Treatment of early rheumatoid arthritis in a multinational inception cohort of Latin American patients: the GLADAR experience.

Background: Treatment of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has evolved dramatically in the last decade. However, little is known about the way rheumatologists in Latin America treat their patients in clinical practice, outside the scope of clinical trials.

Objective: The objective of this study was to describe treatment patterns at disease onset in early RA with data from a large, multicenter, multinational inception cohort of Latin American patients.

Treat to target strategy in rheumatoid arthritis: real benefits.

Treating rheumatoid arthritis (RA) with a goal or «Treat to target» strategy is a therapeutic proposal taken from cardiovascular and endocrine literature. It proposes that the therapeutic target in RA should be a state of remission, or an alternative goal could be a low disease activity. Rheumatologists should measure and register disease activity in every clinical visit and if the goal has not been reached, therapeutic adjustments should be made.

Endoscopic evidence of ventricular and cisternal inflammatory changes after intraoperative cysticercal rupture during endoscopic third-ventriculostomy removal.

Two patients who suffered recurrent hydrocephalus after cysticercal removal by means of endoscopic transventricular (ETV) approach are presented. Severe inflammatory lesions within the ventricular system and basal cisterns, with a patent third-ventriculostomy were demonstrated during a second endoscopic observation. Mandatory shunting with prolonged steroid therapy may be indicated after intraoperative cysticercal rupture after ETV removal, as showed by sequential endoscopic observations.

Primary mucinous neoplasms of the renal pelvis: report of two cases.

Objective: To describe the histopathologic features and clinical presentation of two primary mucinous neoplasms of the renal pelvis.

Methods: We describe two cases and its correlation with histopathologic findings.

Results: Primary mucinous neoplasm of the renal pelvis was diagnosed by histopathology in two patients who received medical treatment for abdominal tumor.

Lupus relapse presented as frosted branch retinal angiitis: case report.

Purpose: To describe a systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) relapse, which presented as frosted branch retinal angiitis.

Design: Clinical case report.

Methods: A 16-year-old female patient had an SLE relapse that appeared as frosted branch angiitis while being treated with deflazacort and azathioprine.

[Evaluation of efficacy of ketoconazole 800 mg-clindamycin 100 mg tablets vaginal against ketoconazole 800 mg- clindamycin 100 mg vaginal capsules in candida vaginitis and vaginosis].

Background: pharmaceutical forms (presentations) influence treatment compliance and therefore the effectiveness. Here we present the results in the relief of vaginitis and vaginosis with two different dosage forms.

Objective: To compare the efficacy and safety of a combination of ketoconazole 800 mg + clindamycin in soft vaginal gel capsules 100 mg (vaginal capsules) against ketoconazole 800 mg + 100 mg clindamycin vaginal tablets (TV) in the management of vaginitis by C.

Bilateral pigmented paravenous chorioretinal atrophy: a case report.

Purpose: To describe a case of bilateral pigmented paravenous chorioretinal atrophy.

Methods: Observational case report.

Results: A 50-year-old female patient complained of right eye pain and decreased near visual acuity.

[Use of an external fixator in open tibial shaft fractures as definitive treatment].

Background: We conducted a study evaluating the clinical and radiologic results of the open tibial shaft fractures using an external fixator as definitive treatment.

Methods: Clinical, observational, descriptive, prospective and longitudinal study. Forty-six patients were included, 40 males (87%) and 6 females (13%), whose age was 31.

Experience with intravitreal bevacizumab as a preoperative adjunct in 23-G vitrectomy for advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Purpose: To evaluate the safety and efficacy of intravitreal injection of bevacizumab before vitrectomy in advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy.

Methods: A randomized clinical trial was performed on 40 eyes of 40 patients. Inclusion criteria were advanced proliferative diabetic retinopathy with tractional retinal detachment and HbA1c <7%.

Bartonellosis causing bilateral Leber neuroretinitis: a case report.

Purpose: Bartonella henselae is the causal agent of cat scratch disease and one variation in its presentation is Leber neuroretinitis. The unilateral presence of exudation as a macular star and papilledema represent its most common presentation.

Methods: Observational case report.

Cisternal neurocysticercosis.

Endoscopic third-ventriculostomy followed by removal of multiple cisternal cysts was performed in a patient with hydrocephalus secondary to cisternal cysticercosis. Adjuvant pharmacological therapy with cystocidal drugs and steroids, was administered in the postoperative period.

[Osteoarticular caseating tuberculosis of the hip: presenting as severe articular destruction. A case report].

