Effect of parenterally administered gold therapy on the course of adult rheumatoid arthritis
Article Abstract:
Rheumatoid arthritis is characterized by painful, swollen, and stiff joints, has a prolonged course, and waxes and wanes in severity. Therapy for rheumatoid arthritis ranges from ordinary aspirin to other anti-inflammatory drugs, steroids, immune suppressants, and gold, administered in injectable form. Whether gold is truly useful, and whether it can modify the course of the disease is unclear. A group of 40 rheumatologists studied nearly 600 of their patients with rheumatoid arthritis to determine if the patients undergoing gold treatments had better responses than those who were not receiving gold. The study revealed that the degree of disability and the number of painful joints were the same in patients who received gold and those who did not. One factor that may have confounded the results of the study was the fact that the patients were being followed by rheumatologists, who are specialists in joint diseases. These patients may have had severe disease, and therefore not representative of the population of rheumatoid arthritis patients, many of whom are followed by internists. Nevertheless, despite years of use, gold treatments did not appear to offer any benefits in remitting rheumatoid arthritis. (Consumer Summary produced by Reliance Medical Information, Inc.)
Publication Name: Annals of Internal Medicine
Subject: Health
ISSN: 0003-4819
Year: 1991
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Fat distribution in women with HIV infection
Article Abstract:
The study of Fat Redistribution and Metabolic Change in HIV Infection (FRAM) is used to determine the fat changes that are specific to HIV infection in women. The results have shown that peripheral lipoatrophy occurs commonly in HIV-infected women, but is not associated with reciprocally increased visceral adipose tissue (VAT) or trunk fat.
Publication Name: Journal of Acquired Immune Deficiency Syndromes (1999)
Subject: Health
ISSN: 1525-4135
Year: 2006
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