Factors predictive of severe thrombocytopenia and its impact on poor outcomes in Latin American patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Data from a multiethnic Latin American cohort.

Objective: To examine the predictors of the occurrence of severe thrombocytopenia and its impact on damage accrual and mortality in SLE patients.

Methods: Factors associated with time to severe thrombocytopenia (platelet count ≤20,000/mm) occurring from the onset of SLE symptoms were assessed by Cox proportional hazards regressions. The association of severe thrombocytopenia with mortality was evaluated by logistic regression analyses while its impact on damage was by negative binomial regression.

Predictors of renal damage in systemic lupus erythematous patients: data from a multiethnic, multinational Latin American lupus cohort (GLADEL).

Aim: A decrease in proteinuria has been considered protective from renal damage in lupus nephritis (LN), but a cut-off point has yet to be established. The aim of this study was to identify the predictors of renal damage in patients with LN and to determine the best cut-off point for a decrease in proteinuria.

Methods: We included patients with LN defined clinically or histologically.

Clinical features, damage accrual, and survival in patients with familial systemic lupus erythematosus: data from a multi-ethnic, multinational Latin American lupus cohort.

Objectives: This study aimed to compare the clinical features, damage accrual, and survival of patients with familial and sporadic systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE).

Methods: A multi-ethnic, multinational Latin American SLE cohort was studied. Familial lupus was defined as patients with a first-degree SLE relative; these relatives were interviewed in person or by telephone.

Factors associated with health-related quality of life in Peruvian patients with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective In this paper, we aim to define factors associated with health-related quality of life (HRQoL) in Mestizo patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Methods We evaluated patients with SLE from Peru's two largest hospitals between October 2012 and July 2015 to ascertain HRQoL. Using a standard protocol, we incorporated demographic characteristics, clinical manifestations and treatment in our analysis.

Factors predictive of high disease activity early in the course of SLE in patients from a Latin-American cohort.

Aims: To determine the factors predictive of disease activity early in the course of SLE (baseline visit).

Methods: Patients from GLADEL, a multi-national, multi-ethnic, Latin-American lupus cohort were included. Disease activity was evaluated at baseline with the SLEDAI score.

Features associated with hematologic abnormalities and their impact in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus: Data from a multiethnic Latin American cohort.

Objective: To examine hematological manifestations' correlates and their impact on damage accrual and mortality in SLE patients from the multiethnic, Latin American, GLADEL cohort.

Methods: In patients with recent SLE diagnosis (≤2 years), the association between follow-up hematological manifestations (per ACR criteria) and socio-demographic and clinical variables was examined by univariable and multivariable logistic regressions; their impact on damage accrual and mortality was examined by Poisson and Cox proportional-hazards regression analyses, respectively.

Results: Of 1437 patients, 948 (66.

The number of flares patients experience impacts on damage accrual in systemic lupus erythematosus: data from a multiethnic Latin American cohort.

Purpose: To determine the association between the number of flares systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients experience and damage accrual, independently of other known risk factors.

Methods: SLE patients (34 centres, nine Latin American countries) with a recent diagnosis (≤2 years) and ≥3 evaluations were studied. Disease activity was ascertained with the Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Disease Activity Index (SLEDAI) and damage with the SLICC/ACR Damage Index (SDI).

Mestizos with systemic lupus erythematosus develop renal disease early while antimalarials retard its appearance: data from a Latin American cohort.

Objectives: The objective of this paper is to assess the predictors of time-to-lupus renal disease in Latin American patients.

Methods: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients (n = 1480) from Grupo Latino Americano De Estudio de Lupus (GLADEL's) longitudinal inception cohort were studied. Endpoint was ACR renal criterion development after SLE diagnosis (prevalent cases excluded).

Validation of the Spanish, Portuguese and French versions of the Lupus Damage Index questionnaire: data from North and South America, Spain and Portugal.

We have previously developed and validated a self-administered questionnaire, modelled after the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index (SDI), the Lupus Damage Index Questionnaire (LDIQ), which may allow the ascertainment of this construct in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients followed in the community and thus expand observations made about damage. We have now translated, back-translated and adapted the LDIQ to Spanish, Portuguese and French and applied it to patients followed at academic and non-academic centres in North and South America, Portugal and Spain while their physicians scored the SDI. A total of 887 patients (659 Spanish-speaking, 140 Portuguese-speaking and 80 French-speaking patients) and 40 physicians participated.

Childhood systemic lupus erythematosus in Latin America. The GLADEL experience in 230 children.

To evaluate disease characteristics of childhood onset SLE in Latin America and to compare this information with an adult population in the same cohort of GLADEL. A protocol was designed as a multicenter, multinational, inception cohort of lupus patients to evaluate demographic, clinical, laboratory and serological variables, as well as classification criteria, disease activity, organ damage and mortality. Descriptive statistics, chi square, Fisher's exact test, Student's t test and multiple logistic regression were used to compare childhood and adult onset SLE.

Obesity is independently associated with impaired quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis.

Obesity is a modifiable major cause of morbidity and mortality in the general population, but little is known about the association of obesity and quality of life in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). Thus, we set out a study to test the hypothesis that obesity is independently associated with lower quality of life in patients with RA. Three hundred and fifty nine patients with RA underwent an interview, physical exam, and all clinical charts were reviewed.

Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection in systemic lupus erythematosus and the antiphospholipid syndrome.

Objective: The Strongyloides stercoralis hyperinfection syndrome (SHS) may develop in individuals with asymptomatic infection receiving immunosuppressive treatment. This report summarizes current knowledge regarding SHS in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and associated antiphospholipid syndrome (APS).

Methods: Two patients with active SLE and associated APS presenting with SHS are reported.

The effect of low-dose prednisone on bone mineral density in Peruvian rheumatoid arthritis patients.

Objective: The aim of this study was to determine the difference between bone mineral density (BMD) of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients on low-dose prednisone and matched RA patients without prior systemic corticosteroid therapy.

Methods: Ninety patients attending our clinics and receiving 10 mg/day of prednisone or less for at least the previous 3 consecutive months were studied. The control group comprised 90 selected RA patients without corticosteroid therapy matched for age, race, gender, disease duration, use of methotrexate, postmenopause, and Health Assessment Questionnaire score.

An epidemiological study of rheumatoid arthritis in a northern Ontario clinical practice: the role of ethnicity.

This study was designed to investigate differences between cultural groupings in rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The sample was made up of 235 individuals suffering from RA from four groupings: Canadian aboriginals, Finnish Canadians, Italian Canadians and other caucasian Canadians. The study was a retrospective chart analysis (non-randomly selected) designed to compare ethnic groupings on the following dimensions: demographic factors, clinical manifestations of RA, laboratory results, and drug therapy response.