Damage in a large systemic lupus erythematosus cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER) with emphasis on the cardiovascular system: a longitudinal analysis.

Objective: To assess organ damage, with emphasis on the cardiovascular system, over the different stages of the disease in a large SLE cohort.

Methods: Multicentre, longitudinal study of a cohort of 4219 patients with SLE enrolled in the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry. Organ damage was ascertained using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI).

Subcutaneous vs intravenous abatacept in rheumatoid arthritis-interstitial lung disease. National multicentre study of 397 patients.

Background: Evidence on abatacept (ABA) utility for rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - associated interstitial lung disease (ILD) is growing. Clinical trials have shown equivalence in subcutaneous (SC) and intravenous (IV) administration of ABA for articular manifestations. However, this has not been studied in respiratory outcomes.

SLESIS-R: an improved score for prediction of serious infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus based on the RELESSER prospective cohort.

Objective: To develop an improved score for prediction of severe infection in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), namely, the SLE Severe Infection Score-Revised (SLESIS-R) and to validate it in a large multicentre lupus cohort.

Methods: We used data from the prospective phase of RELESSER (RELESSER-PROS), the SLE register of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology. A multivariable logistic model was constructed taking into account the variables already forming the SLESIS score, plus all other potential predictors identified in a literature review.

Air pollution exposure and its effects on idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis: clinical worsening, lung function decline, and radiological deterioration.

Introduction: Major urban pollutants have a considerable influence on the natural history of lung disease. However, this effect is not well known in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF).

Aim: This study aimed to investigate the effects of air pollution on clinical worsening, lung function, and radiological deterioration in patients with IPF.

Relationship between air pollution exposure and the progression of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis in Madrid: Chronic respiratory failure, hospitalizations, and mortality. A retrospective study.

Introduction: Air pollution has a significant impact on the morbidity and mortality of various respiratory diseases. However, this has not been widely studied in diffuse interstitial lung diseases, specifically in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Objective: In this study we aimed to assess the relationship between four major air pollutants individually [carbon monoxide (CO), nitrogen dioxide (NO), ozone (O), and nitrogen oxides (NO)] and the development of chronic respiratory failure, hospitalization due to respiratory causes and mortality in patients with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Functional respiratory impairment and related factors in patients with interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF): Multicenter study from NEREA registry.

Background: The objective of the present study is to describe the characteristics of interstitial pneumonia with autoimmune features (IPAF) patients, to assess the incidence rate of functional respiratory impairment over time and to evaluate the influence of therapeutic alternatives on the prognosis of these patients.

Methods: A longitudinal observational multicenter study was performed (NEREA registry). It was carried out by a multidisciplinary team in seven Hospitals of Madrid.

SER-SEPAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease. Part 1: Epidemiology, risk factors and prognosis.

Objective: To develop multidisciplinary recommendations to improve the management of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Methods: Clinical research questions relevant to the objective of the document were identified by a panel of rheumatologists and pneumologists selected based on their experience in the field. Systematic reviews of the available evidence were conducted, and evidence was graded according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) criteria.

SER-SEPAR recommendations for the management of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease. Part 2: Treatment.

Objective: To develop multidisciplinary recommendations to improve the management of rheumatoid arthritis-related interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD).

Methods: Clinical research questions relevant to the objective of the document were identified by a panel of rheumatologists and pneumologists selected based on their experience in the field. Systematic reviews of the available evidence were conducted, and evidence was graded according to the Scottish Intercollegiate Guidelines Network (SIGN) criteria.

Screening criteria for interstitial lung disease associated to rheumatoid arthritis: Expert proposal based on Delphi methodology.

Objective: To develop a joint proposal for screening criteria of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and vice versa, which serves as a guidelines in patient referral between the Rheumatology and Pneumology departments to early detection of these patients.

Methods: A systematic literature review was carried out on the risk factors for the development of ILD in RA patients, and for the referral criteria to Rheumatology for suspected early RA. Based on the available evidence, screening criteria were agreed using the Delphi method by a panel of pneumologists and rheumatologists with expertise in these pathologies.

Intestinal disease secondary to tocilizumab.

It is presented a case study of intestinal affectation on a patient under tocilizumab treatment for giant cell arteritis.

Role of targeted therapies in rheumatic patients on COVID-19 outcomes: results from the COVIDSER study.

Objectives: To analyse the effect of targeted therapies, either biological (b) disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), targeted synthetic (ts) DMARDs and other factors (demographics, comorbidities or COVID-19 symptoms) on the risk of COVID-19 related hospitalisation in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases.

