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BACKGROUND@#Despite the recent advances in treatments for rheumatoid arthritis (RA), there are still unmet needs in disease outcomes. This study aimed to analyze the satisfaction with drug therapies for RA according to the levels of disease severity (patient-assessed) and proportions of treatment cost to household income.@*METHODS@#This was a subgroup study of a cross-sectional study in patients with RA and their physicians. The patients were subdivided into different subgroups based on their self-assessed severity of RA and on the proportions of treatment cost to household income (50%). The Treatment Satisfaction Questionnaire for Medication version II was used to assess patients' treatment satisfaction.@*RESULTS@#When considering all medications, effectiveness, convenience, and global satisfaction scores were lower in the severe and moderate RA subgroups than those in the mild and extremely mild RA subgroups (all P 50% subgroup (all P 50% subgroups (F = 12.646, P = 0.005). Global satisfaction score was higher in the <10% subgroup than that in the 31% to 50% subgroup (F = 8.794, P = 0.032).@*CONCLUSION@#Higher disease severity and higher financial burden were associated with lower patient satisfaction.
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OBJECTIVE: To analyze the clinical significance of plasma D-dimer levels in dermatomyositis(DM). METHODS: The correlations between D-dimer level and important clinical indicators of DM patients were analyzed by assessing the plasma D-dimer level in 46 patients with DM(among which 17 cases were amyopathic dermatomyositis)and 22 cases of PM. The clinical significance of D-dimer level in DM patients with interstitial lung disease(ILD)was also analyzed. RESULTS: The D-dimer level(1.18±1.17μg/L)in DM group was significantly higher than that(0.61±0.43μg/L)in PM group(P=0.03).In DM group, D-dimer level was positively correlated with lactate dehydrogenase(R=0.402,P=0.01),erythrocyte sedimentation rate(R=0.337,P=0.03)and C-reactive protein level(R=0.404,P=0.01).Our results also showed that the D-D level in DM group was negatively correlated with peripheral blood lymphocyte count(R=-0.392,P=0.01), peripheral blood CD3+T(R=-0.360,P=0.03)and CD3+CD8+Tlymphocyte count(R=-0.342,P=0.04).There was no significant difference in D-dimer levels between patients with ILD and those without ILD. Conclution Increased plasma of D-D may be an important indicator of disease activity in DM.
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OBJECTIVE: To detect the levels of B cell activating factor(BAFF) in cerebrospinal fluid(CSF) in patients with lupus encephalopathy(LE). METHODS: CSF from 15 patients with LE and 11 controls with headache were collected. The controls with headache were excluded diseases at last and used to be controls. The levels of BAFF were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay(ELISA). Clinical features and laboratory data were collected from the patients with LE. RESULTS: The levels of BAFF in the CSF of patients with LE were significantly higher than that of controls [(1421.3±670.31) pg/mL vs.(21.9±21.44) pg/mL, P<0.01]. The levels were also increased significantly when compared with paired sera[(1011.4±356.43) ng/L, P<0.05]. CONCLUSION: was not found between the levels of BAFF and serum BAFF as well as the other clinical items. CONCLUSION: Brain immunity may contribute the increased BAFF in CSF in patients with LE.
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Objective To explore the possible mechanisms of Arsenic Trioxide in treating rheumatoid arthritis(RA)by observing the changes of HE staining and NF-KB expression as well as the apoptosis of syn- oviocytes in adjuvant-induced arthritis rats.Methods After the animal model was set up on Wistar rats sue- cessfully,they were randomly divided into AA model group and arsenic trioxide treatment group.The treat- ment group were injected with 4 mg'kg~(-1)9?d~(-1)arsenic trioxid fluid for 7 days.All of the rats were killed 3 days after the complete of injections.The joint specimens were exposed,fixed,decalcified,wrapped and cut into slices.All slices were examined by HE stain and immunohistological evaluation.Results HE staining showed that when compared with the normal control group,the layers of synoviocytes of the AA group were increased to 6-8,and the arrangement of synoviocytes was disordered and heavy inflammatory cell infiltration were found in the AA group.In the arsenic trioxide treatment group,the layers of synoviocytes increased to 3～4,and medi- um amount of inflammatory cell infiltration were found.The intensity of synovial NF-kB(p65)positive stain in AA model group was significantly higher than that in the normal control group.The synovial expression and ac- tivation of NF-kB in the treatment group were decreased markedly,and did not return to normal level.The average gray scale calculation showed that there were significant differences between the three groups(P