PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - van de Sande, Marleen G H
AU  - Gerlag, Danielle M
AU  - Lodde, Beatrijs M
AU  - van Baarsen, Lisa G M
AU  - Alivernini, Stefano
AU  - Codullo, Veronica
AU  - Felea, Ioana
AU  - Vieira-Sousa, Elsa
AU  - Fearon, Ursula
AU  - Reece, Richard
AU  - Montecucco, Carlomaurizio
AU  - Veale, Douglas J
AU  - Pitzalis, Costantino
AU  - Emery, Paul
AU  - Klareskog, Lars
AU  - McInnes, Iain B
AU  - Tak, Paul P
TI  - Evaluating antirheumatic treatments using synovial biopsy: a recommendation for standardisation to be used in clinical trials
AID  - 10.1136/ard.2010.139550
DP  - 2011 Mar 01
TA  - Annals of the Rheumatic Diseases
PG  - 423--427
VI  - 70
IP  - 3
4099  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/70/3/423.short
4100  - http://ard.bmj.com/content/70/3/423.full
SO  - Ann Rheum Dis2011 Mar 01; 70
AB  - Inflammation of synovium is one of the hallmarks of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Analysis of synovial tissue has increased our understanding of RA pathogenesis, aided in identifying potential therapeutic targets and has been used in the response and mechanistic evaluation of antirheumatic treatments. In addition, studies are ongoing, aimed at the identification of diagnostic and prognostic biomarkers in the synovium. This paper outlines the currently used procedures for sampling and processing of synovial tissue, and presents a standardised recommendation to support multicentre translational research.