Pregnancy outcomes in 1869 pregnancies in a large cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Register (RELESSER).

Introduction: Obstetric complications are more common in women with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) than in the general population.

Objective: To assess pregnancy outcomes in women with SLE from the RELESSER cohort after 12 years of follow-up.

Methods: A multicentre retrospective observational study was conducted.

Use of Neuroanatomic Knowledge and Neuronavigation System for a Safe Anterior Petrosectomy.

Introduction: The petroclival region is among the most challenging anatomical areas to deal with in skull base surgery. Drilling of the anterior part of the petrous bone during the anterior transpetrosal approach involves the risk of injury of the cochlea, superior semicircular canal, internal carotid artery, and internal auditory canal. A thorough understanding of the microneurosurgical anatomy of this region is mandatory to execute the transpetrosal approaches, decreasing the risk of complications.

Factors associated with unreported tuberculosis cases in Spanish hospitals.

Background: Under-reporting of tuberculosis (TB) cases complicates disease control, hinders contact tracing and alters the accuracy of epidemiological data, including disease burden. The objective of the present study is to evaluate the proportion of unreported TB cases in Spanish healthcare facilities and to identify the associated factors.

Methods: A multi-center retrospective study design was employed.

A large-scale genetic analysis reveals a strong contribution of the HLA class II region to giant cell arteritis susceptibility.

We conducted a large-scale genetic analysis on giant cell arteritis (GCA), a polygenic immune-mediated vasculitis. A case-control cohort, comprising 1,651 case subjects with GCA and 15,306 unrelated control subjects from six different countries of European ancestry, was genotyped by the Immunochip array. We also imputed HLA data with a previously validated imputation method to perform a more comprehensive analysis of this genomic region.

Independent relationship of osteoprotegerin concentrations with endothelial activation and carotid atherosclerosis in patients with severe rheumatoid arthritis.

Objective: Osteoprotegerin (OPG) may contribute to the link between systemic inflammation and increased cardiovascular risk. We investigated the relationship of OPG concentrations with endothelial activation and carotid atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis (RA).

Methods: OPG concentrations and those of endothelial activation molecules were measured by using ELISA in 34 patients who were treated with infliximab (IFX), both immediately before and after an IFX infusion.

Identification of the PTPN22 functional variant R620W as susceptibility genetic factor for giant cell arteritis.

Objective: To analyse the role of the PTPN22 and CSK genes, previously associated with autoimmunity, in the predisposition and clinical phenotypes of giant cell arteritis (GCA).

Methods: Our study population was composed of 911 patients diagnosed with biopsy-proven GCA and 8136 unaffected controls from a Spanish discovery cohort and three additional independent replication cohorts from Germany, Norway and the UK. Two functional PTPN22 polymorphisms (rs2476601/R620W and rs33996649/R263Q) and two variants of the CSK gene (rs1378942 and rs34933034) were genotyped using predesigned TaqMan assays.

Sex differences in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus from Northwest Spain.

To further establish potential differences according to sex in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) patients from Southern Europe. We assessed clinical and epidemiological data of patients diagnosed with SLE according to the 1982 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria at the single hospital for a well-defined population of Northwest Spain, between 1987 and 2006. Prevalence in December 2006 and age-standardized incidence rates in the whole period were estimated.

Leptin and visfatin serum levels in non-diabetic ankylosing spondylitis patients undergoing TNF-α antagonist therapy.

Objectives: This paper aims to determine whether disease activity, systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome are potential determinants of circulating leptin and visfatin levels in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients undergoing TNF-α antagonist therapy. We also assessed whether the infusion of infliximab may alter circulating leptin and visfatin concentrations in these patients.

Methods: We investigated leptin and visfatin serum concentrations in a series of 30 non-diabetic AS patients without history of cardiovascular (CV) events that were treated with the TNF-α antagonist infliximab, immediately prior to an infliximab infusion.

Effects of omalizumab in non-atopic asthma: results from a Spanish multicenter registry.

Aim. To evaluate the effectiveness of omalizumab in non-atopic asthma. Methods.

Adiponectin and resistin serum levels in non-diabetic ankylosing spondylitis patients undergoing TNF-α antagonist therapy.

Objectives: The objective of this paper is to assess if disease activity, systemic inflammation and metabolic syndrome are potential determinants of circulating adiponectin and resistin levels in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients undergoing TNF-α antagonist therapy.

Methods: We investigated adiponectin and resistin serum concentrations in a series of 29 non-diabetic AS patients without history of cardiovascular (CV) events that were treated with the TNF-α antagonist infliximab, immediately prior to an infliximab infusion. Adipokine levels were also determined immediately after administration of an infliximab dose.

Extragonadal germ cell tumour with the "burned out" phenomenon mimicking a retroperitioneal tumour of neurogenic origin.

Objective: To describe a case of retroperitoneal metastasis of a gonadal germ cell tumour with the "burned-out" phenomenon in a 35 year old patient with a suspected diagnosis of retroperitoneal tumour of neurogenic origin.

Methods: With the clinical and radiological suspicion of retroperitoneal tumour of neurogenic origin the tumour was removed, via the retroperitoneal space.

Results: Pathology showed classic seminoma with foci of atypical or anaplastic seminoma, confined to the tissue sample.

TNF-alpha antagonist therapy improves insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic ankylosing spondylitis patients.

