Serum vitamin D levels and mortality in Mexicans: results from the Mexican Health and Aging Study.

Background: the population in Latin America is aging and elders face several obstacles for good health, including an elevated frequency of vitamin D deficiency. Thus, identification of patients at high risk to develop its negative consequences should be a priority. Objective: the objective of this analysis was to determine if levels of vitamin D lower than 15 ng/ml are associated with high mortality in Mexican elderly population, from the database of the Mexican Health and Aging Study (MHAS).

Could Frida Kahlo have had antiphospholipid syndrome?

Frida Kahlo's medical history shows sequelae of polio, a severe traumatic event that caused multiple fractures and a penetrating pelvic injury, as well as a history of countless surgeries. In her biographical accounts and her works, chronic disabling pain always appears for long periods. Besides, a chronic foot ulcer, gangrene that required amputation of the right leg, a history of abortions, and a positive Wasserman reaction suggest that the artist could have suffered from antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS).

Joint position statement on management of patient with osteoporosis during COVID-19 contingency from the AMMOM, CONAMEGER, FELAEN, FEMECOG, FEMECOT, and ICAAFYD.

Unlabelled: Infection by SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) has affected practically all the world. This joint position statement of Latin American Medical Societies provides an updated guide for the prevention, diagnosis, and treatment of osteoporotic patients in the face of possible clinical scenarios posed by the COVID-19 health crisis.

Background: Infection by SARS-Cov-2 (COVID-19) has affected practically all the world.

Could Frida Kahlo Have Had Antiphospholipid Syndrome?

Frida Kahlo's medical history shows sequelae of polio, a severe traumatic event that caused multiple fractures and a penetrating pelvic injury, as well as a history of countless surgeries. In her biographical accounts and her works, chronic disabling pain always appears for long periods. Besides, a chronic foot ulcer, gangrene that required amputation of the right leg, a history of abortions, and a positive Wasserman reaction suggest that the artist could have suffered from antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS).

Burden of rheumatoid arthritis on patients' work productivity and quality of life.

Background: To determine the burden of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) on patients' work productivity and health related quality of life (HRQoL), and examine the influence of several exposure variables; to analyze the progression of RA over 1 year and its impact on work productivity and HRQoL.

Methods: International multicenter prospective survey including patients in 18 centers in Argentina, Brazil, Colombia and Mexico with diagnosis of RA and aged between 21-55 years. The following standard questionnaires were completed at baseline and throughout a 1-year follow-up: WPAI:RA, WALS, WLQ-25, EQ-5D-3 L and SF-36.

Denosumab Versus Risedronate in Glucocorticoid-Induced Osteoporosis: Final Results of a Twenty-Four-Month Randomized, Double-Blind, Double-Dummy Trial.

Objective: Clinical trial results have shown that, in glucocorticoid-treated patients, treatment with denosumab 60 mg subcutaneously once every 6 months (Q6M) increased spine and hip bone mineral density (BMD) at month 12 significantly more than treatment with risedronate 5 mg orally once daily (QD). The present analysis was performed to compare efficacy and characterize safety through month 24.

Methods: This phase III study enrolled men and women ≥18 years old who had received ≥7.

Impact of osteoporosis-associated vertebral fractures on health-related quality of life in the Mexican population.

Objective: To measure the impact on the health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of a sample of Mexicans with vertebral fractures.

Material And Methods: One hundred fifteen subjects with vertebral fractures were interviewed and compared with 135 subjects similar in age without the fracture. Subjects were men and women > 50 years of age with osteoporosis confirmed by bone mineral densitometry and with at least 1 vertebral fracture verified by vertebral morphometry and Xrays.

Sustained clinical remission and rate of relapse after tocilizumab withdrawal in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Data on when to stop use of biological agents in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) are scant. We assessed the length of remission and the rate of clinical relapse in patients with RA who had to discontinue treatment with tocilizumab (TCZ) because of the ending of longterm (5 yrs) open-label clinical trials.

Methods: All patients at 2 participating centers in Mexico were in remission, defined as Disease Activity Score 28 ≤ 2.

The status of fostamatinib in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Fostamatinib (R788) is a prodrug rapidly converted to its active metabolite on oral administration. This (known as R406) is a potent inhibitor of spleen tyrosine kinase, required for the expression of a number of proinflammatory cytokines. Fostamatinib has shown significantly superior efficacy (when compared with placebo) in the control of patients with rheumatoid arthritis not responding to methotrexate in Phase II clinical trials.

Fracture risk assessment in Latin America: is Frax an adaptable instrument for the region?

Osteoporosis is a generalized disease of bone that increases fracture risk. Multiple factors influence this risk, besides low bone mass. To decrease osteoporotic fractures, those patients who require preventive management should be readily identified.

Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis with a Syk kinase inhibitor: a twelve-week, randomized, placebo-controlled trial.

Objective: Spleen tyrosine kinase (Syk) has been identified as an important modulator of immune signaling in B cells and cells bearing Fcgamma-activating receptors. R788, a prodrug of active metabolite R406, has been shown to be an inhibitor of Syk kinase, active in a variety of in vitro and in vivo models, suggesting potential activity in the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: We enrolled 189 patients with active RA despite methotrexate therapy in a 3-month, multicenter, ascending-dose, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial.

Strategies for the prevention and control of osteoporosis in developing countries.

The frequency of osteoporosis and fragility fractures has been studied to a very limited extent in few developing countries. The aim of this paper is to review briefly the burden of osteoporosis and fragility fractures in these countries and to propose some strategies for the prevention and control of those conditions, considering barriers and facilitators for their implementation. The evolution of the demographic composition in most regions with developing countries shows a considerable increase in life expectancy and therefore, a significant growth in elderly population can be expected.

A risk assessment tool (OsteoRisk) for identifying Latin American women with osteoporosis.

Objective: To develop a simple and easy-to-use tool for identifying osteoporotic women (femoral neck bone mineral density [BMD] T-scores
Design: Retrospective study involving review of medical records.

The burden of osteoporosis in Latin America.

Osteoporosis causes considerable morbidity, mortality and resource utilization in industrialized nations. Its burden is relatively well known in United States and Canada, but poorly studied in the rest of America. This study aimed to discover the burden of osteoporosis in Latin America through a review of literature and publicly available information.