Stressful life events' effects on rheumatoid arthritis disease activity.

A 53-year-old female rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patient endured 2 unexpected family deaths during a 12-week study investigating the prospective relationships between stressful small life events, negative affect, and disease activity. Her disease went into temporary remission the same week as the deaths. She was identified as a case study participant, and weekly data collection was extended to 1 year. Clinical exams verified a large decrease in disease status immediately after the major losses. In addition to major events, negative affect and small events were found to serve as independent arthritis symptom predictors within this patient. Major events were associated with decreased symptoms. Negative affect and small events related to symptom increased. Subsequent between-subjects analyses conducted on 25 participants from the parent project probed for generalizability. The substantive findings from the case study were supported: Major life events and small life events functioned as opposing predictors of RA disease states. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2010 APA, all rights reserved)     

Interpersonal stress, depression, and disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis patients

The relationships among interpersonal stressors, depression, coping inefficiency, hormones (prolactin, cortisol, and estradiol), and disease activity were examined. The sample comprised 33 women with rheumatoid arthritis (RAs; age 37-78) and 37 women with osteoarthritis (OAs; age 47-91), who served as controls. In a regression analysis, interpersonal conflict events accounted for more than twice as much variance in depression in RAs than in OAs. In the RA patients, the immune-stimulating hormones prolactin and estradiol were significantly positively correlated with interpersonal conflicts, depression, coping inefficacy, and clinician ratings of disease activity, suggesting that RAs are more reactive to interpersonal stressors than are OAs, both psychologically and physiologically.     

A simple index to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis

Changes in clinical and laboratory measures of disease activity were studied prospectively in 12 European centers. Altogether 282 rheumatoid patients were evaluated during 6 months of therapy with slow-acting drugs. Patients' global assessment was taken to indicate overall response. The number of swollen joints and number of tender joints correlated highly with this. The erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) correlated less well but was more uniform across centers. Grip strength, C-reactive protein and hemoglobin performed poorly between centers. There were cultural and linguistic difficulties using the Health Assessment Questionnaire in a European setting. Physician's global assessments were similar to the patient's global assessments and provided redundant information. The best measures are: the number of swollen joints, the number of tender joints, the ESR, and the patient's global assessment. It may also help to measure articular pain.     

Lymphoma in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: association with the disease state or methotrexate treatment

Although long-term clinical studies have shown no excessive risk of lymphoma in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients treated with methotrexate (MTX), an increasing number of reports of this association continue to appear. We describe two cases, review the cases in the world's literature, and summarize their important characteristics. Possible oncogenic mechanisms are discussed. Most lymphoproliferation cases presented here have features of immunosuppression-associated lymphoma. The immunosuppressed state is attributable to a combination of factors, such as RA itself and the actions of MTX. The risk factors for RA patients to develop lymphoma while on MTX include severe disease, intense immunosuppression, genetic predisposition, and an increased frequency of latent infection with prooncogenic viruses such as Epstein-Barr virus (EBV). The spontaneous remission of lymphomas in eight RA patients after MTX was stopped highlights the likely causative role of the drug in the development of these malignancies. If the clinical situation permits, a period of observation for spontaneous remission after MTX is stopped is advisable. The physicians caring for RA patients on MTX should maintain a high surveillance for signs and symptoms suggestive of lymphoma.     

Evaluation of interleukin-6 in rheumatoid arthritis as an activity criterion

This study evaluated interleukin-6 levels as an activity criterion in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and compared if with other activity criteria. We evaluated 35 patients with active RA, 31 with inactive RA, and 25 patients with osteoarthritis, in addition to 28 healthy individuals. Serum interleukin-6 levels were higher in active RA patients than in those with inactive RA, or osteoarthritis and healthy individuals (P < 0.001). Serum interleukin-6 levels of patients with active RA were positively correlated with the erythrocyte sedimentation rate, C-reactive protein, and alpha 2-globulin levels (P < 0.001), but there was a negative correlation with serum albumin levels (P < 0.05). We conclude that interleukin-6 can be responsible for both the most systemic manifestations of RA and for its local manifestations.     

