Etanercept combined with Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside for treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the elderly: a clinical study / 中国中西医结合杂志

<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the efficacy and safety of etanercept plus Tripterygium wilfordii polyglycoside (TWP) in elderly patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA).</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Totally 46 elderly patients with active RA were randomly assigned to the treatment group (22 cases) and the control group (24 cases). All patients received subcutaneous injection of etanercept, 25 mg each time, twice per week. The dosage was reduced to once per week 3 months later. Patients in the treatment group took TWP Tablet (10 mg each time, three times per day), while those in the control group took methotrexate (MTX), 10 mg each time, once per week. The whole course lasted for 24 weeks. Patients' rest pain, tender joint number, swollen joint number, health assessment questionnaire (HAQ), patients' global assessment, physicians' global assessment, erythrocyte sediment rate (ESR), C reactive protein (CRP), rheumatic factor were assessed at week 0, 4, 8, 12, and 24. The curative effect was statistically evaluated by the United States Institute of Rheumatology ACR20, ACR50, and ACR70 improvement criteria. Meanwhile, any adverse event was recorded and evaluated.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>Totally 41 completed the trial, and 5 dropped off (3 in the treatment group and 2 in the control group). Compared with the control group, there was no statistical difference in ACR20, ACR50, or ACR70 in the treatment group (P > 0.05). Compared with before treatment in the same group, there was some improvement in tender joint number, swollen joint number, visual analogue scale (VAS) for patients' global assessment, VAS for physicians' global assessment, ESR, CRP, and HAQ between the two groups, showing statistical difference (P < 0.05). Compared with the control group in the same phase, there was no statistical difference in the treatment group (P > 0.05). There was no statistical difference in the occurrence of adverse events between the two groups.</p><p><b>CONCLUSIONS</b>Etanercept plus TWP could achieve equivalent therapeutic effect to that of Etanercept plus MTX. The two regimens could improve clinical signs, symptoms, and QOL related to RA. They were well tolerated in the treatment of elderly patients with active RA.</p>

Study of the expression and value of CXCRI and CXCR2 in ankylosing spondylitis / 中华风湿病学杂志

Objective To study the expression and value of CXCR1 and CXCR2 on neutrophils, CD14~+ monocytes and CD3~+ T lymphocytes of peripberol blood of ankylosing spondylitis(AS)patients and to investigate the correlation between CXCR1,CXCR2 and disease activity.Methods A case control study was designed and enrolled 30 active AS,30 active rheumatoid arthritis(RA)and 30 healthy controls.The levels of CXCR1 and CXCR2 expression on neutrophils,CD3~+ T cells and CD14~+ monocytes of peripheral blood of the patients and healthy controls enrolled were measured and analyzed by flow cytometry by measuring the mean fluorescence intensity(MFI)channel.The correlations between the level of CXCR1 and CXCR2 anti disease activity or functional index of AS such as BASDAI,BASF1,ESR and CRP were analyzed.Results The MFI of CXCR1 expression on CD3~+ T lymphocytes of peripheral blood was significantly higher in AS patients (41?24)than that in RA patients(18?10)and healthy controls(19?7)(P