The comparative responsiveness of Hospital Universitario Princesa Index and other composite indices for assessing rheumatoid arthritis activity

Objective To evaluate the responsiveness in terms of correlation of the Hospital Universitario La Princesa Index (HUPI) comparatively to the traditional composite indices used to assess disease activity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to compare the performance of HUPI-based response criteria with that of the EULAR response criteria. Methods Secondary data analysis from the following studies: ACT-RAY (clinical trial), PROAR (early RA cohort) and EMECAR (pre-biologic era long term RA cohort). Responsiveness was evaluated by: 1) comparing change from baseline (Delta) of HUPI with Delta in other scores by calculating correlation coefficients; 2) calculating standardised effect sizes. The accuracy of response by HUPI and by EULAR criteria was analyzed using linear regressions in which the dependent variable was change in global assessment by physician (Delta GDA-Phy). Results Delta HUPI correlation with change in all other indices ranged from 0.387 to 0.791); HUPI's standardized effect size was larger than those from the other indices in each database used. In ACT-RAY, depending on visit, between 65 and 80% of patients were equally classified by HUPI and EULAR response criteria. However, HUPI criteria were slightly more stringent, with higher percentage of patients classified as non-responder, especially at early visits. HUPI response criteria showed a slightly higher accuracy than EULAR response criteria when using Delta GDA-Phy as gold standard. Conclusion HUPI shows good responsiveness in terms of correlation in each studied scenario (clinical trial, early RA cohort, and established RA cohort). Response criteria by HUPI seem more stringent than EULAR''s

Componentes do peso vivo em cordeiros e borregos Polwarth e cruzas Texel x Polwarth Live weight components in Polwarth and Texel x Polwarth lambs and hoggets

O estudo teve por objetivo comparar e quantificar o peso vivo ao abate e seus componentes em cordeiros e borregos Polwarth (Ideal) com cruzas de Texel x ovelhas Polwarth. Foram sacrificados 59 cordeiros com 116 dias de idade, sendo 40 Polwarth (21 machos e 19 fêmeas) e 19 cruzas de Texel x ovelhas Polwarth (7 machos e 12 fêmeas) e 24 borregos com 450 dias de idade, sendo 14 Polwarth e 10 cruzas de Texel x ovelhas Polwarth. Os animais foram criados em condições extensivas de campo nativo ao sul do Brasil (Pelotas-RS) e castrados aos 30 dias de idade. Em termos de valores absolutos, para peso vivo e seus componentes, não se detectaram diferenças significativas entre cordeiros puros e cruzas; para borregos, verificou-se que os cruzas apresentaram maiores pesos (peso vivo ao abate, carcaça quente e fria, cabeça, pulmões com traquéia, fígado, gordura renal e pélvica e rins). Em valores percentuais, foram verificados efeitos significativos entre puros e cruzas, somente em cordeiros, para pele e pulmões com traquéia e, um efeito de sexo para patas e fígado. Os resultados evidenciaram que o cruzamento entre ovelhas Polwarth com Texel, para aumento da produção de carne em condições extensivas de campo nativo, é viável em borregos (maior idade e peso) e não para cordeiros.<br>This work was undertaken to compare and quantify live body weight, at slaughter, and its components of Polwarth and Polwarth x Texel (ram) lambs and hoggets. Fifty-nine lambs (116 days old) were slaughtered. From that, forty were Polwarth (21 males and 19 females) and nineteen were Polwarth x Texel cresses (7 males and 12 females). Also, twenty-four hoggets (450 days old) were slaughtered. Fourteen hoggets were Polwarth and ten Polwarth x Texel cresses. The animals were raised under range conditions on native pasture, in seuthem Brazil (Pelotas-RS), and castrated at 30 days eld. There were no significant diferences, in absolute values, for body weight and its components, among purebred lambs and crosses; for hoggets, the crosses have shown higher weights (live body weight at slaughter, warm and cool carcass, head, lungs plus trachea, liver, kidney plus pelvic fat, and kidney). In percentage values, significant effects were observed among rebred and crosses only with lambs for hide and lungs plus trachea and sex effect for legs and liver. The results have shown that the crossbreeding among Polwarth (ewes) and Texel, for the increment of meat production under range conditions, is possible at a later age and weight (hoggets) but not for lambs