The problem of deciding the signs of k parameters$(\theta_1, \cdots, \theta_k) \equiv \mathbf{theta}$based on (θ̂1, ⋯, θ̂k) ∼ N(θ,Σ) such that pθ{\text{any error} ≤ α ∀ θ is discussed by Bohrer and ...Schervish (1980). They characterize a desirable class of procedures called locally optimal. For the case k = 2, Σ = I, and α ≤ 1/3, they present a particular rule from this class called the double cross. In this paper, we address the problem of selecting a best rule from among all locally optimal rules when k = 2 and Σ = I. When α ≤ 1/3, the double cross is shown to be an attractive choice. Other rules are obtained for higher values of α. We also examine a more general optimization criterion than the one used by Bohrer and Schervish and obtain different optimal rules for several classes of problems. The optimal rule corresponding to one of these classes has no two-decision region. A modification of the formulation is offered under which a well-known rule (with two decision regions) emerges as the unique optimal procedure.
Genizi and Hochberg (1978) recommended using Contrast Set Preserving (CSP) procedures in the class of T(Q) procedures for multiple comparisons in general unbalanced designs based on partial results. ...They did not, however, propose a general method for selecting a specific CSP procedure, or for replacing a given non-CSP procedure with a better CSP one. In this work we identify a certain orthogonal transformation of non-CSP procedures into CSP ones and give a sufficient condition for the uniform dominance (shorter confidence intervals for all contrasts) of the latter over the former. Two important implications of the given condition are: (i) Applying the given transformation to Spjotvoll and Stoline's (1973) T'-procedure in any unbalanced ANOVA gives a uniformly improved procedure. (ii) In any arbitrary design, our transformation gives uniform improvement if the original procedure is "nearly CSP."
Two well-known simultaneous inference procedures for balanced one-way layout are Tukey's T-method and Scheffé's S-method. The T-method gives short simultaneous confidence intervals for all pair-wise ...comparisons while paying a high price for high-order comparisons. The S-method is appropriate when one has uniform interest in all contrasts, but gives long confidence intervals for pairwise and other low-order comparisons. In this paper we propose a family of procedures intermediate between the T- and S-methods. The resulting simultaneous intervals are shorter than Scheffé's for low-order comparisons, shorter than Tukey's for high-order comparisons and shorter than both Tukey's and Scheffé's for intermediate comparisons.
To compare the efficacy and safety of chondroitin sulfate plus glucosamine hydrochloride (CS+GH) versus celecoxib in patients with knee osteoarthritis and severe pain.
Double-blind Multicentre ...Osteoarthritis interVEntion trial with SYSADOA (MOVES) conducted in France, Germany, Poland and Spain evaluating treatment with CS+GH versus celecoxib in 606 patients with Kellgren and Lawrence grades 2-3 knee osteoarthritis and moderate-to-severe pain (Western Ontario and McMaster osteoarthritis index (WOMAC) score ≥301; 0-500 scale). Patients were randomised to receive 400 mg CS plus 500 mg GH three times a day or 200 mg celecoxib every day for 6 months. The primary outcome was the mean decrease in WOMAC pain from baseline to 6 months. Secondary outcomes included WOMAC function and stiffness, visual analogue scale for pain, presence of joint swelling/effusion, rescue medication consumption, Outcome Measures in Rheumatology Clinical Trials and Osteoarthritis Research Society International (OMERACT-OARSI) criteria and EuroQoL-5D.
The adjusted mean change (95% CI) in WOMAC pain was -185.7 (-200.3 to -171.1) (50.1% decrease) with CS+GH and -186.8 (-201.7 to -171.9) (50.2% decrease) with celecoxib, meeting the non-inferiority margin of -40: -1.11 (-22.0 to 19.8; p=0.92). All sensitivity analyses were consistent with that result. At 6 months, 79.7% of patients in the combination group and 79.2% in the celecoxib group fulfilled OMERACT-OARSI criteria. Both groups elicited a reduction >50% in the presence of joint swelling; a similar reduction was seen for effusion. No differences were observed for the other secondary outcomes. Adverse events were low and similarly distributed between groups.
CS+GH has comparable efficacy to celecoxib in reducing pain, stiffness, functional limitation and joint swelling/effusion after 6 months in patients with painful knee osteoarthritis, with a good safety profile.
NCT01425853.
Abstract The European Society for Clinical and Economic Aspects of Osteoporosis and Osteoarthritis (ESCEO) published a treatment algorithm for the management of knee osteoarthritis (OA) in 2014, ...which provides practical guidance for the prioritization of interventions. Further analysis of real-world data for OA provides additional evidence in support of pharmacological interventions, in terms of management of OA pain and function, avoidance of adverse events, disease-modifying effects and long-term outcomes, e.g., delay of total joint replacement surgery, and pharmacoeconomic factors such as reduction in healthcare resource utilization. This article provides an updated assessment of the literature for selected interventions in OA, focusing on real-life data, with the aim of providing easy-to-follow advice on how to establish a treatment flow in patients with knee OA in primary care clinical practice, in support of the clinicians’ individualized assessment of the patient. In step 1, background maintenance therapy with symptomatic slow-acting drugs for osteoarthritis (SYSADOAs) is recommended, for which high-quality evidence is provided only for the prescription formulations of patented crystalline glucosamine sulfate and chondroitin sulfate. Paracetamol may be added for rescue analgesia only, due to limited efficacy and increasing safety signals. Topical non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) may provide additional symptomatic treatment with the same degree of efficacy as oral NSAIDs without the systemic safety concerns. Oral NSAIDs maintain a central role in step 2 advanced management of persistent symptoms. However, oral NSAIDs are highly heterogeneous in terms of gastrointestinal and cardiovascular safety profile, and patient stratification with careful treatment selection is advocated to maximize the risk:benefit ratio. Intra-articular hyaluronic acid as a next step provides sustained clinical benefit with effects lasting up to 6 months after a short-course of weekly injections. As a last step before surgery, the slow titration of sustained-release tramadol, a weak opioid, affords sustained analgesia with improved tolerability.
