A comparison of recruitment methods for an osteoarthritis exercise study.

OBJECTIVE: Patient recruitment often involves a great deal of effort and cost. We sought to determine successful recruitment methods for an osteoarthritis (OA) exercise study, and to subsequently focus on using those approaches. METHODS: Eleven methods were developed to recruit subjects for this large research project. Financial constraints ensured that we focused on low-cost measures. Over a 20-month period, the numbers of both total respondents and eventual participants were recorded. RESULTS: Responses were recorded for 263 individuals, and 108 subjects entered the study. The most successful recruitment method was via physician referrals from affiliated clinics. In general, methods that were free of direct cost seemed no less successful than those requiring expenditures. CONCLUSION: Successful subject recruitment, even for a large study, may not require costly advertising. Direct contact and frequent reminders rendered to our own clinics proved most effective, but other free and low-cost approaches were also of benefit.

Vasculitis associated with antiphospholipid syndrome.

Several syndromes involving antiphospholipid antibodies have been described in the literature. Although the varied clinical manifestations have been well delineated, the vascular pathophysiology in patients with these antibodies remains unclear. Vascular damage is often described as a vasculopathy; however, several case reports have described an associated vasculitis. We report two patients with manifestations of antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APLS) and concurrent vasculitis. The first patient, a 42-year-old man, presented with abdominal pain and fevers. The second patient, a 39-year-old man, presented with fever and testicular pain. Both were ultimately felt to have polyarteritis nodosa associated with APLS. Their complicated hospital courses and difficulties we encountered in diagnosing and treating them are discussed. The literature describing other cases of vasculitis associated with antiphospholipid antibody syndrome is reviewed. Whether the presence of antiphospholipid antibodies favors the development of vasculitis or vice versa is not clear. Further studies are needed to address this question and to determine optimal therapeutic regimens in these critically ill patients.