Comparison of the Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life (PsAQoL) questionnaire, the functional status (HAQ) and utility (EQ-5D) measures in psoriatic arthritis: results from a cross-sectional survey.

OBJECTIVES: To compare the Psoriatic Arthritis Quality of Life (PsAQoL) instrument, the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) as a measure of functional status, and the generic health status (utility) measure the EuroQoL (EQ-5D) in terms of ability to assess disease severity in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). METHODS: The differences between known groups and correlations of the PsAQoL, the HAQ and the EQ-5D with clinical measures were analysed in a sample of 183 PsA patients. RESULTS: Different severities of PsA determined by known groups were distinguished well by all three questionnaires; more severe disease was associated with significantly worse values of the instruments. The correlations revealed a strong relationship between each of the measures, and with the patients' pain on the visual analogue scale (VAS), the patient global VAS, and the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), and a weak relationship with the disease duration and the Psoriasis Area Severity Index (PASI). The PsAQoL also correlated strongly with the 28-joint Disease Activity Score (DAS28). CONCLUSIONS: The PsAQoL, the HAQ, and the EQ-5D are able to distinguish well across levels of PsA severity.

Comparison of biophysical parameters of primary low and high metastatic Lewis lung tumor cells.

Lewis lung tumor cells from tumors of both high and low metastatic potential were isolated from the leg muscle of C57-B1 mice and were purified by density gradient centrifugation. The purified cells retained most of their tumor-forming capacity; however, the difference in the metastatic capacity of the 2 cell lines increased with the purification process. The purified and viable cells were subjected to different biophysical studies. Electron spin resonance studies showed that the motional freedom of lipid and protein molecules of the cellular membrane is higher in the low metastatic cell population. Both cell types reduce penetrating and non-penetrating free radicals, but the reducing ability of the low metastatic cell population is 4 times greater than that of the high metastatic cell line. These findings argue for increased membrane dynamics in the low metastatic cell population.