Salivary gland ultrasound in clinical practice: What is its real usefulness?

Background: Salivary gland ultrasound (SGU) provides information about structural gland abnormalities that can be graded and used for primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) diagnosis. Its potential role as a prognostic marker for detecting patients at high risk of lymphoma and extra-glandular manifestations is still under evaluation. We aim to assess the usefulness of SGU for SS diagnosis in routine clinical practice and its relationship with extra-glandular involvement and lymphoma risk in pSS patients.

Recommendations by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology on Fibromyalgia. Part 1: Diagnosis and treatment.

Objective: To prevent the impairment of fibromyalgia patients due to harmful actions in daily clinical practice that are potentially avoidable.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team identified the main areas of interest and carried out an analysis of scientific evidence and established recommendations based on the evidence and "formal evaluation" or "reasoned judgment" qualitative analysis techniques.

Results: A total of 39 recommendations address diagnosis, unsafe or ineffective treatment interventions and patient and healthcare workers' education.

Recommendations by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology on the management of patients with fibromyalgia. Part II.

Objective: To prevent the deterioration of patients with fibromyalgia due to potentially avoidable harmful actions in clinical practice.

Methods: A multidisciplinary panel of experts identified key areas, analysed the scientific evidence and formulated recommendations based on this evidence and qualitative techniques of "formal assessment" or "reasoned judgement".

Results: Thirty-nine recommendations were made on diagnosis, ineffective and unsafe treatments, patient education and practitioner training.

Recommendations by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology on the Management of Patients with Fibromyalgia. Part II.

Objective: To prevent the deterioration of patients with fibromyalgia due to potentially avoidable harmful actions in clinical practice.

Methods: A multidisciplinary panel of experts identified key areas, analysed the scientific evidence and formulated recommendations based on this evidence and qualitative techniques of «formal assessment» or «reasoned judgement».

Results: Thirty-nine recommendations were made on diagnosis, ineffective and unsafe treatments, patient education and practitioner training.

Recommendations by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology on Fibromyalgia. Part 1: Diagnosis and Treatment.

Objective: To prevent the impairment of fibromyalgia patients due to harmful actions in daily clinical practice that are potentially avoidable.

Methods: A multidisciplinary team identified the main areas of interest and carried out an analysis of scientific evidence and established recommendations based on the evidence and "formal evaluation" or "reasoned judgment" qualitative analysis techniques.

Results: A total of 39 recommendations address diagnosis, unsafe or ineffective treatment interventions and patient and healthcare workers' education.

Association of apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio and cardiovascular events in rheumatoid arthritis: results of the CARMA study.

Objectives: To assess the plasma apolipoprotein B/apolipoprotein A1 ratio and its potential association with cardiovascular events (CVE) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: A baseline analysis was made of the CARdiovascular in rheuMAtology Project (CARMA), a 10-year prospective study evaluating the presence of at least one CVE in 775 Spanish patients with RA. Of them, 29 had already experienced CVE prior to the inclusion in the study.

Chronic fatigue syndrome: aetiology, diagnosis and treatment.

Chronic fatigue syndrome is characterised by intense fatigue, with duration of over six months and associated to other related symptoms. The latter include asthenia and easily induced tiredness that is not recovered after a night's sleep. The fatigue becomes so severe that it forces a 50% reduction in daily activities.

[Appropriate use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs in rheumatology: guidelines from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology and the Mexican College of Rheumatology].

Objective: To develop guidelines for the appropriate use of NSAIDs in rheumatology.

Methods: We used a methodology modified from the one developed by RAND/UCLA. Two groups of panellists were selected, one by the CMR and another by the SER.

[Proposal for a consensus version of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ) for the Spanish population].

Objective: To obtain an updated FIQ consensus version for patients in Spain, the Cuestionario de Impacto de la Fibromialgia (CIF).

Material And Methods: The CIF elaboration was carried out with the participation of all the groups of researchers in the 4 previous FIQ Spanish versions, and taking into account the recent updated version of the original FIQ. The CIF was completed by a sample of fibromialgia patients to explore how comprensible its items are and to compare its global score with 2 fibromialgia composite severity indexes, one semi-objective and one subjective.

Long-term efficacy of therapy in patients with fibromyalgia: a physical exercise-based program and a cognitive-behavioral approach.

Objective: To analyze the long-term efficacy of 2 interventions for female fibromyalgia (FM) patients: 1) cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT), and 2) a physical exercise (PE)-based strategy.

Methods: We conducted a prospective, long-term, randomized, parallel clinical trial. The outcome variables are physical activity, aerobic capacity, and results of the Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire (FIQ), Short Form 36, Beck Anxiety and Depression Inventory, Chronic Pain Self-Efficacy Scale, and Chronic Pain Coping Inventory.