Mortality in patients with giant cell arteritis in Spain: results from the ARTESER registry.

Objectives: To compare mortality rates between GCA patients and the general population in Spain, and to identify associated factors influencing mortality.

Methods: ARTESER, a multicenter registry by the Spanish Society of Rheumatology, includes GCA patients from June 2013 to March 2019. Demographic, clinical, imaging, histological and mortality data were collected retrospectively.

SCORE2 is superior to SCORE in predicting the presence of carotid plaques and intima-media thickness in rheumatoid arthritis patients: a cross-sectional study using carotid ultrasound.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) increases the risk of premature mortality, primarily due to cardiovascular diseases (CVD). While Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) and its updated version SCORE2 are used to estimate CVD risk, these tools may not adequately capture the full cardiovascular risk profile in RA patients.

Objectives: This study aims to compare the effectiveness of SCORE2 versus SCORE in predicting the presence of carotid plaques or increased intima-media thickness (IMT), as detected by ultrasound, in RA patients.

Hyperparathyroidism in patients with low bone mineral density treated with zoledronic acid or denosumab.

Objective: To analyze the prevalence of hyperparathyroidism in patients treated with zoledronic acid (ZA) or denosumab, its relationship with other parameters and how it affects on bone mineral density (BMD) evolution.

Methods: Retrospective observational study in patients with osteoporosis or osteopenia and high risk of fracture, who have received denosumab or ZA for at least two years. Patients diagnosed with hyperparathyroidism or glomerular filtration rate <30ml/min at baseline visit were excluded from the study.

Thorough assessment of the effectiveness of belimumab in a large Spanish multicenter cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Objectives: To provide an overview on the current use of belimumab (BLM) in SLE patients in clinical practice and to examine its efficacy in terms of standardized outcomes, drug survival, as well as patient and safety profiles.

Methods: A longitudinal retrospective multicenter cohort including SLE patients treated with BLM at 18 Spanish centers. Data was collected upon initiation of BLM, at 6 and 12 months after initiation, and at the last recorded visit.

Prevalence and clinical characteristics of patients with rheumatoid arthritis with interstitial lung disease using unstructured healthcare data and machine learning.

Objectives: Real-world data regarding rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and its association with interstitial lung disease (ILD) is still scarce. This study aimed to estimate the prevalence of RA and ILD in patients with RA (RAILD) in Spain, and to compare clinical characteristics of patients with RA with and without ILD using natural language processing (NLP) on electronic health records (EHR).

Methods: Observational case-control, retrospective and multicentre study based on the secondary use of unstructured clinical data from patients with adult RA and RAILD from nine hospitals between 2014 and 2019.

The impact of disease activity on health-related quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Background And Objective: The aim of this research was to investigate the relationship between disease activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) considering the increased interest in the management of this disease.

Materials And Methods: HRQoL was measured at clinic visits during a 12-month follow-up period using questionnaires on fatigue (FACIT-FATIGUE); quality of life, EuroQol 5-dimension (EQ-5D-5L) health questionnaire with 5 levels; disability, Health Assessment Questionnaire (HAQ), and a Global Health Status (GHS) scale. Disease activity, organ damage and other clinical factors that could affect HRQoL were recorded.

Real-world Effectiveness and Safety of JAK Inhibitors in Rheumatoid Arthritis: A Single-centre Study.

Background/objective: To assess the effectiveness and safety of Baricitinib and Tofacitinib in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients in "real world" conditions.

Methods: A single centre retrospective study was performed including RA patients who had initiated treatment with Baricitinib or Tofacitinib from September-2017 to January-2020. Demographic, clinical, laboratory, efficacy and safety variables were collected from baseline and at months 1, 3, 6, 12, 18 and 24.

Efectiveness of belimumab in the treatment of lupus nephritis: analysis of 8 cases.

Introduction And Objective: Belimumab is a monoclonal antibody targeting BLyS approved for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE), with recent indication for lupus nephritis (LN). To analyze effectiveness of Belimumab in LN patients.

Methods: Retrospective and cross-sectional study including SLE patients (SLICC/ACR 2012 criteria) with LN demonstrated by kidney biopsy, treated with Belimumab.

Effect of different schemes of androgen deprivation therapy on bone mass density in prostate cancer patients.

Objectives: To evaluate the aspects of the basal bone health status in prostate cancer patients. Furthermore, to evaluate in a real-world setting the effect of different schemes (intermittent or continuous) of androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) and the effect of denosumab in bone mass density (BMD).

Methods: Observational, retrospective study of a cohort of prostate cancer patients in treatment with luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone (LH-RH) agonists, evaluated in the rheumatology department of a tertiary center.

Real-world evidence of tofacitinib in rheumatoid arthritis patients in Spain.

