Objective. To introduce a new standardized ultrasound score based on 7 joints of the clinically dominant hand and foot (German US7 score) implemented in daily rheumatologic practice. Methods. The ultrasound score included the following joints of the clinically dominant hand and foot: wrist, second and third metacarpophalangeal and proximal interphalangeal, and second and fifth metatarsophalangeal joints. Synovitis and synovial/tenosynovial vascularity were scored semiquantitatively (grade 0 -3) by gray-scale (GS) and power Doppler (PD) ultrasound. Tenosynovitis and erosions were scored for presence. The scoring range was 0 -27 for GS synovitis, 0 -39 for PD synovitis, 0 -7 for GS tenosynovitis, 0 -21 for PD tenosynovitis, and 0 -14 for erosions. Patients with arthritis were examined at baseline and after the start or change of disease-modifying antirheumatic drug (DMARD) and/or tumor necrosis factor ␣ (TNF␣) inhibitor therapy 3 and 6 months later. C-reactive protein level, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, rheumatoid factor, anti-cyclic citrullinated peptide, Disease Activity Score in 28 joints (DAS28), and radiographs of the hands and feet were performed. Results. One hundred twenty patients (76% women) with rheumatoid arthritis (91%) and psoriatic arthritis (9%) were enrolled. In 52 cases (43%), erosions were seen in radiography at baseline. Patients received DMARDs (41%), DMARDs plus TNF␣ inhibitors (41%), or TNF␣ inhibitor monotherapy (18%). At baseline, the mean DAS28 was 5.0 and the synovitis scores were 8.1 in GS ultrasound and 3.3 in PD ultrasound. After 6 months of therapy, the DAS28 significantly decreased to 3.6 (⌬ ‫؍‬ 1.4), and the GS and PD ultrasound scores significantly decreased to 5.5 (؊32%) and 2.0 (؊39%), respectively. Conclusion. The German US7 score is a viable tool for examining patients with arthritis in daily rheumatologic practice because it significantly reflects therapeutic response.

PurposeTo determine the sensitivity to change of the US7 score among RA patients under various therapies and to analyze the effect of each therapeutic option over 1 year. To estimate predictors for development of destructive bone changes.MethodsMusculoskeletal ultrasound (US7 score), DAS28, CRP and ESR were performed in 432 RA patients at baseline and after 3, 6 and 12 months. The cohort was divided into four sub-groups: first-line DMARDs (Group 1; 27.3%), therapy switch: DMARDs to second DMARDs (Group 2; 25.0%), first-line biologic after DMARDs therapy (Group 3; 35.4%) and therapy change from biologic to second biologic (Group 4; 12.3%).ResultsThe US7 synovitis and tenosynovitis sum scores in grey-scale (GSUS) and power Doppler ultrasound (PDUS) as well as ESR, CRP decreased significantly (p<0.05) after 12 months in group 1 to 3. Group 1+2 also illustrated a significant change of DAS28 after 1 year (p<0.001). Only in Group 4, the US7 erosion sum score decreased significantly from 4.3 to 3.6 (p=0.008) after 1 year. Predictors capable of forecasting US erosions after one year were: higher score of US7 synovitis (p<0.001), of US7 erosions in GSUS (p<0.001), as well as of DAS28 (p<0.001) at baseline.ConclusionsThe comparable developments of the US7 score with clinical and laboratory data illustrates its potential to reflect therapeutic response. Therefore, the novel US7 score is sensitive to change. Patients who switched from one biologic to another exhibited a significant decline in erosions after 12 months, while the erosions scores in the other groups were stable.

RAID-HF demonstrates the impact of ID on long-term mortality and quality of life in patients with HFrEF and reveals an underuse of iron supplementation in current clinical practice. Particularly in patients without anemia the diagnosis of ID is of clinical relevance to identify patients at higher mortality risk.

management of patients with CS changed with a steep decrease of IABP implantations. Mortality of patients with CS decreased over the last 10 years. Especially, performance of successful PCI was associated with a reduction of mortality, indicating the crucial role of early revascularization to improve prognosis in this high-risk cohort of STEMI-patients.

Background Long-term risk factor control after myocardial infarction (MI) is currently inadequate and there is an unmet need for effective secondary prevention programmes. Design and methods It was the aim of the study to compare a 12-month intensive prevention programme (IPP), coordinated by prevention assistants and including education sessions, telephone visits and telemetric risk factor control, with usual care after MI. Three hundred and ten patients were randomized to IPP vs. usual care one month after hospital discharge for MI in two German heart centres. Primary study endpoint was the IPP Prevention Score (0-15 points) quantifying global risk factor control. Results Global risk factor control was strongly improved directly after MI before the beginning of the randomized study (30% increase IPP Prevention Score). During the 12-month course of the randomized trial the IPP Prevention Score was improved by a further 14.3% in the IPP group ( p < 0.001), while it decreased by 11.8% in the usual care group ( p < 0.001). IPP significantly reduced smoking, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol, systolic blood pressure and physical inactivity compared with usual care ( p < 0.05). Step counters with online documentation were used by the majority of patients (80%). Quality of life was significantly improved by IPP ( p < 0.05). The composite endpoint of adverse clinical events was slightly lower in the IPP group during 12 months (13.8% vs. 18.9%, p = 0.25). Conclusions A novel intensive prevention programme after MI, coordinated by prevention assistants and using personal teachings and telemetric strategies for 12 months, was significantly superior to usual care in providing sustainable risk factor control and better quality of life.