Effect of 12 months treatment with chondroitin sulfate on cartilage volume in knee osteoarthritis patients: a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study using MRI.

This pilot study aimed to evaluate the correlation between clinical symptoms and cartilage volume through MRI in patients with knee osteoarthritis after 48 weeks of treatment with Structum®. Multicenter, double-blind, placebo-controlled, parallel-group study. Symptomatic knee osteoarthritis patients aged 50-75 years received either Structum® (500 mg twice daily; N = 22) or placebo (N = 21) during 48 weeks. Inclusion criteria were global pain in the target knee ≥30 mm (VAS 0-100) and radiological Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2 or 3. Clinical assessments included Lequesne index and VAS for pain on motion, at baseline, 24 and 48 weeks, and MRI at baseline and at 24 and 48 weeks. Global and compartments cartilage volume, joint cartilage abnormalities, meniscal lesions, ligaments abnormalities, synovitis, synovial effusion, osteophytes, subchondral cysts, popliteal cysts and subchondral oedema were quantified. The quantitative and qualitative reproducibility of MRI was tested by the Spearman correlation coefficient and kappa coefficients, respectively. Treatments were compared by an analysis of covariance with baseline value as covariate. Groups were comparable at baseline for demographics, disease characteristics, and cartilage volumes. A significant inter-readers correlation was seen for the assessment of cartilage volumes, number of cysts, and osteophytes (correlation coefficients from 0.951 to 0.980 within investigator and from 0.714 to 0.957). After 48 weeks, symptoms improved in both groups. The total cartilage volume increased in the Structum® group (+180 mm(3) + SD) which opposed to a loss in the placebo (-46 mm(3) + SD; NS). No statistically significant differences between groups were observed for the other MRI parameters. No correlations were evidenced between key MRI parameters changes and symptoms. The difference in the evolution of cartilage volume between the two groups could reflect a structure modifying effect of Structum®. This pilot study confirms the usefulness of quantitative and qualitative MRI as a sensitive tool to assess a structure modifying drugs in knee osteoarthritis.

[Cross-sectional imaging of peripheral involvement in psoriatic arthritis]. / Nouvelle imagerie des atteintes périphériques du rhumatisme psoriasique.

The purpose of this article is to: 1) describe the main plain film, ultrasound and MR imaging features of peripheral involvement in psoriatic arthritis, 2) describe the advantages of ultrasound and MRI at the early stages of the disease; 3) describe how to use MRI and ultrasound in order to assess response to tumor necrosis factor-alpha blocker therapy.

Increased exposure to statins in patients developing chronic muscle diseases: a 2-year retrospective study.

OBJECTIVE: Case reports have suggested that lipid-lowering drugs (LLDs), especially statins, could induce or reveal chronic muscle diseases. We conducted a study to evaluate the association between chronic muscle diseases and prior exposure to LLDs. METHOD: This was a retrospective study of chronic primary muscle disease cases newly diagnosed at the Toulouse University Hospitals between January 2003 and December 2004 among patients living in the Midi-Pyrénées area, France. All patients remained symptomatic for more than 1 year after drug withdrawal, or required drugs for inflammatory myopathy. Data on the patient's exposure to LLDs and to other drugs were compared with that of matched controls (5/1) selected through the Midi-Pyrénées Health Insurance System database. RESULTS: A total of 37 patients were included in the study. Of those, 21 (56.8%) suffered from dermatomyositis (DM) or polymyositis (PM), 12 (32.4%) from genetic myopathy, and 4 (10.8%) from an unclassified disease. The prevalence of exposure to statins was 40.5% in patients and 20% in controls (odds ratio (OR) 2.73, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.21-6.14; p<0.01). There was a significant positive interaction between statins and proton pump inhibitors exposure (weighted OR 3.3, 95% CI 1.37-7.54; p = 0.02). Statin exposure rate was 47.6% among patients with DM/PM (OR 3.86, 95% CI 1.30-11.57; p<0.01). There was no difference between patients and controls for exposure to fibrates. CONCLUSION: Patients who developed chronic muscle diseases after the age of 50, including DM/PM, had a higher than expected frequency of prior exposure to statins. Further studies are needed to confirm this association and the role of proton pump inhibitors.

