• Journal of the Korean Applied Science and Technology
• /
• v.36 no.4
• /
• pp.1365-1372
• /
• 2019

The present study aimed to evaluate the effect of Lycii radicis CORTEX extract on rheumatoid related factors in CIA-induced Rheumatoid Arthritis model of DBA/1 mice. Lycii radicis CORTEX extract was administered orally at doses of 200 mg/kg/day for 4 weeks after direct injection of CIA into the mice' right paw. We evaluated the treatment effects based on serum biomarkers, morphological and histopathological analyses of the paw. Compared with those in control mice, the Lycii radicis CORTEX extract treatments significantly reduced the serum concentration of cytokine, kemokine and immunoglobulin levels. In addition, the Lycii radicis CORTEX extract treatments effectively preserved the paw bone joint, that in the H&E staining and masson-trichrome staining showed that there were histopathological improvements in Lycii radicis CORTEX extract treated group compared to those of control group. The results indicate that Lycii radicis CORTEX extract alleviated rheumatoid arthritis symptoms. Thus, Lycii radicis CORTEX extract may be a novel therapeutic option for the management of rheumatoid arthritis.

• Journal of Korean Academy of Fundamentals of Nursing
• /
• v.4 no.1
• /
• pp.87-101
• /
• 1997

This Research is an attempt to find out what effects the resistance exercise program has on the rheumatoid arthritis patient's functional disability and biochemical parameters. The research took place from June to November 1996, and the target included an experimental group of 25 cases of rheumatoid arthritis and a control group of 26 cases of rheumatoid arthritis taken from the Anam Medical Center at Korea University. The resistance exercise program was executed on these patients five times a week during a period of eight weeks. Before and after the experiments, measurements of functional disability score, ESR, CRP, self-efficacy, and family support were taken and closely analysed. The results of this analysis are as follows : 1. After the experiment, the experimental group had less functional disabilities compared to the control group(t=9.11, P=0.0017). 2. After the experiment, the ESR of both the experimental and the control groups decrease, but there was not notable difference between the two groups(t=0.07, P=0.9546). 3. After the experiment, the CRP of both the experimental and the control groups decreased, with no significant different between them(t=0.53, P=0.6022). 4. After the experiment, the self-efficacy of the experimental group increased significantly compared to the control group(t=3.15, P=0.0042), but the self-efficacy had no effect on the actual practice of the program. 5. After the experiment, the family support of the experimental group was higher than of the control group(t=6.33, P=0.0013), but again the family support had no effect on the actual practice of the program. Judging from the results of these experiments, the resistance exercise program not only diminishes rheumatoid arthritis patients' functional disabilities, but also has a great influence on increasing their self-efficacy and family support. Concluding, in diminishing the functional disabilities of rheumatoid arthritis, the resistance exercise program would be appropriate nursing intervention.

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.230-249
• /
• 2001

This study was conducted to investigate the affecting factors on the adaptation to uncertainty in patients having rheumatoid arthritis. Subjects of the study constituted 222 patients who visited outpatient of rheumatic center in Seoul. Self report questionnaires were used to measure the variables affecting the adaptation to uncertainty. The variables affecting the adaptation to uncertainty were uncertainty, mastery, appraisal of danger, appraisal of opportunity, emotion focused coping, problem focused coping, pain, depression and activity of daily life(ADL). Reliability coefficients of these instruments were found Cronbach's $Alpha\;=\;.70{\sim}.94$. In data analysis, SPSSWIN 10.0 program was utilized for descriptive statistics, Pearson's correlation, and multiple regression analysis. The results were as follows. 1) The range of total pain scores was from 0 to 147 and the mean score of the pain in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 72.64. 2) The range of total depression scores was from 20 to 72 and the mean score of the depression in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 39.86. 3) The range of total ADL scores was from 22 to 80 and the mean score of the ADL in rheumatoid arthritis patients was 72.56. 4) Among the independent variables, significant factors to explain the adaptation to pain in patients were danger appraisal of uncertainty(p<.05) and emotion focused coping(p<.05). 5) Among the independent variables, significant factors to explain the adaptation to depression in patients were danger appraisal of uncertainty(p<.001), opportunity appraisal of uncertainty(p<.001) and mastery(p<.005). 6) Among the independent variables, significant factors to explain the adaptation to ADL in patients were mastery(p<.001) and danger appraisal of uncertainty(p<.05).