Reduced thiopurine methyltransferase activity and development of side effects of azathioprine treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE: To investigate thiopurine enzyme activities for their possible value in predicting the development of azathioprine (AZA)-related toxicity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: Patients with longstanding RA (n = 33) were enrolled in a study of treatment with AZA. Before the initiation of AZA treatment and at months 1 and 6 of treatment, we measured activities of the purine key enzymes hypoxanthine guanine phosphoribosyltransferase, 5'-nucleotidase, purine nucleoside phosphorylase, and thiopurine methyltransferase (TPMT). Controls included patients with early RA (n = 24) and healthy volunteers (n = 42). RESULTS: Fourteen of the 33 patients rapidly developed severe side effects, most frequently gastrointestinal (GI) intolerance. Compared with the other groups, the group with adverse effects had significantly lower TPMT activities (P = 0.004). Seven of 8 patients with reduced ("intermediate") baseline TPMT levels developed toxicity, resulting in a significant relationship (P = 0.005) between toxicity and "intermediate" TPMT activity. Compared with "high" activity, baseline intermediate TPMT activity gave a relative risk of 3.1 (95% confidence interval 1.6-6.2) for the development of severe toxicity with AZA treatment. CONCLUSION: In RA patients, inherited intermediate TPMT activity seems predictive for the development of severe side effects of AZA. Clinicians should consider measuring TPMT prior to treatment initiation to improve the safety of AZA use. We hypothesize that GI intolerance may also be related to a thiopurine metabolic imbalance.     

Pericardial tamponade secondary to sudden steroid withdrawal in chronic rheumatoid arthritis

A patient with chronic rheumatoid arthritis was admitted to the hospital with cervical fracture. Two weeks after acute steroid withdrawal, she was noted to have pleural effusion, and signs and symptoms of acute pericardial tamponade. An open partial pericardiectomy and drainage relieved the symptoms. The sequence of events suggests that rapid steroid withdrawal might have precipitated rapid accumulation of pleural and pericardial fluid.     

Effect of social deprivation on disease severity and outcome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

OBJECTIVE: Social deprivation is now recognised to have an important impact on morbidity and mortality. This study sought to ascertain the effect of deprivation, if any, on disease severity, functional disability, and outcome in rheumatoid patients in Glasgow. METHODS: 814 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) were assessed for clinical, functional, and laboratory indices of disease activity. Deprivation categories for individual patients were determined using the Carstairs index. Five year follow up is available for 440 patients. RESULTS: The study population of RA patients live largely in the most deprived areas. Patients from deprived areas have significantly poorer function at outset and at five years as defined by the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) score. This is not attributable to differences in disease duration in patients from the most deprived regions or compliance with treatment. Furthermore, these patients do not achieve over five years the initial functional level of those living in the most advantaged localities. CONCLUSION: RA patients from deprived areas have poorer function, which is associated with greater need--medical, social, and paramedical. Strategies and resources for healthcare need to be adjusted according to this variation.     

Only high disease activity and positive rheumatoid factor indicate poor prognosis in patients with early rheumatoid arthritis treated with "sawtooth" strategy

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the prognostic significance of clinical and genetic markers on the outcome of patients with recent-onset rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated actively with slow acting antirheumatic drugs (SAARDs). METHODS: A total of 142 consecutive patients with early RA (median disease duration of 7 months) were treated according to the "sawtooth" strategy and prospectively followed up for an average of 6.2 years. Several clinical parameters at start as well as genetic markers were related to the functional outcome (ARA Functional class and HAQ disability score) and radiographic joint damage (Larsen's score) at the latest visit. RESULTS: In logistic regression analysis only Mallya score (including morning stiffness, pain scale, grip strength, Ritchie's articular index, haemoglobin, and erythrocyte sedimentation rate) at baseline, and Mallya score and rheumatoid factor (RF) positivity at one year were found to be of significance with respect to the radiographic outcome of the patients. Furthermore, at the latest visit HAQ score was related to radiographic score. At baseline the mean ages of the DR4 positive patients and the patients with RA associated DR alleles were statistically significantly lower than those without the above mentioned risk factors (44 v 49, p = 0.03 and 41 v 53, p = 0.04, respectively). However, these genetic markers had no prognostic significance on the functional or radiographic outcome of the patients. CONCLUSION: High clinical disease activity at baseline and RF positivity especially at one year after the institution of SAARD treatment are the best predictors of poor prognosis in early RA. However, from the clinical point of view, the disease outcome of an individual patient with early RA, cannot be predicted accurately enough by present means.     

