[Pro-inflammatory serum cytokines in diabetic retinopathy].

Background: Pro-inflammatory cytokines play an important role in diabetic retinopathy. There is conflicting evidence about their serum elevation in this condition and that they also may be possible serum inflammatory biomarkers of diabetic retinopathy.

Objective: To evaluate the presence of serum pro-inflammatory cytokines and acute phase reactants in the serum of patients with and without diabetic retinopathy.

Myelitis transverse in Sjögren's syndrome and systemic lupus erythematosus: presentation of 3 cases.

Transverse myelitis is a rare focal inflammation of the spinal cord. Multiple etiologies have been identified including autoimmune diseases, mainly systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren' syndrome. It can occur in an acute or subacute clinical onset, with the acute presentation having a worse prognosis.

Biosimilar drugs in Mexico: position of the Mexican College of Rheumatology, 2012.

Biotechnological drugs (BTDs) are complex molecules whose manufacturing process precludes the ability to identically reproduce the structure of the original product, and therefore there cannot be an absolute equivalence between the original (innovative) medication and its biosimilar counterpart. BTDs have been proven useful in the treatment of several rheumatic diseases, however their high cost has prevented their use in many patients. Several BTD patents have expired or are close to expire, triggering the development of structurally similar drugs with efficacy and safety profiles comparable to the innovative compound; however, these must be evaluated through evidence based medicine.

Validity of the COPCORD core questionnaire as a classification tool for rheumatic diseases.

Objective: Rheumatic diseases are vastly underdiagnosed and undertreated, particularly among minorities and those of low socioeconomic status. The WHO-ILAR Community Oriented Program in the Rheumatic Diseases (COPCORD) advocates screening of musculoskeletal complaints in the community. The objective of this study was to evaluate the performance of the COPCORD Core Questionnaire (CCQ) as a diagnostic tool for rheumatic diseases.

Genetically determined Amerindian ancestry correlates with increased frequency of risk alleles for systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective: To assess whether genetically determined Amerindian ancestry predicts increased presence of risk alleles of known susceptibility genes for systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: Single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within 16 confirmed genetic susceptibility loci for SLE were genotyped in a set of 804 Mestizo lupus patients and 667 Mestizo healthy controls. In addition, 347 admixture informative markers were genotyped.

Costs of the standard rheumatology care in active rheumatoid arthritis patients seen in a tertiary care center in Mexico City.

Objective: To assess the costs of standard care in patients with active rheumatoid arthritis (RA) seen in a tertiary care center in México City in the context of a clinical trial. To analyze the relationship between costs and utility units obtained by the patients in this scenario.

Patients And Methods: This economic evaluation was performed during a clinical trial with a 48-week followup in a tertiary care center in México City.

[Secondary Raynaud's syndrome: skin blood flow decrease between the ischemic episodes and prolongation of the vasoconstriction during the respiratory maneuvers].

Unlabelled: The Raynaud's syndrome is an episodic skin ischemia manifested by pallor, cyanosis and erythema of the fingers in response to cold or emotional stress. The exact pathophysiology is unknown but it has been hypothetised that may be due to an autonomic alteration in the sympathetic innervation of skin blood vessels.

Objective: To study the changes of heart rate and skin blood flow (SBF) in healthy subjects and in patients with secondary Raynaud's syndrome during different respiratory maneuvers: 1.