New onset heart failure (HF) has been associated with the use of TNF-alpha antagonists etanercept and infliximab based upon spontaneous adverse event reports. HF clinical trials of these agents were stopped early due to futility or worsening of existing HF. A potential association between etanercept and infliximab and new onset HF has been studied minimally at a population level.

Clinical care and therapeutic trials in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) require accurate and consistent assessment of cutaneous involvement. The Cutaneous Assessment Tool (CAT) was designed to measure skin activity and damage in IIM. We describe the development and inter-rater reliability of the CAT, and the frequency of lesions endorsed in a large population of juvenile IIM patients.

To investigate potential associations between the -463 G/A myeloperoxidase (MPO) promoter polymorphism and susceptibility to, and clinical expression of, Behçet's disease (BD).

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) associates with excessive cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Hypertension (HT) contributes significantly to the development of cardiovascular disease (CVD). Little is known about the factors that influence blood pressure (BP) in patients with RA. In this study, we assessed the prevalence of HT in a secondary care cohort of RA patients, and aimed to identify factors associated with its presence and inadequate control.

To estimate the cost-effectiveness of an adjuvant treatment course of spa treatment compared with usual care only in patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FM).

To evaluate the cost effectiveness of TNF-alpha antagonist therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the United Kingdom using data from the British Society for Rheumatology Biologics Registry (BSRBR).

A region on the short arm of the X-chromosome, Xp11, has previously been linked to childhood-onset polyarthritis. Mapping to the linked region is FOXP3, a transcription factor that regulates regulatory T cell (T(reg)) development and function. The objective of this study was to determine whether single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the FOXP3 gene region contribute to JIA susceptibility.

To identify characteristics of randomized controlled trial participants which predict greater benefits from physical treatments for low back pain. If successful, this would allow more appropriate selection of patients for different treatments.

This study assessed time use patterns among 375 women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We hypothesized that (i) as functional limitations increased, time use imbalances would occur (i.e. time needed for obligatory activities would conflict with time needed for productive and free-time activities) and (ii) time use imbalances would be associated with psychological distress.

To assess the use of n-of-1 trials for short-term choice of drugs for osteoarthritis, with particular reference to comparing the efficacy of sustained-release [SR] paracetamol with celecoxib in individual patients.

The objective of this study was to determine whether physicians' treatment preferences are influenced by patients' age.

Psychological factors may be important in the assessment and management of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Our primary objective was to describe associations between disease and psychological status in AS, using AS-specific assessment tools and questionnaires. Our secondary objectives were to identify patient subgroups based on such associations and to determine the stability of the measures over time.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune-disease of unknown origin that primarily affects the joints and ultimately leads to their destruction. The involvement of immune cells is a general hallmark of autoimmune-related disorders. In this regard, macrophages, T cells and their respective cytokines play a pivotal role in RA. However, the notion that RA is a primarily T-cell-dependent disease has been strongly challenged during recent years. Rather, it has been understood that resident, fibroblast-like cells contribute significantly to the perpetuation of disease, and that they may even play a role in its initiation. These rheumatoid arthritis synovial fibroblasts (RASFs) constitute a quite unique cell type that distinguishes RA from other inflammatory conditions of the joints. A number of studies have demonstrated that RASFs show alterations in morphology and behaviour, including molecular changes in signalling cascades, apoptosis responses and in the expression of adhesion molecules as well as matrix-degrading enzymes. These changes appear to reflect a stable activation of RASFs, which occurs independently of continuous exogenous stimulation. As a consequence, RASFs are no longer considered passive bystanders but active players in the complex intercellular network of RA.

We studied antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL) in blood samples from a cohort of individuals followed for thrombosis to determine whether the persistent presence of anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) is associated with a greater likelihood of having lupus anticoagulant and/or anti-beta2-glycoprotein I antibodies (LA/abeta2GPI).

To evaluate the clinical efficacy and the effects on the quality of life of iloprost, a prostacyclin analogue, used according to a new protocol in patients with Raynaud's phenomenon secondary to systemic sclerosis.