[Relapse of lupus nephritis in temporal association with anti SARS-CoV-2 vaccination].

During the past two years we have witness a tremendous worldwide health crisis imposed by the coronavirus disease (COVID-19). This situation led to the urgent development and implementation of vaccines in an attempt to decrease not only the SARS-CoV-2 transmissibility but also the severe forms of COVID-19. Although these vaccines were approved based on an adequate benefit-risk ratio, at the moment of their implementation in 2021 we did not have sub-studies in special populations; patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) among them.

Clinical and Serological Features in Latin American IgG4-Related Disease Patients Differ According to Sex, Ethnicity, and Clinical Phenotype.

Background/objective: Data on IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) come almost exclusively from cohorts from Asia, Europe, and North America. We conducted this study to describe the clinical presentation, phenotype distribution, and association with sex, ethnicity, and serological markers in a large cohort of Latin American patients with IgG4-RD.

Methods: We performed a multicenter medical records review study including 184 Latin American IgG4-RD patients.

Reliability of OMERACT ultrasound elementary lesions in gout: results from a multicenter exercise.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the reliability of the outcome measures in rheumatology (OMERACT) definitions for ultrasound (US) elementary lesions in gout through an image reading exercise. Images from patients with gout (static images and videos) were collected. As an initial step, we carried out a image reading exercise within the experts of the Pan-American League of Associations for Rheumatology (PANLAR) US Study Group (n = 16).

Prevalence and correlates of metabolic syndrome in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in Argentina.

Background: The increased mortality reported among patient with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has been attributed to cardiovascular disease. Metabolic syndrome (MS) is a cluster of major risk factors for cardiovascular disease such as dyslipidemia, obesity, hypertension, and diabetes. There is a lack of reporting on the prevalence of MS in RA patients in Argentina.

[Prevalence of dyslipidemia and elevated cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis].

The objectives of this study were to compare the frequency of dyslipidemia (DLP) and the elevated cardiovascular risk between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and a control group, to identify disease-related factors associated with the presence of DLP and to estimate the frequency of RA patients receiving treatment for DLP. This is a cross sectional study that included 409 RA patients and 624 controls. Cardiovascular (CV) risk was determined using the Framingham score, National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) adapted versions according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in a multiethnic US cohort (LUMINA): LXI. Value of C-reactive protein as a marker of disease activity and damage.

Objective: To determine whether C-reactive protein (CRP) measured by a high sensitivity (hs) assay is a surrogate marker of disease activity and damage in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Five hundred eighty-eight patients with SLE participating in a multiethnic cohort (Hispanic, African American, and Caucasian) were studied. Disease activity was measured with the Systemic Lupus Activity Measure-Revised (SLAM-R) and damage with the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) Damage Index (SDI).

Rate and causes of infliximab discontinuation in patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a private clinical practice.

Objectives: To describe the rate of infliximab discontinuation and the causes of this event in a population of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Patients And Methods: Rheumatoid arthritis patients from an out-patient private center treated with infliximab (at least 2 consecutive doses) were retrospectively studied. The infliximab discontinuation rate was examined by the Kaplan-Meier survival method.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in a multiethnic US cohort (LUMINA L II): relationship between vascular events and the use of hormone replacement therapy in postmenopausal women.

Objectives: To examine the influence of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in the occurrence of vascular arterial and venous thrombotic events in postmenopausal women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Patients And Methods: SLE women aged > or =16 years, disease duration < or =5 years from LUMINA, a multiethnic, longitudinal outcome study, were included. Menopause was defined at disease onset as the presence of amenorrhea >6 months and/or oophorectomy, and/or increased follicle stimulating hormone values, and/or HRT use regardless of the presence or absence of climacteric symptoms (hot flashes).

Lack of correlation between satisfaction and knowledge in clinical trials participants: a pilot study.

Objectives: To address participants' knowledge of informed consent and to explore whether knowledge level is related to clinical trial satisfaction.

Methods: One hundred and fourteen patients enrolled in three ongoing randomized controlled trials of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis were asked to complete a mailed form. The survey was related to aspects of the informed consent process: quality of information given during the informed consent process, participants' self perception of knowledge, objective evaluation of participants' knowledge and participants' overall trial satisfaction.

