Physical function improvements and relief from fatigue and pain are associated with increased productivity at work and at home in rheumatoid arthritis patients treated with certolizumab pegol

Objectives. To evaluate the association between improvements in physical function, fatigue and pain and improvements in productivity at work and at home in patients treated with certolizumab pegol (CZP) in combination with MTX

Echinoderms from Todos os Santos Bay and Aratu Bay (Bahia, Brazil)

Neste trabalho são registrados os equinodermos (exceto Holothuroidea) obtidos durante a execução do projeto "Marine Environmental Evaluation of the Todos os Santos Bay-MAREMBA" em julho/agosto de 1996 e durante o projeto "Geoecologia das comunidades bentônicas infralitorais da Baía de Todos os Santos (BTS), BA, Brasil: diversidade biótica e sedimentológica", (1997). Um total de 33 espécies pertencentes a 15 famílias foram registradas e re-descritas. A distribuição de Ophiactis brasiliensis Manso, 1988 e Amphiodia trychna H.L. Clark, 1918 é estendida para a região nordeste do Brasil. A classe Ophiuroidea foi dominante nas amostragens em termos de abundância e freqüência de ocorrência, em particular as espécies Amphiodia atra Stimpson, 1852, Amphipholis subtilis (Ljungman, 1867), Ophiactislymani Ljungman, 1871 e Ophiostigma isocanthum (Say, 1825). O asteróide Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) é considerado vulnerável à exploração humana e foi escasso durante as coletas. Outras espécies encontradas na BTS, tais como os asteroides Luidia clathrata (Say, 1825) e L. senegalensis (Lamarck, 1816) e o equinóide Eucidaristribuloides (Lamarck, 1816) figuram na lista nacional de espécies de invertebrados aquáticos ameaçados de extinção._______________________________________________________________________________ ABSTRACT: We present the results of the studies on biodiversity of Echinodermata (except Holothuroidea) from the Projects "Marine Environmental Evaluation of the Todos os Santos Bay - MAREMBA" (July/August 1996) and "Geoecology of the Benthic Infralitoral Communities of Todos os Santos Bay (BTS), Bahia, Brazil" (1997). A total of 33 species from 15 families were registered and re-described. The distribution of Ophiactis brasiliensis Manso, 1988 and Amphiodia trychna H.L. Clark, 1918 is extended to northwestern Brazil. The class Ophiuroidea was dominant in samples in terms of abundance and frequency of occurrence, in particular Amphiodia atra Stimpson, 1852, Amphipholis subtilis (Ljungman, 1867), Ophiactislymani Ljungman, 1871and Ophiostigma isocanthum (Say, 1825). The asteroid Oreaster reticulatus (Linnaeus, 1758) is considered vulnerable to human exploration and was scarce during the surveys. Other species found at BTS, such the asteroids Luidia clathrata (Say, 1825) and L. senegalensis (Lamarck, 1816) and the echinoid Eucidaristribuloides (Lamarck, 1816)are included in the national list of threatened invertebrate species

Are patient-reported outcome instruments for ankylosing spondylitis fit for purpose for the axial spondyloarthritis patient? A qualitative and psychometric analysis

Objectives. Several patient-reported outcome (PRO) instruments have been validated in AS. This study aims to evaluate several measurement properties of such PROs in a broad axial SpA (axSpA) population, including both AS and non-radiographic axSpA (nr-axSpA) subpopulations. Methods. PROs assessed were total and nocturnal back pain, patient global assessment of disease activity, BASDAI, BASFI and the 36-item Short Form Health Survey. A literature review and both clinician and patient qualitative interviews provided information on instrument content validity. Reliability (test-retest and internal consistency), construct validity (PROs, clinical-outcome correlations and known-groups validity) and PRO responsiveness were assessed. Data from the RAPID-axSpA trial (NCT01087762) investigating certolizumab pegol efficacy in axSpA, including relevant subpopulations, were utilized. Results. Concepts identified for the broad axSpA population by both clinician and patient interviews were consistent with those identified through literature review of AS. All PROs demonstrated reliability in the RAPID-axSpA population (n = 325), with test-retest intraclass correlation coefficients and internal consistency Cronbach's alpha > 0.8. Validity was supported by agreement between PROs and clinician-rated measures; except for the 36-item Short Form Health Survey Mental Components Summary, correlations between PROs and physician global assessment of disease activity ranged from 0.28 to 0.42 for week 0 and from 0.53 to 0.65 for week 24. PRO measures showed good sensitivity to change (effect size > 0.8) at weeks 12 and 24 for responders. No variations in measurement properties were noted between the subpopulations. Conclusion. This study indicates that both content validity and measurement properties of PRO instruments utilized in AS are preserved in the broad axSpA population