Blood concentrations of hydroxychloroquine and its desethyl derivative correlate negatively with the percentage of CD45RO+ cells among CD4+ lymphocytes in hydroxychloroquine-treated lupus patients.

The objective of the study was to investigate the influence of the blood concentrations of hydroxychloroquine ([HCQ]) and its derivative desethylhydroxychloroquine ([DHCQ]) on lymphocyte activation or differentiation in HCQ-treated lupus patients. We studied the correlations between [HCQ], [DHCQ], and the frequency of various lymphocyte subsets in 58 HCQ-treated lupus patients (mean HCQ dose: 4.93 +/- 1.58 mg/kg/day; mean duration of the disease: 122 +/- 64 months). [HCQ] and [DHCQ] were determined by high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). Lymphocyte markers were studied by flow cytometry using monoclonal anti-CD3, -CD4, -CD8, -CD25, -DR, -CD45RA, -CD45RO, -CD19, -CD38, and -CD86 antibodies. sIL2-R serum concentrations were measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). [HCQ] and [DHCQ] were 599.9 ng/mL (median: 529.5; range: 55-1935) and 353.43 (median: 286 ng/mL; range: 118-1090). In a multiple regression analysis, [HCQ] and [DHCQ] were associated with the HCQ prescribed dose in mg/kg/day (P = 0.0002 and P = 0.03) and with compliance to the treatment (P = 0.004 and P = 0.03). We found a negative correlation between [HCQ], [DHCQ], and the CD45RO+ cell frequency among CD3+CD4+ cells (P = 0.03 and P = 0.007, respectively). Other lymphocyte subset markers (LSMs) and sIL2-R concentrations were not significantly associated with [HCQ] or [DHCQ]. In the multiple regression analysis, CD45RO+ expression was negatively influenced by [HCQ] (P = 0.005), and positively influenced by smoking habits (P = 0.005) and age (P = 0.005). Similar results were found in the multivariate model including [DHCQ]. Disease activity and taking more than 10 mg/day of corticosteroids or an immunosuppressive drug did not influence CD45RO+ expression. Lupus patients had less CD3+CD4+CD45RO+ cells than controls (P = 0.03). In lupus patients, HCQ and DHCQ may alter the generation or the blood circulation of CD4+CD45RO+ lymphocytes in a concentration-dependent pattern.

[Ultrasound features of entesopathy in patients with psoriatic dactylitis]. / Signes échographiques d'enthésopathies au cours des dactylites psoriasiques.

PURPOSE: To describe the sonographic features of entesopathy in patients with psoriatic dactylitis. Materials and methods. Clinical, radiographic and sonographic evaluation of 120 hand joints with clinical abnormality including 20 fingers in 17 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 20 fingers in 17 patients with psoriatic arthritis (PA). RESULTS: Forty cases of dactylitis. In patients with RA: 29 cases of synovitis, 15 cases of tenosynovitis, and 2 cases of tendinitis; in patients with PA: 21 cases of synovitis and 3 cases of tenosynovitis. Bone erosions were present in RA patients whereas erosions with bone production were present in PA patients. A total of 60% of RA and PA patients showed erosions on conventional radiographs. Features suggesting entesopathy were present in PA patients only: specific changes of P3, capsular hyperostosis and periarticular periostitis. CONCLUSION: Based on evaluation of PA patients, it seems that sonographic features suggesting entesopathy in patients with dactylitis may be present.

[Spontaneous pneumomediastinum in dermatomyositis: a pathophysiological approach using imaging]. / Pneumomédiastin spontané et dermatomyosite: approche physiopathologique par l'imagerie.

INTRODUCTION: Spontaneous pneumomediastinum is a rare complication of dermatomyositis. CASE REPORT: We report a case of pneumomediastinum with massive subcutaneous emphysema occurring in a female patient with dermatomyositis treated with cortico-steroids. CONCLUSIONS: Our case illustrates perfectly the mechanism of spread of air along the broncho-vascular structures and also explains the presence of pneumomediastinum in the absence of pneumothorax.

