Revista Colombiana de Reumatologia最新文献

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a serious extra-articular co-morbidity in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and accounts for a substantial part of the increased mortality in RA. In this review, we describe how environmental and lifestyle factors interact with genetic variants in the HLA genetic locus in triggering RA-specific antibodies against post-translationally modified, mainly citrullinated proteins (ACPA), which are associated with an increased risk of ILD. The same environmental risk factors, i.e. exposure to noxious agents such as smoke to the lungs contribute additionally to the emergence of RA ILD as does long-lasting high disease activity and an additional ILD-specific genetic risk variant related to mucus formation (MUC5B). Options for prevention and therapy of RA ILD resulting from this so far incomplete knowledge of its pathophysiology are expanding. The most obvious option is to address modifiable environmental risk factors, such as smoking and exposure to other noxious agents affecting the lungs. The second option is to reduce the inflammatory activity of RA; here different anti-rheumatic therapies appear to have differential effects on ILD development. The third and novel option is to use anti-fibrotic therapy which may reduce the development of RA ILD but has not yet been shown to revert existing fibrosis. The main conclusion concerning the clinical handling of RA ILD is therefore an early awareness of the risk for RA ILD combined with active measures to reduce modifiable environmental/lifestyle factors and use optimal anti-rheumatic therapies for early and sustained reduction of disease activity. These actions should be combined with a preparedness to use anti-fibrotic therapy for patients at high risk for ILD despite previous risk reduction efforts.

Introduction/Objective

To review the epidemiology, general clinical aspects and diagnosis, impact on morbidity and mortality, and general treatment approaches for myositis-associated ILD.

Materials and methods

The relevant literature was reviewed.

Results

The clinical, radiographic, and histopathological features of interstitial lung disease (ILD) in idiopathic inflammatory myopathies (IIM) are similar to idiopathic ILD. Patients with a known diagnosis of myositis require prompt clinical evaluation including the determination of myositis-associated autoantibodies. Patients possessing autoantibodies associated with ILD or those with any pulmonary symptoms should undergo a pulmonary function test and high-resolution CT (HRCT) scanning of their lungs.

Conclusion

Despite the lack of placebo-controlled trials, systemic glucocorticoids are considered the mainstay of initial treatment of myositis-associated ILD. Glucocorticoid-sparing agents are often concomitantly administered, particularly in patients with severe disease. The first-line conventional immunosuppressive drugs include either mycophenolate mofetil or azathioprine. If these agents fail or if the pulmonary features are severe or rapidly progressive, then more aggressive immunosuppressive or immunomodulatory therapy including cyclophosphamide, tacrolimus or cyclosporine, rituximab, IVIg, or tofacitinib can be considered. Further investigations are required to assess the role of novel therapies in the treatment of myositis-associated ILD.

Rheumatoid arthritis associated interstitial lung disease (RA-ILD) has significant clinical impact on patients due to increased morbidity and mortality. Understanding the progression of ILD in patients with RA from when asymptomatic to clinical progression and the clinical, genetic, and novel markers associated with disease progression is an important step in altering the natural history of ILD in patients with RA. We review the natural history and epidemiology of RA-ILD, with a focus on Latin-American epidemiology in RA-ILD. Additionally, we discuss unique features of RA-ILD compared to other forms of ILD, early disease detection, and current concepts in treatment.

Introduction/Objective

Early diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis (RA) can improve the prognosis of the disease by reducing joint destruction and achieving a better rate of remission. Musculoskeletal ultrasound (US) has become a potent tool to detect synovitis and erosions. However, until now, there has been a lack of consensus on the US scoring system to help in diagnosing RA early. The purpose of our study was to elaborate a US set suitable for classifying RA patients with inflammatory arthralgia or expressing synovitis and who did not satisfy ACR/EULAR criteria, called “USSRA” (UltraSound Set for Rheumatoid Arthritis).

Materials and methods

A multistep study was conducted. A preliminary set of joints, tendons, and erosions to include in the USSRA were identified through a deep literature screening. The final step of this study was the validation of the final set by international experts in US using a Delphi process.

Results

The preliminary set included 20 joints, 16 tendons, and 8 erosion sites for assessment. After the Delphi process, the changes were to add an assessment of two additional wrist joints and remove one. As for the tendons, two sites were removed from the final set. No changes were proposed for the section erosions. The elementary lesions and scoring system were clarified. The final USSRA forms include 18 joints, 12 tendons, and 8 sites of erosion.