Objectives: Since insulin resistance can promote endothelial dysfunction, and anti-TNF-α treatment improves endothelial function in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients, in the present study we sought to assess whether an infusion of the anti-TNF-α monoclonal antibody-infliximab may improve insulin sensitivity in non-diabetic AS patients.

Methods: We assessed a series of 30 non-diabetic patients with AS attending hospital outpatient clinics who fulfilled the modified New York diagnostic criteria for AS. In all cases, the drug was given as an intravenous infusion in a saline solution over 120 minutes.

Late-onset systemic lupus erythematosus in Northwestern Spain: differences with early-onset systemic lupus erythematosus and literature review.

To further investigate into the epidaemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in Southern Europe, we have assessed the incidence, clinical spectrum and survival of patients diagnosed with late-onset SLE (age ≥ 50 years) according to the 1982 American College of Rheumatology (ACR) classification criteria at the single hospital for a well-defined population of Lugo, Northwestern (NW) Spain. Between January 1987 and December 2006, 51 (39.3%) of the 150 patients diagnosed as having SLE fulfilled definitions for late-onset SLE.

A novel approach to human cranial tissue regeneration and frontal sinus obliteration with an autogenous platelet-rich/fibrin-rich composite matrix: 10 patients with a 6-10 year follow-up.

Advanced frontal sinus disease non-responsive to conservative therapy has been treated with fat obliteration for decades. More recently, a wide variety of autogenous, allogenic or synthetic materials have also been used. In this study we present a treatment based on totally autogenous procedures and materials that was successfully implemented in 10 patients and followed up for a period of 6-10 years, to evaluate the feasibility of a new approach for the treatment of frontal sinus disease and other related cranial osseous derangements, based on regenerative medicine as an alternative to fat or other obliterating or grafting materials.

Hepatitis B virus (HBV) reactivation in patients receiving tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-targeted therapy: analysis of 257 cases.

The emergence of tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α)-targeted therapies as a key therapeutic option for patients with rheumatic, digestive, and dermatologic autoimmune diseases has been associated with increasing reports of liver damage in patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) infection. We studied the current evidence on the use of anti-TNF agents in patients with HBV through a systematic analysis of cases reported in the MEDLINE and EMBASE databases using the MeSH term "hepatitis B virus" combined with the terms "infliximab," "etanercept," "adalimumab," "certolizumab," "golimumab," and "anti-TNF agents," and summarize the results here. We analyzed 257 patients with positive HBV markers who received anti-TNF therapy (255 identified in the search strategy and 2 new cases), 89 HBsAg+ carriers, and 168 anti-HBc+ persons.

Systemic lupus erythematosus in northwestern Spain: a 20-year epidemiologic study.

To further investigate the epidemiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) in southern Europe, we assessed the incidence, prevalence, clinical spectrum of the disease, flares, and survival of patients diagnosed with SLE in the Lugo region of northwestern Spain. Between January 1987 and December 2006, 150 Lugo residents were diagnosed as having SLE according to the 1982 American College of Rheumatology criteria for the classification of SLE. Women outnumbered men (127 [84.

Correlation between endothelial function and carotid atherosclerosis in rheumatoid arthritis patients with long-standing disease.

Introduction: In this study, we aimed to determine the relationship between flow-mediated endothelium-dependent vasodilatation (FMD) and carotid artery intima-media wall thickness (IMT), two surrogate markers of atherosclerosis, in a series of Spanish patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) without clinically evident cardiovascular (CV) disease.

Methods: One hundred eighteen patients who fulfilled the 1987 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for RA, had no history of CV disease and had at least one year of follow-up after disease diagnosis were randomly selected. Brachial and carotid ultrasonography were performed to determine FMD and carotid IMT, respectively.

[Results of carotid endarterectomy in elderly patients].

Introduction: Forty-five per cent of stoke patients have a surgically accessible stenosis. The objective of our study is to describe the response to carotid endarterectomy (EA) in patients of advanced age compared to younger ones.

Material And Method: Retrospective evaluation of the clinical history of all patients who underwent an endarterectomy in a tertiary hospital between January 1995 and December 2006.

Relapses and recurrences in giant cell arteritis: a population-based study of patients with biopsy-proven disease from northwestern Spain.

We conducted the present study to determine the incidence of disease flares (relapses and recurrences) in a series of patients with biopsy-proven giant cell arteritis (GCA). We assessed a series of 174 patients who were diagnosed with biopsy-proven GCA, uniformly treated, and followed at the rheumatology division of Hospital Xeral-Calde (Lugo, Spain), the single rheumatology division for a well-defined population. All of them were followed for at least 1 year after the disease diagnosis.

Audiovestibular manifestations in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a chronic inflammatory disease of unknown origin affecting up to 1% of the population. Little is known about audiovestibular impairment in patients with AS, especially the presence of cochleovestibular dysfunction in these patients. To investigate audiovestibular manifestations in AS, we studied a series of 50 consecutive patients who fulfilled the modified New York diagnostic criteria for AS and 44 matched controls.

Follow-up of venom immunotherapy (VIT) based on conventional techniques and monitoring of immunoglobulin E to individual venom allergens.

Objectives: To assess the efficacy of venom immunotherapy (VIT) and monitor changes in in vivo and in vitro test results after 5 years of treatment and subsequent follow-up. To study the profile of immunoglobulin (Ig) E to individual allergens prior to treatment and 1 year afterwards.

Methods: We studied 562 patients with hymenoptera venom allergy (438 to bee, 124 to wasp), all of whom underwent immunotherapy with Apis or Vespula extract.