Relationship between damage and mortality in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: Cluster analyses in a large cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER)

Objectives: To identify patterns (clusters) of damage manifestation within a large cohort of juvenile SLE (jSLE) patients and evaluate their possible association with mortality. Methods: This is a multicentre, descriptive, cross-sectional study of a cohort of 345 jSLE patients from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry. Organ damage was ascertained using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index. Using cluster analysis, groups of patients with similar patterns of damage manifestation were identified and compared. Results: Mean age (years) ± S.D. at diagnosis was 14.2 ± 2.89; 88.7% were female and 93.4% were Caucasian. Mean SLICC/ACR DI ± S.D. was 1.27 ± 1.63. A total of 12 (3.5%) patients died. Three damage clusters were identified: Cluster 1 (72.7% of patients) presented a lower number of individuals with damage (22.3% vs. 100% in Clusters 2 and 3, P < 0.001); Cluster 2 (14.5% of patients) was characterized by renal damage in 60% of patients, significantly more than Clusters 1 and 3 (P < 0.001), in addition to increased more ocular, cardiovascular and gonadal damage; Cluster 3 (12.7%) was the only group with musculoskeletal damage (100%), significantly higher than in Clusters 1 and 2 (P < 0.001). The overall mortality rate in Cluster 2 was 2.2 times higher than that in Cluster 3 and 5 times higher than that in Cluster 1 (P < 0.017 for both comparisons). Conclusions: In a large cohort of jSLE patients, renal and musculoskeletal damage manifestations were the two dominant forms of damage by which patients were sorted into clinically meaningful clusters. We found two clusters of jSLE with important clinical damage that were associated with higher rates of mortality, especially for the cluster of patients with predominant renal damage. Physicians should be particularly vigilant to the early prevention of damage in this subset of jSLE patients with kidney involvement

Comprehensive description of clinical characteristics of a large systemic Lupus Erythematosus Cohort from the Spanish Rheumatology Society Lupus Registry (RELESSER) with emphasis on complete versus incomplete lupus differences

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune disease characterized by multiple organ involvement and pronounced racial and ethnic heterogeneity. The aims of the present work were (1) to describe the cumulative clinical characteristics of those patients included in the Spanish Rheumatology Society SLE Registry (RELESSER), focusing on the differences between patients who fulfilled the 1997 ACR-SLE criteria versus those with less than 4 criteria (hereafter designated as incomplete SLE (iSLE)) and (2) to compare SLE patient characteristics with those documented in other multicentric SLE registries. RELESSER is a multicenter hospital-based registry, with a collection of data from a large, representative sample of adult patients with SLE (1997 ACR criteria) seen at Spanish rheumatology departments. The registry includes demographic data, comprehensive descriptions of clinical manifestations, as well as information about disease activity and severity, cumulative damage, comorbidities, treatments and mortality, using variables with highly standardized definitions. A total of 4.024 SLE patients (91% with ≥4 ACR criteria) were included. Ninety percent were women with a mean age at diagnosis of 35.4 years and a median duration of disease of 11.0 years. As expected, most SLE manifestations were more frequent in SLE patients than in iSLE ones and every one of the ACR criteria was also associated with SLE condition; this was particularly true of malar rash, oral ulcers and renal disorder. The analysis-adjusted by gender, age at diagnosis, and disease duration-revealed that higher disease activity, damage and SLE severity index are associated with SLE [OR: 1.14; 95% CI: 1.08-1.20 (P < 0.001); 1.29; 95% CI: 1.15-1.44 (P < 0.001); and 2.10; 95% CI: 1.83-2.42 (P < 0.001), respectively]. These results support the hypothesis that iSLE behaves as a relative stable and mild disease. SLE patients from the RELESSER register do not appear to differ substantially from other Caucasian populations and although activity [median SELENA-SLEDA: 2 (IQ: 0-4)], damage [median SLICC/ACR/DI: 1 (IQ: 0-2)], and severity [median KATZ index: 2 (IQ: 1-3)] scores were low, 1 of every 4 deaths was due to SLE activity. RELESSER represents the largest European SLE registry established to date, providing comprehensive, reliable and updated information on SLE in the southern European population

Empleo de bisfosfonatos en mujeres postmenopáusicas con artritis reumatoide: resultados de un estudio multicéntrico.

