Therapy for Chikungunya Arthritis: A Study of 133 Brazilian Patients.

Chikungunya fever is a global vector-borne viral disease. Patients with acute chikungunya are usually treated symptomatically. The arthritic phase may be self-limiting.

Coexistent Relapsing Polychondritis and Clinically Amyopathic Dermatomyositis: A Rare Association of Autoimmune Disorders.

Relapsing polychondritis (RPC) is an uncommon autoimmune systemic disease characterized by recurrent inflammation of the cartilage tissue. It can occur alone or in association with other autoimmune diseases, vasculitis, or hematologic disorders. However, the association of RPC with dermatomyositis is extremely rare.

Short- and mid-term outcomes in systemic lupus erythematosus patients presenting with disease exacerbation after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination: A cohort study from Puerto Rico.

Objective: To determine if SARS-CoV-2 mRNA vaccination has an impact on the clinical course of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Puerto Ricans with SLE who received mRNA COVID-19 vaccines were studied. Demographic parameters, clinical manifestations, disease activity (per Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI), disease damage (per Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index), emergency room visits, hospitalizations, and pharmacologic therapy were determined.

Pathogenesis of chronic chikungunya arthritis: Resemblances and links with rheumatoid arthritis.

Chikungunya virus (CHIKV) infection results from transmission by the mosquito vector. Following an incubation period of 5-7 days, patients develop an acute febrile illness, chikungunya fever (CHIKF), characterized by high fevers, maculopapular rash, headaches, polyarthritis/arthralgias, myalgias, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Joint pain is often severe, and most often involves the hands, the wrists, the ankles, and the metatarsal-phalangeal joints of the feet.

Health-Related Quality of Life in Adults With Adolescent- and Adult-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus: A Longitudinal Study of a Multiethnic US Cohort.

Objective: The long-term impact of childhood-onset systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) on health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in adult SLE patients in comparison to those with adult-onset SLE is unknown. We aim to examine and compare HRQoL trajectories in adults with adolescent- and adult-onset SLE.

Methods: Patients enrolled in the LUpus in MInorities: NAture versus Nurture cohort were included.

Monarticular rheumatoid arthritis of the elbow.

Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune disease characterised by symmetric inflammatory polyarthritis. However, RA limited to a single joint is extremely rare. Here, we report a middle-aged woman who presented with insidious right elbow arthritis.

Association of Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Frailty Index With Damage in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Patients: Results From a Multiethnic, Multicenter US Cohort of Patients With Lupus.

Objective: To evaluate the association between the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics frailty index (SLICC-FI) and damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients.

Methods: Patients from the multiethnic, multicenter LUpus in MInorities, NAture versus nurture (LUMINA) cohort were included. Damage was ascertained with the SLICC/American College of Rheumatology Damage Index (SDI) at last visit (range 0-51).

New-Onset Systemic Lupus Erythematosus after mRNA SARS-CoV-2 Vaccination.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is a multisystem autoimmune disease resulting from the interaction of genetic and environmental factors. In addition, some antiviral vaccines have been associated with the onset of SLE. Few cases of SLE occurring after SARS-CoV-2 mRNA have been reported.

Extensive Longitudinal Transverse Myelitis after Influenza A Virus Infection in a Patient with Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Transverse myelitis (TM) is a rare complication seen in 1-2% of patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Viral infections may cause TM in these patients by causing a dysregulation of their immune system. We report a 30-year-old woman with SLE who had influenza A and a few days later developed urinary retention, bilateral lower extremity paralysis, upper extremity weakness, and optic nerve and macular edema.

Does hydroxychloroquine improve patient reported outcomes in patients with lupus?

Background: Hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) use is associated with less disease activity, flares, damage and improved survival in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus (SLE). However, its effect on patient reported health outcomes (PROs) such as quality of life (QOL) is not known.

Methods: International data from Study on Outcomes of Lupus (SOUL) from 2,161 SLE patients were compared by HCQ use.

Clinical Manifestations and Outcomes in Disease-Modifying Antirheumatic Drug-Naive Adult Patients with Chronic Chikungunya Arthritis.

Most studies on chronic chikungunya virus (CHIKV) arthritis include patients treated with disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs), likely altering the expression of clinical manifestations and outcome. Therefore, we sought to evaluate the clinical features and correlates in DMARD-naive patients with chronic CHIKV arthritis. We conducted a case-control study in adult patients with serologically confirmed CHIKV infection in Puerto Rico.

Isolated intestinal polyarteritis nodosa in an elderly patient.