Performance of two ELISAs for antifilaggrin autoantibodies, using either affinity purified or deiminated recombinant human filaggrin, in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis.

OBJECTIVE: To develop a standardisable enzyme linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA), using human filaggrin, for detection of antifilaggrin autoantibodies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). To compare the diagnostic performance of the ELISA with those of reference tests: "antikeratin antibodies" ("AKA"), and antibodies to human epidermis filaggrin detected by immunoblotting (AhFA-IB). METHODS: Two ELISAs were developed using either affinity purified neutral-acidic human epidermis filaggrin (AhFA-ELISA-pur) or a recombinant human filaggrin deiminated in vitro (AhFA-ELISA-rec) as immunosorbent. Antifilaggrin autoantibodies were assayed in 714 serum samples from patients with well characterised rheumatic diseases, including 241 RA and 473 other rheumatic diseases, using the two ELISAs. "AKA" and AhFA-IB tests were carried out in the same series of patients. The diagnostic performance of the four tests was compared and their relationships analysed. RESULTS: The titres of "AKA", AhFA-IB, and the AhFA-ELISAs correlated strongly with each other. The diagnostic sensitivity of the AhFA-ELISA-rec, which was better than that of AhFA-ELISA-pur, was 0.52 for a specificity of 0.95. This performance was similar to those of "AKA" or AhFA-IB. However, combining AhFA-ELISA-rec with AhFA-IB led to a diagnostic sensitivity of 0.55 for a specificity of 0.99. CONCLUSION: A simple and easily standardisable ELISA for detection of antifilaggrin autoantibodies was developed and validated on a large series of patients using a citrullinated recombinant human filaggrin. The diagnostic performance of the test was similar to that of the "AKA" and AhFA-IB. Nevertheless, combining the AhFA-ELISA-rec with one of the other tests clearly enhanced the performance.

Does vascular endothelial growth factor in the rheumatoid synovium predict joint destruction? A clinical, radiological, and pathological study in 12 patients monitored for 10 years.

OBJECTIVE: Synovial angiogenesis is at the epicenter of rheumatoid pannus development and is largely dependent on vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF). We sought to determine whether the VEGF level in rheumatoid synovial tissue is a marker for disease severity. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Twelve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) underwent a clinical and radiological evaluation at the time of a synovial biopsy done during joint surgery required by RA progression (T1) and, on average, 10 years later (T2). Immunohistochemistry was used to detect and quantitate VEGF in the synovial biopsy taken at T1. RESULTS: VEGF labeling was seen on endothelial cells and macrophages in all 12 synovial biopsies. The amount of endothelial-cell VEGF labeling (assessed semi-quantitatively) was significantly correlated with Larsen score progression during the 10-year follow-up. The amounts of endothelial cell or macrophage VEGF labeling was not correlated with the joint count, radiological stage of the biopsied joint or progression of this stage, Larsen scores at T1 or T2, presence of rheumatoid factor, or presence of extra-articular manifestations. CONCLUSION: Our results suggest that the amount of VEGF in the rheumatoid synovium may be a marker for joint destruction in patients with RA.

[Capsular retraction of shoulder: prospective study of imaging benefits in 20 patients]. / Capsulites rétractiles de l'épaule: étude prospective de l'apport de l'imagerie chez 20 patients.

PURPOSE: To evaluate the contribution of principal imaging techniques in diagnosis and treatment in adhesive capsulitis of the shoulder. MATERIALS AND METHODS: In 20 patients presenting adhesive capsulitis of shoulder since mean of 6,7 months, the following examinations were performed: radiographies, angioscintigraphy, MRI as well as an opaque arthrography and a bursography associated with corticosteroid injection. Patients were followed during one year. RESULTS: The opaque arthrography was to affirm the adhesive capsulitis for the inclusion of the patients. Radiographies (patchy demineralization) and scintigraphy (hyperfixation) were often pathological. In MRI, T1 fat-saturated sequences after contrast injection almost always showed enhancement of the articular capsula, the synovia, the miscellaneous bone or the sub-acromial bursa. The latter was often modified and retracted at bursography. In 19 of 20 cases, a functional improvement was observed after the opacifications. CONCLUSION: Therapeutic effect of both arthrography and bursography is almost proved. Post contrast MRI confirms presence of vascular troubles in all the shoulder structures even at this advanced stage.

