Publication Year: 2019

Abstract IMPORTANCE Sprifermin is under investigation as a disease-modifying osteoarthritis drug. OBJECTIVE To evaluate the effects of sprifermin on changes in total femorotibial joint cartilage thickness in the more symptomatic knee of patients with osteoarthritis. DESIGN, SETTING, AND PARTICIPANTS FORWARD (FGF-18 Osteoarthritis Randomized Trial with Administration of Repeated Doses) was a 5-year, dose-finding, multicenter randomized […]

Abstract Therapies to reduce liver fibrosis and stimulate organ regeneration are urgently needed. We conducted a first-in-human, phase 1 dose-escalation trial of autologous macrophage therapy in nine adults with cirrhosis and a Model for End-Stage Liver Disease (MELD) score of 10-16 (ISRCTN 10368050). Groups of three participants received a single peripheral infusion of 10, 10 […]

Abstract Osteoarthritis (OA) is a disease of the whole joint, including synovium, bone and cartilage. OA is a slow degenerative and very heterogeneous disease, with both varying levels of disease activity and progression. Biomarkers are urgently needed to assist drug developers in selecting and developing the projects with the highest chance of success. Biomarkers for […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Several epidemiological studies have shown an association between bone mineral density (BMD) and risk of breast cancer in postmenopausal women, but it remains unknown whether bone turnover is associated with increased risk of cancer. The aim of this study was to investigate if markers of bone formation and resorption are associated with increased […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Lifestyle modifications remain the cornerstone of treatment in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD). However, they requently fail related to the inability of patients to implement lasting changes. AIMS To evaluate the effects of a short, web-based, individualised exercise program on non-invasive markers of hepatic steatosis, inflammation and fibrosis. METHODS Patients with histologically confirmed […]

Abstract : Extracellular matrix (ECM) remodeling of the intestinal tissue is important in inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) due to the extensive mucosal remodeling. There are still gaps in our knowledge as to how ECM remodeling is related to intestinal epithelium homeostasis and healing of the intestinal mucosa.: The aim of this review is to highlight […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Excessive cartilage degradation is a known characteristic of osteoarthritis (OA). Biochemical markers, such as uCTX-II, have been shown to be associated with disease severity, yet the tissue origin of CTX-II has been disputed. This analysis investigates the association between OA knee joints at different radiographic stages and pain categories with levels of uCTX-II […]

Abstract BACKGROUND Biomarkers that predict response to anabolic therapies could expedite the development of function-promoting anabolic drugs. This study aimed to identify serum biomarkers that are responsive to testosterone administration and associated with increases in fat-free mass (FFM). METHODS Serum samples were obtained from the 5α-Reductase Trial, a randomized trial that compared the effects of […]

Abstract OBJECTIVE Patients with type 1 diabetes (T1D) have a higher risk of developing chronic kidney disease, cardiovascular events (CVEs), and mortality than the general population. We hypothesized that two previously published biomarkers, namely PRO-C6, a biomarker of collagen type VI formation, and C3M, a biomarker of collagen type III degradation, may be associated with […]

Abstract UNLABELLED There is an unmet need for non-invasive biomarkers in non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) that can diagnose advanced disease and identify patients suitable for clinical trials. The PRO-C3 collagen neo-epitope is a putative direct marker of fibrogenesis. We assessed the performance of PRO-C3 in a large, well-characterised international NAFLD cohort and report the […]