Erratum: Effects of Individual Education Using a Treating-to-target Strategy in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

The original version of this article contained an error of the ORCID identifier of corresponding author (Ji Hyeon Ju).

Effects of Individual Education Using a Treating-to-target Strategy in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To examine effects of an individual education program using the treating rheumatoid arthritis to target (RA T2T) strategy in patients with moderate-severe rheumatoid arthritis. METHODS: Patients were assigned randomly to an educational intervention (n=33) or conventional care group (n=33). The intervention was a nurse-delivered 9-month educational program consisting of 3 monthly sessions and monthly telephone counseling. The assessments occurred at the baseline and every 3 months in both groups, but only the intervention group completed the 9-month education follow-up. The outcome variables included the disease activity (DAS28), functional disability (KHAQ), fatigue (FACIT-Fatigue), and quality of life (SF-36). Repeated measures ANOVA and a Bonferroni multiple comparison were used to evaluate the outcome variables comparing the groups and follow-up times. RESULTS: Significant interactions were observed between the groups and follow-up times in the disease activity (p=0.041), fatigue (p=0.042), and physical (p=0.006) and mental (p=0.031) health-related quality of life, but there was no significant interaction in the functional disability (p=0.110). Significant differences were noted between the groups at the 9-month period (p=0.048) in disease activity and fatigue, and at the 6-month (p=0.023) and 9-month periods (p=0.027) in the physical health-related quality of life. CONCLUSION: This education program using the RA T2T strategy had significant benefits on the disease activity, fatigue, and quality of life in patients with moderate to severe rheumatoid arthritis, and the results suggested that this contributed to positive clinical outcomes as a good practical nursing intervention.

Comparison of Clinical Efficacy between Nonsteroidal Anti-inflammatory Drugs and Acetaminophen in Knee Osteoarthritis according to Ultrasonographic Findings / 대한류마티스학회지

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical efficacy between nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) and acetaminophen in knee osteoarthritis according to ultrasonographic findings. METHODS: We administered 12 mg of NSAIDs (lornoxicam) plus misoprostol 300microgram or 1,950 mg of acetaminophen in 40 randomly selected patients who fulfilled the ACR criteria for knee osteoarthritis. The effectiveness of these drugs on osteoarthritis was assessed by the Western Ontario and McMaster Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) score. In addition, we performed ultrasonography of the knee joints and assessed length of capsular distension, length of medial and lateral osteophyte, amount of joint effusion, and the presence of synovial proliferation. RESULTS: There were significant correlations between WOMAC score and length of capsular distension and length of medial/lateral osteophyte. At 6 weeks, both lornoxicam and acetaminophen-treated patients had significant lower levels of WOMAC score compared to the entry into the trial (p or =0.7 cm) or severe medial osteophyte (length of osteophytes > or =0.4 cm) showed better responses to lornoxicam than to acetaminophen in terms of the reduction of WOMAC score (p=0.008 for severe capsular distension, p=0.03 for severe medial osteophyte). However, in the subgroup with mild forms of capsular distension (<0.7 cm) or medial osteophytes (<0.4 cm), no difference was found in the reduction of WOMAC score 6 weeks after treatment with lornoxicam versus acetaminophen. CONCLUSIONS: Patients with osteoarthritis of the knee had significantly greater improvements in pain score over 6 weeks with lornoxicam than with acetaminophen, particularly in patients with severe forms of capsular distension and medial osteophyte on joint ultrasonography. Ultrasonography could be an useful tool to determine the usage of NSAIDs versus acetaminophen in knee osteoarthritis patients.