Publications by authors named "Rafaela Nicolau"
Introduction: Biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) have improved the clinical course and quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). However, some patients failed to respond or have an insufficient response to bDMARD early in the course of the treatment.
Objectives: To determine the percentage of RA patients who need to switch due to ineffectiveness in the first year of treatment and to identify specific baseline features as possible predictors of switch due to ineffectiveness in the first year of treatment.
Introduction: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) is a group of chronic inflammatory diseases, often affecting women in reproductive age. These diseases can have a significant impact on the reproductive health of women. Preconception counseling and medication adjustments have shown to reduce flares and improve pregnancy outcomes in women with rheumatoid arthritis.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFObjectives: Anti-SSA autoantibodies can be differentiated according to their antigenic target proteins as anti-Ro60 (60 kDa) or anti-Ro52 (52 kDa). Anti-SSA(Ro60) antibodies are clearly associated with connective tissue diseases (CTD), but the clinical significance of anti-SSA(Ro52) antibodies remains unclear. The aim of the present study was to analyse the disease phenotype of patients with anti-Ro52 and/or anti-Ro60 antibodies.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction: Immune-mediated necrotizing myopathy (IMNM) is characterized by acute or subacute, severe proximal muscle weakness and myofiber necrosis with minimal inflammatory cell infiltrate observed on muscle biopsy. On the other hand, sarcoidosis is characterised by the presence of non-caseating granulomas that can develop in several organs.
Case Report: We present the unique case of a 49-year-old woman, with no previous medical history, who had a rare concomitant occurrence of IMNM and pulmonary sarcoidosis.
Introduction: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic, progressive inflammatory joint disease that is associated with higher prevalence of depression. There is limited literature about the impact of depression, particularly regarding the response to therapy.
Methods: A retrospective cohort study with PsA patients that started their first biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (bDMARD) was conducted.
Article Synopsis
- Immune-mediated skin lesions (IMSL) can occur in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases, often leading to treatment discontinuation; their true incidence is largely unknown.
- A study involving 989 patients revealed that 2.7% experienced IMSL, with psoriasis being the most common lesion; notable risk factors included younger age at diagnosis and a higher number of previous treatments.
- Adalimumab was significantly associated with the development of IMSL, suggesting that specific bDMARDs may increase the risk of these skin complications.
Background: Primary Hypertrophic Osteoarthropathy (PHO), also known as Touraine-Solente-Gole Syndrome, is a rare, multisystemic autosomal recessive disorder caused by pathogenic variants in the 15-hydroxyprostaglandin dehydrogenase (HPGD) or Solute Carrier Organic Anion Transporter Family Member 2A1 (SLCO2A1) genes. However, autosomal dominant transmission has also been described in some families with incomplete penetrance. PHO usually starts in childhood or adolescence, presenting with digital clubbing, osteoarthropathy, and pachydermia.
View Article and Find Full Text PDFIntroduction/objectives: The study aims to define the clinical and subclinical calcinosis prevalence, the sensitivity of radiographed site and clinical method for its diagnosis, and the phenotype of Portuguese systemic sclerosis (SSc) patients with calcinosis.
Method: A cross-sectional multicenter study was conducted with SSc patients fulfilling Leroy/Medsger 2001 or ACR/EULAR 2013 classification criteria, registered in the Reuma.pt.