SSc is known as the most severe connective tissue disorder, and to be associated with a high mortality risk. Some improvements in therapy for SSc have been achieved in recent years and some preliminary data have suggested an improvement in patient survival. Thus, we set out to determine whether mortality rate in SSc patients has decreased over the past 40 years through a meta-analysis of cohort studies.

Idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIMs) are a group of rare heterogeneous autoimmune skeletal muscle disorders characterized by muscle weakness, excessive muscle fatigue and diminished aerobic fitness. Exercise training could be one way to prevent or delay the negative effects of the disease and the impairments seen in patients with an IIM. The objective was to examine whether exercise training is safe and effective in patients with an IIM.

Work disability (WD) is an important functional outcome measure in arthritis. There is a large body of information on WD in rheumatic diseases such as RA and AS; however, until now factors that influence WD in PsA have not been systematically reviewed. Our objective was to perform a systematic and critical review of the current literature on WD and its measurement in PsA.

To assess the quality of guidelines published in peer-reviewed literature concerning the role of physiotherapy in the management of patients with RA.

To identify all of the patients affected by chronic hepatitis C infection treated with TNF-α blockers (adalimumab, certolizumab pegol, etanercept, golimumab and infliximab) in order to evaluate the safety profile.

To critically evaluate the evidence regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) taken orally or applied topically (excluding fish oil) in the treatment of RA.

The efficacy of pharmacological interventions in sciatica is limited and the use of systemic steroids is still controversial. We aimed at evaluating the efficacy and tolerance of systemic steroids in sciatica.

To assess the effect of biotherapies vs placebo on fatigue in two situations: inadequate response to conventional treatments (IR-DMARD) and inadequate response to anti-TNF (IR-anti-TNF) in RA.

To assess the effectiveness of interventions in community and workplace settings to reduce sickness absence and job loss in workers with musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs).

There are limited data on the long-term prognosis of microscopic polyangiitis (MPA). A systematic review was performed to estimate the survival, renal survival and relapse rates in patients with MPA.

To evaluate the reproducibility of US and to compare its efficacy with that of MRI and conventional radiography (CR) for the detection of bone erosion in RA patients.

Objectives. To critically evaluate the evidence regarding complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) taken orally or applied topically (excluding glucosamine and chondroitin) in the treatment of OA. Methods. Randomized clinical trials of OA using CAMs, in comparison with other treatments or placebo, published in English up to January 2009, were eligible for inclusion. They were identified using systematic searches of bibliographic databases and manual searching of reference lists. Information was extracted on outcomes, and statistical significance, in comparison with alternative treatment of placebo, and side effects were reported. The methodological quality of the primary studies was determined. Results. The present review found consistent evidence that capsaicin gel and S-adenosyl methionine were effective in the management of OA. There was also some consistency to the evidence that Indian Frankincense, methylsulphonylmethane and rose hip may be effective. For other substances with promising evidence, the evidence base was either insufficiently large or the evidence base was inconsistent. Most of the CAM compounds studied were free of major adverse effects. Conclusion. The major limitation in reviewing the evidence is the paucity of randomized controlled trials in the area: widening the evidence base, particularly for those compounds for which there is promising evidence, should be a priority for both researchers and funders.

To assess beneficial and harmful effects of arthroplasty in the shoulder joint in patients with RA.

To evaluate and compare the efficacy and acceptability of the antidepressants amitriptyline (AMT), duloxetine (DLX) and milnacipran (MLN) for FM syndrome (FMS).

To assess the risk of adverse events (AEs) in patients with RA treated with tocilizumab, an IL-6 receptor antibody, in published randomized controlled trials (RCTs).

RA is associated with early ischaemic heart disease. This appears to be driven largely by the presence of chronic inflammation. Studies suggest that treatment with disease-modifying drugs such as MTX may reduce the incidence of cardiovascular events in RA. Anti-TNF therapies significantly reduce inflammation in RA. However, the extent to which these agents also reduce cardiovascular disease (CVD) is uncertain. The purpose of this study was to explore the effect of anti-TNF agents on CVD in RA using a systematic literature review.

To review the progress in the field of MHC-related genetic susceptibility to Behçet's disease (BD).

Individuals with SLE have a heightened risk of developing atypical cervical smears or cervical cancer. Many studies have investigated the association between SLE and cervical neoplasia risk. However, the risk for SLE associated with cervical neoplasia risk is unclear. The present meta-analysis clarified the risk of cervical neoplasia in patients with SLE.

To assess overall responses to treatments among non-specific low back pain (NSLBP) patients in clinical trials to examine the pattern following a wide range of treatments.

This study proposes a revision of the literature on the current techniques employed in salivary gland biopsy.