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Biomedical subjects

A J Taggart

Publications and source records attributed to A J Taggart.

At least 19 recordsLinked to original sources
PubMed2006

Efficacy and safety of combination etanercept and methotrexate versus etanercept alone in patients with rheumatoid arthritis with an inadequate response to methotrexate: the ADORE study.

OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the efficacy and safety of etanercept (ETN) monotherapy compared with combination ETN and methotrexate (MTX) treatment in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had an inadequate response to MTX monotherapy. (The response was defined by the presence of Disease Activity Score-28 joint count (DAS28) >or=3.2 or a combination of >or=5 swollen joints, >or=5 painful joints and erythrocyte sedimentation rate >or=10 mm/h.) METHODS: Patients with active rheumatoid arthritis taking MTX >or=12.5 mg/week for >or=3 months were included in this 16 week, randomised, open-label study. Patients were randomly assigned to either ETN (25 mg subcutaneous injection twice weekly) added to the baseline dose of MTX or ETN monotherapy. RESULTS: 315 patients were randomised to ETN (n = 160) or ETN plus MTX (n = 155). The primary end point, DAS28 (4) improvement of >1.2 units, was achieved by 72.8% and 75.2% of patients treated with ETN and those treated with ETN plus MTX, respectively, with no significant difference (p = 0.658) between the two groups. The European League Against Rheumatism response criteria of good or moderate response was attained by 80.0% of patients in the ETN group and by 82.4% of patients in the ETN plus MTX group. American College of Rheumatology 20%, 50% and 70% response rates achieved by both groups were also similar: 71.0% v 67.1%, 41.9% v 40.1% and 17.4% v 18.4%, respectively. The rates of adverse and serious adverse events were similar between the treatment groups. CONCLUSION: Both the addition of ETN to MTX and the substitution of ETN for MTX in patients with rheumatoid arthritis who had an inadequate response to MTX resulted in substantial improvements in clinical signs and symptoms and were generally well-tolerated treatment strategies for improving clinical signs and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis.

Adult↗
PubMed2003

Can diagnostic triage by general practitioners or rheumatology nurses improve the positive predictive value of referrals to early arthritis clinics?

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether diagnostic triage by general practitioners (GPs) or rheumatology nurses (RNs) can improve the positive predictive value of referrals to early arthritis clinics (EACs). METHODS: Four GPs and two RNs were trained in the assessment of early inflammatory arthritis (IA) by four visits to an EAC supervised by hospital rheumatologists. Patients referred to one of three EACs were recruited for study and assessed independently by a GP, an RN and one of six rheumatologists. Each assessor was asked to record their clinical findings and whether they considered the patient to have IA. Each was then asked to judge the appropriateness of the referral according to predetermined guidelines. The rheumatologists had been shown previously to have a satisfactory level of agreement in the assessment of IA. RESULTS: Ninety-six patients were approached and all consented to take part in the study. In 49 cases (51%), the rheumatologist judged that the patient had IA and that the referral was appropriate. The assessments of GPs and RNs were compared with those of the rheumatologists. Levels of agreement were measured using the kappa value, where 1.0 represents total unanimity. The kappa value was 0.77 for the GPs when compared with the rheumatologists and 0.79 for the RNs. Significant stiffness in the morning or after rest and objective joint swelling were the most important clinical features enabling the GPs and RNs to discriminate between IA and non-IA conditions. CONCLUSION: Diagnostic triage by GPs or RNs improved the positive predictive value of referrals to an EAC with a degree of accuracy approaching that of a group of experienced rheumatologists.

Arthritis, Rheumatoid↗
PubMed2003

Joint and soft tissue injections in the community: questionnaire survey of general practitioners' experiences and attitudes.

OBJECTIVES: To investigate the numbers and types of joint and soft tissue injections performed by general practitioners (GPs) and to explore attitudes to training in joint and soft tissue injection and perceived barriers to performing injections. METHODS: A self administered questionnaire was mailed to a random sample of 410 (30%) of 1367 GPs in Northern Ireland. Two mailings were used to increase the response rate. Questions explored the GPs' demographic characteristics, types and numbers of injections performed, previous training experience, attitudes towards training, and perceived barriers. RESULTS: The overall response rate was 75%. Practitioners who were men, worked in a "rural" or "mixed" locality, and had had a previous post in rheumatology, orthopaedics, or sports medicine were more likely to perform joint and soft tissue injections. Forty six per cent of GPs did not currently perform any injections; 5% of GPs performed most of the injections in the community. Injections into the shoulder, knee, and lateral epicondylitis were found to be the most commonly performed injections. The GPs preferred to train on "real patients" rather than "mannequin models". Those GPs who had trained on "real patients" were more likely to perform injections. The main perceived barrier to performing joint and soft tissue injections in the community was the "inability to maintain injection skills". CONCLUSION: Postgraduate training, methods of training, and the ability to maintain injection skills seemed to be determinants affecting GP confidence and the amount of joint and soft tissue injections that they performed. Most injections were performed by a few GPs in the community. These findings may have implications for the developing role of GP specialists in primary care trusts.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2003

A randomised study of two training programmes for general practitioners in the techniques of shoulder injection.