Polyarteritis nodosa (PAN) is a necrotising systemic vasculitis involving medium-sized and small-sized vessels. PAN limited to a single organ is rare, particularly in the elderly population. Herein, we present a 73-year-old-woman who developed severe abdominal pain.

Incident arterial vascular events in a cohort of Puerto Ricans with rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: The increased morbidity and mortality associated with cardiovascular events in patients with rheumatoid arthritis has been linked to traditional and nontraditional factors. However, these factors vary among different ethnicities. Few studies have described these features in Hispanic populations.

Characterization of a subset of patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome initially presenting with C3 or C4 hypocomplementemia.

Objective: This study aimed to determine the association of C3 and C4 hypocomplementemia at the diagnosis of primary Sjögren's syndrome (pSS) with clinical manifestations, disease activity, and disease damage.

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 94 Puerto Ricans with pSS. Patients were aged ≥21 years and met the 2012 American College of Rheumatology Classification Criteria for pSS.

Applying the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology Lupus Criteria to Patients From the LUMINA Cohort: Results From the Multiethnic, Multicenter US Cohort.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in terms of earlier SLE classification in comparison to the ACR or the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria.

Methods: Patients from a multiethnic, multicenter cohort, the Lupus in Minorities: Nature versus Nurture cohort, where SLE was defined using the 1982/1997 ACR criteria were included. Demographic, clinical, and immunologic criteria were compared among the 2019 EULAR/ACR and the 1982/1997 ACR and the 2012 SLICC timing categories.

Clinical impact of hydroxychloroquine dose adjustment according to the American Academy of Ophthalmology guidelines in systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: The American Academy of Ophthalmology recommends a maximum hydroxychloroquine (HCQ) dose of ≤5.0 mg/kg/day to reduce the risk of HCQ-induced retinopathy. To determine if this dose adjustment would have an impact on the clinical course of SLE, we compared outcome measures in a cohort of patients with SLE before and after adjusting HCQ dose.

Achievement of the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology/American College of Rheumatology Criteria for Systemic Lupus Erythematosus and Amount of Damage Accrual: Results From a Multiethnic Multicenter Cohort.

Objective: To determine the difference in outcomes in patients who achieved or did not achieve the 2019 European Alliance of Associations for Rheumatology (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) criteria.

Methods: Patients from the LUpus in MInorities, NAture versus nurture (LUMINA) cohort were included. For these analyses, we compared those patients who achieved the 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria any time during follow-up to those who did not.

Applying the 2019 EULAR/ACR lupus criteria to patients from an established cohort: a Latin American perspective.

Objective: To evaluate the performance of the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR)/American College of Rheumatology (ACR) systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) criteria in terms of earlier patients' classification in comparison to the 1982/1997 ACR or the 2012 Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics (SLICC) criteria.

Materials And Methods: Patients from a Latin America, multiethnic, multicentre cohort, where SLE was defined using the physicians' diagnosis, were included. To calculate the sensitivity of the 2019 EULAR/ACR criteria, the 1982/1997 ACR criteria were considered the gold standard.

Drivers of Satisfaction With Care for Patients With Lupus.

Objective: Quality of life (QOL) and quality of care (QOC) in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains poor. Satisfaction with care (SC), a QOC surrogate, correlates with health behaviors and outcomes. This study aimed to determine correlates of SC in SLE.

Time in remission and low disease activity state (LDAS) are associated with a better quality of life in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: results from LUMINA (LXXIX), a multiethnic, multicentre US cohort.

Aims: To determine whether the proportion of time systemic lupus erythematosus patients achieve remission/low disease activity state (LDAS) is associated with a better quality of life (QoL).

Patients And Methods: Patients from a well-established multiethnic, multicentre US cohort were included: remission: Systemic Lupus Activity Measure (SLAM) score=0, prednisone≤5 mg/day and no immunosuppressants); LDAS not in remission, SLAM score≤3, prednisone≤7.5 mg/day, no immunosuppressants; the combined proportion of time patients were in these states was the independent variable.

Factors Associated With Disease Damage in Puerto Ricans With Primary Sjögren Syndrome.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the association of demographic parameters, clinical manifestations, disease activity, and pharmacologic therapy with disease damage in a group of Puerto Ricans with primary Sjögren syndrome (pSS).

Methods: A cross-sectional study was conducted in 100 Hispanics of Puerto Rico with pSS. Patients were 21 years or older and fulfilled the 2012 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for pSS.