Why a Complete Response Is the Treatment Aim in Chronic Spontaneous Urticaria.

This study investigated the association between urticaria activity and health-related quality of life (HRQoL). Patient evaluations from the ligelizumab Phase 2b clinical trial (N = 382) were pooled (NCT02477332). Daily patient diaries assessed urticaria activity, sleep and activity interference, the dermatology life quality index (DLQI), and work productivity and activity impairment-chronic urticaria (WPAI-CU).

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy after Implementation of a Mass Vaccination Campaign.

An online cross-sectional study on COVID-19 vaccination adhesion was conducted in Portugal nine months after vaccination rollout (September-November 2021). Logistic regression was used to identify factors associated with hesitancy to take the COVID-19 vaccine in the community-based survey, "COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion". Hesitancy was 11%; however, of those, 60.

Factors Associated with the Patient's Decision to Avoid Healthcare during the COVID-19 Pandemic.

The COVID-19 pandemic has resulted in changes in healthcare use. This study aimed to identify factors associated with a patient's decision to avoid and/or delay healthcare during the COVID-19 pandemic. We used data from a community-based survey in Portugal from July 2020 to August 2021, "COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion", which included data regarding health services use, risk perception and confidence in health services.

Double jeopardy from the COVID-19 pandemic: risk of exposure and income loss in Portugal.

Background: Increasing evidence indicates that the first wave of the COVID-19 pandemic had immediate health and social impact, disproportionately affecting certain socioeconomic groups. Assessing inequalities in risk of exposure and in adversities faced during the pandemic is critical to inform targeted actions that effectively prevent disproportionate spread and reduce social and health inequities. This study examines i) the socioeconomic and mental health characteristics of individuals working in the workplace, thus at increased risk of COVID-19 exposure, and ii) individual income losses resulting from the pandemic across socioeconomic subgroups of a working population, during the first confinement in Portugal.

Rheuma SPACE - Standard Practice Aiming Clinical Excellence: the first Portuguese Rheumatology Department evaluation.

The Portuguese Rheumatology Society (SPR) embraced quality as a major goal and launched, in early 2015, a program to aim for excellence in global clinical care: Rheuma SPACE - Standard Practice Aiming Clinical Excellence. Evaluating daily reality is the first step in a quality development timeline, ultimately contributing for health gains. Herein we describe the results of the evaluation of the quality indicators defined for this project and the improvement strategies identified.

Factors Associated with COVID-19 Vaccine Hesitancy.

It is critical to develop tailored strategies to increase acceptability of the COVID-19 vaccine and decrease hesitancy. Hence, this study aims to assess and identify factors associated with COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy in Portugal. We used data from a community-based survey, "COVID-19 Barometer: Social Opinion", which includes data regarding intention to take COVID-19 vaccines, health status, and risk perception in Portugal from September 2020 to January 2021.

The Association Between Chronic Disease and Serious COVID-19 Outcomes and Its Influence on Risk Perception: Survey Study and Database Analysis.

Background: COVID-19, a viral respiratory disease first reported in December 2019, quickly became a threat to global public health. Further understanding of the epidemiology of the SARS-CoV-2 virus and the risk perception of the community may better inform targeted interventions to reduce the impact and spread of COVID-19.

Objective: In this study, we aimed to examine the association between chronic diseases and serious outcomes following COVID-19 infection, and to explore its influence on people's self-perception of risk for worse COVID-19 outcomes.

Population-based Estimates for High Risk of Severe COVID-19 Disease due to Age and Underlying Health Conditions.

Introduction: COVID-19 is a viral respiratory disease, which became a global threat to public health. Specific subsets of the population are more vulnerable, namely those with chronic diseases. We aimed to estimate the share of the Portuguese population at the highest risk for complications following COVID-19 infection due to both old age and specific comorbidities.

Hospitalization Costs Due to Hypoglycemia in Patients with Diabetes: A Microcosting Approach.

Introduction: Hypoglycemia leading to hospitalization is associated with adverse economic outcomes, although the real burden is unknown. The HIPOS-WARD (Hypoglycemia In Portugal Observational Study-Ward) aimed to characterize ward admissions due to hypoglycemia episodes in treated patients with diabetes and assess their economic impact to the National Health System.

Methods: Observational, cross-sectional study, conducted in 16 Portuguese centers for 22 months.

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.

Multimorbidity and intention to retire: a cross-sectional study on 14 European countries.

Objectives: To describe the association between multimorbidity and intention of retirement in Europe and to understand whether this relationship is modified by the working environment and disability integration policies.

Methods: Participants were 11,790 employees aged 50-65 years old who responded to the sixth wave of SHARE project (2015). We modelled intention of retirement as a function of multimorbidity, adjusting for age, gender, education level, and household income by means of logistic models with country fixed effects.

Cost-effectiveness of sacubitril/valsartan for the treatment of patients with heart failure with reduced ejection fraction in Portugal.

