Initial Treatment with Biological Therapy in Rheumatoid Arthritis.

Background: We aimed to analyse the effectiveness, efficiency, and safety of initial treatment with biological therapies in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: Qualitative study. A group of RA experts was selected.

Review of the allocation criteria for heart transplant in Spain in 2023. SEC-Heart Failure Association/ONT/SECCE consensus document.

Heart transplant (HT) remains the best therapeutic option for patients with advanced heart failure (HF). The allocation criteria aim to guarantee equitable access to HT and prioritize patients with a worse clinical status. To review the HT allocation criteria, the Heart Failure Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology (HFA-SEC), the Spanish Society of Cardiovascular and Endovascular Surgery (SECCE) and the National Transplant Organization (ONT), organized a consensus conference involving adult and pediatric cardiologists, adult and pediatric cardiac surgeons, transplant coordinators from all over Spain, and physicians and nurses from the ONT.

Spanish heart transplant registry. 33rd official report of the Heart failure Association of the Spanish Society of Cardiology.

Introduction And Objectives: This report updates the annual data of the Spanish Heart Transplant Registry with the procedures performed in 2021.

Methods: We describe the clinical profile, therapeutic characteristics and outcomes in terms of survival of the procedures performed in 2021. Their temporal trends are updated for the 2012 to 2020 period.

Heel fat pad syndrome beyond acute plantar fascitis.

Heel pain is a frequent cause of pain and disability in adult active population. In patients with this clinical presentation, several causes must be ruled out, among them plantar fasciitis the most common. Other etiologies of plantar heel pain are the entrapment of muscular branch of the lateral plantar nerve (Baxter nerve) or fat pad atrophy, being the last one the second cause of heel pain after plantar fasciitis.

Giant pes anserinus bursitis: A rare soft tissue mass of the medial knee.

Bursae are small, jelly-like sacs that are located throughout the body, mainly around the shoulder, elbow, hip, knee, and heel in a number over 150. They contain a small amount of fluid, and are positioned between bones and soft tissues, acting as cushions to help reduce friction. Pes anserinus bursae, despite being clinically frequent, are not visible either by ultrasound (US) or magnetic resonance image (MRI).

Daptomycin Plus Fosfomycin Versus Daptomycin Alone for Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia and Endocarditis: A Randomized Clinical Trial.

Background: We aimed to determine whether daptomycin plus fosfomycin provides higher treatment success than daptomycin alone for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia and endocarditis.

Methods: A randomized (1:1) phase 3 superiority, open-label, and parallel group clinical trial of adult inpatients with MRSA bacteremia was conducted at 18 Spanish hospitals. Patients were randomly assigned to receive either 10 mg/kg of daptomycin intravenously daily plus 2 g of fosfomycin intravenously every 6 hours, or 10 mg/kg of daptomycin intravenously daily.

Treat-to-target strategy in patients with rheumatoid arthritis: Audit of adherence from real world clinical data.

Introduction: The current paradigm of the management of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) recommends achieving a state of remission or low disease activity through the treat-to-target strategy. Our study assesses adherence to this strategy.

Method: Patients with RA (ACR-EULAR 2010 criteria) were included.

Assessing treatment tolerability for rheumatoid arthritis. Validation and practical applications of the 'TOL-AR-18 questionnaire'.

Introduction: Given the lack of standardized tools to assess tolerability from patient's perspective, we carried out the validation of a questionnaire to asses treatment tolerability for rheumatoid arthritis (RA): TOL-AR-18.

Methods: The TOL-AR-18 was validated in the cross-sectional observational study in adult patients with RA. Socio-demographic and clinical variables were collected.

Musculoskeletal involvement and ultrasonography update in systemic lupus erythematosus: New insights and review.

Ultrasonography has been rarely used to measure musculoskeletal and joint activity in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). The aim of this review is to discuss the utility and reliability of this non-invasive diagnostic tool for the assessment of joint disease in SLE patients. In the last decade, several reports have highlighted the role of ultrasonography for a better evaluation of SLE-related musculoskeletal symptoms.

Rosai-Dorfman disease: Ultrasonography and histopathology study of a soft tissue mass in the forearm.

Rosai-Dorfman disease (RDD) is uncommon in daily practice, but needs to be ruled out in rheumatologic conditions to elucidate a wide differential diagnosis. Beside its typical presentation, soft tissue masses can be easily seen in our Rheumatology clinics. Ultrasonography widely extended in our specialty, could also play a role in the diagnosis, to end up with the histological confirmation of the disease.

Impact of fluconazole susceptibility on the outcome of patients with candidaemia: data from a population-based surveillance.

Objectives: The clinical correlation of fluconazole antifungal susceptibility testing (AST) for Candida isolates and its integration with pharmacokinetics/pharmacodynamics (PK/PD) parameters is unclear. We analysed the impact of fluconazole minimum inhibitory concentration (MIC) values, 24-hour area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) and AUC/MIC ratio on the outcome of candidemic patients.

Methods: We included 257 episodes of candidaemia treated with fluconazole monotherapy for ≥72 hours from a population-based surveillance conducted in 29 hospitals (CANDIPOP Project).

Evaluation of the possible influence of trailing and paradoxical effects on the clinical outcome of patients with candidemia.

Objective: Paradoxical growth (PG) and trailing effect (TE) are frequently observed during antifungal susceptibility testing (AFST). These two phenomena interfere with the determination of the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC). The aim of this study was to assess the clinical impact of TE and PG.

Empirical and targeted therapy of candidemia with fluconazole versus echinocandins: a propensity score-derived analysis of a population-based, multicentre prospective cohort.

We compared the clinical efficacy of fluconazole and echinocandins in the treatment of candidemia in real practice. The CANDIPOP study is a prospective, population-based cohort study on candidemia carried out between May 2010 and April 2011 in 29 Spanish hospitals. Using strict inclusion criteria, we separately compared the impact of empirical and targeted therapy with fluconazole or echinocandins on 30-day mortality.

Nailfold capillaroscopic findings in primary Sjögren's syndrome with and without Raynaud's phenomenon and/or positive anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies.

The aim of this study was to assess nailfold capillaroscopic (NC) findings in patients with primary Sjögren's syndrome (PSS) with and without Raynaud's phenomenon (RP) as well as in the presence of positive anti-SSA/Ro and anti-SSB/La antibodies. Videocapillaroscopy was performed in 150 patients with PSS. Data collected included demographics, presence of RP, PSS symptoms, antinuclear antibodies, rheumatoid factor, anti-Ro, anti-La, anti-CCP, salivary scintigraphy, labial biopsy, and NC findings.