Rheumatoid arthritis

Clinical evaluation of the efficacy of the P2X7 purinergic receptor antagonist AZD9056 on the signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with active disease despite treatment with methotrexate or sulphasalazine Keystone, E. C. et al. Ann. Rheum. Dis. doi:10.1136/ard.2010.143578

With the American College of Rheumatology 20% response criteria as the primary outcome, phase IIa and IIb trials have concluded that targeting the P2X7 receptor is not a viable therapeutic strategy in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). After daily treatment with the P2X7 antagonist AZD9056 at oral doses of 50–400 mg for 6 months, no significant benefit at any dose was found in a cohort of 383 patients with RA also receiving active treatment with methotrexate or sulphasalazine.

Osteoarthritis

Chondroitin sulphate reduces both cartilage volume loss and bone marrow lesions in knee osteoarthritis patients starting as early as 6 months after initiation of therapy: a randomised, double-blind, placebo-controlled pilot study using MRI Wildi, L. M. et al. Ann. Rheum. Dis. doi:10.1136/ard.2010.140848

A pilot study of chondroitin sulphate at 800 mg daily for 6 months, in 69 patients with primary knee osteoarthritis and signs of synovitis, found that the treatment significantly reduced the loss of cartilage volume, and the development of bone marrow lesions.

Pediatric rheumatology

Dexamethasone therapy for septic arthritis in children: results of a randomized double-blind placebo-controlled study Harel, L. et al. J. Pediatr. Orthop. 31, 211–215 (2011)

Adding a 4-day course of dexamethasone, at 0.15 mg/kg every 6 h, to standard antibiotic therapy at the start of treatment for septic arthritis shortens hospital stay periods, with corresponding reductions in duration of fever, signs of inflammation, levels of acute-phase reactants and the need for antibiotics. No adverse events were reported in a study of the treatment in 49 children with septic arthritis.

Connective tissue diseases

Impairment and impact of pain in females with Ehlers—Danlos syndrome: a comparative study with fibromyalgia and rheumatoid arthritis patients Rombaut, L. et al. Arthritis Rheum. doi:10.1002/art.30337

The burden of living with Ehlers—Danlos syndrome hypermobility type has been compared with that of RA (finding it worse than RA) and fibromyalgia (rated as similar to fibromyalgia) using the Sickness Impact Profile and the Multidimensional Pain Inventory in a total of 206 female patients.