Rheumatoid Arthritis: Laborie Y

Laborie Y, Berthelot JM, Alliaume C, Baron J, Caumon JP, Desmas V, Rossard A, Maugars Y, Prost A. · Rheumatology Department, Hôtel-Dieu, CHU Nantes, France. · Joint Bone Spine. · Pubmed #12027310 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVE: To determine the very long-term clinical and functional outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients followed by office-based or hospital-based physicians. PATIENTS AND METHODS: A questionnaire including items on clinical outcomes (active disease, remission, burn-out) and the Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ) was mailed to 122 patients with RA of at least 15 years' duration; 61 were followed by office-based physicians and 61 by hospital-based physicians. In the 88 (72%) respondents, mean age was 63 +/- 13 years and mean disease duration was 20.1 +/- 8.7 years. RESULTS; None of the patients experienced burn-out of their disease, and only six (7%) met Pinals' remission criteria. However, 23 (26%) reported a current subjective remission with a mean duration of 8.5 +/- 5.9 months. Although the mean pain score in the 88 patients was 4.1 +/- 2.3, only 50 (56%) patients reported a physician visit during the last 6 months. HAQ scores varied widely, the mean being 1.11 +/- 0.84. Forty (46%) patients had a history of arthroplasty (knee or hip in 29 (33%)). Of the 34 nonrespondents, seven had died (at a mean age of 74 years), and in four of these seven the cause of death was infection or immobility-related complications; in the 27 survivors, disease activity was considered minimal by the physicians or patients, 11 (41%) patients believed they were in remission, and mean time since the last physician visit was 3.9 years. Conclusion. Although burn-out within 20 years of RA onset seems exceedingly rare, clinical activity is milder than in early RA; over one-fourth of our patients believed they were in remission and over one half had not seen a physician during the last 6 months. Functional outcomes varied widely across patients but were acceptable overall, a result that is partly ascribable to the favorable effects of surgery. No differences in functional outcomes were found between patients followed by office-based physicians and those followed by hospital-based physicians.

Glémarec J, Guillot P, Laborie Y, Berthelot JM, Prost A, Maugars Y. · Rheumatology Department, Hôtel-Dieu Teaching Hospital, Nantes, France. · Joint Bone Spine. · Pubmed #10773969 No free full text.

Abstract: OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the overall efficacy in various disorders of glucocorticoid injection into the lateral atlantoaxial joints, performed via the posterior route under fluoroscopic control. METHODS: Retrospective study of 26 patients including 16 (19 injections) with mechanical disorders and ten (16 injections) with inflammatory disorders. RESULTS: The response rate was 69.3%, the mean pain scale score decrease was 52.3 +/- 40.1%, and the mean duration of pain relief was 8.1 +/- 11.8 months. All three parameters were significantly (P < 0.005) better in the subgroup with inflammatory disorders than in the subgroup with mechanical disorders (response rate, 100% vs 50%; pain scale score decrease, 80 +/- 27% vs 34.2 +/- 40%, and pain relief duration, 16.9 +/- 14.9 months vs 24.5 months). A single patient developed a side effect (moderately severe hypertension). CONCLUSION: Glucocorticoid injection into the lateral atlantoaxial joints is a valid treatment alternative in patients who fail to respond to conventional noninvasive therapy.