Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) is a Valid Index for Routine Care in Patients with Osteoarthritis

Objective: To compare Routine Assessment of Patient Index Data 3 (RAPID3) on a Multidimensional Health Assessment Questionnaire (MDHAQ) with the Western Ontario and Mc-Master Universities Osteoarthritis Index (WOMAC) in patients with knee or hip osteoarthritis and to evaluate its reliability. Methods: 678 patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis were assessed in daily practice clinical care during 2009-2013. Patients completed an MDHAQ and so a RAPID3 was calculated (physical function, pain, patient global estimate). Pain, stiffness, and physical functions using the standard WOMAC indices for hip and knee osteoarthritis were assessed too; correlation between WOMAC total scores and RAPID3 scores were estimated with Spearman’s rho. Furthermore a linear regression model was developed with a coefficient of determination R2. Finally we evaluated validity and reliability of this index to evaluate that RAPID3 is not inferior to WOMAC. Results: RAPID3 and WOMAC were correlated significantly, with a global correlation Spearman’ rho index of 0.84 (P<0.01). Computing analysis for diagnosis the correlation index was 0.83 for hip osteoarthritis (p<0.01) and 0.87 for knee osteoarthritis. Conclusion: RAPID3 scores provide similar quantitative information to WOMAC in patients with hip or knee osteoarthritis

Calciphylaxis in a patient affected by rheumatoid arthritis, chronic renal failure, and hyperparathyroidism: a case report

Calciphylaxis, or calcific uremic arteriolopathy, is the tissue and vascular calcification that occurs mainly in chronic kidney disease. However, it can be secondary to parathyroid dysfunction and it has been described in rheumatic patients. We present a case of calciphylaxis in a woman with inactive rheumatoid arthritis, acute renal failure, and hyperparathyroidism

Successful Treatment of a Patient with Giant Cell Vasculitis (Horton Arteritis) with Tocilizumab a Humanized Anti-Interleukin-6 Receptor Antibody

Giant cell arteritis (GCA) is the most common form of systemic vasculitis in adults, affecting preferentially medium-large size arteries. Here we report a case of a female with a diagnosis of GCA based on temporal artery biopsy, successfully treated with tocilizumab, a humanized anti-interleukin-6 receptor antibody

Erratum to: The challenge of the definition of early symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a proposal of criteria and red flags from an international initiative promoted by the Italian Society for Rheumatology (Rheumatology International, (2017), 37, 8, (1227-1236), 10.1007/s00296-017-3700-y)

In the original publication of the article, name of the fourth author has been incorrectly published as Gabriel Herrero Beaumont. However, the correct name should be Gabriel Herrero-Beaumont

The challenge of the definition of early symptomatic knee osteoarthritis: a proposal of criteria and red flags from an international initiative promoted by the Italian Society for Rheumatology

The aim of this study was to establish consensus for potential early symptomatic knee osteoarthritis (ESKOA) clinical definition and referral criteria from primary care to rheumatologists, based on available data from literature and a qualitative approach, in order to perform studies on patients fulfilling such criteria and to validate the obtained ESKOA definition. A complex methodological approach was followed including: (1) three focus groups (FG), including expert clinicians, researchers and patients; (2) a systematic literature review (SLR); (3) two discussion groups followed by a Delphi survey. FG and SLR were performed in parallel to inform discussion groups in order to identify relevant constructs to be included in the modified Delphi survey. ESKOA is defined in the presence of: (a) two mandatory symptoms (knee pain in the absence of any recent trauma or injury and very short joint stiffness, lasting for less than 10 min, when starting movement) even in the absence of risk factors, or (b) knee pain, and 1 or 2 risk factors or (c) three or more risk factors in the presence of at least one mandatory symptom, with symptoms lasting less than 6 months. These criteria are applicable in the absence of active inflammatory arthritis, generalized pain, Kellgren-Lawrence grade >0, any recent knee trauma or injury, and age lower than 40 years. Knee pain in the absence of any recent trauma lasting for less than 6 months was considered as the referral criterion to the rheumatologist for the suspicion of ESKOA. This consensus process has identified provisional clinical definition of ESKOA and defined potential referral criterion to rheumatologist, in order to test ESKOA obtained definition in prospective validation studies