Richard M van Vugt

Publications (3)5.33 Total impact

• Article: Results of a questionnaire on the treatment of patients with Behçet's syndrome: a trend for more intensive treatment.

  Franktien Turkstra, Richard M van Vugt, Ben A C Dijkmans, Yusuf Yazici, Hasan Yazici
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  ABSTRACT: OBJECTIVES: To determine the preferred treatment for patients with Behçet's syndrome. METHODS: A questionnaire was given to all participants of the 2010 meeting of the International Society for Behçet's Disease. RESULTS: Forty-one respondents from 6 different subspecialties. In the case of a patient with (severe) posterior uveitis or parenchymal central nervous system (CNS) disease no consensus was seen. A diffuse spectrum of different schedules were given. In both uveitis and CNS disease the majority of respondents preferred treatment options consisting of combination systemic therapy and systemic corticosteroids. TNF was preferred as first line drug in uveitis in 7.5% and in severe uveitis in 32.5% of respondents. In parenchymal CNS disease TNF blockage was given by 17% of the respondents. EULAR guidelines regarding uveitis were followed by 12/40 physicians. In patients with a new deep vein thrombosis, 90% of respondents would intensify immunosuppression. More than half would also anticoagulate. CONCLUSIONS: Although consensus about how to treat patients with Behçet syndrome in different clinical situations is far from present, treatment has become more intensive when compared to 10-20 years ago. More uniformity should be sought for in the decision process in individual patients with Behçet's syndrome, regarding their treatment, as well as adhering to evidence, as presented in the EULAR guidelines, when present.
  Clinical and experimental rheumatology 07/2012; · 2.15 Impact Factor
• Article: Development of antibodies against humanized antitumor necrosis factor and loss of efficacy in a black spider monkey with inflammatory bowel disease.

  Danielle A Eekman, Mark J Hoyer, Richard M van Vugt, Gert J Wolbink, Chris J Mulder, Ben A Dijkmans
  Journal of clinical rheumatology: practical reports on rheumatic & musculoskeletal diseases 03/2009; 15(1):39. · 1.19 Impact Factor
• Source

  Available from: PubMed Central

  Article: Antioxidant intervention in rheumatoid arthritis: results of an open pilot study.

  Richard M van Vugt, Philip J Rijken, Anton G Rietveld, Arno C van Vugt, Ben A C Dijkmans
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  ABSTRACT: There is evidence that reactive oxygen species play a causal role in auto-immune diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Despite the supporting evidence for a beneficial effect of antioxidants on clinical characteristics of RA, the right balance for optimal effectiveness of antioxidants is largely unknown. To determine the potential beneficial effects of an antioxidant intervention on clinical parameters for RA, an open pilot study was designed. Eight non-smoking female patients with rheumatoid factor + RA and a Disease Activity Score (DAS 28) higher than 2.5 were enrolled in the study. Patients had to be receiving stable non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug treatment and/or 'second line' medication for at least 3 months. The pilot group consumed 20 g of antioxidant-enriched spread daily during a period of 10 weeks. The intervention was stopped after 10 weeks and was followed by a 'wash-out' period of 4 weeks. At t = 0, t = 10 weeks and t = 14 weeks, patients' condition was assessed by means of DAS. In addition, standard laboratory analyses were performed, and blood-samples for antioxidants were taken. The antioxidant-enriched spread was well tolerated. All laboratory measures of inflammatory activity and oxidative modification were generally unchanged. However, the number of swollen and painful joints were significantly decreased and general health significantly increased, as reflected by a significantly improved (1.6) DAS at t = 10 weeks. The antioxidant effect was considered beneficial as, compared to the scores at t = 0, the DAS significantly reduced at t = 10 weeks. Increase of the DAS (0.7) after the "wash-out period" at t = 14 confirmed a causal relation between changes in clinical condition and antioxidants. This open pilot study aimed to assess the clinical relevance of an antioxidant intervention as a first step in assessing potential beneficial effects of antioxidants on rheumatoid arthritis. These conclusions need to be validated in a larger controlled study population.
  Clinical Rheumatology 07/2008; 27(6):771-5. · 2.00 Impact Factor