BACKGROUND The aims were to explore bone mineral density (BMD) by digital X-ray radiogrammetry (DXR) in postmenopausal women with long-lasting rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in relation to dual x-ray absorptiometry (DXA)-BMD, joint destruction by conventional radiographs and disease related variables in a cross-sectional study. METHODS Seventy-five postmenopausal women with RA were examined by DXA...

OBJECTIVE To design and validate a clinical method for scoring irreversible long term articular damage in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS The rheumatoid arthritis articular damage score (RAAD score) is based on examination of 35 large and small joints. Concise definitions were formulated to score each joint on a three point scale (0, no irreversible damage; 1, partially damaged; 2, severe ...

Objective: To evaluate HLA-DM alleles as markers for disease severity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Methods: Two distinct cohorts of patients with RA were oligotyped for HLA-DB1 and HLA-DM genes using PCR amplified genomic DNA with sequence specific oligonucleotide probes. Cohort 1 comprised 199 unselected patients with RA (mean (SD) age 45.5 (13.5) years; disease duration 11.9(8.8) years), who...

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE Synovectomy is an effective procedure for management of the rheumatoid elbow at radiographically early stages (Larsen grades 1 and 2). However, its efficacy for advanced stages (Larsen grades 3-5) is controversial. We investigated the outcome of synovectomy for advanced stages of the rheumatoid elbow. METHODS Between May 1985 and September 1994, synovectomy was performe...

OBJECTIVE Information from successive inception cohorts is needed to monitor the long-term prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the effect of treatment on it. We studied work disability and its association with the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) index and the Larsen score of radiographic damage. METHODS Work disability was recorded at onset and at 1, 3, 8, 15 and 20 yr from entry...

OBJECTIVES Antikeratin antibodies (AKA) and antiperinuclear factor (APF) are specific antibodies found very early in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The objective of this eight year follow up study was to assess the value of early AKA and APF assays in predicting functional disability and cartilage damage. METHOD In 2000, 64 patients tested for AKA and APF (antifilaggrin antibodies) between 1990 a...

BACKGROUND Larsen syndrome is a rare genetic disorder caused by congenital weakness of the connective tissues. It can present with a variety of musculoskeletal and cardiovascular abnormalities. The current report describes two siblings with Larsen Syndrome who presented with severe bilateral hip arthritis and underwent one stage bilateral total hip arthroplasty (THA). The aim was to report on t...

OBJECTIVE YKL-40 is a secretory glycoprotein of chondrocytes, synovial cells, macrophages, and neutrophils. The aims were to determine serum YKL-40 in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and seek associations with early joint erosions. METHODS YKL-40 was measured by ELISA in serum samples collected every three month for 36 months from patients with early RA. The patients were treate...

A study was designed to evaluate observer variation in the assessment of radiographic deterioration of individual patients using the Larsen grading system. Radiographs of hands and feet of 52 patients were assessed by three observers. Each patient had paired films taken one year apart which were assessed together for change in score. To assess within-observer variation each set of films was rea...

Objective (s):Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic systemic inflammatory disorder, primarily targeting the synovium and articular cartilage that leads to joint damage. Recent reports have suggested the role of adipocytokines in mediating joint damage; however it still is a matter of debate. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between serum values of adiopocytokines (lept...