Long-term loss of arm function after ischaemic stroke is common and might be improved by vagus nerve stimulation paired with rehabilitation. We aimed to determine whether this strategy is a safe and ...effective treatment for improving arm function after stroke.
In this pivotal, randomised, triple-blind, sham-controlled trial, done in 19 stroke rehabilitation services in the UK and the USA, participants with moderate-to-severe arm weakness, at least 9 months after ischaemic stroke, were randomly assigned (1:1) to either rehabilitation paired with active vagus nerve stimulation (VNS group) or rehabilitation paired with sham stimulation (control group). Randomisation was done by ResearchPoint Global (Austin, TX, USA) using SAS PROC PLAN (SAS Institute Software, Cary, NC, USA), with stratification by region (USA vs UK), age (≤30 years vs >30 years), and baseline Fugl-Meyer Assessment-Upper Extremity (FMA-UE) score (20–35 vs 36–50). Participants, outcomes assessors, and treating therapists were masked to group assignment. All participants were implanted with a vagus nerve stimulation device. The VNS group received 0·8 mA, 100 μs, 30 Hz stimulation pulses, lasting 0·5 s. The control group received 0 mA pulses. Participants received 6 weeks of in-clinic therapy (three times per week; total of 18 sessions) followed by a home exercise programme. The primary outcome was the change in impairment measured by the FMA-UE score on the first day after completion of in-clinic therapy. FMA-UE response rates were also assessed at 90 days after in-clinic therapy (secondary endpoint). All analyses were by intention to treat. This trial is registered at ClinicalTrials.gov, NCT03131960.
Between Oct 2, 2017, and Sept 12, 2019, 108 participants were randomly assigned to treatment (53 to the VNS group and 55 to the control group). 106 completed the study (one patient for each group did not complete the study). On the first day after completion of in-clinic therapy, the mean FMA-UE score increased by 5·0 points (SD 4·4) in the VNS group and by 2·4 points (3·8) in the control group (between group difference 2·6, 95% CI 1·0–4·2, p=0·0014). 90 days after in-clinic therapy, a clinically meaningful response on the FMA-UE score was achieved in 23 (47%) of 53 patients in the VNS group versus 13 (24%) of 55 patients in the control group (between group difference 24%, 6–41; p=0·0098). There was one serious adverse event related to surgery (vocal cord paresis) in the control group.
Vagus nerve stimulation paired with rehabilitation is a novel potential treatment option for people with long-term moderate-to-severe arm impairment after ischaemic stroke.
MicroTransponder.
To assess the safety, pharmacokinetics, and exploratory efficacy of SM04690, a novel Wnt pathway inhibitor, as a potential disease modifying treatment for knee osteoarthritis (OA).
Subjects with ...Kellgren-Lawrence grade 2–3 knee OA were randomized in successive dose-escalation cohorts to receive a knee intra-articular (IA) injection with 0.03, 0.07, or 0.23 mg SM04690, or placebo (PBO) (4:1 ratio). Safety, pharmacokinetics, efficacy (WOMAC Total/Function/Pain, Pain VAS, Physician Global Assessment MDGA, and OMERACT-OARSI Response), OA-related biomarker (P1NP, ß-CTX, and cartilage oligomeric matrix protein COMP), and radiographic/imaging data were collected at baseline and during 24-week follow-up.
61 subjects (SM04690 n = 50; PBO n = 11) enrolled. Two dose limiting toxicities (DLTs), increased pain following injection and paroxysmal tachycardia (also the single serious AE), were reported in the 0.07 mg cohort. A total of 72 AEs were reported; Sixteen (occurring in eight subjects) were considered related to study medication. There were three discontinuations; one due to an AE (0.03 mg cohort). Bone marrow edema (BME) remained constant for most subjects. No doses were excluded from further study due to DLT criteria. Plasma levels of SM04690 were below the limit of detection at all time points. At Week 24, improvements from baseline were seen in all cohorts for the exploratory measures WOMAC Total, WOMAC Function, WOMAC Pain, MDGA, Pain VAS, and OMERACT-OARSI response. Joint space width (JSW) improvement was observed in the 0.07 mg cohort (P = 0.02 vs PBO).
SM04690 appeared safe and well tolerated, with no evidence of systemic exposure. Exploratory efficacy analyses suggested positive trends for measurements of OA pain, function and disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug (DMOAD) properties.
NCT02095548.
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