Effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab in monotherapy in biologic-naïve and non-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis in a real-world setting.

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness and safety of tocilizumab (TCZ) monotherapy in biologic-naïve patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) versus patients with previous biologic exposure in a real-world setting.

Materials And Methods: Non-controlled clinical-trial, 32-week prospective multicenter study including RA patients with moderate-severe disease activity starting TCZ in monotherapy who had a prior inadequate response or were intolerant to methotrexate (MTX). Effectiveness according to EULAR response evaluated at 24-week and safety at 32-weekwere assessed.

Body Mass Index and Disease Activity in Chronic Inflammatory Rheumatic Diseases: Results of the Cardiovascular in Rheumatology (Carma) Project.

Objective: Since obesity has been associated with a higher inflammatory burden and worse response to therapy in patients with chronic inflammatory rheumatic diseases (CIRD), we aimed to confirm the potential association between body mass index (BMI) and disease activity in a large series of patients with CIRDs included in the Spanish CARdiovascular in rheuMAtology (CARMA) registry.

Methods: Baseline data analysis of patients included from the CARMA project, a 10-year prospective study of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), ankylosing spondylitis (AS), and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) attending outpatient rheumatology clinics from 67 Spanish hospitals. Obesity was defined when BMI (kg/m) was >30 according to the WHO criteria.

Biological agents for rheumatic diseases in the outbreak of COVID-19: friend or foe?

Background: The recent outbreak of COVID-19 has raised concerns in the rheumatology community about the management of immunosuppressed patients diagnosed with inflammatory rheumatic diseases. It is not clear whether the use of biological agents may suppose a risk or protection against SARS-CoV-2 infection; however, it has been suggested that severe respiratory forms of COVID-19 occur as a result of exacerbated inflammation status and cytokine production. This prompted the use of interleukin 6 (IL-6) (tocilizumab and sarilumab) and IL-1 inhibitors (anakinra) in severe COVID-19 disease and more recently JAK1/2 inhibitor (baricitinib).

Refractory Behçet's Disease with Multi-organ Involvement - Learning from Failure.

Background: Behçet's disease (BD) is a rare systemic vasculitis of unknown etiology with relapsing and remitting course, characterized by triple-symptom complex of recurrent attacks of oral aphthous ulcers, genital ulcers and ocular lesions and other clinical features that include dermatological, cardiovascular, gastrointestinal, and neurological manifestations. The main goal of management is to prevent relapses and suppress inflammation rapidly for major organ involvement that may cause damage and even be fatal.

Case Presentation: We hereby describe a case of a patient with Behçet's disease followed in our rheumatology consultation over the course of 15 years with multi-organ involvement resistant to several treatments and showed partial results with IL-1 inhibitors, particularly anakinra and canakinumab, while also discussing the current treatments of refractory BD and how early implementation of treatments could make a difference.

Apremilast in refractory orogenital ulcers and other manifestations of Behçet's disease. A national multicentre study of 51 cases in clinical practice.

Objectives: The objective of the present study was to assess the efficacy of apremilast (APR) in the management of refractory oral and/or genital ulcers in patients with Behçet's disease (BD).

Methods: National multicentre open-label observational study on BD patients with recurrent oral and/or genital ulcers. In all cases orogenital ulcers were refractory to conventional therapy.

Abatacept in interstitial lung disease associated with rheumatoid arthritis: national multicenter study of 263 patients.

Objective: To assess the efficacy of abatacept (ABA) in RA patients with interstitial lung disease (ILD) (RA-ILD).

Methods: This was an observational, multicentre study of RA-ILD patients treated with at least one dose of ABA. ILD was diagnosed by high-resolution CT (HRCT).

"There is something you must see": breaking down the remission concept in rheumatoid arthritis from a rheumatologist's perspective.

Objectives: To explore the remission concept in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and the implications of the existing definitions when applied to clinical practice among rheumatologists with different profiles.

Methods: A qualitative study through focus groups was conducted. Three focus groups were organised from February to March 2016.

Abatacept in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and interstitial lung disease: A national multicenter study of 63 patients.

Objective: Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is one of the most serious complications of rheumatoid arthritis (RA). In the present study, we aimed to assess the efficacy of abatacept (ABA) in patients with ILD associated to RA.

Methods: National multicenter, non-controlled, open-label registry study of RA patients with ILD treated with ABA.

Exploring the remission concept in rheumatoid arthritis with patients and rheumatologists: time for a new approach?

Objectives: To explore the remission concept in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and to compare remission definitions and related concepts between rheumatologists and patients with the purpose of identifying similarities and disparities to comprehend the different perspectives of the disease.

Methods: This was a qualitative study of discourse and content analysis through focus groups, conducted from February to March 2016. Four focus groups were set up, each one with different interests: rheumatologists involved in basic research (BR), rheumatologists with high specialisation in imaging techniques (IR), clinical rheumatologists (CR), and patients (PA).

Long-term changes in the quality of life of patients with rheumatoid arthritis treated with biological therapies.

Objective: To analyze the changes in health-related quality of life (HRQoL) of patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) treated with biological therapies.

Method: Observational prospective study performed from October 2006 to May 2011. The inclusion criteria were adult patients, diagnosed with RA, treated for at least one year with anti-tumor necrosis factor therapy (infliximab or etanercept), who had not received other biological treatments previously.

Quality standards for rheumatology outpatient clinic. The EXTRELLA project.

Introduction: In recent years, outpatient clinics have undergone extensive development. At present, patients with rheumatic diseases are mainly assisted in this area. However, the quality standards of care are poorly documented.

Recommendations for the use of methotrexate in rheumatoid arthritis: up and down scaling of the dose and administration routes.

Objectives: To describe the optimal therapeutic strategy for use of methotrexate in RA patients over the initial dose, route of administration, dose increase and decrease, patient monitoring, and use of folic/folinic acid.

Material And Method: Eleven clinical experts proposed some questions to be solved. A systematic literature search was conducted.