Table of contents
March 2008 Volume 4 No 3
Editorial
Osteoimmunology: a new area of rheumatology research
111doi:10.1038/ncprheum0764 | Full Text | PDF (100K)
Viewpoints
Neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus reconsidered
112Current guidelines for classification of symptoms of neuropsychiatric systemic lupus erythematosus have not proven helpful for the dissection of pathological mechanisms of this disorder or the identification of appropriate therapy. A reclassification of symptoms is proposed in this Viewpoint; the new scheme is based on pathoanatomic localization of the disease.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0726 | Full Text | PDF (125K)
Identification of people with very early RA for optimal care: a public health challenge
114Detecting and treating rheumatoid arthritis as early as possible in the disease stage can mean that long-term treatment might not be necessary. In this Viewpoint, Dr Liang and colleagues propose a novel method for the identification of persons with symptoms of early rheumatoid arthritis in the general population.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0724 | Full Text | PDF (126K)
Research Highlights
A new algorithm for predicting risk of hip fracture in postmenopausal women
116The CD40/CD40L system might have a role in inducing skin lesions in patients with SCLE
116The cellular interplay that underlies the synovial inflammatory process in RA
116Serum RANKL levels predict response to TNF antagonists in patients with RA
117Change in MRI-detected synovitis is correlated with change in pain score in knee OA
117Patients with hand OA have increased BMD levels at axial sites
118C5a receptor blocker fails to show clinical benefit in patients with RA
118Psoriasis does not affect the 5-year outcomes of patients with inflammatory polyarthritis
119IFN-
and BAFF overexpression is associated with etanercept treatment failure in SS
119Predicting responsiveness to rituximab treatment for rheumatoid arthritis
119BILAG-2004 is a valid measure of SLE disease activity
120Silencing of pathogenic B cells offers a potential therapy for SLE
120Oligonucleotide IRS 954 might represent a novel therapy for SLE
121Practice Points
Do high-sensitivity C-reactive protein levels help predict risk of cardiovascular disease in patients with osteoarthritis?
122doi:10.1038/ncprheum0731 | Full Text | PDF (126K)
Is acupuncture an effective treatment for knee osteoarthritis?
124doi:10.1038/ncprheum0733 | Full Text | PDF (121K)
Can corticosteroid therapy alter the course of nephritis in children with Henoch–Schönlein purpura?
126doi:10.1038/ncprheum0729 | Full Text | PDF (125K)
Reviews
Reappraising metalloproteinases in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis: destruction or repair?
128Metalloproteinases are thought to be involved in the pathological destruction of joint tissues in rheumatoid arthritis and osteoarthritis; however, matrix metalloproteinase inhibitors failed to effectively treat disease in early clinical trials. It is now clear that more-specific inhibition of these enzymes is required for the success of this therapeutic approach.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0727 | Full Text | PDF (334K)
Drug Insight: autoimmune effects of medications—what's new?
136Autoantibodies and autoimmune diseases such as drug-related lupus can occur following exposure to certain drugs; however, although many patients develop autoantibodies only a minority develops lupus-like features. As discussed in this Review, clinicians should consider the possibility of a drug-related effect in patients treated with medications such as tumor necrosis factor inhibitors and minocycline who develop an apparent 'flare' of the disease.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0708 | Full Text | PDF (233K)
Primer: strengths and weaknesses of meta-analysis
146Systematic reviews, with or without meta-analyses, offer an objective appraisal of the available evidence compared with traditional narrative reviews. In this Review, Dr Finckh and Dr Tramèr examine the analytical strengths of and the main problems encountered by both systematic reviews and meta-analyses, focusing on how to best assess the validity of each for the practicing clinician.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0732 | Full Text | PDF (197K)
Case Studies
A case highlighting the influence of knee joint effusion on muscle inhibition and size
153This Case Study describes a rehabilitation program for an athletic man who sustained an injury that caused knee joint effusion. The torque and muscle size of the injured leg was comparable to that of the patient's contralateral, healthy, leg after 11 weeks of a regimen incorporating repetition of knee aspiration and resistance training.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0709 | Full Text | PDF (370K)
Diagnosis of pulmonary arterial hypertension in a patient with systemic sclerosis
160Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) contributes significantly to the morbidity and mortality of patients with systemic sclerosis. Clinical symptoms of PAH are unspecific and are late manifestations of disease. This Case Study highlights the challenges of diagnosing PAH in patients with systemic sclerosis and includes discussion of screening options.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0728 | Full Text | PDF (195K)
