| 1. |
- Alenius, Gerd-Marie, et al.
(författare)
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Analysis of 6 genetic loci for disease susceptibility in psoriatic arthritis.
- 2004
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Ingår i: The Journal of rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 31:11, s. 2230-5
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To analyze the association of several autoimmune disease susceptibility loci in a population of patients with psoriasis and defined joint disease from northern Sweden. METHOD: One hundred twenty patients with psoriasis and defined joint disease were examined clinically, radiologically, and with laboratory-based analyses. Disease classification was based on peripheral and/or axial engagement. The tumor necrosis factor (TNF) locus, 1q21 (PSORS4), 3q21 (PSORS5), 8q24, 16q21, and the CTLA4 gene were analyzed using a total of 38 microsatellite markers and 2 single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNP). Ninety-four controls with the same ethnic background as the patients were randomly selected from the same region of Sweden. RESULTS: An association was found with one of the markers in the TNFB locus within the HLA region (p = 0.012, pc = 0.024). Three markers at the PSORS4 locus on chromosome 1q21 and 2 markers at the 8q24 locus showed nominal p values of < 0.05. After applying the Bonferroni correction for multiple analyses these markers did not reach significance. No other marker showed significant association. In a subgroup of the patients, possible linkage disequilibrium between the TNFB123 and HLA-B antigens, B17, B27, B37, B44, and B62 was analyzed. A significant linkage (p = 0.0001) was found. CONCLUSION: We identified an association between psoriatic arthritis and one of the microsatellite markers within the TNFB locus at the HLA region on chromosome 6. Linkage disequilibrium between TNFB123 and certain HLA-B antigens was found.
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| 2. |
- Arguedas, O., et al.
(författare)
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A prospective population based study on outcome of juvenile chronic arthritis in Costa Rica
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 29:1, s. 174-83
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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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| 3. |
- Bergman, Stefan, 1959-, et al.
(författare)
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Chronic widespread pain: A three year followup of pain distribution and risk factors
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - Toronto : Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Co. Ltd.. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 29:4, s. 818-825
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)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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| 4. |
- Bergman, Stefan, 1959-, et al.
(författare)
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Chronic musculoskeletal pain, prevalence rates, and sociodemographic associations in a Swedish population study
- 2001
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - Toronto : Journal of Rheumatology Publishing Co. Ltd.. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 28:6, s. 1369-1377
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of chronic regional and widespread musculoskeletal pain in a sample of the general adult population and study the association to age, sex, socioeconomic class, immigration, and housing area.METHODS: A cross sectional survey with a postal questionnaire to 3928 inhabitants on the west coast of Sweden.RESULTS: The age and sex adjusted prevalence of chronic regional pain (CRP) was 23.9% and chronic widespread pain (CWP) 11.4% among 2425 subjects who responded to the complete questionnaire. Odds ratio (OR) for CWP showed a systematic increasing gradient with age and was highest in the age group 59-74 yrs (OR 6.36, 95% CI 3.85-10.50) vs age group 20-34 yrs. CWP was also associated with female sex (OR 1.91, 95% CI 1.41-2.61), being an immigrant (OR 1.83, 95% CI 1.22-2.77), living in a socially compromised housing area (OR 3.05, 95% CI 1.48-6.27), and being an assistant nonmanual lower level employee (OR 1.92, 95% CI 1.09-3.38) or manual worker (OR 2.72, 95% CI 1.65-4.49) vs being an intermediate/higher nonmanual employee. OR for CRP showed a systematic increasing gradient with age and was highest in the age group 59-74 yrs (OR 2.22, 95% CI 1.62-3.05) vs age group 20-34 yrs. CRP was also associated with being a manual worker (OR 1.63, 95% CI 1.19-2.23) vs being an intermediate/higher nonmanual employee.CONCLUSION: Chronic musculoskeletal pain is common in the general population. Sociodemographic variables were overall more frequently and strongly associated with CWP than with CRP, which indicates different pathophysiology in the development or preservation of pain in the 2 groups.
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| 5. |
- Berntson, L., et al.