This study assesses the cost-effectiveness of sacubitril/valsartan versus enalapril in patients with symptomatic heart failure with reduced ejection fraction (HFrEF). We used a previously developed Markov model calibrated with patient-level data from the PARADIGM-HF trial, adapted to the Portuguese setting. The model considers two health states (alive or dead) and uses regression analyzes to estimate hospitalizations and deaths over time.

The impact of osteoarthritis on early exit from work: results from a population-based study.

Background: Osteoarthritis (OA) is a leading cause of pain and disability, which may be a source of productivity losses. The objectives of this study were to describe the impact of OA, namely through pain and physical disability, on early exit from work and to calculate its economic burden.

Methods: We analysed data from the national, cross-sectional, population-based EpiReumaPt study (Sep2011-Dec2013) in which 10,661 individuals were randomly surveyed in order to capture all cases of rheumatic diseases.

Effectiveness of a Referral Program for rheumatoid arthritis and axial spondyloarthritis Diagnosis at Primary Care Centers in Portugal - SIARA STUDY.

Objectives: Early diagnosis and treatment of Rheumatoid Arthritis (RA) and axial Spondylarthritis (axial SpA) can limit the impact of disease outcomes. This study evaluated the effectiveness of a referral program on the identification of patients with RA and axial SpA.

Methods: This was an observational, prospective, randomized (by clusters) study conducted in Portugal to evaluate the impact of the implementation of a set of referral support actions (RSA).

Cost Effectiveness of Pembrolizumab for Advanced Melanoma Treatment in Portugal.

Background: The aim of this study was to assess the cost-effectiveness of pembrolizumab in treating patients with ipilimumab-naïve advanced melanoma in Portugal.

Methods: A cost-effectiveness model was developed to analyze the costs and consequences of treatment with pembrolizumab compared to treatment with ipilimumab in patients with advanced melanoma not previously treated with ipilimumab. The model was parameterized by using data from a head-to-head phase III randomized clinical trial, KEYNOTE-006.

Inadequate pain relief among patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Despite the widespread treatments for osteoarthritis (OA), data on treatment patterns, adequacy of pain relief, and quality of life are limited. The prospective multinational Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) was designed to investigate these aspects.

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the patient reported outcomes of the Portuguese dataset of SORT at the start of observation.

Interventions aiming to reduce early retirement due to rheumatic diseases.

Introduction: Aging of the population and early retirement translates into productivity losses to society. Persistence of working life is crucial to counteract this sustainability issue faced by western countries. Musculoskeletal and rheumatic diseases (RD) may cause work disability and early exit from work, including early retirement.

Inadequate pain relief among patients with primary knee osteoarthritis.

Background: Despite the widespread treatments for Osteoarthritis (OA), data on treatment patterns, adequacy of pain relief, and quality of life are limited. The prospective multinational Survey of Osteoarthritis Real World Therapies (SORT) was designed to investigate these aspects.

Objectives: To analyze the characteristics and the patient reported outcomes of the Portuguese dataset of SORT at the start of observation.

Impact of hypoglycemic events and HbA1c level on sulfonylurea discontinuation and down-titration.

Background: A retrospective cohort study using GE Centricity electronic medical records assessed the association between post-index hypoglycemia and HbA1c with discontinuation and down-titration of sulfonylureas among patients with Type 2 diabetes mellitus.

Methods: Adult patients with an index prescription for a sulfonylurea and ≥12 months' continuous records pre- and post-index were eligible. Sulfonylurea discontinuation and down-titration was assessed 1-year post-index.

Cost-effectiveness of adding ezetimibe to atorvastatin vs switching to rosuvastatin therapy in Portugal.

Background: Statin monotherapy is the mainstay of low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) management for high cardiovascular risk patients in Portugal; however, several therapeutic options are available and predicted to have different clinical and economic impacts. The aim of this study was to evaluate the cost-effectiveness of adding ezetimibe 10 mg (EZ10) to atorvastatin 10 or 20 mg (A10/20) vs switching to rosuvastatin 10 or 20 mg (R10/20) in Portuguese patients with coronary heart disease (CHD) and/or diabetes who are currently above the LDL-C goal.

Methods: A Markov model was used to describe CHD disease progression and the lifetime costs and utilities associated with each disease state were used to estimate the gains in life-years and quality-adjusted life-years (QALYs), as well as the incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (ICER), of the two treatment regimens.

Indirect costs associated with early exit from work attributable to rheumatic diseases.

Background: Rheumatic diseases (RD) cause physical disability that may lead to early exit from work, generating indirect costs to society. We aimed to measure these costs in a population approaching the statutory retirement age.

Methods: The analysis was based on the prevalence of self-reported RD using a bottom-up approach.

Association of rheumatic diseases with early exit from paid employment in Portugal.

To examine the association between rheumatic diseases (RD) and other chronic morbidity with early exit from paid employment in the Portuguese population. The study population consisted of all people between 50 and 64 years of age (3,762 men and 4,241 women) who participated in the Portuguese National Health Survey, conducted in 2005/2006. Data were collected on demographics, ill-health, lifestyle, and socioeconomic factors.