Active clinical trials for "Arthritis"

The purpose of this study is to determine if Enbrel® or Kineret® will have a positive effect on subject functionality as measured by the Health Assessment Questionnaire Disability Index (HAQDI).

This is an observational prospective, multicenter study. The aim of the study is to evaluate how the Italian population of patients are treated with early aggressive RA, defined by the Italian Society of Rheumatology Guidelines, (GIARA Registry Study Group. Clin Exp Rheumatol 2003;21(Suppl. 31):S129-S132), in rheumatologic clinical practice and whether recent scientific evidence or new treatments available to rheumatologists can change their practice in a 2 year follow-up. The observation will primarily focus on the disease activity and clinical remission in patients who are receiving different treatment strategies. The primary goal is to define prevalence of clinical remission, according to the (Disease Activity Score) DAS 28 definition of clinical remission, in patients with early aggressive RA receiving different therapies at 1 year. Secondary objective are assessment of: Prevalence of Remission at the second year Disease activity at the first and second year. ACR 20%, 50%, 70% response at the first and second year. Quality of Life in patients with or without remission at the first and second year Safety Evaluations

To test the theory that accelerated inflammation-promoted atherosclerosis occurs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

This study is designed to evaluate blood Th1 and Th2 immunoregulatory cytokine production and hormonal levels associated with the third trimester of pregnancy and the postpartum state. Cytokine and hormone levels will be assessed in blood specimens obtained from healthy pregnant and postpartum females and compared to levels from premenopausal non-pregnant and non-postpartum females. Blood samples obtained at 30-36 weeks of gestation and 2-6 weeks postpartum will be the primary study points. Samples will also be obtained from pregnant, postpartum, and non-pregnant, non-postpartum, premenopausal female patients with rheumatoid arthritis. Additional data will be generated from samples from normal males, which will be compared with data from females. We expect to find that pregnancy is associated with enhanced Th2 cytokine expression and that the postpartum state is associated with enhanced Th1 cytokine expression. We expect to see differences in cytokine expression between males and females as well. We seek to gather data supporting the view that distinct hormonal environments regulate these contrasting immunological states.

Aim of this project is the building-up of an integrated model of multidisciplinary research tools to support large-scale and high-quality disease-based studies.

This multi-site, observational, prospective study aims to investigate current practice and associated outcomes for patients scheduled for elective unilateral total hip or knee arthroplasty in South Africa.This information will provide baseline values, against which effects of implementing a multidisciplinary enhanced care protocol for arthroplasty patients will be compared (the subsequent study).

The arthritis of temporomandibular joint is the most frequent degenerative disease of the jaw joint. Several clinical studies recommend the recourse to the viscosupplement because of its efficiency in the long term. The present research has for objective to find clinical factors predictive of success or failure of viscosupplementation in ATM such as clinical severity before injection, the presence of a limited mouth opening or lenght of symptoms. It is an open observational monocentrical prospective study. The recruitment is competitive and the study will be ended when 44 patients will have been included by taking into account a risk of trial exits or of lost of sight of 10 %.The main criterion is the influence of the radiological stage on the answer to the treatment. Duration of inclusion 6 months. Duration of follow-up 6 months. Total duration of the study 12 months.

The PaGoPsA study objective is to ascertain if guideline-based psoriatic arthritis clinical care achieves individual patient goals as articulated by patients, and to identify predictors of achieving individual patient goals from psoriatic arthritis treatment.

Rationale: Psoriasis (PsO) is a common inflammatory skin disease. Besides the skin, it is recognized that this disease can affect multiple domains such as nails, joints and entheses. About 30% of the patients with PsO will develop symptoms in the musculoskeletal domains. Untreated inflammation in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) can lead to irreversible joint damage and further reduces quality of life. Since musculoskeletal involvement is often preceded by the dermatological symptoms of PsO, patients with pure cutaneous psoriasis (PsC) should be routinely screened for joint involvement. Current screening questionnaires, like the often used Psoriasis Epidemiology Screening Tool (PEST), offer a moderate discrimination between patients with PsA and PsC at best. Our aim is to assert the prevalence of known and previously undiagnosed PsA in a PsC cohort. By comparing the gathered data of the PsA and PsC patients, we hope to improve the screening of PsC patients, and to reduce both undertreatment of locomotor symptoms as well as unnecessary diagnostic investigations. Objective: To ascertain the prevalence of PsA in a tertiary PsO cohort. Secondary objectives will be to ascertain the clinical features of these patients. With these features we want to find clinical, laboratory or genetic markers to predict the presence of PsA in PsO patients. Moreover, we wish to establish the added value of PsA screening for the quality of life (QoL) of PsO patients. Study design: Multicenter cross-sectional study with a single follow-up visit after 1 year. Patients will be screened at baseline for PsA symptoms by a rheumatology resident and referred to a rheumatology clinic if deemed necessary. At baseline, several clinical and sociodemographic parameters will be assessed. We will collect blood samples for diverse biochemical studies and genomic DNA. Patients will be followed for 1 year after active screening for PsA. Quality of life (QoL) and treatment change will be recorded after this period, to assess the effect of screening and referral.

This study evaluates the intestinal microbiome and disease activity in patients with rheumatoid arthritis receiving immunosuppressive therapy. Patients will be analysed at two time points in reference to two predefined primary endpoints: Changes in intestinal microbiome Response to therapy The investigators want to evaluate if successful treatment of rheumatoid arthritis coincide with specific changes in the gut flora.