Table of contents
July 2006 Volume 2 No 7
Viewpoints
Will arthritis gene therapy become a clinical reality?
344Gene therapy suffers the negative perception of being unsafe, expensive and ultimately inapplicable in clinical practice. In this Viewpoint, the authors discuss the benefits of gene therapy being used to treat rheumatic disease, and the requirements that have to be satisfied in order for this to become a clinical reality.
Is there a pharmacoeconomic argument supporting the use of tumor necrosis factor inhibitors in early rheumatoid arthritis?
346Tumor necrosis factor (TNF) inhibitors have proven highly effective in improving the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis, in inhibiting the progression of joint damage, and improving patients' quality of life. This Viewpoint will discuss the major concern relating to the actual use of TNF inhibitors in the clinic: their relatively high acquisition costs.
Research Highlights
Acupressure versus physical therapy for relief of low back pain
348Matrix metalloproteinase 3 shows promise as a marker of ankylosing spondylitis activity
348Self-management and exercise regimens benefit patients with knee osteoarthritis
348MRI is superior to radiography for detecting minor bone erosions in rheumatoid arthritis
349Loss of metatarsophalangeal joint mobility affects gait in patients with rheumatoid arthritis
349Single nucleotide polymorphisms shed light on methotrexate efficacy and toxicity
350Quantitative immunohistology is useful in diagnosing Sjögren's syndrome
350Long-term safety of corticosteroids for Kawasaki disease remains unclear
351doi:10.1038/ncprheum0202 | Full Text | PDF (101K)
Antibody test shows promise in diagnosing early rheumatoid arthritis
351Genotype studies reveal susceptibility to hip osteoarthritis
351Low estrogen levels are implicated in pathogenesis of giant cell arteritis
352Vitamin K deficiency is associated with radiographically visible features of osteoarthritis
352Practice Points
Induction therapy for active lupus nephritis: mycophenolate mofetil is superior to cyclophosphamide
354Glucosamine and chondroitin sulfate in knee osteoarthritis: where now?
356Is the long-term use of systemic corticosteroids beneficial in the management of Behçet's syndrome?
358Does flexion–distraction help treat chronic low back pain?
360Reviews
Therapy Insight: fibromyalgia—a different type of pain needing a different type of treatment
364Progress in our understanding of fibromyalgia has identified aberrant central pain processing as a key abnormality in affected individuals. This Review describes a multimodal approach to treating this central pain syndrome, using neuroactive drugs that modulate sensory processing, and nonpharmacologic therapies such as exercise and cognitive behavioral therapy.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0221 | Full Text | PDF (239K)
Technology Insight: adult stem cells in cartilage regeneration and tissue engineering
373To achieve good in vivo function, engineered cartilage needs to exhibit biological and physical properties similar to those of native articular cartilage. Adult multipotent stem cells are considered the cell type of choice for cartilage tissue engineering; this emerging technology shows high promise for producing transplantable cartilage constructs to improve the function of degenerated joints.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0216 | Full Text | PDF (521K)
Mechanisms of Disease: the immunopathogenesis of spondyloarthropathies
383The pathogenesis of the spondyloarthropathies is thought to relate to interactions between genes, including HLA-B27, bacteria, and innate and acquired immune responses. This Review provides an insight into the validity of the genes–bacteria–immune response paradigm, and explores how interactions between these factors might result in disease.
doi:10.1038/ncprheum0219 | Full Text | PDF (397K)
Case Study
Severe uveitis in an HLA-B27-positive patient with ankylosing spondylitis
393doi:10.1038/ncprheum0225 | Full Text | PDF (471K)
