SLE inflammatory musculoskeletal abnormalities, confirmed by MRI, show a specific profile with a worse health-related quality of life.

Objectives: To determine if there is a clinicodemographic or serological profile associated with MRI-confirmed inflammatory musculoskeletal abnormalities in SLE patients. To investigate the relationship between these alterations and HRQoL.

Methods: patients with SLE from our previous study in whom a wrist and hand MRI with contrast was performed were included.

Lack of awareness of systemic lupus erythematosus and its consequences in a cohort of moderate and severe patients in Spain: The LupusVoice study.

Background And Objectives: Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune condition that can highly impact patients' quality of life (QoL). However, there is a lack of knowledge about SLE, affecting the general population and health care professionals (HCPs) alike. This lack of knowledge has negative implications for patients and the healthcare system, worsening prognosis, negatively impacting QoL, and increasing healthcare utilization.

Serum Advanced Glycation End Products and Their Soluble Receptor as New Biomarkers in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

It has been postulated that advanced glycation end products (AGEs) and their soluble receptor (sRAGE) may play a relevant role as inducers in the chronic inflammatory pathway in various conditions, among them, in immune-mediated diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). However, previous studies show conflicting results about their association with SLE characteristics and their usefulness as disease biomarkers. We aimed to study the association of specific serum AGEs (pentosidine, Nξ-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML), Nξ-(carboxyethyl)lysine (CEL)), sRAGE levels and AGEs (specific serum AGEs and skin AGEs) to sRAGE ratios with various disease parameters, in order to clarify their potential as new biomarkers in SLE and to study their relationship with cardiovascular disease (CVD).

Incidence and clinical manifestations of giant cell arteritis in Spain: results of the ARTESER register.

Objective: This study aimed to estimate the incidence of giant cell arteritis (GCA) in Spain and to analyse its clinical manifestations, and distribution by age group, sex, geographical area and season.

Methods: We included all patients diagnosed with GCA between 1 June 2013 and 29 March 2019 at 26 hospitals of the National Health System. They had to be aged ≥50 years and have at least one positive results in an objective diagnostic test (biopsy or imaging techniques), meet 3/5 of the 1990 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria or have a clinical diagnosis based on the expert opinion of the physician in charge.

Thorough assessment of the effectiveness of belimumab in a large Spanish multicenter cohort of systemic lupus erythematosus patients.

Objectives: To provide an overview on the current use of belimumab (BLM) in SLE patients in clinical practice and to examine its efficacy in terms of standardized outcomes, drug survival, as well as patient and safety profiles.

Methods: A longitudinal retrospective multicentre cohort including SLE patients treated with BLM at 18 Spanish centers. Data was collected upon initiation of BLM, at 6 and 12 months after initiation, and at the last recorded visit.

Role of Advanced Glycation End Products as New Biomarkers in Systemic Lupus Erythematosus.

Advanced glycation end-products (AGEs) may play a relevant role as inducers in the chronic inflammatory pathway present in immune-mediated diseases, such as systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). AGEs concentrations have been associated, with discrepant results to date, with some parameters such as disease activity or accrual damage, suggesting their potential usefulness as biomarkers of the disease. Our objectives are to confirm differences in AGEs levels measured by cutaneous autofluorescence between SLE patients and healthy controls (HC) and to study their correlation with various disease parameters.

Satisfaction and effectiveness of switching from intravenous to subcutaneous belimumab treatment in daily clinical practice.

Background: In 2017, belimumab (BEL) was approved in subcutaneous (SQ) administration. The effectiveness after switching from intravenous (IV) to SQ and patient satisfaction in daily clinical practice has not been studied. During the pandemic, patient follow-up and treatment were significantly affected, and some patients need a change from IV to SQ.

Immune thrombocytopenia in systemic lupus erythematosus: Prevalence, risk factors, and a novel predictive model for risk assessment.

Introduction: Immune thrombocytopenia (ITP) is a potentially severe manifestation of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) reported in 7-40% of SLE patients. ITP has been associated with a higher risk of organ damage and mortality.

Objectives: To describe which factors are associated with the presence of ITP in SLE patients.

Left ventricular dysfunction and arrhythmias in asymptomatic patients with systemic sclerosis.

Introduction And Aims: Cardiac involvement in systemic sclerosis (SS) is frequently silent and a major cause of mortality in these patients. This work aims to study the prevalence and associations of left ventricular dysfunction (LVD) and arrhythmias in SS.