(författare)
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Construct validity of ILAR and EULAR criteria in juvenile idiopathic arthritis : a population based incidence study from the Nordic countries. International League of Associations for Rheumatology. European League Against Rheumatism
- 2001
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 28:12, s. 2737-43
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: New classification criteria (ILAR) have been proposed for juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA). They are more descriptive than those formerly used [American College of Rheumatology (ACR), European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)], but require validation against classifications already in use. We validated the ILAR criteria in relation to the EULAR criteria in a prospective, incidence, and population based setting, and analyzed their feasibility. METHODS: Construct validity of ILAR and EULAR classification criteria refers to how closely the 2 instruments are related and how each of them operates in classifying subgroups/categories. Twenty doctors in 5 Nordic countries collected data from the incidence cases within their catchment areas during an 18 month period beginning July 1, 1997. Clinical and serological data from the first year of disease were collected. RESULTS: A total of 322 patients were included. Classification according to the ILAR criteria was possible in 321 patients; 290 patients had a disease duration > or = 3 months and were classified according to the EULAR criteria. One child could only be classified according to the EULAR criteria. Thus, 31/322 (9.6%) children were classified according to the ILAR criteria only. Forty-eight of 321 (15%) patients did not fit into any category and 6% (20/321) fulfilled criteria for2 categories. In the ILAR classification 5 out of 7 categories/subgroups have 2 to 5 specified exclusion criteria that highly discriminate the definition of each patient. In our study the exclusion criteria were fulfilled to only a small extent. CONCLUSION: The EULAR and ILAR criteria differ concerning the operational definitions of the subvariables involved, which complicates their comparison. By using ILAR rather than EULAR criteria the number of cases with juvenile arthritis increased by 10%, considering the first half-year after onset. The validity of the ILAR criteria is low since they often exclude patients from subgroup classification and the possibility of having more than one diagnosis is not negligible. The specified exclusion criteria for some of the subgroups are difficult to fulfill in clinical work and variables involved could be questioned with regard to their consistency.
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| 6. |
- Berntson, L., et al.
(författare)
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Incidence of juvenile idiopathic arthritis in the Nordic countries : A population based study with special reference to the validity of the ILAR and EULAR criteria
- 2003
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 30:10, s. 2275-2282
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To find the incidence of juvenile arthritis according to the ILAR and EULAR criteria within defined areas in the Nordic countries, and to study the validity of the ILAR and EULAR criteria from this perspective. METHOD: A longitudinal, prospective, population based study with patients enrolled according to the ILAR and EULAR criteria. Twenty doctors in Iceland, Norway, Sweden, Denmark, and Finland collected data from the incidence cases within their catchment areas over a period of 1.5 years, beginning July 1, 1997. Clinical and serological data from the first year of the disease were collected. RESULTS: In the whole group of 315 patients, the incidence rate was 15 per 100,000 children/year (95% CI 13-17) according to the ILAR criteria, varying from 7 (1-13) in Iceland, 19 (7-31) and 23 (10-36) from 2 different regions in Norway, and 9 (5-12) and 16 (9-23) from 2 different areas in Denmark, to 15 (12-18) in Sweden and 21/100,000/year (15-26) in the Helsinki region in Finland. An early peak in distribution for age of onset was found in girls but not in boys. The number of antinuclear antibody (ANA) positive children in the whole group, made up of children who had undergone at least one analyzed ANA test, was 123/315 (39%). Girls were ANA positive in 83/197 (42%) and boys in 40/118 (34%). Uveitis developed in 27/315 (8.6%) children during the first 6 months of the disease. CONCLUSION: Incidence rates of juvenile arthritis for areas within the Nordic countries were in accord with previous data. The ILAR criteria present slightly higher incidence rates, with a shorter disease duration for inclusion, compared to the EULAR criteria. Patients in one subgroup in either of the criteria sets do not necessarily belong to the expected subgroup in the other set of criteria; e.g., for juvenile ankylosing spondylitis (EULAR) and enthesitis related arthritis (ILAR). Our epidemiological findings are a reminder to be aware of possible new subgroups in children with juvenile arthritis.
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| 7. |
- Berntson, L., et al.
(författare)
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The influence of heredity for psoriasis on the ILAR classification of juvenile idiopathic arthritis
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 29:11, s. 2454-2458
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE: To evaluate how heredity for psoriasis influences classification according to the International League of Associations for Rheumatology (ILAR). Heredity for psoriasis is currently both an exclusion and an inclusion criterion for different types of childhood arthritis according to ILAR classification criteria. METHODS: Twenty physicians in 5 Nordic countries prospectively collected data from the incident cases in their catchment areas over an 18 month period beginning July 1, 1997. Clinical and serological data from the first year of disease were collected. RESULTS: Of the 321 patients included who could be classified according to ILAR criteria for childhood arthritis, 50 (15.6%) patients were excluded from 55 classification events and fulfilled criteria for "other arthritis 1" i.e., did not fulfill criteria for any of the other classification categories, primarily because of heredity for psoriasis. If psoriasis in second degree relatives was disregarded as an exclusion criterion, only 8.7% of the patients remained in the "other arthritis 1" subgroup. For 20.6% of the whole group, heredity for psoriasis in a first or second degree relative (or both) and its distribution among arthritis subgroups did not differ except for juvenile psoriatic arthritis. CONCLUSION: We suggest that second degree heredity for psoriasis be withdrawn as an exclusion criterion from the ILAR criteria.
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| 8. |
- Björnådal, Lena, et al.
