Ankylosing Spondylitis Response to TNF Inhibition Is Gender Specific: A 6-Year Cohort Study

Aim Recent studies have suggested gender-specific differences with respect to both baseline disease activity and severity in ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Tumour necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi) have shown significant benefit in AS but there may be gender-specific differences regarding responses to TNFi therapy. Methods AS patients with active disease despite adequate trials of NSAIDs were commenced on TNFi and followed in a biologic clinic between 2004 and 2011. Response to treatment was measured based on clinical and serological outcomes. Baseline radiographic data were also collected where available. Results 147 AS patients commenced TNFi therapy and were followed in a biologic clinic between 2004 and 2011. One-hundred and six (72%) of the patients were male and 90 (61%) were current or ex-smokers. The specific TNFi prescribed included etanercept (74 patients, 50.3%), adalimumab (51 patients, 34.7%), infliximab (21 patients, 14.2%) and golimumab (1 patient, 0.7%). The median mSASSS score was 11 (interquartile range 5-35). At baseline, the metrology indices (BASMI) were significantly lower in women (2.6 v 4; p=0.01) but all other clinical indices were similar. At 3 months, female patients had significantly worse median disease activity and functional indices (BASDAI: 4 v 2; p<0.01; BASFI: 3 v 2; p=0.03) than male patients. In addition, females had higher median ESR (19 v 6; p<0.01) which correlated with their disease activity indices (r=0.42, p=0.02). Discussion Despite similar disease activity at baseline, post-TNFi therapy women had significantly higher disease activity. Furthermore, ESR levels in women during therapy correlated with their clinical disease activity scores. Further exploration of these gender-specific differences is crucial for a greater understanding of the pathogenesis of AS as well as development of targeted therapies.

Aluminum-related bone disease. Correlation between symptoms, osteoid volume, and aluminum staining.

In order to correlate symptoms, osteoid volume, and aluminum deposition in bone, 46 methacrylate-embedded biopsy specimens from 26 hemodialysis patients were examined. Osteoid volume was measured using computer-assisted morphometric analysis, and aluminum was detected using the Aluminon stain. Positive staining for aluminum was present in biopsies from 21 patients. Osteoid volume did not correlate with duration of dialysis therapy or ingestion of aluminum hydroxide but displayed a logarithmic relationship with dialysate aluminum exposure. Patients with bone pain at the time of biopsy had a greater degree of hyperosteoidosis than asymptomatic subjects. Osteoid volume in patients with fractures and positive aluminum staining decreased on withdrawal from aluminum-rich dialysate. The Aluminon staining technic is a convenient method of confirming aluminum overload.

Electromyography of the shoulder: an analysis of passive modes of exercise.

Passive shoulder motion is standard early rehabilitation in patients undergoing rotator cuff repair. A number of rehabilitation protocols exist to obtain this goal. This article evaluated different rehabilitation protocols using electromyographic analysis of the rotator cuff muscles to determine if the different protocols promote passive motion. Ten healthy volunteers underwent EMG to investigate the relative activity of the rotator cuff muscles during various exercises used postoperatively following shoulder surgery. The exercises tested were continuous passive motion machine (CPM), pulley, pendulum, self-assisted bar raise using the contralateral arm for power, self-assisted internal and external rotation, therapist-assisted elevation in plane of the scapula, and therapist-assisted internal and external rotation. The relative activity of the supraspinatus, infraspinatus, anterior deltoid, and trapezius muscles were measured and expressed as a percentage of maximal activity. For all muscle groups tested, the pulley exercise showed significantly more activity than the CPM machine. In the supraspinatus muscle, the pulley exercise averaged 17.6% of maximal activity and 8.7% for the self-assisted bar raise using contralateral arm power compared with 5.0% for the CPM machine. In general, therapist-assisted exercises and Codman's pendulum exercises showed activity that was not significantly different from the CPM machine. These results indicate that CPM and therapist-assisted passive range of motion, by being more passive, may increase the safety margin for obtaining early passive range of motion without disrupting the rotator cuff repair.

Use of intravenous steroids at induction of anaesthesia for adult tonsillectomy to reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting and pain: a double-blind randomized controlled trial.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the effectiveness of intravenous steroids at induction of anaesthetic to reduce post-operative nausea and vomiting and pain after adult tonsillectomy. DESIGN: Prospective, double-blind, randomized, placebo controlled trial, with ethical approval, following Consolidated Standards of Reporting Trials guidelines. SETTING: District General Hospital in Scotland, UK. PARTICIPANTS: Seventy-two adults between 16 and 70 years, American Association of Anaethetists (ASA) 1, listed for elective tonsillectomy. INTERVENTION: Single dose of either 10 mg of dexamethasone or 2 mL of saline after induction with a consistent anaesthetic technique. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Patients filled in a visual analogue scale relating to pain and post-operative nausea and vomiting for the day of operation and 7 days after operation. The time to first ingestion of food and drink after operation was also noted. RESULTS: Data completion rate of 64% (46 of 72 patients enrolled). Statistically significant relative decrease (62%P = 0.001) in the incidence of post-operative nausea and vomiting was seen in those treated with dexamethasone. Statistically significant relative decrease (23%P = 0.016) in post-operative pain scores for the day of operation was seen in those treated with dexamethasone. Significant decrease (17.5%, P < 0.001) in mean pain score for seven post-operative days was seen in those treated with dexamethasone. No adverse effects were seen. CONCLUSIONS: Dexamethasone given as a single dose of 10 mg at induction of anaesthesia for adult tonsillectomy is an effective, safe and inexpensive method for reducing morbidity in adult tonsillectomy.

Respiratory response to skin incision during anaesthesia with infusions of propofol and alfentanil.

BACKGROUND: The ventilatory response to skin incision during anaesthesia with enflurane is an increase in tidal volume without a change in frequency. As opioids affect respiratory frequency and also affect the processing of pain, we investigated if the breathing response to a painful stimulus could be different during anaesthesia using opioids. METHODS: We studied 12 patients during anaesthesia with target-controlled infusions of propofol (plasma target concentration 4-6 microg ml(-1)) and alfentanil (plasma target concentration 40-60 ng ml(-1)), having varicose vein surgery. RESULTS: After the initial skin incision, tidal volume increased promptly by 17 (4, 81)% (median, quartile values) (P<0.01). Respiratory frequency changed variably with no significant change overall [median change 2 (-8, +50)%]. The duration of inspiration was virtually unaltered, and the duration of expiration decreased gradually by 5 (-7, 32)%. Patients who showed more response also showed more change in tidal volume, so that there was a significant relationship between increased inspiratory flow rate and reduced expiratory time (P<0.05). CONCLUSIONS: During opioid anaesthesia, the mechanism of ventilatory increase after stimulation involves changes in both drive and timing of breathing. This pattern of response does not resemble the changes seen during anaesthesia with potent volatile agents.