Determination of IgA- and IgM-rheumatoid factors in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with and without nephropathy

OBJECTIVE: To clarify the characteristics and pathogenesis of renal disorders in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). METHODS: In this study, 143 patients with RA were included, from whom 43 with urinary abnormalities were biopsied. Serum rheumatoid factor (RF) concentrations of IgA and IgM isotypes were also measured in these patients by enzyme linked immunosorbent assay. RESULTS: Light microscopy of renal biopsy specimens showed minor glomerular abnormalities in six patients, mesangial proliferative glomerulonephritis (GN) in 21, membranous nephropathy in seven, renal amyloidosis in seven, and tubulointerstitial nephritis in two. Twelve patients with mesangial proliferative GN and one with minor glomerular abnormalities were found by immunofluorescence microscopy to have abnormalities consistent with IgA GN. Although the concentrations of IgA-RF in patients with IgA GN were slightly raised compared with those with glomerulopathy established by biopsy but not associated with IgA GN, the concentrations of IgA-RF were higher in patients with RA with vasculitis or interstitial pneumonia than those with RA complicated by IgA GN. CONCLUSIONS: Mesangial proliferative GN, including IgA GN, may be a frequent renal lesion in Japanese patients with RA. IgA-RF may play little pathogenetic part in the development of IgA GN in RA.     

The effect of ranitidine on NSAID related dyspeptic symptoms with and without peptic ulcer disease of patients with rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the autonomic response in preterm neonates born after an at-risk pregnancy. METHODOLOGY: Twenty-one preterm neonates (gestational age; GA) 29-37 weeks; bodyweight (BW): 720-2113 g; postnatal age: 2-126 days), born after at-risk pregnancies (stressed (STR) group), were compared to 30 preterm neonates (GA: 26-36 weeks; BW: 813-2380 g: postnatal age: 2-86 days) without any intrauterine risk factor (C group). A 10 s pain stimulus was given on the forefoot and heart rate, respiratory rate and blood pressure were measured at 15 and 30 s, at 1, 2, 3, 4 and 5 min. After 10 s ocular compression six cardiac variables were recorded. RESULTS: After the pain stimulus the STR-group had a significant increase of heart rate at 15 s and an increase of diastolic blood pressure at 30 s. In the C group a significant increase of heart rate at 15 s was recorded. For the respiratory rate both groups showed an initial depression (significant at 15 s in the C group) followed by an increase. The time to react to the ocular compression was significantly shorter in the STR-group than in the C-group and thus more parasympathetic. CONCLUSIONS: We hypothesize that the different sympathetic and parasympathetic reaction patterns of the vital parameters to triggers in the STR-group are due to chronic stress, pointing to an altered maturation of the two components of the autonomic nervous system after chronic intrauterine stress (CIUSTR).     

The role of risk factors for periodontal disease in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

This paper summarises the methods and some of the findings of a large cohort study of dementia and cognitive decline in subjects aged over 75 years in Cambridge, particularly regarding the incidence wave. From a sample of 1968 subjects previously studied in a prevalence study in 1985-1987, survivors were restudied at 2.4 years, in a two-stage design employing the Mini; Mental State Examination (MMSE) and the Cambridge Examination for Mental Disorders of the Elderly (CAMDEX). High incidence rates of dementia were found, which rose steeply with age, particularly for Alzheimer's disease. New minimal dementia and milder cognitive impairment were also common. Cognitive decline on the MMSE showed a near normal, non-bimodal distribution. The sample has since been restudied at intervals for a total of up to 9 years to document longitudinal cognitive change. Brains have been obtained for post mortem neuropathological and molecular biological study, particularly of the early sequential changes associated with cognitive decline and dementia.     

Ankle arthrodesis in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

The results of 26 ankle arthrodeses performed for rheumatoid arthritis on 21 patients were reviewed. Tibiotalar arthrodesis was performed in 14 ankles, and tibiotalocalcaneal arthrodesis was performed in 12. External fixation was used in 20 ankles, and internal fixation was used in six. Followup was available in 24 of 26 ankles (19 patients), and averaged 5 years (range, 2-8 years). There was no pain experienced in 19 ankles; mild, occasional pain was experienced in four ankles; and moderate, daily pain was experienced in one ankle. Daily activities were limited in five patients and recreational activities were limited in 11. All patients reported some difficulty walking on uneven terrain. Nearly all patients were satisfied; two were satisfied with reservations and two were dissatisfied. Union was achieved in 25 of 26 (96%) ankles. Ankle arthrodesis is an effective operation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Unlike previous reports, union and complication rates in this series were comparable with rates for arthrodesis for posttraumatic and degenerative arthritis.