalence of CWP was stable over a 3-year period there was a considerable variation on an individual basis. This variability in expressing CWP was moderately predicted by a combination of risk factors. the most important being the number of painful regions at baseline. Future research will need to show how useful the identified factors are in clinical practice and whether intervention aimed at changing these factors will improve pain outcome.
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