Biological therapy in systemic lupus erythematosus, antiphospholipid syndrome, and Sjögren’s syndrome: evidence- and practice-based guidance

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and Sjögren’s syndrome (SS) are heterogeneous autoimmune diseases. Severe manifestations and refractory/intolerance to conventional immunosuppressants demand other options, namely biological drugs, and small molecules. We aimed to define evidence and practice-based guidance for the off-label use of biologics in SLE, APS, and SS. Recommendations were made by an independent expert panel, following a comprehensive literature review and two consensus rounds. The panel included 17 internal medicine experts with recognized practice in autoimmune disease management. The literature review was systematic from 2014 until 2019 and later updated by cross-reference checking and experts’ input until 2021. Preliminary recommendations were drafted by working groups for each disease. A revision meeting with all experts anticipated the consensus meeting held in June 2021. All experts voted (agree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree) during two rounds, and recommendations with at least 75% agreement were approved. A total of 32 final recommendations (20 for SLE treatment, 5 for APS, and 7 for SS) were approved by the experts. These recommendations consider organ involvement, manifestations, severity, and response to previous treatments. In these three autoimmune diseases, most recommendations refer to rituximab, which aligns with the higher number of studies and clinical experience with this biological agent. Belimumab sequential treatment after rituximab may also be used in severe cases of SLE and SS. Second-line therapy with baricitinib, bortezomib, eculizumab, secukinumab, or tocilizumab can be considered in SLE-specific manifestations. These evidence and practice-based recommendations may support treatment decision and, ultimately, improve the outcome of patients living with SLE, APS, or SS

evidence- and practice-based guidance

The authors thank Luı́s Veloso, Daniela Carvalho, and Catarina Oliveira Silva (from CTI, Clinical Trial & Consulting Services) for their assistance with the project.Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), antiphospholipid syndrome (APS), and Sjögren's syndrome (SS) are heterogeneous autoimmune diseases. Severe manifestations and refractory/intolerance to conventional immunosuppressants demand other options, namely biological drugs, and small molecules. We aimed to define evidence and practice-based guidance for the off-label use of biologics in SLE, APS, and SS. Recommendations were made by an independent expert panel, following a comprehensive literature review and two consensus rounds. The panel included 17 internal medicine experts with recognized practice in autoimmune disease management. The literature review was systematic from 2014 until 2019 and later updated by cross-reference checking and experts' input until 2021. Preliminary recommendations were drafted by working groups for each disease. A revision meeting with all experts anticipated the consensus meeting held in June 2021. All experts voted (agree, disagree, neither agree nor disagree) during two rounds, and recommendations with at least 75% agreement were approved. A total of 32 final recommendations (20 for SLE treatment, 5 for APS, and 7 for SS) were approved by the experts. These recommendations consider organ involvement, manifestations, severity, and response to previous treatments. In these three autoimmune diseases, most recommendations refer to rituximab, which aligns with the higher number of studies and clinical experience with this biological agent. Belimumab sequential treatment after rituximab may also be used in severe cases of SLE and SS. Second-line therapy with baricitinib, bortezomib, eculizumab, secukinumab, or tocilizumab can be considered in SLE-specific manifestations. These evidence and practice-based recommendations may support treatment decision and, ultimately, improve the outcome of patients living with SLE, APS, or SS.publishersversionpublishe

Feeding in advanced dementia: consensus report from the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine and Portuguese Enteral and Parenteral Nutrition Society