Objective: The objective of this study was to analyse the use of bisphosphonates in women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in the Canary Islands. Material and methods: This multicentre observational study included women aged 50 years or over. At a single visit, demographic variables and those relating to the RA, history of fragility fractures, use of corticoids, performance of bone densitometry (DXA) and current treatment with bisphosphonates were recorded. The simplified FRAX ® tool was used and the recommendations of the American College of Rheumatology (ACR) for the prophylaxis of osteoporosis with corticoids were applied. Results: 192 women were included, with an average age of 62 years. A total of 91 (48%) patients were receiving corticoids; 17 of these (9%) had suffered a fracture; 123 (66%) had had a DXA; and 52 (28%) were taking bisphosphonates (70% of the patients with osteoporosis or fracture and 45% of those with criteria for prophylactic use of corticoids for osteoporosis). Those factors having a significant association with the use of bisphosphonates were age, duration of the disease, the HAQ functional capacity questionnaire, the risk of fracture determined by FRAX®, treatment with corticoids, history of fracture and the previous performance of DXA. In the multivariate study only the DXA (p=0.03) and history of fracture (p=0.02) were significantly associated. Conclusions: In postmenopausal women from the Canary Islands with RA the prescription of bisphosphonates could conform better to the guidelines, especially in patients receiving treatment with corticoids.Objetivos: El objetivo del estudio fue analizar el empleo de bisfosfonatos en mujeres con artritis reumatoide (AR) de las Islas Canarias. Material y métodos: Estudio observacional multicéntrico en el que se incluyeron mujeres con una edad igual o superior a 50 años. En una única visita se recogieron variables demográficas y de la AR, antecedente de fractura por fragilidad, uso de corticoides, realización de densitometría ósea (DXA) y tratamiento actual con bisfosfonatos. Se empleó una herramienta FRAX® simplificada y se aplicó la recomendación de profilaxis de osteoporosis por corticoides del American College of Rheumatology (ACR). Resultados: Se incluyeron 192 mujeres con edad promedio de 62 años. Un total de 91 (48%) pacientes recibían corticoides; 17 de ellas (9%) habían sufrido fractura; a 123 se les había realizado DXA (66%); y 52 (28%) tomaban bisfosfonatos (el 70% de las pacientes con osteoporosis o fractura y el 45% de aqué- llas con criterios de profilaxis de osteoporosis por corticoides). Los factores asociados de manera significativa con el empleo de bisfosfonatos fueron la edad, la duración de la enfermedad, el cuestionario de capacidad funcional HAQ, el riesgo de fractura determinado por FRAX®, el tratamiento con corticoides, el antecedente de fractura y la realización previa de DXA. En el estudio multivariante sólo se asociaron de manera significativa la DXA (p=0,03) y el antecedente de fractura (p=0,02). Conclusiones: En las mujeres postmenopáusicas con AR de las Islas Canarias la prescripción de bisfosfonatos podría adecuarse mejor a las guías, especialmente en pacientes que reciben tratamiento con corticoides

Relationship between damage and mortality in juvenile-onset systemic lupus erythematosus: Cluster analyses in a large cohort from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry (RELESSER).

To identify patterns (clusters) of damage manifestation within a large cohort of juvenile SLE (jSLE) patients and evaluate their possible association with mortality. This is a multicentre, descriptive, cross-sectional study of a cohort of 345 jSLE patients from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry. Organ damage was ascertained using the Systemic Lupus International Collaborating Clinics Damage Index. Using cluster analysis, groups of patients with similar patterns of damage manifestation were identified and compared. Mean age (years) ± S.D. at diagnosis was 14.2 ± 2.89; 88.7% were female and 93.4% were Caucasian. Mean SLICC/ACR DI ± S.D. was 1.27 ± 1.63. A total of 12 (3.5%) patients died. Three damage clusters were identified: Cluster 1 (72.7% of patients) presented a lower number of individuals with damage (22.3% vs. 100% in Clusters 2 and 3, P  In a large cohort of jSLE patients, renal and musculoskeletal damage manifestations were the two dominant forms of damage by which patients were sorted into clinically meaningful clusters. We found two clusters of jSLE with important clinical damage that were associated with higher rates of mortality, especially for the cluster of patients with predominant renal damage. Physicians should be particularly vigilant to the early prevention of damage in this subset of jSLE patients with kidney involvement