The purpose of this narrative review is to provide an overview of the real-world data on the use of tofacitinib in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in Spain. Sixteen retrospective studies carried out in Spain between 2019 and 2021 have been analyzed, considering patients' characteristics, and treatment patterns, effectiveness, and safety. In those studies, approximately 511 patients received tofacitinib during the study period.

Cardiovascular risk assessment with carotid ultrasound in rheumatoid arthritis.

Background/objective: To assess the Cardiovascular Risk (CV) in Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) patients using carotid ultrasound additionally to the traditional CV risk factors.

Methods: A cross-sectional case control study was performed including RA patients and matched controls. This study was performed from July-2019 to January-2020.

CT-Guided Needle Biopsy in Vertebral Osteomyelitis: Study of Factors That Could Influence in Culture Yield.

Objective: The aim of this study was to analyze which are the main factors that could influence the result of a CT guided biopsy in vertebral osteomyelitis (VO) patients.

Methods: A single center retrospective observational study was performed including adult patients who had been diagnosed with VO and undergone CT guided needle biopsy from January 2010 to January 2020. Demographical features, concurrent diseases, laboratory findings, microbiological diagnosis, radiological data, medical complications, antibiotic exposure were compiled.

Utility of cytokines CXCL4, CXCL8 and GDF15 as biomarkers in systemic sclerosis.

Background And Objectives: Systemic sclerosis (SSc) is an autoinmune disease that can affect several organs and its mortality is fundamentally related to its pulmonary involvement. There are some cytokines with high serum levels of patients with SSc. Our goal is to determine the role of CXCL4, CXCL8 and GDF15 in the physiopathology of SSc and whether they can be considered organic damage biomarkers.

Decreased DNA hydroxymethylation and increased DNA demethylation are associated with high antioxidant response in systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Objectives: DNA hydroxymethylation may be induced by oxidative stress in lupus patients, so we investigated the association between DNA hydroxymethylation and demethylation with the antioxidant response.

Methods: A case-control study was performed including lupus patients and matched healthy controls. Serum concentration of glutathione (GSH), glutathione disulphide (GSSG), superoxide dismutase (SOD) and total antioxidant capacity (TAC), 5-mC and 5-hmC were determined.

Apremilast in refractory orogenital ulcers and other manifestations of Behçet's disease. A national multicentre study of 51 cases in clinical practice.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to assess the efficacy of apremilast (APR) in the management of refractory oral and/or genital ulcers in patients with Behçet's disease (BD).

Methods: National multicentre open-label observational study on BD patients with recurrent oral and/or genital ulcers. In all cases orogenital ulcers were refractory to conventional therapy.

Vertebral osteomyelitis: Clinical, microbiological and radiological characteristics of 116 patients.

Introduction/objectives: To describe the clinical, radiological and microbiological characteristics of vertebral osteomyelitis patients, analysing the factors that played a role on their outcome.

Patients And Methods: Single-centre retrospective observational study including patients diagnosed with vertebral osteomyelitis, based on the combination of clinical presentation with either a definitive bacteriological diagnosis and/or imaging studies.

Results: 116 adult patients were included with a mean age of 62.

Tocilizumab in giant cell arteritis: differences between the GiACTA trial and a multicentre series of patients from the clinical practice.

Objectives: A potential point of concern among clinicians is whether results derived from the clinical trials can be reasonably applied or generalised to a definable group of patients seen in real world. It can be the case of the GiACTA study that is a phase III randomised controlled trial of tocilizumab (TCZ) in giant cell arteritis (GCA). To address this question, we compared the clinical features and the responses to TCZ from the GiACTA trial patients with those from a series of GCA seen in the daily clinical practice.

Treat-to-target strategy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Audit of adherence from real world clinical data.

Introduction: The current paradigm of the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recommends achieving a state of remission or low disease activity through the treat-to-target strategy. Our study assesses adherence to this strategy.

Method: Patients with RA (ACR-EULAR 2010 criteria) were included.

Development of an application for mobile phones (App) based on the collaboration between the Spanish Society of Rheumatology and Spanish Society of Family Medicine for the referral of systemic autoimmune diseases from primary care to rheumatology.

Management of systemic autoimmune diseases is challenging for physicians in their clinical practice. Although not common, they affect thousands of patients in Spain. The family doctor faces patients with symptoms and non-specific cutaneous, mucous, joint, vascular signs or abnormal laboratory findings at the start of the disease process and has to determine when to refer patients to the specialist.

LAUDES Study: impact of digital ulcers on hand functional limitation, work productivity and daily activities, in systemic sclerosis patients.

The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of digital ulcers (DUs) in daily life of systemic sclerosis (SSc) Spanish patients. We developed a multicenter observational study to compare functional disability in SSc patients with active DUs vs. those without DUs.