Sex and body mass index impact on digit circumference for Leeds Dactylitis Index calculation.

Objectives: To estimate digit circumference and the impact of sex and body mass index (BMI) for the calculation of the Leeds Dactylitis Index (LDI) in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) patients with bilateral dactylitis.

Methods: Digit circumference of the hands and the foot were measured with a dactylometer and were studied according to sex and BMI (divided in 4 weight categories) in healthy Portuguese subjects, using Student's t-test and One-way ANOVA, respectively. The effect size of sex and BMI were calculated using Cohen's d test and Eta squared, respectively.

Cycling versus swapping strategies in psoriatic arthritis: results from the rheumatic diseases Portuguese register.

Objective: To compare the 2-year retention rate between a second tumor necrosis factor alpha inhibitor (TNFi) and secukinumab (SEK) or ustekinumab (UST), in Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) patients with previous inadequate response to their first TNFi.

Methods: Prospective longitudinal cohort study with a follow-up period of 2 years using the Nationwide Portuguese Reuma.pt database.

Predictive factors of fragility fractures and associated mortality: assessment of patients observed at emergency department.

Aim: To assess the predictive factors for a subsequent fragility fracture (FF) and mortality.

Methods: Retrospective monocentric study including patients observed at the emergency department (ED) of a referral hospital with a FF, between 1st January 2017 and 31st December 2018. Fractures events were identified through discharge codes using the 9th International Classification of Diseases codes and FF were adjudicated after revision of the clinical files.

Osteoarthritis' shifting paradigm - are we evolving?

Osteoarthritis is the most common type of arthritis. Nowadays, it can no longer be undertstood as a singularly abrasive and mechanical disease. With time, unveiling its mechanisms to the molecular aspect brings us close to the full comprehension of its diversity and syndrome-like behavior.

Portuguese recommendations for the use of biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs in patients with rheumatoid arthritis - 2020 update.

Objective: To update the recommendations for the treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with biological and targeted synthetic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARDs and tsDMARDs), endorsed by the Portuguese Society of Rheumatology (SPR).

Methods: These treatment recommendations were formulated by Portuguese rheumatologists taking into account previous recommendations, new literature evidence and consensus opinion. At a national meeting, in a virtual format, three of the ten previous recommendations were re-addressed and discussed after a more focused literature review.

Predictive factors of relapse after methotrexate discontinuation in juvenile idiopathic arthritis patients with inactive disease.

Objective: To identify predictive factors of relapse after discontinuation of Methotrexate (MTX) in Juvenile Idiopathic Arthritis (JIA) patients with inactive disease.

Methods: We conducted a prospective multicenter cohort study of patients diagnosed with JIA using real world data from the Portuguese national register database, Reuma.pt.

Osteoporosis management during the COVID-19 pandemic - Position paper.

COVID-19 pandemic significantly increased the already large number of victims of osteoporosis in Portugal. Osteoporosis outpatient clinics were either closed or had limited presential appointments. Many hospitals reduced orthopaedic services to make space for patients with COVID-19.

ANCA-associated vasculitis in a patient with enteropathic spondylarthritis: a case report and literature review.

Coexistence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AAV) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) is rare (Sy et al. in Semin Arthritis Rheum 45:475-482, 2016). Nevertheless, we present a case of an AAV in a 53-year-old female with enteropathic spondylarthritis previously treated with tumor necrosis factor α inhibitors (TNFi).

Septic arthritis: a 5-year review of admissions to the Orthopedic Department.

Objectives: Characterization of sociodemographic and clinical aspects of patients admitted to the Orthopedic Department (OD) after observation in the Emergency Room (ER) with the diagnosis of septic arthritis (SA).

Material And Methods: A retrospective, monocentric, cross-sectional study was conducted. Sociodemographic and clinical data on patients admitted to the OD with suspected SA between April 2014 and September 2019 were collected.

Are we overlooking osteoarthritis? - A comparative study of pain, function and quality of life in patiens with hand osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis.

Osteoarthritis (OA) is frequently regarded by patients and health care providers as a normal consequence of ageing and a minor condition. In contrast, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a pathological condition that usually requires prolonged treatment and regular Rheumatology follow-up. Pain and physical limitations are hallmarks of both conditions and some previous studies suggest that OA and RA may have a similar burden for both groups of patients although those works usually do not take into account the inflammatory activity of RA.

Effect of biologic disease-modifying anti-rheumatic drugs targeting remission in axial spondyloarthritis: systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy of biologic DMARDs (bDMARDs) in achieving Assessment of Spondyloarthritis International Society partial remission (ASAS-PR) and/or Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Score inactive disease (ASDAS-ID), as remission-like surrogates, in axial SpA (axSpA).

Methods: Data from randomized controlled trials (RCTs), including long-term extensions, were included. A systematic literature review was performed using the MEDLINE database (first search May 2018, updated February 2020) and PICO criteria according to Patients-adults with radiographic or non-radiographic axSpA; Intervention-any bDMARD; Comparator-placebo and/or any different drug; Outcomes-ASAS-PR and/or ASDAS-ID as primary or secondary endpoints.

Ultrasound-guided core biopsy of the parotid gland: the procedure from the Rheumatology point of view.

Ultrasound-guided core biopsy is a minimally invasive technique able to identify lymphoma accompanying Sjögren syndrome, neoplasms or infiltrative diseases, with less complications compared to open biopsy. With these images, we aim to describe the ultrasound-guided core biopsy procedure, in a female patient with rheumatoid arthritis who presented evident inhomogeneity of the parotid gland. The procedure was performed by rheumatologists, trained in ultrasonography of the salivary glands, demonstrating that ultrasound-guided core biopsy is an easy and safe method to obtain salivary gland tissue.

Development and validation of psoriatic arthritis switch quality assessment tool (PASQAL) - an outcomes measurement tool to assess the quality of biologic switch decisions in psoriatic arthritis.

Background: Switching between biologic therapies is a recommended strategy for Psoriatic Arthritis (PsA) patients that show an insufficient response or adverse events. Although the choice of the subsequent biologic may be dependent on many factors, assessing the quality of the switch decision is of utmost relevance.

Objectives: To develop and validate two outcomes measurement tools (for patients with peripheral and axial PsA phenotypes) that address the quality of treatment decisions in PsA regarding the switch of biologic therapies in clinical practice.

Remission of Rheumatoid Arthritis and Primary Biliary Cholangitis After Treatment With Tocilizumab.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is characterized by synovitis of multiple joints which if untreated progresses to joint destruction. Primary biliary cholangitis (PBC) is an autoimmune and progressive disease of the liver of unknown origin. About 1.