Differences in clinical manifestations and increased severity of systemic lupus erythematosus between two groups of Hispanics: European Caucasians versus Latin American mestizos (data from the RELESSER registry).

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is regarded as a prototype autoimmune disease because it can serve as a means for studying differences between ethnic minorities and sex. Traditionally, all Hispanics have been bracketed within the same ethnic group, but there are differences between Hispanics from Spain and those from Latin America, not to mention other Spanish-speaking populations. This study aimed to determine the demographic and clinical characteristics, severity, activity, damage, mortality and co-morbidity of SLE in Hispanics belonging to the two ethnic groups resident in Spain, and to identify any differences. This was an observational, multi-centre, retrospective study. The demographic and clinical variables of patients with SLE from 45 rheumatology units were collected. The study was conducted in accordance with Good Clinical Practice guidelines. Hispanic patients from the registry were divided into two groups: Spaniards or European Caucasians (EC) and Latin American mestizos (LAM). Comparative univariate and multivariate statistical analyses were carried out. A total of 3490 SLE patients were included, 90% of whom were female; 3305 (92%) EC and 185 (5%) LAM. LAM patients experienced their first lupus symptoms four years earlier than EC patients and were diagnosed and included in the registry younger, and their SLE was of a shorter duration. The time in months from the first SLE symptoms to diagnosis was longer in EC patients, as were the follow-up periods. LAM patients exhibited higher prevalence rates of myositis, haemolytic anaemia and nephritis, but there were no differences in histological type or serositis. Anti-Sm, anti-Ro and anti-RNP antibodies were more frequently found in LAM patients. LAM patients also had higher levels of disease activity, severity and hospital admissions. However, there were no differences in damage index, mortality or co-morbidity index. In the multivariate analysis, after adjusting for confounders, in several models the odds ratio (95% confidence interval) for a Katz severity index >3 in LAM patients was 1.45 (1.038-2.026; p = 0.02). This difference did not extend to activity levels (i.e. SLEDAI >3; 0.98 (0.30-1.66)). SLE in Hispanic EC patients showed clinical differences compared to Hispanic LAM patients. The latter more frequently suffered nephritis and higher severity indices. This study shows that where lupus is concerned, not all Hispanics are equal

Ciberseguridad, ciberdelitos e inteligencia artificial: apuntando al futuro

Report finale e conclusioni generali del progetto di ricerca «Ciberseguridad y ciberdelitos», RTI2018- 099306-B-100 (MCIU/AEI/FEDER, UE)

Antimalarials exert a cardioprotective effect in lupus patients: Insights from the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Register (RELESSER) analysis of factors associated with heart failure.

Factors associated with chronic heart failure (CHF) in patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) have received little attention. Recent data on the use of hydroxychloroquine in the treatment of SARS-CoV-2 infection have cast doubt on its cardiac safety. The factors associated with CHF, including therapy with antimalarials, were analyzed in a large multicenter SLE cohort. Cross-sectional study including all patients with SLE (ACR-1997 criteria) included in the Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Register (RELESSER), based on historically gathered data. Patients with CHF prior to diagnosis of SLE were excluded. A multivariable analysis exploring factors associated with CHF was conducted. The study population comprised 117 patients with SLE (ACR-97 criteria) and CHF and 3,506 SLE controls. Ninety percent were women. Patients with CHF were older and presented greater SLE severity, organ damage, and mortality than those without CHF. The multivariable model revealed the factors associated with CHF to be ischemic heart disease (7.96 [4.01-15.48], p  Patients with SLE and CHF experience more severe SLE. Treatment with antimalarials appears to confer a cardioprotective effect