Hydroxychloroquine is associated with a lower risk of polyautoimmunity: data from the RELESSER Registry

Objectives. This article estimates the frequency of polyautoimmunity and associated factors in a large retrospective cohort of patients with SLE. Methods. RELESSER (Spanish Society of Rheumatology Lupus Registry) is a nationwide multicentre, hospital-based registry of SLE patients. This is a cross-sectional study. The main variable was polyautoimmunity, which was defined as the co-occurrence of SLE and another autoimmune disease, such as autoimmune thyroiditis, RA, scleroderma, inflammatory myopathy and MCTD. We also recorded the presence of multiple autoimmune syndrome, secondary SS, secondary APS and a family history of autoimmune disease. Multiple logistic regression analysis was performed to investigate possible risk factors for polyautoimmunity. Results. Of the 3679 patients who fulfilled the criteria for SLE, 502 (13.6%) had polyautoimmunity. The most frequent types were autoimmune thyroiditis (7.9%), other systemic autoimmune diseases (6.2%), secondary SS (14.1%) and secondary APS (13.7%). Multiple autoimmune syndrome accounted for 10.2% of all cases of polyautoimmunity. A family history was recorded in 11.8%. According to the multivariate analysis, the factors associated with polyautoimmunity were female sex [odds ratio (95% CI), 1.72 (1.07, 2.72)], RP [1.63 (1.29, 2.05)], interstitial lung disease [3.35 (1.84, 6.01)], Jaccoud arthropathy [1.92 (1.40, 2.63)], anti-Ro/SSA and/or anti-La/SSB autoantibodies [2.03 (1.55, 2.67)], anti-RNP antibodies [1.48 (1.16, 1.90)], MTX [1.67 (1.26, 2.18)] and antimalarial drugs [0.50 (0.38, 0.67)]. Conclusion. Patients with SLE frequently present polyautoimmunity. We observed clinical and analytical characteristics associated with polyautoimmunity. Our finding that antimalarial drugs protected against polyautoimmunity should be verified in future studies

El podcast como herramienta de innovación docente: “reumatología para estudiantes de medicina”

Depto. de MedicinaUniversidad Complutense de MadridFALSEsubmitte

Justificación y diseño del estudio Concordancia entre RFF e iFR en lesiones del tronco común.: Estudio iLITRO-EPIC-07

Introduction and objectives: Patients with left main coronary artery (LMCA) stenosis have been excluded from the trials that support the non-inferiority of the instantaneous wave-free ratio (iFR) compared to the fractional flow reserve (FFR) in the decision-making process of coronary revascularization. This study proposes to prospectively assess the concordance between the two indices in LMCA lesions and to validate the iFR cut-off value of 0.89 for clinical use. Methods: National, prospective, and observational multicenter registry of 300 consecutive patients with intermediate lesions in the LMCA (angiographic stenosis, 25% to 60%. A pressure gudiewire study and determination of the RFF and the iFR will be performed: in the event of a negative concordant result (FFR > 0.80/iFR > 0.89), no treatment will be performed; in case of a positive concordant result (FFR ≤ 0.80/iFR ≤ 0.89), revascularization will be performed; In the event of a discordant result (FFR> 0.80/iFR ≤ 0.89 or FFR ≤ 0.80/iFR> 0.89), an intravascular echocardiography will be performed and revascularization will be delayed if the minimum lumen area is > 6 mm2. The primary clinical endpoint will be a composite of cardiovascular death, LMCA lesion-related non-fatal infarction or need for revascularization of the LMCA lesion at 12 months. Conclusions: Confirm that an iFR-guided decision-making process in patients with intermediate LMCA stenosis is clinically safe and would have a significant clinical impact. Also, justify its systematic use when prescribing treatment in these potentially high-risk patients. Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov ( Identifier: NCT03767621).Introducción y objetivos: Los pacientes con estenosis en el tronco coronario izquierdo (TCI) han sido excluidos de los ensayos que apoyan la no inferioridad del cociente de presiones en el índice diastólico instantáneo sin ondas (iFR) respecto a la reserva fraccional de flujo (RFF) en la toma de decisiones sobre revascularización coronaria. El presente estudio propone valorar de manera prospectiva la concordancia entre los dos índices en lesiones del TCI y validar el valor de corte del iFR de 0,89 para su uso clínico. Métodos: Registro multicéntrico nacional, prospectivo, observacional, con la inclusión de 300 pacientes consecutivos con lesiones intermedias (estenosis angiográfica 25-60%) en el TCI. Se realizará un estudio con guía de presión y determinación de RFF e iFR. En caso de resultado concordante negativo (RFF > 0,80 / iFR > 0,89), no se realizará tratamiento; en caso de resultado concordante positivo (RFF ≤ 0,80 / iFR ≤ 0,89), se realizará revascularización; en caso de resultado discordante (RFF > 0,80 / iFR ≤ 0,89 o RFF ≤ 0,80 / iFR > 0,89), se realizará estudio con ecocardiografía intravascular y se considerará diferir la revascularización si el área luminal mínima es > 6 mm2. El criterio de valoración clínico primario será la incidencia del combinado de muerte cardiovascular, infarto no mortal relacionado con la lesión del TCI o necesidad de revascularización de la lesión del TCI a los 12 meses. Conclusiones: La demostración de la seguridad clínica en la toma de decisiones del iFR en pacientes con lesiones intermedias en el TCI tendría un impacto clínico importante y justificaría su uso sistemático para la decisión del tratamiento en estos pacientes de potencial alto riesgo. Registrado en ClinicalTrials.gov (identificador: NCT03767621)