Efficacy and tolerance of Harpagophytum procumbens versus diacerhein in treatment of osteoarthritis.

In a double-blind, randomized, multicentre clinical study, the efficacy and tolerance of a herbal medicine product, Harpadol (6 capsules/day, each containing 435 mg of powdered cryoground powder Harpagophytum procumbens), was compared with diacerhein 100 mg/day in the treatment, for 4 months, of 122 patients suffering from osteoarthritis of the knee and hip. Assessments of pain and functional disability were made on a 10 cm horizontal visual analogue scale; severity of osteoarthritis was evaluated by Lequesne's index. Spontaneous pain showed a significant improvement during the course of the study and there was no difference in the efficacy of the two treatments. Similarly, there was a progressive and significant reduction in the Lequesne functional index and no statistical difference was found between Harpadol and diacerhein. At completion of the study, patients taking Harpadol were using significantly less NSAIDs and antalgic drugs. The frequency of adverse events was significantly lower in the Harpadol group. The most frequent event reported was diarrhea, occurring in 8.1% and 26.7% of Harpadol and diacerhein patients respectively. The global tolerance assessment by patients at the end of treatment favoured Harpadol. The results of this study demonstrate that Harpadol is comparable in efficacy and superior in safety to diacerhein.

Harpagophytum procumbens in the treatment of knee and hip osteoarthritis. Four-month results of a prospective, multicenter, double-blind trial versus diacerhein.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of Harpagophytum in the treatment of hip and knee osteoarthritis comparatively with the slow-acting drug for osteoarthritis, diacerhein. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A multicenter, randomized, double-blind, parallel-group study was conducted in 122 patients with hip and/or knee osteoarthritis. Treatment duration was four months and the primary evaluation criterion was the pain score on a visual analog scale. Harpagophytum 2,610 mg per day was compared with diacerhein 100 mg per day. RESULTS: After four months, considerable improvements in osteoarthritis symptoms were seen in both groups, with no significant differences for pain, functional disability, or the Lequesne score. However, use of analgesic (acetaminophen-caffeine) and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory (diclofenac) medications was significantly reduced in the Harpagophytum group, which also had a significantly lower rate of adverse events. CONCLUSION: In this study, Harpagophytum was at least as effective as a reference drug (diacerhein) in the treatment of knee or hip osteoarthritis and reduced the need for analgesic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory therapy.

Proposed classification criteria of psoriatic arthritis. A preliminary study in 260 patients.

UNLABELLED: Psoriatic arthritis probably owes to its radioclinical presentation its position as the most controversial and poorly understood of all major chronic inflammatory joint diseases. Differentiating psoriatic arthritis from ankylosing spondylitis and rheumatoid arthritis remains difficult. OBJECTIVE: To conduct a statistical analysis aimed at identifying clinical, radiological, and laboratory criteria for classifying psoriatic arthritis. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 260 patients were studied retrospectively, including 100 cases with psoriatic arthritis and 160 controls with ankylosing spondylitis meeting Amor's criteria (n = 80) or with rheumatoid arthritis meeting American College of Rheumatology criteria (n = 80). Mean disease duration was five years. Thirty-nine variables were recorded for each patient. Multiple logistic regression and discriminant analysis were used to select the classification criteria. RESULTS: Each of the two statistical methods selected the same nine criteria. After assigning a weighting coefficient to each of these criteria, sensitivity and specificity were better with the multiple logistic regression model (95% and 98%, respectively) than with the discriminant analysis model. CONCLUSION: Our classification criteria require further evaluation in multicenter prospective studies.

A back school program at the Toulouse-Purpan teaching hospital. Evaluation of 144 patients.

