Philip Gerard Conaghan

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of golimumab on inflammation/structural damage detected by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS: Methotrexate (MTX)-naive RA patients (n = 637) were randomized to placebo plus MTX, golimumab 100 mg plus placebo, golimumab 50 mg plus MTX, or golimumab 100 mg plus MTX (subcutaneous golimumab every 4 weeks). Of these, 318 patients participated in an MRI substudy. MRIs (contrast-enhanced; 1.5T) of the wrist ...

BACKGROUND: Use of topical nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) to treat chronic musculoskeletal conditions has become widely accepted because they can provide pain relief without associated systemic adverse events. This review is an update of 'Topical NSAIDs for chronic musculoskeletal pain in adults', originally published in Issue 9, 2012.

OBJECTIVES: To review the evidence from randomised, double-blind, controlled trials on the efficacy and safety of topically applied NSAIDs ...

IMPORTANCE: There is debate about benefits of acupuncture for knee pain.

OBJECTIVE: To determine the efficacy of laser and needle acupuncture for chronic knee pain.

DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS: Zelen-design clinical trial (randomization occurred before informed consent), in Victoria, Australia (February 2010-December 2012). Community volunteers (282 patients aged ≥50 years with chronic knee pain) were treated by family physician acupuncturists.

INTERVENTIONS: No acupuncture ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the efficacy and safety of 12-week treatment with ketoprofen in ultradeformable phospholipid vesicles in patients with OA knee pain and to compare the efficacy with that of ketoprofen-free vehicle and celecoxib. METHODS; A multicentre, double-blind controlled study in which patients with knee OA and moderate pain were randomized to one of the six arms: topical ketoprofen 50 or 100 mg in ultradeformable vesicles (IDEA-033), 2.2 or 4.4 g ketoprofen-free vehicle (TDT ...

BACKGROUND: Interleukin 17A is a proinflammatory cytokine that is implicated in the pathogenesis of psoriatic arthritis. We assessed the efficacy and safety of subcutaneous secukinumab, a human anti-interleukin-17A monoclonal antibody, in patients with psoriatic arthritis.

METHODS: In this phase 3, double-blind, placebo-controlled study undertaken at 76 centres in Asia, Australia, Canada, Europe, and the USA, adults (aged ≥18 years old) with active psoriatic arthritis were randomly ...

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the cost effectiveness of cyclo-oxygenase-2 (COX 2) selective inhibitors and traditional non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs), and the addition of proton pump inhibitors to these treatments, for people with osteoarthritis.

DESIGN: An economic evaluation using a Markov model and data from a systematic review was conducted. Estimates of cardiovascular and gastrointestinal adverse events were based on data from three large randomised controlled trials, ...

AIM: MRI provides unparalleled visualisation of all the anatomical structures involved in the osteoarthritis (OA) process. There is a need for reliable methods of quantifying abnormalities of these structures. The aim of this work was to assess the reliability of a novel MRI scoring system for evaluating OA of the knee and explore the validity of the bone marrow lesion (BML) scoring component of this new tool.

METHODS: After review of the relevant literature, a collaborative group of ...

OBJECTIVE: The ability to make an early, accurate diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has become increasingly important with the availability of new, expensive, and targeted therapies. However, plain radiography, the traditional method of detecting the characteristic bone erosions and an important adjunct in establishing a diagnosis of RA, is known to be insensitive. This study compared sonography, a modern imaging technique, with conventional radiography for the detection of erosions ...

OBJECTIVE: In rheumatoid arthritis (RA), radiographic progression may occur despite clinical remission. This may be explained by subclinical inflammation. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) provides a greater sensitivity than clinical examination and radiography for assessing disease activity. Our objective was to determine the MRI characteristics of RA patients in clinical remission or low disease activity (LDA) state.

METHODS: Databases from 6 cohorts were collected from 5 international ...

BACKGROUND: While it is recognised that depression is prevalent in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA), recent studies have also highlighted significant levels of anxiety in RA patients. This study compared two commonly used scales, the Depression Anxiety and Stress Scale (DASS) and the Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale (HADS), in relation to their measurement range and cut points to consider the relative prevalence of both constructs, and if prevalence rates may be due to scale-specific case ...

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the effects of golimumab on radiographic progression in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

METHODS: Methotrexate (MTX)-naive patients (in the Golimumab Before Employing Methotrexate as theFirst-Line Option in the Treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis of Early Onset [GO-BEFORE] study; n = 637)and patients with active RA despite MTX therapy (in the Golimumab in Active Rheumatoid Arthritis Despite Methotrexate Therapy [GO-FORWARD] study; n =444) were randomly ...

OBJECTIVE: To examine the relationship between longitudinal fluctuations in synovitis with change in pain and cartilage in knee osteoarthritis.

METHODS: Study subjects were patients 45 years of age and older with symptomatic knee osteoarthritis from the Boston Osteoarthritis of the Knee Study. Baseline and follow-up assessments at 15 and 30 months included knee magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), BMI and pain assessment (VAS) over the last week. Synovitis was scored at 3 locations ...

OBJECTIVE: Anti-tumor necrosis factor alpha agents are among the most effective therapies for rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, their optimal use is yet to be determined. This 12-month double-blind study attempted remission induction using standard therapy with or without infliximab in patients with early, poor-prognosis RA. The primary end point was synovitis (measured by magnetic resonance imaging [MRI]). Clinical observations continued to 24 months.

METHODS: All patients had fewer ...

OBJECTIVE: To assess the pain and functional disability levels corresponding to an indication for total joint replacement (TJR) in hip and knee osteoarthritis (OA).

METHODS:

DESIGN: International cross-sectional study in 10 countries.

PATIENTS: Consecutive outpatients with definite hip or knee OA attending an orthopaedic outpatient clinic. Gold standard measure for recommendation for TJR: Surgeon's decision that TJR is justified.

OUTCOME MEASURES: Pain (ICOAP: intermittent and constant ...

BACKGROUND: Early intervention and tight control of inflammation optimise outcomes in rheumatoid arthritis but these approaches have not yet been studied in psoriatic arthritis. We aimed to assess the effect of tight control on early psoriatic arthritis using a treat-to-target approach.

METHODS: For this open-label multicentre randomised controlled trial, adult patients (aged ≥18 years) with early psoriatic arthritis (<24 months symptom duration), who had not previously received ...