Accrual of organ damage and one-year mortality in systemic sclerosis: A prospective observational study.

Objective: To determine cumulative organ damage in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) according to the Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Damage Index (SCTC-DI), assess 1-year mortality risk, and identify associated factors.

Methods: A prospective, single-center study was conducted in a cohort of patients with SSc. A cross-sectional study and a 12-month longitudinal follow-up were carried out.

Intestinal Dysbiosis, Tight Junction Proteins, and Inflammation in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Recent studies point to intestinal permeability as an important factor in the establishment and development of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Tight junctions (TJs) play a major role in intestinal homeostasis. The alteration of this homeostasis is related to RA.

Impact of inflammation on cognitive function in patients with highly inflammatory rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: To evaluate cognitive function in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and inflammatory activity.

Patients And Methods: We performed a cross-sectional study of a cohort of patients with RA initiating their first biological treatment due to moderate-to-high inflammation and a healthy control group (no inflammatory diseases) matched for age, sex and educational level. All participants underwent a comprehensive neuropsychological assessment, with cognitive impairment defined as a Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA) score<26.

Impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on psychosocial health in rheumatic patients: A longitudinal study.

Aim: To describe the impact of the COVID-19 on the psychosocial health of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), spondyloarthritis (SpA), and systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Design: Longitudinal observational study of a series of patients with rheumatic disease.

Methods: The main outcome measure was impairment of the ability to participate in social activities, as measured using the PROMIS-APS instrument Short Form-8a.

Severity and impact of digestive impairment perceived by patients with systemic sclerosis: a cross-sectional study.

Objectives: To describe the severity and impact of gastrointestinal involvement in patients with systemic sclerosis (SSc) and identify associated factors.

Patients And Methods: Non-controlled cross-sectional study of patients with SSc (2013 American College of Rheumatology/European League Against Rheumatism criteria). The main variables were severity of gastrointestinal involvement according to the University of California, Los Angeles Scleroderma Clinical Trials Consortium Gastrointestinal Tract 2.

Rate of severe and fatal infections in a cohort of patients with interstitial lung disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis: a multicenter prospective study.

Objective: To describe severe infection, foci of infection, microorganisms, associated factors, and impact on mortality in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Patients And Methods: The study was based on a multicenter prospective cohort of patients with RA-ILD followed up from 2015 to 2023. The main outcome measures were incident severe infection and fatal infection.

Interstitial Lung Disease Is Associated with Sleep Disorders in Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients.

Objective: To evaluate sleep disorders and associated factors in patients with rheumatoid-arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Methods: We performed an observational study of 35 patients with RA-ILD (cases) and 35 age- and sex-matched RA patients without ILD (controls). We evaluated sleep disorders (Oviedo Sleep Questionnaire), positive psychological factors (resilience using the Wagnild and Young Resilience Scale, emotional intelligence using the 24-item Trait Meta-Mood Scale), anxiety and depression (Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale), quality of life (36-item short-form survey), and fatigue (Functional Assessment of Chronic Illness Therapy Questionnaire).

Prevalence of Malnutrition and Associated Factors in Older Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Cross-Sectional Study.

Objective: To describe the frequency of malnutrition in older patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and investigate associated risk factors.

Methods: This multicenter, cross-sectional study included participants aged ≥65 years who met the 2010 ACR/EULAR criteria for RA. Nutritional status was assessed using the Mini Nutritional Assessment Short Form (MNA-SF) and based on variables, such as albumin level, the Geriatric Nutritional Risk Index (GNRI), and vitamin D.

Sarcopenia and Nutrition in Elderly Rheumatoid Arthritis Patients: A Cross-Sectional Study to Determine Prevalence and Risk Factors.

Objective: To describe the prevalence of sarcopenia in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients aged ≥65 years and identify the risk factors associated with sarcopenia.

Methods: This is a multicenter, controlled, cross-sectional study of 76 RA patients and 76 age- and sex-matched healthy controls. Sarcopenia was defined according to the revised criteria of the European Working Group on Sarcopenia in Older People (EWGSOP2).

Inflammatory Biomarkers in the Diagnosis and Prognosis of Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

This study aimed to identify inflammatory factors and soluble cytokines that act as biomarkers in the diagnosis and prognosis of rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD). We performed a nested prospective observational case-control study of patients with RA-ILD matched by sex, age, and time since the diagnosis of RA. All participants underwent pulmonary function testing and high-resolution computed tomography.

Analysis of comorbidity in rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease: a nested case-cohort study.

Objectives: To describe comorbid conditions in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) and to analyze factors associated with multimorbidity.

Methods: Nested case-cohort study of 2 prospective cohorts: one with RA-ILD (cases) and another with RA but not ILD (controls). The cohorts were matched for age, sex, and time since diagnosis.

Inflammatory profile of incident cases of late-onset compared with young-onset rheumatoid arthritis: A nested cohort study.

Objectives: To describe the characteristics of patients between late-onset rheumatoid arthritis (LORA) with young-onset (YORA), and analyze their association with cumulative inflammatory burden.

Methods: We performed a nested cohort study in a prospective cohort comprising 110 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and 110 age- and sex-matched controls. The main variable was cumulative inflammatory activity according to the 28-joint Disease Activity Score with erythrocyte sedimentation rate (DAS28-ESR).

Safety and Effectiveness of Abatacept in a Prospective Cohort of Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis-Associated Interstitial Lung Disease.

Objective: To prospectively evaluate the safety and efficacy profile of abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis-associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Methods: We performed a prospective observational multicenter study of a cohort of patients with RA-ILD treated with abatacept between 2015 and 2021. Patients were evaluated using high-resolution computed tomography and pulmonary function tests at initiation, 12 months, and the end of follow-up.

Importance of Vaccination against SARS-CoV-2 in Patients with Interstitial Lung Disease Associated with Systemic Autoimmune Disease.

Objectives: To describe the frequency of COVID-19 and the effect of vaccination in patients with interstitial lung disease and systemic autoimmune disease (ILD-SAD) and to identify factors associated with infection and severity of COVID-19. Methods: We performed a cross-sectional multicenter study of patients with ILD-SAD followed between June and October 2021. The main variable was COVID-19 infection confirmed by a positive polymerase chain reaction (PCR) result for SARS-CoV-2.