UNLABELLED: This article reports our experience with a five-day back school program focusing on active exercises, safe lifting, and occupational therapy. PATIENTS AND METHODS: The medical charts of 144 back school patients were reviewed retrospectively. Age, gender, type of low back pain, radiological findings, impact on work and psychological well-being, surgical history, and history of prior back school experience were recorded on the first and last back school session days (D1 and D5), after six months (M6), and after 12 months (M12). Efficacy was evaluated based on the number of days off work, Schöber's index, a visual analog scale pain score, and scores evaluating the active exercise, safe lifting, and occupational therapy techniques taught during the back school course. RESULTS: All evaluation scores were significantly better on D5 than on D1. This effect was sustained over time. The pain score fell by 50% between D1 and D5 (32.6 +/- 23.1 versus 16.3 +/- 18.5) and remained low at M6 and M12 (18.1 +/- 19.5 and 14.8 +/- 19.3) The number of days off work fell dramatically from baseline to M6 (51.2 +/- 63.8 vs 9.8 +/- 38.8) and remained low at M12. Forty-four patients were lost-to-follow-up between D5 and M6. CONCLUSION: Back school interventions are helpful in preventing recurrences of low back pain. Our promising data deserve to be confirmed in a larger study involving quality of life assessments, determination of the number of physician visits for low back pain during the M0-M6 and M6-M12 periods, and a comprehensive evaluation after 18 months.

Antibodies against macaque monoclonal immunoglobulin G in rheumatoid arthritis.

The presence of rheumatoid factors (RF) in the serum of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients is commonly evidenced by agglutination tests: the Waaler-Rose assay, based on the use of human red blood cells (RBCs) coated with rabbit anti-RBC antibodies, and the latex test, which uses latex particles coated with denatured human immunoglobulin G (IgG). The aim of the present study was to characterize the RF able to agglutinate human RBCs coated with macaque antihuman RBC IgG antibodies secreted from macaque-mouse heterohybridomas (two from rhesus monkey and one from crab-eating macaque). Human RBCs coated with macaque monoclonal antibodies (MacMoAbs) were used for agglutination tests and these were carried out in parallel with standard tests (Waaler-Rose and latex agglutination tests) on sera from 82 RA patients, 86 patients with other forms of inflammatory chronic arthritis and 47 healthy human subjects. MacMoAb-coated RBCs identified RF in the sera of 66% patients with RA. By contrast, the frequency of positive sera in other inflammatory diseases was 5% and all 47 healthy controls were negative. Antimacaque IgG antibodies were found to be more specific for RF than standard tests, in the sera of patients with RA.

Longitudinal determination of antiphospholipid antibodies in lupus patients without previous manifestations of antiphospholipid syndrome. A prospective study.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate whether serial anticardiolipin determination contributes to the clinical management of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) with no previous sign of the antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). METHODS: In 90 patients with SLE with no previous clinical manifestations of the APS, repeated clinical evaluations were performed, and serial blood samples (obtained over a 30 month period, range 13-53 mo) were screened for antiphospholipid antibodies (aPL). Anticardiolipin antibodies (aCL) were detected using an ELISA and considered positive if the result was >25 GPL on 2 separate occasions. Patients were not required to be on a specific treatment regimen during the study. RESULTS: Thirty-four patients (37%) had at least one positive ELISA and 11 (11/90, 12%) 2 positive ELISA for IgG aCL during the study. Lupus anticoagulant (LAC) was found in 16 patients, and a false positive VDRL in 5. At study completion, the total number of clinical or laboratory events associated with APS was 30. In univariate analysis, aCL was significantly associated only with LAC (p<0.012). Presence of aCL also correlated with hemoglobin level, anti-DNA antibody, leukocyte count, and the SLE Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI). LAC and aCL were significantly associated with each other (OR 5.17; 95% CI 1.5-17.7), but LAC had a better positive predictive value than aCL for arterial thrombosis and neurological events. CONCLUSION: Among our patients with SLE without previous clinical manifestations of APS, positive aCL did not predict the occurrence of APS within the next 3 years, but was statistically related to the clinical disease activity (SLEDAI).