Conclusion

The USSRA is a novel diagnostic tool proposed for detecting early RA in routine practice. The next step will be to assess the reliability of this set in a patient-based exercise.

Sjögren's Syndrome (SS) is an autoimmune pathology with glandular and/or extraglandular compromise, secondary to the infiltration of lymphoid cells. The clinical course varies depending on genetic susceptibility, comorbidities, patient's age, and environmental risk factors. Lymphoid proliferation and differentiation are key factors in the progression of SS to haematological malignancies or amyloidosis. Amyloidosis is a secondary entity to the aberrant accumulation of soluble plasma proteins, derived from chronic infectious, inflammatory, neoplastic and haematolymphoid processes. The clinical manifestations vary and depend on the constitutive protein and the age of the patient; and may have glandular or extraglandular, local, or systemic compromise. Among the affected organs, pulmonary involvement poses a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge due to its variable course and clinical manifestation. The following is a case report of a woman over 70 years old, with SS and amyloidosis with glandular and extra glandular manifestations at pulmonary level.

Introduction/Objective

The purpose of this study was to evaluate patients in clinical remission of psoriasis for at least for one year, who maintained therapeutic goals after initiating optimization of biologic therapy.

Materials and methods

A descriptive, observational study was conducted on patients with a diagnosis of moderate–severe psoriasis in treatment with biologic therapy who were started on optimization of biologic therapy.

Results

A total of 29 patients started therapeutic optimization, of these, 27 patients were in the target range with absolute PASI less than 3. Only one patient failed therapeutic optimization with final PASI 3.6 and there was a case of a patient who lost continuity of management due to an accident and had a final PASI 3.8. Most of the patients were male, with an average age of 53 years, married, employed, residing in urban areas, with psoriasis of more than ten years of evolution, without associated morbidities, and without previous biologic treatment, the most frequently used being etanercept and adalimumab.

Conclusion

Optimizing biologic therapy in patients with moderate–severe psoriasis may be viable. We seek to share this experience to propose a protocol to reduce the possibility of adverse events due to the prolonged use of this type of therapy, preserving clinical response and reducing costs to the health system.

Autoimmune diseases comprise a wide and diverse group of diseases, each with its own specific complications, and with common complications such as pulmonary involvement. Lung involvement is extensive and one of its complications is interstitial lung disease, which varies widely within each of the autoimmune diseases. Health-related quality of life is defined as all those aspects that reflect the impact of the disease and the perception of disability and daily functionality of the patient. Even though this concept is subjective, health researchers have sought to define it to serve as a tool in the evaluation of interventions in subjects with different types of pathologies, so much so that it has become a main outcome in program evaluation and clinical research. To date, we are not aware of tools designed with the objective of measuring quality of life specifically in lung involvement due to interstitial lung disease related to autoimmune diseases. The objective of this review will be to further explore the available information on the measurement of quality of life in these patients.

Antisynthetase syndrome is a rare disease, with varying degrees of lung, muscle, joint, and skin involvement. Due to the introduction of new diagnostic tests, it is possible to detect the disease earlier and to determine the best treatment strategy. However, in our country the availability of these tests is limited. We present the case of a patient with antisynthetase syndrome associated with anti-PL7 antibodies in whom, thanks to the early identification of these antibodies, timely initiation of treatment for the disease was achieved.

Introduction

Telemedicine, defined as the provision of remote health services by health professionals using Information and Communication Technologies, has been adopted in healthcare in Colombia.

Objective

To establish recommendations for the implementation and management of telemedicine in clinical practice for rheumatological diseases in Colombia.

Materials and methods

The recommendations were made in 3 phases. Phase 1 was based on an extended review and a systematic review of the literature. Phase 2 consisted of the selection of attributes and components based on the extended review to delimit the framework of the recommendations using the Delphi method. In phase 3, a group of experts, based on the systematic review, the selected attributes and components, and individual experience made recommendations through a nominal group.

Results

The framework of recommendations comprised 9 attributes and 26 components. A group of 7 rheumatologists in 4 cities of the country was formed. The nominal group drafted the final recommendations through 3 rounds according to the recommendations with a high priority rating.

Conclusions

This document contains recommendations for effective telemedicine healthcare for rheumatological diseases in Colombia. To establish effective telemedicine healthcare, it is necessary to evaluate different possible forms of care, the convenience of using telemedicine according to the clinical-cultural and sociodemographic profile of the patient, the access and implementation capacity of the different technological tools, and the exhaustive analysis of the barriers and facilitators to its adoption.