Comparative Study of Infliximab Versus Adalimumab in Refractory Uveitis due to Behçet's Disease: National Multicenter Study of 177 Cases.

To compare the efficacy of infliximab (IFX) versus adalimumab (ADA) as a first-line biologic drug over 1 year of treatment in a large series of patients with refractory uveitis due to Behçet's disease (BD). We conducted an open-label multicenter study of IFX versus ADA for BD-related uveitis refractory to conventional nonbiologic treatment. IFX or ADA was chosen as the first-line biologic agent based on physician and patient agreement. Patients received 3-5 mg/kg intravenous IFX at 0, 2, and 6 weeks and every 4-8 weeks thereafter, or 40 mg subcutaneous ADA every other week without a loading dose. Ocular parameters were compared between the 2 groups. The study included 177 patients (316 affected eyes), of whom 103 received IFX and 74 received ADA. There were no significant baseline differences between treatment groups in main demographic features, previous therapy, or ocular sign severity. After 1 year of therapy, we observed an improvement in all ocular parameters in both groups. However, patients receiving ADA had significantly better outcomes in some parameters, including improvement in anterior chamber inflammation (92.31% versus 78.18% for IFX; P = 0.06), improvement in vitritis (93.33% versus 78.95% for IFX; P = 0.04), and best-corrected visual acuity (mean ± SD 0.81 ± 0.26 versus 0.67 ± 0.34 for IFX; P = 0.001). A nonsignificant difference was seen for macular thickness (mean ± SD 250.62 ± 36.85 for ADA versus 264.89 ± 59.74 for IFX; P = 0.15), and improvement in retinal vasculitis was similar between the 2 groups (95% for ADA versus 97% for IFX; P = 0.28). The drug retention rate was higher in the ADA group (95.24% versus 84.95% for IFX; P = 0.042). Although both IFX and ADA are efficacious in refractory BD-related uveitis, ADA appears to be associated with better outcomes than IFX after 1 year of follow-up

AIRWAYS-ICPs (European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing) from concept to implementation

Chronic respiratory diseases (CRDs) are major non-communicable diseases (NCDs) that induce a significant burden. Asthma often occurs along the life cycle from early childhood, affecting 30 million children and adults under 45 years of age in Europe. Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) has an estimated annual death rate of over 3 million people globally. The annual direct and indirect costs in the 28 European Union (EU) countries due to COPD or asthma are estimated at 48 billion euros and 34 billion euros respectively. Rhinitis occurs in over 100 million people in Europe, and indirect costs are enormous [4]. Asthma is a common risk factor for COPD. CRDs impact ageing and should be prevented, recognised and managed across the life cycle to promote active and healthy ageing (AHA). There is an urgent need to act globally

Integrated care pathways for airway diseases (AIRWAYS-ICPs)

The objective of Integrated Care Pathways for Airway Diseases (AIRWAYS-ICPs) is to launch a collaboration to develop multi-sectoral care pathways for chronic respiratory diseases in European countries and regions. AIRWAYS-ICPs has strategic relevance to the European Union Health Strategy and will add value to existing public health knowledge by: 1) proposing a common framework of care pathways for chronic respiratory diseases, which will facilitate comparability and trans-national initiatives; 2) informing cost-effective policy development, strengthening in particular those on smoking and environmental exposure; 3) aiding risk stratification in chronic disease patients, using a common strategy; 4) having a significant impact on the health of citizens in the short term (reduction of morbidity, improvement of education in children and of work in adults) and in the long-term (healthy ageing); 5) proposing a common simulation tool to assist physicians; and 6) ultimately reducing the healthcare burden (emergency visits, avoidable hospitalisations, disability and costs) while improving quality of life. In the longer term, the incidence of disease may be reduced by innovative prevention strategies. AIRWAYSICPs was initiated by Area 5 of the Action Plan B3 of the European Innovation Partnership on Active and Healthy Ageing. All stakeholders are involved (health and social care, patients, and policy makers)