(författare)
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Decreasing mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthrithis: results from large population based cohort in Sweden 1964-95
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 29:5, s. 906-912
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- OBJECTIVE:To assess changes in mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) from 1964 to 1995.METHODS:A population based cohort of 46,917 patients with RA was identified from 1964 to 1994, using the Swedish Hospital Discharge Register, and followed until 1995 through linkage to the Cause of Death Register. Mortality was separately analyzed in each inclusion period (1964-75, 1975-84, 1985-94). The relative risk of death was estimated as standardized mortality ratio (SMR) using the Swedish population as a referenceRESULTS:All-cause mortality was increased twice the expected (SMR = 2.03, 95% CI 2.00, 2.05). Coronary artery disease was the major cause of death and mortality was increased by 80% (SMR = 1.79, 95% CI 1.75, 1.83). Females with RA aged 20-39 at first discharge had a more than 5-fold increased risk of coronary death (SMR = 5.48, 95% CI 3.45-5.71). From 1975 patients with RA had decreasing all-cause mortality. This decline was most pronounced in patients aged 40-59 at first discharge, where SMR was 2.68 (95% CI 2.45, 2.92) from 1964 to 1974 compared to SMR 1.63 (95% CI 1.37, 1.92) from 1985 to 1994.CONCLUSION:The elevated mortality rates in RA patients compared to the general population have decreased during the last 20 years, possibly due to an increased access to specialized rheumatology care. An excess risk for death in coronary artery disease was, however, present in RA patients, especially patients with early onset of disease.
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| 9. |
- Cvetkovic, Jasmina Trifunovic, et al.
(författare)
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Susceptibility for and clinical manifestations of rheumatoid arthritis are associated with polymorphisms of the TNF-alpha, IL-1 beta, and IL-lRa genes
- 2002
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 29:2, s. 212-219
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. To analyze the association of genetic polymorphisms of pro-inflammatory cytokines with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in comparison with healthy controls from Northern Sweden and the potential contribution of these genetic variants for disease severity and development of cardiovascular complications. Methods. Polymerase chain reaction amplification was used for analysis of TaqI restriction fragment length polymorphism (RFLP) of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1beta), variable tandem repeat polymorphism of IL-1 receptor antagonist (IL-1Ra) gene and NcoI RFLP at position -308 of tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-alpha) gene, One hundred and fifty-four patients with RA, 42 men and 112 women, were consecutively recruited into the study through the Department of Rheumatology. Results. The allele A1 of TNF-alpha was more common in the patient group (p < 0.01 OR = 1.62). Patients having the genotype A1A2 seemed to develop more severe disease compared with patients with A1A1 genotype: they were younger at disease onset (p < 0.05), had a higher accumulated disease activity (p < 0.05) and worse functional class (p < 0.05), Patients with genotype A2A2 of IL-1beta had higher accumulated disease activity score than patients with A1A1 and A1A2 (p < 0.05). The allelic combination A1 IL-1beta/A2 IL-1Ra was less prevalent in RA patients who developed cardiovascular complications (p < 0.005 OR = 0.20). Conclusions. The A1 allele of TNF-alpha associates with RA. Genotypes A1A2 of TNF-alpha and A2A2 of IL-1beta are associated with more severe disease. The allelic combination A1 IL-1beta/A2 IL-1Ra is less often present in RA patients who developed cardiovascular complications.
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| 10. |
- Elert, Jessica, 1954-, et al.
(författare)
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Chronic pain and difficulty in relaxing postural muscles in patients with fibromyalgia and chronic whiplash associated disorders
- 2001
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Ingår i: Journal of Rheumatology. - 0315-162X .- 1499-2752. ; 28:6, s. 1361-1368
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Tidskriftsartikel (refereegranskat)abstract
- Objective. To investigate if muscle tension according to the surface electromyogram (EMG) of the shoulder flexors is increased in consecutive patients with fibromyalgia (FM) or chronic whiplash associated disorders (WAD). Methods. A total of 59 consecutive patients with FM (n = 36) or chronic WAD (n = 23) performed 100 maximal isokinetic contractions combined with surface electromyography of the trapezius and infraspinatus. A randomized group of pain-free female (n = 27) subjects served as control group. Peak torque initially (Pti) and absolute and relative peak torque at endurance level (PTe, PTer) were registered as output variables, together with the EMG level of unnecessary muscle tension, i.e., the signal amplitude ratio (SAR). Results. The patient groups had a higher level of unnecessary tension initially and at the endurance level. The patients had lower absolute output (PTi and PTe), but the relative levels (PTer) did not differ comparing all 3 groups. Subjects with FM had significantly higher body mass index (BMI) than the other groups. BMI did not influence the SAR but correlated positively with PTi. Conclusion. The results confirmed earlier findings that groups of patients with chronic pain have increased muscle tension and decreased output during dynamic activity compared to pain-free controls. However, the results indicated there is heterogeneity within groups of patients with the same chronic pain disorder and that not all patients with chronic pain have increased muscle tension.
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