The impact of increased body mass index on systemic lupus erythematosus: data from LUMINA, a multiethnic cohort (LUMINA XLVI) [corrected].

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the impact of an increased body mass index (BMI) on disease activity, damage accrual, fatigue, self-reported health-related quality of life (HRQOL), and fibromyalgia in patients with lupus using longitudinal data from LUMINA, a large multiethnic cohort.

Methods: SLE patients (>/=4 ACR revised criteria), View Article and Find Full Text PDF

Effect of hydroxychloroquine on the survival of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: data from LUMINA, a multiethnic US cohort (LUMINA L).

Objective: In patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), hydroxychloroquine prevents disease flares and damage accrual and facilitates the response to mycophenolate mofetil in those with renal involvement. A study was undertaken to determine whether hydroxychloroquine also exerts a protective effect on survival.

Methods: Patients with SLE from the multiethnic LUMINA (LUpus in MInorities: NAture vs nurture) cohort were studied.

African-American and Hispanic ethnicities, renal involvement and obesity predispose to hypertension in systemic lupus erythematosus: results from LUMINA, a multiethnic cohort (LUMINAXLV).

Objective: To examine the predictors of the occurrence of hypertension in a large multiethnic US cohort.

Patients And Methods: There were 614 patients with systemic lupus erythematoses (SLE; > or = 4 American College of Rheumatology revised criteria) with < or = 5 years of disease duration at entry into the cohort (T0) and of Hispanic (Texan or Puerto Rican), African-American or Caucasian ethnicity. T0 variables were compared between patients who did and did not develop hypertension (blood pressure > or = 140/90 mm Hg on at least two occasions and/or the use of antihypertensive drugs) after T0.

Soft tissue metastases presenting as greater trochanteric pain syndrome.

Greater trochanteric pain syndrome includes a complex differential diagnosis. We report the case of a 71-year-old woman who consulted us because of pain in the lateral aspect of the hip. A diagnosis of greater trochanter bursitis was suggested, and she was treated with local injections of a mixture of corticosteroids plus anesthetic, but the condition did not improve.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in a multiethnic US cohort. XXXIII. Clinical [corrected] features, course, and outcome in patients with late-onset disease.

Objective: To examine the clinical differences and the type and extent of organ damage in late- versus early-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: A nested case-control study was performed in the context of LUMINA (LUpus in MInorities, NAture versus nurture), a large, longitudinal, multiethnic cohort. Patients who developed SLE at or after the age of 50 years were considered cases.

Classification of the vasculitides: are they clinically useful?

Several classification systems for the vasculitides have been developed over the second half of the past century. These classifications systems have been modified according to the advances made in the differentiation of these syndromes, particularly their histopathologic features (the vessel size involved) and their clinical features. Although these classifications have been widely used in the clinical setting for the diagnosis of these disorders, they were developed for research purposes.

Factors associated with patients' loss to follow-up after finishing randomized clinical trial participation.

Objectives: To study patient's follow-up after finishing participation in randomized clinical trials (RCTs), and to identify factors associated with loss to follow-up (FU).

Patients And Methods: Medical charts of 212 rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and osteoarthritis (OA) patients from a rheumatological out-patient center were analyzed. Loss to FU was considered when patients did not return to their regular appointments within the first year after finishing their participation in an RCT assessing anti-cyclooxygenase-2 non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (anti-COX-2 NSAIDs).

[Use of infliximab in patients of a rheumatologic center].

The objective of this study was to obtain post-marketing information about the use of infliximab in an ambulatory setting. We studied--retrospectively and prospectively--the case records of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (n=37), psoriatic arthritis (n=5), mixed connective tissue disease (n=1), and ankylosing spondylitis (n=2) who received infliximab (3 mg/kg) from August 2000 to January 2003. Descriptive values were given as percentage, mean or median, and standard deviation or interquartile range.

[Severe polyarthritis and tenosynovitis due to Streptococcus agalactiae in a patient with functional hyposplenia].

Cases of arthritis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae are infrequent and in our knowledge there are no case reports of tenosynovitis caused by S. agalactiae. A 46-year-old woman presented with fever, polyarthralgia, myalgia, diarrhea and vomiting.