Publications by authors named "M Pappa"
Introduction: Hepatitis B reactivation and administration of prophylactic antiviral treatment are considered in patients with autoimmune inflammatory rheumatic diseases (AIIRD) undergoing immunosuppressive/immunomodulatory treatment. Data are more robust for rheumatoid arthritis patients receiving bDMARDs but are limited for other AIIRD and drug categories.
Methods: Adult patients with AIIRD (inflammatory arthritis [IA] or connective tissue diseases [CTD]) and documented chronic or resolved HBV infection (defined as serum HBsAg positivity or anti-HBcAb positivity in the case of HBsAg non-detection respectively), followed-up in six rheumatology centers in Greece and Italy, were included.
Hydroxychloroquine for all patients with lupus nephritis: yes.
Nephrol Dial Transplant
November 2024
Background/objectives: Lifestyle interventions such as dietary changes have been proposed to control the cardiometabolic risk factors and thus prevent cardiovascular (CV) disease (CVD). We performed an umbrella review to investigate whether different dietary patterns affect CV risk in individuals with at least one cardiometabolic risk factor (hypertension, dyslipidemia, obesity, diabetes, metabolic syndrome) but not established CVD.
Methods: We systematically searched the PubMed and Scopus databases (up to August 2024) for the systematic reviews and meta-analyses of randomized controlled trials (RCTs).
Article Synopsis
- The study investigates the link between frailty and subclinical cardiovascular disease in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), emphasizing that cardiovascular disease is a leading cause of death in this population.
- A total of 202 SLE patients underwent carotid/femoral artery ultrasounds, revealing that 25.7% had atherosclerotic plaques, with frailty levels assessed using the SLICC-FI scale showing various classifications among the patients.
- The findings suggest that frailty, as measured by the SLICC-FI, is significantly associated with the presence of atherosclerotic plaques, indicating a need for further research on interventions to lower cardiovascular risk in SLE patients.
Article Synopsis
- The study aimed to evaluate the effectiveness of conventional immunosuppressive treatments in patients with lupus nephritis (LN) by assessing response rates over one year and identifying predictors of non-response.
- Involving 140 patients, the research found that around 69.2% achieved a positive response by 12 months, although 20% needed changes in their treatment due to insufficient progress.
- Increased chronicity at the start was linked to a higher chance of not responding to treatment, indicating that both chronicity and histological activity are important factors influencing patient outcomes.