• Journal of muscle and joint health
• /
• v.8 no.2
• /
• pp.250-261
• /
• 2001

Alternative therapy for rheumatoid arthritis has become worldwide phenomenon this decade without scientific validation. This study was undertaken to explore the prevalence, patterns of use, and perceived efficacy of alternative therapies by patients attending a rheumatology clinic. We conducted a crossectional survey of 142 RA patients with structured questionnaire at outpatient rheumatic clinic from July to August in 2001. Results of this study were summarized as follows : 1. 85.9% of subjects were woman. Mean age was 49.97years, duration of rheumatoid arthritis was 5.6years. Mean pain score was 5.29cm. 2. 74.6% of subjects perceived rheumatoid arthritis as a controllable disease. 31% of patients combined medical treatments with alternative therapies. 58.5% of patients perceived that combining medical treatments with alternative therapies is the most effective strategy in controlling disease. 3. 77.5% had used more than one alternative therapy since the diagnosis was made. The major reason of discontinuation of use was no effect for the treatment of their disease. 4. 34.5% were currently using an alternative therapies and 50.9% were going to use alternative therapies in future. 5. 42.7% reported that alternative therapies was effective and only 3.6% reported side effects. 6. The perceived effect score was 3.14cm in general expecially the physiological score 2.91cm, psychological score 4.16cm. In conclusion, our results demonstrate a high use of alternative therapies by rheumatoid arthritis patients. And the perceived effect score of physiological aspect was not higher than one of psychological aspect. Therefore it should be considered in education program for the use of alternative therapies.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.23 no.2
• /
• pp.49-61
• /
• 2013

Objectives : This study was conducted to determine whether or not Kangwhaldoche-tang(Qianghuodaozhi-tang) (KDT) aqueous extracts can protect articular cartilage losses on the Freund's complete adjuvant(FCA)-induced rat rheumatoid arthritis. Methods : 520, 260 or 130 mg/kg of KDT were orally administered once a day for 14 days from 14 days after FCA treatments, and 15 mg/kg of dexamethasone was intraperitoneally administered as reference drug in this experiment. Changes on the body weight, knee circumferences, gross arthritis score, inflammatory tissue prostaglandin(PG) $E_2$ levels were monitored with cartilage collagen components and glucosaminoglycans(GAGs) compositions - chondroitin sulphate, heparin sulphate and hyaluronic acid in the present study. Results : As results of FCA treatment, classic rheumatoid arthritis featuring dramatic decreases of the body weights, cartilage collagen and GAGs contents with increases of the knee circumferences, gross arthritis scores and inflammatory tissue $PGE_2$ levels, were demonstrated in the present study. However, these changes from FCA - induced rheumatoid arthritis were clearly inhibited by treatment of dexamethasone and all three different dosages of KDT. Although overall anti-inflammatory effects of KDT 520 mg/kg were lowered than those of dexamethasone 15 mg/kg treated rats, KDT 520 mg/kg showed more favorable preserve effects on the cartilage GAGs and KDT 260 mg/kg treated rats showed similar preserve effects as compared with dexamethasone 15 mg/kg in this experiment. Conclusions : The present results supported that over 75 mg/kg of KDT showed favorable anti-arthritic effects on the FCA-induced arthritis mediated by suppression of $PGE_2$, representative inflammatory mediator, and may help improve rheumatoid arthritis.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.31 no.3
• /
• pp.19-29
• /
• 2021

Objectives To investigate the trends in clinical study on rheumatoid arthritis in all academic fields in Korea. Methods We searched seven Korean web databases for clinical studies published from 2008 to 2021. All identified studies were reviewed and classified by the year of publication, academic field, and study design. Results A total of 347 clinical studies were selected. An average of 26.7 studies were published each year. Regarding the distribution of studies by academic fields, 309 studies were published in the medical field and 17 studies were published during the same period in Korean medicine, and 21 studies were published in other fields. The distribution of studies by study design was as follows: 8 studies, meta-analyses; 5 studies, systematic reviews; 16 studies, experimental studies; and 318 studies, observational studies. Conclusions Multidisciplinary access and management are required for the early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis, effective management of disease progression, and prevention of rheumatoid joint deformities. Additionally, study design with high-level of evidence on the intervention of rheumatoid arthritis are warranted.