Osteoarticular tuberculosis is a chronic inflammatory disease caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis that affects joints. It reaches skeleton and joints by hematogenous spread. The clinical presentation includes localized pain associated with fever and weight loss.

[Comparative trial between traditional cesarean section and Misgav-Ladach technique].

Background: The cesarean section was designed to extract to the neoborn, when the childbirth becomes difficult by the natural routes. The institutional obstetrical work demands long surgical time and high raw materials; therefore, simpler procedures must be implemented.

Objective: To compare traditional cesarean section vs Misgav-Ladach technique to assess surgical time, and hospital stay and costs.

[Comparison between Robert Jones dressing and "U" splint in ankle fractures].

Objective: To compare the Robert Jones bandage with the "U" splint in edema control of ankle fractures.

Material And Methods: A prospective, longitudinal study, open, comparative and randomized made in 32 male patients (72%) and 16 female patients (28%), the average age was 36.9 years.

[Generalized polyostotic fibrous dysplasia with subtrochanteric fracture. A case report].

Fibrous dysplasia affects principally bone, but it might comprise extraskeletal anomalies; bone is replaced by dysplastic fibrous tissue. It is classified accordingly to the number of affected bones, and its association to endocrine alterations in: monostotic, polyostotic and Albright's disease. A congenital etiology is suggested.

Abetimus sodium for renal flare in systemic lupus erythematosus: results of a randomized, controlled phase III trial.

Objective: To investigate whether treatment with abetimus delays renal flare in patients with lupus nephritis. Secondary objectives included evaluation of the effect of abetimus on C3 levels, anti-double-stranded DNA (anti-dsDNA) antibody levels, use of high-dose corticosteroids and/or cyclophosphamide, and major systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) flare.

Methods: We conducted a randomized, placebo-controlled study of treatment with abetimus at 100 mg/week for up to 22 months in SLE patients.

Role of neuroendoscopy in the treatment of large viable cysticerci in the brain parenchyma.

Neuroendoscopy has never been used for diagnosis-making and removal of large parenchymal viable parasites associated with severe mass effect. Satisfactory and complication-free removal of the parenchymal cysticerci was achieved after neuroendoscopical diagnosis in a patient with parenchymal parasites, with immediate remission of clinical alterations related to raised intracranial pressure.

The impact of neuroendoscopy in the emergency setting--a retrospective study of imaging, intraoperative findings, and surgical outcome in 55 patients.

Objectives: To assess whether neuroendoscopy is an improved and effective diagnostic as well as therapeutic tool in the emergency setting compared with neuroimaging studies.

Patients And Methods: Sixty-two preoperative computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance (MR) scans from 55 adult patients admitted in the emergency ward were compared with equal number of neuroendoscopy observations by independent observers, who included cases of raised intracranial pressure related to hydrocephalus, shunt dysfunction, intracranial cysts, brain tumours, subdural effusions, etc.

Results: According to the results obtained, three groups were formed.

[Clinical utility of specialized immunologic testing in rheumatology in a secondary level hospital in Mexico].

Introduction: Laboratory tests have an important role in rheumatology for evaluation, diagnosis and follow up in several diseases. Specialized tests such as antinuclear antibodies (ANA), anti single or double stranded DNA antibodies (anti DNA) and anticardiolipin antibodies (AcACL) are frequently used and its diagnostic performance is well known in tertiary care centers. Our setting is a secondary care center that implemented these tests two years ago.

Steroid therapy in clinically stable but serologically active systemic lupus erythematosus prevents severe disease flares.

Evaluation of: Tseng CE, Buyon JP, Kim M et al. The effect of moderate-dose corticosteroids in preventing severe flares in patients with serologically active, but clinically stable, systemic lupus erythematosus: findings of a prospective, randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled trial. Arthritis Rheum.

[Effect of alpha dihydroergocryptine in patients with fibrocystic breast disease].

Objective: To evaluate the effectiveness of alpha dihidroergocriptine in patients with fibrocystic mastopathy.

Patients And Methods: Patients with diagnosis of fibrocystic breast disease were included in a prospective longitudinal blind double, controlled with placebo study. Patients were randomly assigned to one of two treatment groups: of treatment group A: Alpha dihidroergocriptine tablets of 10 mg, group B: Placebo, during 6 months.

First Latin American position paper on the pharmacological treatment of rheumatoid arthritis.

Background: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease that involves synovial joints, resulting in severe dysfunction or burden for individual patients, families and society. Latin American Rheumatology Associations have acknowledged its relevance and recognized multiple limitations for its diagnosis and treatment in Latin America and the Caribbean. This document underscores issues regarding the impact and relevance of this disease in these countries.