Methods And Results: Prospective study of SS patients (n=36), excluding those with symptoms of (or) cardiac disease, pulmonary arterial hypertension or cardiovascular risk factors (CVRF).

An online survey of the Spanish Lupus Patient Association (FELUPUS): patient perceptions and experiences.

Objectives: A survey conducted by the Spanish Lupus Federation (FELUPUS) shows the results on perceptions and experiences of the people who live with lupus in Spain. The information was gathered anonymously from May 21 to June 30, 2020. The aim of the study was to monitor the impact of the disease on quality of life, as well as to measure the impact of organ damage in lupus patients.

Multi-organ Involvement in Non-pulmonary Sarcoidosis.

Isolated extrapulmonary involvement in sarcoidosis is uncommon and reported in 5-9% of systemic sarcoidosis, this constitutes a clinical challenge due to its extensive differential diagnosis. Extrapulmonary sarcoidosis affecting more than three organs is rarely reported and there are scarce literature data published on diagnosis, clinical course and management in those cases. We hereby discuss a case of a 41-year-old female with systemic non-pulmonary sarcoidosis affecting lacrimal gland, peripheral lymph nodes, parotid gland and the liver.

The use of secukinumab in an HIV-positive patient with axial spondyloarthritis: a case-based review.

Axial spondyloarthritis in HIV-positive patients raises specific treatment challenges as immunosuppressant and immunomodulating agents may adversely affect the course of the HIV infection and could increase the risk of opportunistic infections. The efficacy and safety of secukinumab in patients with HIV is unknown due to HIV patients were largely excluded from clinical trials and nowadays, the clinical evidence for the treatment with biological disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) is provided from scarce case reports and case series. We hereby discuss a case of a male patient with concomitant axial spondyloarthritis and HIV infection successfully treated with secukinumab, achieving disease remission and without any associated complications.

Multi-organ Involvement in Non-pulmonary Sarcoidosis.

Isolated extrapulmonary involvement in sarcoidosis is uncommon and reported in 5-9% of systemic sarcoidosis, this constitutes a clinical challenge due to its extensive differential diagnosis. Extrapulmonary sarcoidosis affecting more than three organs is rarely reported and there are scarce literature data published on diagnosis, clinical course and management in those cases. We hereby discuss a case of a 41-year-old female with systemic non-pulmonary sarcoidosis affecting lacrimal gland, peripheral lymph nodes, parotid gland and the liver.

Phenotypic and Functional Consequences of PLT Binding to Monocytes and Its Association with Clinical Features in SLE.

Platelets (PLTs) can modulate the immune system through the release of soluble mediators or through interaction with immune cells. Monocytes are the main immune cells that bind with PLTs, and this interaction is increased in several inflammatory and autoimmune conditions, including systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). Our aim was to characterize the phenotypic and functional consequences of PLT binding to monocytes in healthy donors (HD) and in SLE and to relate it to the pathogenesis of SLE.

Neuropsychiatric involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus: A review.

The neuropsychiatric involvement in systemic lupus erythematosus (NPSLE) is a challenge for clinicians, both at a diagnostic and therapeutic level. Although in 1999 the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) proposed a set of definitions for 19 NPSLE syndromes, with the intention of homogenizing the terminology for research purposes and clinical practice, the prevalence of NPSLE varies widely according to different series and is estimated to be between 37 and 95%. This is due to multiple factors such as the unalike definitions used, the diverse design of the studies, type of population, race, type and severity of symptoms, and follow-up of the different cohorts of patients with SLE.

A comparative study on clinical and serological characteristics between patients with rhupus and those with systemic lupus erythematosus and rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: The concomitant presence of two autoimmune diseases - systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and rheumatoid arthritis (RA) - in the same patient is known as rhupus. We evaluated a group of patients with rhupus to clarify further their clinical, serological and immunogenic features in a multi-centre cohort. In addition, the study aimed to explore the utility of the 2019 European League Against Rheumatism/American College of Rheumatology (EULAR/ACR) SLE classification criteria in our group of patients with rhupus.

Successful treatment of systemic lupus erythematosus pleuropericarditis with belimumab.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is characterized by a wide variety of manifestations and a difficult disease control in some patients. We present the case of a 51-year-old woman who presented with a flare of SLE including arthritis and pleuropericarditis that responded to neither leflunomide, methotrexate, nor high doses of prednisone. After initiating treatment with belimumab, the patient experienced a quick and notorious improvement.