• Korean Journal of Medicinal Crop Science
• /
• v.27 no.1
• /
• pp.38-44
• /
• 2019

Background: Taraxacum platycarpum has been used in traditional medicine in Korea to treat intoxication and edema and as a diuretic. According to previous reports, it has anti-cancer, anti-gastritis, and anti-inflammation effects. However, the improvement effect of T. platycarpum on rheumatoid arthritis has not been investigated. The anti-oxidative and anti-inflammation effects of the aerial parts of T. platycarpum are different from those of its subterranean parts. Thus, we evaluated the effect of the water extracts of Taraxaci radix (WTR) on type II collagen-induced rheumatoid arthritis (CIA) in animal models. Methods and Results: Rheumatoid arthritis was induced by type II collagen. WTR (100 mg/kg and 500 mg/kg) was administered to the animal models. Methotrexate was used as the positive control. The levels of interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, and type II collagen IgG in the animals were measured by using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Treatment with 500 mg/kg WTR decreased the serum levels of interleukin-6, TNF-alpha, and collagen IgG in the CIA models. Moreover, treatment with WTR diminished the arthritisinduced swelling of the hind legs and monocyte infiltration in the bloodvessels of the animal models. Conclusions: These results indicate that WTR has the potential to improve rheumatoid arthritis by reducing the levels of inflammatory cytokines such as interleukin-6 and TNF-alpha. However, further experiments are required to elucidate the influence of WTR on signal transduction in vitro and in vivo.

• Journal of Korean Public Health Nursing
• /
• v.33 no.2
• /
• pp.228-241
• /
• 2019

Purpose: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the prevalence, awareness, treatment and control of hypertension, diabetes, and dyslipidemia among women with rheumatoid arthritis. Methods: This cross-sectional study of 288 women with rheumatoid arthritis was conducted in a university-affiliated hospital. Data were collected by reviewing the women's medical charts and self-report questionnaires. Results: The prevalence of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia was 27.8%, 5.9% and 48.3%, respectively. Despite the high prevalence of dyslipidemia, the subjects'awareness of it and its treatment rates were the lowest, which resulted in a low control rate. Of the 288 subjects, 158 (55%) had at least one of the three conditions. The prevalence of the combination of cardiovascular risk factors increased with age, and 32.7% of those aged 60 or older had two or three of the cardiovascular risk factors. Combinations of cardiovascular risk factors were significantly related with severe pain and fatigue. Conclusion: Cardiovascular risk factors were highly prevalent among the women with rheumatoid arthritis, but the rates of awareness, treatment, and control were suboptimal. There is a pressing need to facilitate the prevention, early detection and appropriate management of hypertension, diabetes and dyslipidemia among patients with rheumatoid arthritis in order to prevent cardiovascular disease.

• Journal of Korean Medicine Rehabilitation
• /
• v.32 no.3
• /
• pp.77-84
• /
• 2022

Objectives This study is designed to identify the effectiveness of herbal medicine for osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis. Methods We will investigate 10 databases, 4 Korean databases (KoreaMed, KMBASE, Koreanstudies Information Service System [KISS], ScienceOn) and 6 of abroad (PubMed, EMBASE, Cochrane Library, China National Knowledge Infrastructure [CNKI], WanFang, Citation Information by NII [CiNii]) without publication date, language limitation for clinical study of herbal medicine for osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis. Type, dose, duration, frequency of herb medicine will be analyzed. Results Randomized controlled trials about herbal medicine or herb extract for osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis should be included in the study. Cochrane's risk of bias tools will be used to assess quality of the study. Mean differences or standardized mean differences of 95% confidence intervals will calculated and data synthesis will be conducted using Review Manager (RevMan, ver.5.3; The Nordic Cochrane Centre, The Cochrane Collaboration, Copenhagen, Denmark). Conclusions It is expected to provide basic data for the active use of herb medicine by systematically synthesizing and analyzing the actual situation, effectiveness, and safety of herb medicine for osteoporosis in rheumatoid arthritis.

• Journal of the Korean Orthopaedic Association
• /
• v.55 no.6
• /
• pp.472-486
• /
• 2020

Rheumatoid arthritis is a systemic disease with chronic progress, but the recent rapid developments of drug treatments have led many patients to gain control of their disease activity. As a result, surgery has been performed less commonly on the wrist or hand than in the past. On the other hand, surgical treatment is still essential to patients who do not respond to those medications. For the successful treatment of symptomatic deformed joints or functional disability, surgeons should understand that the pathology of rheumatoid arthritis proceeds differently in every patient. Furthermore, because rheumatoid arthritis often invades multiple joints in the hand and wrist, the patients often require multiple operations simultaneously. This paper summarizes the current concepts of surgical treatment of rheumatoid arthritis in the hand and wrist based on more than 30 years' experience of our senior surgeon and a literature review.