Methods: The COVIDSER study is an observational cohort including 7782 patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases. Multivariable logistic regression was used to estimate ORs and 95% CIs of hospitalisation.

Remission Induced by TNF Inhibitors Plus Methotrexate is Associated With Changes in Peripheral Naïve B Cells in Patients With Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Biological therapies, such as TNF inhibitors (TNFi), are increasing remission (REM) rates in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients, although these are still limited. The aim of our study was to analyze changes in the profile of peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC) in patients with RA treated with TNFi in relation to the clinical response. This is a prospective and observational study including 78 RA patients starting the first TNFi.

Relevance of gastrointestinal manifestations in a large Spanish cohort of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: what do we know?

Objective: SLE can affect any part of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. GI symptoms are reported to occur in >50% of SLE patients. To describe the GI manifestations of SLE in the RELESSER (Registry of SLE Patients of the Spanish Society of Rheumatology) cohort and to determine whether these are associated with a more severe disease, damage accrual and a worse prognosis.

Abatacept in monotherapy vs combined in interstitial lung disease of rheumatoid arthritis-multicentre study of 263 Caucasian patients.

Objective: To assess the efficacy and safety of abatacept (ABA) in monotherapy (ABAMONO) vs combined ABA [ABA plus MTX (ABAMTX) or ABA plus non-MTX conventional synthetic DMARDs (csDMARDs) (ABANON-MTX)] in RA patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) (RA-ILD).

Methods: This was a restrospective multicentre study of RA-ILD Caucasian patients treated with ABA. We analysed in the three groups (ABAMONO, ABAMTX, ABANON-MTX) the following outcome variables: (i) dyspnoea; (ii) forced vital capacity (FVC) and diffusion capacity of the lung for the carbon monoxide (DLCO); (iii) chest high-resolution CT (HRCT); (iv) DAS28-ESR; (v) CS-sparing effect; and (vi) ABA retention and side-effects.

HLA association with the susceptibility to anti-synthetase syndrome.

Objective: To investigate the human leukocyte antigen (HLA) association with anti-synthetase syndrome (ASSD).

Methods: We conducted the largest immunogenetic HLA-DRB1 and HLA-B study to date in a homogeneous cohort of 168 Caucasian patients with ASSD and 486 ethnically matched healthy controls by sequencing-based-typing.

Results: A statistically significant increase of HLA-DRB1*03:01 and HLA-B*08:01 alleles in patients with ASSD compared to healthy controls was disclosed (26.

Cardiovascular mortality and cardiovascular event rates in patients with inflammatory rheumatic diseases in the CARdiovascular in rheuMAtology (CARMA) prospective study-results at 5 years of follow-up.

Objectives: To determine cardiovascular (CV) mortality and incidence of the first CV event (CVE) in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD) after 5 years of follow-up.

Methods: This is an analysis of the CARdiovascular in rheMAatology (CARMA) study after 5 years of follow-up. It includes patients with RA (n = 775), AS (n = 738) and PsA (n = 721), and individuals without CIRD (n = 677) attending outpatient rheumatology clinics from 67 public hospitals in Spain.

Blood Lymphocyte Subsets for Early Identification of Non-Remission to TNF Inhibitors in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

TNF inhibitors (TNFis) are widely used for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA), although the response rates to this therapy in patients with RA remains heterogeneous and < 50% achieve remission (REM). To analyze baseline peripheral blood leukocytes profiles in order to search for biomarkers identifying patients who will most likely not achieve REM under TNFi treatment. A prospective bi-center pilot study including 98 RA patients treated with TNFis and followed-up during 6 months.

Influence of MUC5B gene on antisynthetase syndrome.

MUC5B rs35705950 (G/T) is strongly associated with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) and also contributes to the risk of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA-ILD) and chronic hypersensitivity pneumonitis (CHP). Due to this, we evaluated the implication of MUC5B rs35705950 in antisynthetase syndrome (ASSD), a pathology characterised by a high ILD incidence. 160 patients with ASSD (142 with ILD associated with ASSD [ASSD-ILD+]), 232 with ILD unrelated to ASSD (comprising 161 IPF, 27 RA-ILD and 44 CHP) and 534 healthy controls were genotyped.

False positives in the ultrasound diagnosis of giant cell arteritis: some diseases can also show the halo sign.

Objectives: To describe the frequency and causes for the presence of a halo sign on the ultrasound of patients without a diagnosis of GCA.

Methods: In total, 305 patients with temporal artery colour Doppler ultrasound showing the presence of halo sign (intima-media thickness ≥0.34 mm for temporal arteries [TAs] and ≥1 mm for axillary arteries) were included, and their medical records were reviewed.