OBJECTIVES: To evaluate the impact of two different modes of shoulder injection training on the level of confidence and number of injections performed by general practitioners (GPs) METHODS: Demographic details, and information on referrals for shoulder problems, shoulder joint injection activity, and confidence in the six months before training were obtained for 40 GP principals at baseline. Standardised training in the techniques of shoulder joint injection using rubber mannequins was given to all GPs. Twenty of these GPs were randomly allocated to receive additional training on patients in hospital joint injection clinics. Six months after both forms of training the shoulder injection and referral activities of all GPs were reassessed. RESULTS: Both training groups had comparable demographic characteristics and baseline clinical activity. GPs who had additional training with patients reported a marked increase in their level of confidence in performing shoulder injections and the number performed. The number of shoulder referrals did not differ between the groups CONCLUSION: Training on patients in addition to conventional training on mannequins increased GPs' shoulder injection activity and their level of confidence. Hospital injection clinics may provide a suitable setting in which to train GPs interested in developing their shoulder joint injection skills.

Clinical Competence↗
PubMed2002

Complex regional pain syndrome post mastectomy.

Complex regional pain syndrome includes the previously termed condition reflex sympathetic dystrophy. It is a chronic pain disorder diagnosed on the basis of symptoms and skin changes and is known to have a psychological element. It is a rare complication after surgery, especially mastectomy. We present two females who developed this syndrome after undergoing mastectomy for chronic mastalgia. These cases demonstrate that amputation of an organ for chronic pain can result in reflex sympathetic dystrophy developing in a nearby limb.

Adult↗
PubMed2002

Anti-tumour necrosis factor therapy for severe inflammatory arthritis: two years of experience in Northern Ireland.

Etanercept and infliximab are novel biological agents targeted against tumour necrosis factor alpha (TNFalpha), a key cytokine in the pathogenesis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). We report the results of their use over a two year period in 94 patients with severe inflammatory arthritis. Eighty-eight adults with active inflammatory arthritis (82 with RA), unresponsive to all conventional treatment, received biological therapy in one of five specialist centres in Northern Ireland. 69 adult patients (78%) had a good response to treatment, four a partial response, and seven no response. The results of treatment could not be assessed in eight patients because they had only recently commenced therapy. Four patients had a mild allergic reaction to treatment but one patient developed fulminant lung fibrosis which may have been due to drug therapy and eventually proved fatal. There were four cases of major infection requiring hospitalisation. Two patients responded to treatment, but one succumbed to bacterial pneumonia, and another to bacterial meningitis. Six children with juvenile idiopathic arthritis (JIA) received etanercept. Four achieved a good response, one a partial response, and one no response to treatment. This study shows that the impressive response to anti-TNF therapies extends beyond the realm of clinical trials to everyday clinical practice. These agents represent a major advance in the treatment of severe inflammatory arthritis but they should be used with caution, particularly in the elderly and in patients who are predisposed to infection.

Adolescent↗
PubMed2000

Could a low-cost audio-visual link be useful in rheumatology?

We have investigated prospectively the diagnostic accuracy, specialist satisfaction and patient-specialist rapport of a low-cost audio-visual link between a junior doctor with a patient and a consultant rheumatologist. Using a telephone link and subsequently a video-phone link, 20 patients, with various rheumatological problems, were presented by a junior doctor to the consultant rheumatologist for provisional diagnosis. All patients were then seen face to face by the consultant, when a final diagnosis was made. An independent consultant rheumatologist made a 'gold standard' diagnosis. Thirty-five per cent of diagnoses were made correctly over the telephone and 40% over the video-phone--there was no significant difference in the diagnostic accuracy between these two methods of communication. Rapport over the video-phone was universally poor. Where it was important, clinical signs could not be visualized over the video-phone and in more than 85% of cases small joint swellings could not be seen clearly.

Adolescent↗
PubMed1992

The effect of age and acetylator phenotype on the pharmacokinetics of sulfasalazine in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

The pharmacokinetic disposition of sulfasalazine and its metabolites was studied in 8 young and 12 elderly patients with active rheumatoid arthritis. Equal numbers of slow and fast acetylators were included in each age group. Patients received enteric-coated sulfasalazine 2g daily for 21 days; specimens of serum and urine were collected for 96 h after administration on days 1 and 21. The elimination half-life of sulfasalazine was greater in the elderly patients. Many disposition parameters of sulfapyridine differed in slow and fast acetylators; of greatest significance were the increased values of steady-state serum concentration in the slow acetylators. There was no effect of age on any sulfapyridine disposition parameters. Values for the steady-state serum concentrations of N-acetyl-5-acetylsalicylic acid were greater in elderly than in young patients. The metabolism of sulfapyridine was markedly affected by acetylator phenotype and this was reflected in the composition of sulfapyridine-related material in the urine. Thus, age is a determinant of the steady-state concentrations of salicylate moieties but acetylator phenotype plays a greater role in determining the serum concentration of sulfapyridine, which has greater therapeutic implications in rheumatology.

Acetylation↗