The safety profile of TCZ in this study was consistent with that seen in RA pts. No noticeable difference in treatment was observed between groups. Double-blind, placebo-controlled studies are preferable, but compassionate use reports and expert review articles are used in a thorough review of the literature conducted through Medline with the National Library of Medicine. - IXE demonstrated rapid efficacy in the treatment of AS/r-axSpA at wk 16 irrespective of baseline serum CRP levels or spinal MRI score. Patients continuing etanercept treatment had a sustained response for almost 2 years, with 74% achieving an ASsessments in Ankylosing Spondylitis 20% (ASAS 20) response after 96 weeks of etanercept treatment. with axSpA were recruited as part of the ESTHER trial (1). The absolute BASDAI did not change significantly over the 6 month study (4.9 at baseline v 4.3 at week 24, p>0.05). Clinical outcome assessments included disease activity, function, metrology, patients' and physicians' global assessment, peripheral joint assessment, quality of life, and C reactive protein. ASSERT and GO-RAISE trial data (n=635) were analysed to identify baseline predictors for various disease-state and disease-activity outcome instruments in AS. mSASSS results were not significantly different between the adalimumab cohort and the OASIS cohort, based on baseline and 2-year radiographs.

Primary Endpoints: 20% improvement in assessment of AS (ASAS20) response and safety at wk 12. Significant clinical improvements based on other ASAS responses, ASDAS and BASDAI were also detected at week 12 with adalimumab treatment, as were improvements in quality of life measures. Forty patients with recent-onset inflammatory back pain, as assessed by the Calin criteria, HLA-B27 positivity, clinical disease activity as measured by the Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index (BASDAI), pain and morning stiffness, and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-determined sacroiliac joint bone edema were randomized in a double-blind manner to receive infliximab 5 mg/kg or placebo at 0, 2, 6, and 12 weeks. By 52 weeks, drug-related upper gastrointestinal adverse events occurred in 13, 32, 20 and 18% in the placebo, piroxicam 20 mg, meloxicam 15 mg and meloxicam 22.5 mg groups, respectively. At Week 12, 57.2% of patients achieved BASDAI 50, 53.7% achieved ASAS40, and 27.7% achieved ASAS partial remission. These guidelines were developed under the auspices of the American College of Gastroenterology by a committee of experts in the field, reviewed by its Practice Parameters Committee, and approved by the Board of Trustees. Decisions on new recommendations were made - if necessary after voting. In light of recent reports of cardiovascular harm associated with treatment with other agents in this class, these data provide further evidence that the use of COX-2 inhibitors may increase the risk of serious cardiovascular events.To assess the efficacy, safety, and tolerability of etoricoxib, a cyclooxygenase 2 (COX-2) selective inhibitor, administered continuously over 52 weeks for the treatment of ankylosing spondylitis (AS). The primary end point was the Bath ankylosing spondylitis disease activity index (BASDAI) and ASAS (assessments in ankylosing spondylitis) short term response after six months. However, the amount of active inflammation on MRI is similar for both groups, with only a trend for higher activity scores in the AS group. ConclusionIL-23 is expressed in the subchondral bone marrow and in fibrous tissue replacing bone marrow in facet joints of patients with AS.

All IL-17-producing cells were CD4+CD45RO+; most expressed both CCR6 and CCR4, but only 50% expressed the IL-23 receptor (IL-23R). A lower percentage of patients taking meloxicam 22.5 mg had to discontinue the study drug when compared to either meloxicam 15 mg or piroxicam 20 mg (37% vs 53% and 53%, respectively, P < 0.05). - for more information see: Myeloperoxidase-positive cells and, to a lesser extent, macrophages and dendritic cells were found to be the origin of IL-23 in the bone marrow. MRI scans were performed at baseline and 16 weeks and scored by 2 observers (blinded to both the order of the scans and to treatment group), using the Leeds scoring system. Separation into nr-axSpA and AS patients was made on the basis of x-rays (fullfillment of mod. Seventeen patients with active ankylosing spondylitis were randomly allocated to high-dose (8 patients) or low-dose (9 patients) regimen. CRP levels declined with TCZ, suggesting adequate IL-6R blockade. A BASDAI 25% improvement was noted in 5/20 (25%) patients and a BASDAI 50% improvement in 4/20 (20%) patients. We used 3 definitions of good clinical response: 50% improvement in the BASDAI (BASDAI=50), 40% improvement in the ASsessments of SpondyloArthritis International Society criteria (ASAS40), or ASAS partial remission. The recommendations of these guidelines are therefore considered valid at the time of production based on the data available.

[4] Vastesaeger, et al. In the case of a positive finding of bone marrow edema we evaluated its extent. Die medikamentöse Therapie der axialen Spondyloarthritis (axSpA) ist v. a. symptom- bzw.