Socio-economical factors that influence the perception of quality of life in patients with osteoporosis

The appearance of osteoporosis in elders and the growth of the frequency which it is diagnosed with as we approach patients who are older and older, makes this health problem very important in the societies in which a high number of persons reach old age. These societies, usually belonging to economically advanced jurisdictions, are the first interested in the way health expenses can balance the benefits of the quality of life acquired in these groups of population. The evaluation of the quality of life has become a very important process, which still raises methodological problems to the researchers. The aim of this study was to analyze to what extent the factors involved in defining the quality of life by the patients modified according to the existence of osteoporosis as a defined but also as a perceived disease, as far as it is considered a serious or less serious affection by each patient. 210 female patients participated in the study. The statistical analysis was done by using SPSS 22.0 (IBM Corp. - U.S.A.). p < 0,05 was used as a limit for the statistical significance. Descriptive and analytical analyses were made by following Pearson correlation index in cases of normal distributions, the comparison between groups was made by using t-Student test, respectively chi square test in the cases which required its use. The current study highlights a direct relationship between the quality of life, as it is perceived by the patients, and the quality of the health status, which is more important than the relationship between the quality of life and the other objectives measured by WHOQOL scale. This study also shows that for the Romanian patient diagnosed with osteoporosis, who is enclosed in the age limits of this study, the health status represents the main driver of monitoring the quality of life.

Anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide antibodies in psoriatic arthritis--cross-sectional study and literature review

RATIONALE

Anti-CCP antibodies are detectable not only in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), but also in psoriatic arthritis (PsA). It is possible those anti-CCP antibodies are associated with features of PsA and that these auto-antibodies are useful in distinguishing PsA from RA.

OBJECTIVE

to evaluate the prevalence and the associations of anti-CCP antibodies in PsA patients; to evaluate the usefulness of anti-CCP antibodies in distinguishing PsA from RA.

METHODS AND RESULTS

The inquiry was designed as a cross-sectional study of 41 PsA patients, 139 RA patients and 147 normal subjects, which recorded demographic data, disease activity and serology: rheumatoid factor (RF), anti-CCP antibodies. Five PsA patients (12.2%) were anti-CCP positive. Compared to anti-CCP negative PsA patients, anti-CCP positive PsA patients had a more frequently a polyarticular disease pattern (p = 0.005), they were more frequently treated with biologics (p = 0.015) and less frequently with classic disease-modifying drugs (p < 0.001). An optimal positive cutoff value for anti-CCP titer was determined (11.6 U/mL), over which it is highly probable that a known PsA patient actually has RA and psoriasis.

DISCUSSION

The more aggressive the disease of anti-CCP positive PsA patients indicates the need of a more intensive management regarding anti-rheumatic treatment and follow-up. Anti-CCP antibodies can be a useful tool in differentiating PsA from RA, especially in RA-like forms of PsA, which present no elements pertaining to spondyloarthropathies.