A demência é uma síndrome neurológica de agravamento progressivo, sem cura, cuja prevalência tem vindo a aumentar devido ao envelhecimento da população. Existe um grande desconhecimento entre profissionais de saúde e cuidadores relativamente à melhor abordagem da alimentação nos doentes com demência avançada. Dado não existirem recomendações nacionais acerca deste tema, foi elaborado um documento de consenso da Sociedade Portuguesa de Medicina Interna e da Associação Portuguesa de Nutrição Entérica e Parentérica que explicita as orientações existentes relativas à abordagem dos problemas alimentares nos doentes com demência avançada. A demência avançada é uma condição terminal em que deve ser privilegiado o conforto do doente, frequentemente acamado, incapaz de comunicar verbalmente e com dificuldade na alimentação. Nesta população, a literatura atual não recomenda o uso de alimentação por sonda (nasogástrica, nasojejunal, gastrostomia percutânea ou jejunostomia percutânea), que está associada a maior risco de infeção, maior utilização de meios de contenção e desenvolvimento de úlceras de decúbito. Como alternativa, recomenda-se a alimentação por via oral de acordo com a tolerância e vontade do doente (alimentação de conforto). Do ponto de vista ético e legal, é legítimo não proceder à artificialização da alimentação na fase terminal da demência caso este procedimento seja contrário aos valores da pessoa e não se objetivem benefícios. Esta decisão deve ser tomada após discussão multidisciplinar incluindo o doente (se possível), representante legal, cuidadores, família e equipa de profissionais de saúde envolvidos, elaborando um plano individual de cuidados que permita a tomada de decisões no melhor interesse do doente.ABSTRACT - Dementia is a progressive neurological syndrome without cure whose prevalence is increasing due to population aging. There is a lack of knowledge among healthcare professionals and caregivers regarding the best feeding approach in patients with advanced dementia. As there are no national recommendations on this subject, a consensus report from the Portuguese Society of Internal Medicine and the Portuguese Enteral and Parental Nutrition Society was made, clarifying existing guidelines regarding the approach of eating difficulties in these patients. Advanced dementia is a terminal condition where patient comfort should be the goal. These patients are usually bedbound, have limited ability to communicate verbally and have difficulty eating. In this population, current literature does not support tube feeding (nasogastric tube, nasojejunal tube, percutaneous gastrostomy or percutaneous jejunostomy feeding), which is associated with higher rates of infection, greater use of chemical and physical restraints and development of pressure ulcers. As an alternative, careful hand feeding should be offered (comfort feeding). From an ethical and legal standpoint, it is acceptable not to use tube feeding in the terminal phase of dementia if it is against patient values and offers no benefits. This decision should be made using a multidisciplinary approach including the patient (if possible), legal representative, caregivers, family and healthcare professionals, in order to establish an individual care plan allowing decision making in the patient’s best interest.info:eu-repo/semantics/publishedVersio

Height and body-mass index trajectories of school-aged children and adolescents from 1985 to 2019 in 200 countries and territories: a pooled analysis of 2181 population-based studies with 65 million participants

Summary Background Comparable global data on health and nutrition of school-aged children and adolescents are scarce. We aimed to estimate age trajectories and time trends in mean height and mean body-mass index (BMI), which measures weight gain beyond what is expected from height gain, for school-aged children and adolescents. Methods For this pooled analysis, we used a database of cardiometabolic risk factors collated by the Non-Communicable Disease Risk Factor Collaboration. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate trends from 1985 to 2019 in mean height and mean BMI in 1-year age groups for ages 5–19 years. The model allowed for non-linear changes over time in mean height and mean BMI and for non-linear changes with age of children and adolescents, including periods of rapid growth during adolescence. Findings We pooled data from 2181 population-based studies, with measurements of height and weight in 65 million participants in 200 countries and territories. In 2019, we estimated a difference of 20 cm or higher in mean height of 19-year-old adolescents between countries with the tallest populations (the Netherlands, Montenegro, Estonia, and Bosnia and Herzegovina for boys; and the Netherlands, Montenegro, Denmark, and Iceland for girls) and those with the shortest populations (Timor-Leste, Laos, Solomon Islands, and Papua New Guinea for boys; and Guatemala, Bangladesh, Nepal, and Timor-Leste for girls). In the same year, the difference between the highest mean BMI (in Pacific island countries, Kuwait, Bahrain, The Bahamas, Chile, the USA, and New Zealand for both boys and girls and in South Africa for girls) and lowest mean BMI (in India, Bangladesh, Timor-Leste, Ethiopia, and Chad for boys and girls; and in Japan and Romania for girls) was approximately 9–10 kg/m2. In some countries, children aged 5 years started with healthier height or BMI than the global median and, in some cases, as healthy as the best performing countries, but they became progressively less healthy compared with their comparators as they grew older by not growing as tall (eg, boys in Austria and Barbados, and girls in Belgium and Puerto Rico) or gaining too much weight for their height (eg, girls and boys in Kuwait, Bahrain, Fiji, Jamaica, and Mexico; and girls in South Africa and New Zealand). In other countries, growing children overtook the height of their comparators (eg, Latvia, Czech Republic, Morocco, and Iran) or curbed their weight gain (eg, Italy, France, and Croatia) in late childhood and adolescence. When changes in both height and BMI were considered, girls in South Korea, Vietnam, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and some central Asian countries (eg, Armenia and Azerbaijan), and boys in central and western Europe (eg, Portugal, Denmark, Poland, and Montenegro) had the healthiest changes in anthropometric status over the past 3·5 decades because, compared with children and adolescents in other countries, they had a much larger gain in height than they did in BMI. The unhealthiest changes—gaining too little height, too much weight for their height compared with children in other countries, or both—occurred in many countries in sub-Saharan Africa, New Zealand, and the USA for boys and girls; in Malaysia and some Pacific island nations for boys; and in Mexico for girls. Interpretation The height and BMI trajectories over age and time of school-aged children and adolescents are highly variable across countries, which indicates heterogeneous nutritional quality and lifelong health advantages and risks

Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants.

BACKGROUND: Hypertension can be detected at the primary health-care level and low-cost treatments can effectively control hypertension. We aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and progress in its detection, treatment, and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories. METHODS: We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30-79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment. We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the proportion of people with hypertension who had a previous diagnosis (detection), who were taking medication for hypertension (treatment), and whose hypertension was controlled to below 140/90 mm Hg (control). The model allowed for trends over time to be non-linear and to vary by age. FINDINGS: The number of people aged 30-79 years with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 331 (95% credible interval 306-359) million women and 317 (292-344) million men in 1990 to 626 (584-668) million women and 652 (604-698) million men in 2019, despite stable global age-standardised prevalence. In 2019, age-standardised hypertension prevalence was lowest in Canada and Peru for both men and women; in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and some countries in western Europe including Switzerland, Spain, and the UK for women; and in several low-income and middle-income countries such as Eritrea, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands for men. Hypertension prevalence surpassed 50% for women in two countries and men in nine countries, in central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Globally, 59% (55-62) of women and 49% (46-52) of men with hypertension reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension in 2019, and 47% (43-51) of women and 38% (35-41) of men were treated. Control rates among people with hypertension in 2019 were 23% (20-27) for women and 18% (16-21) for men. In 2019, treatment and control rates were highest in South Korea, Canada, and Iceland (treatment >70%; control >50%), followed by the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan. Treatment rates were less than 25% for women and less than 20% for men in Nepal, Indonesia, and some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Control rates were below 10% for women and men in these countries and for men in some countries in north Africa, central and south Asia, and eastern Europe. Treatment and control rates have improved in most countries since 1990, but we found little change in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Improvements were largest in high-income countries, central Europe, and some upper-middle-income and recently high-income countries including Costa Rica, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, and Iran. INTERPRETATION: Improvements in the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension have varied substantially across countries, with some middle-income countries now outperforming most high-income nations. The dual approach of reducing hypertension prevalence through primary prevention and enhancing its treatment and control is achievable not only in high-income countries but also in low-income and middle-income settings. FUNDING: WHO

Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants

Background Hypertension can be detected at the primary health-care level and low-cost treatments can effectively control hypertension. We aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and progress in its detection, treatment, and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30-79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment. We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the proportion of people with hypertension who had a previous diagnosis (detection), who were taking medication for hypertension (treatment), and whose hypertension was controlled to below 140/90 mm Hg (control). The model allowed for trends over time to be non-linear and to vary by age. Findings The number of people aged 30-79 years with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 331 (95% credible interval 306-359) million women and 317 (292-344) million men in 1990 to 626 (584-668) million women and 652 (604-698) million men in 2019, despite stable global age-standardised prevalence. In 2019, age-standardised hypertension prevalence was lowest in Canada and Peru for both men and women; in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and some countries in western Europe including Switzerland, Spain, and the UK for women; and in several low-income and middle-income countries such as Eritrea, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands for men. Hypertension prevalence surpassed 50% for women in two countries and men in nine countries, in central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Globally, 59% (55-62) of women and 49% (46-52) of men with hypertension reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension in 2019, and 47% (43-51) of women and 38% (35-41) of men were treated. Control rates among people with hypertension in 2019 were 23% (20-27) for women and 18% (16-21) for men. In 2019, treatment and control rates were highest in South Korea, Canada, and Iceland (treatment >70%; control >50%), followed by the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan. Treatment rates were less than 25% for women and less than 20% for men in Nepal, Indonesia, and some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Control rates were below 10% for women and men in these countries and for men in some countries in north Africa, central and south Asia, and eastern Europe. Treatment and control rates have improved in most countries since 1990, but we found little change in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Improvements were largest in high-income countries, central Europe, and some upper-middle-income and recently high-income countries including Costa Rica, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, and Iran. Interpretation Improvements in the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension have varied substantially across countries, with some middle-income countries now outperforming most high-income nations. The dual approach of reducing hypertension prevalence through primary prevention and enhancing its treatment and control is achievable not only in high-income countries but also in low-income and middle-income settings. Copyright (C) 2021 World Health Organization; licensee Elsevier

Worldwide trends in hypertension prevalence and progress in treatment and control from 1990 to 2019: a pooled analysis of 1201 population-representative studies with 104 million participants

Background Hypertension can be detected at the primary health-care level and low-cost treatments can effectively control hypertension. We aimed to measure the prevalence of hypertension and progress in its detection, treatment, and control from 1990 to 2019 for 200 countries and territories. Methods We used data from 1990 to 2019 on people aged 30–79 years from population-representative studies with measurement of blood pressure and data on blood pressure treatment. We defined hypertension as having systolic blood pressure 140 mm Hg or greater, diastolic blood pressure 90 mm Hg or greater, or taking medication for hypertension. We applied a Bayesian hierarchical model to estimate the prevalence of hypertension and the proportion of people with hypertension who had a previous diagnosis (detection), who were taking medication for hypertension (treatment), and whose hypertension was controlled to below 140/90 mm Hg (control). The model allowed for trends over time to be non-linear and to vary by age. Findings The number of people aged 30–79 years with hypertension doubled from 1990 to 2019, from 331 (95% credible interval 306–359) million women and 317 (292–344) million men in 1990 to 626 (584–668) million women and 652 (604–698) million men in 2019, despite stable global age-standardised prevalence. In 2019, age-standardised hypertension prevalence was lowest in Canada and Peru for both men and women; in Taiwan, South Korea, Japan, and some countries in western Europe including Switzerland, Spain, and the UK for women; and in several low-income and middle-income countries such as Eritrea, Bangladesh, Ethiopia, and Solomon Islands for men. Hypertension prevalence surpassed 50% for women in two countries and men in nine countries, in central and eastern Europe, central Asia, Oceania, and Latin America. Globally, 59% (55–62) of women and 49% (46–52) of men with hypertension reported a previous diagnosis of hypertension in 2019, and 47% (43–51) of women and 38% (35–41) of men were treated. Control rates among people with hypertension in 2019 were 23% (20–27) for women and 18% (16–21) for men. In 2019, treatment and control rates were highest in South Korea, Canada, and Iceland (treatment >70%; control >50%), followed by the USA, Costa Rica, Germany, Portugal, and Taiwan. Treatment rates were less than 25% for women and less than 20% for men in Nepal, Indonesia, and some countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Control rates were below 10% for women and men in these countries and for men in some countries in north Africa, central and south Asia, and eastern Europe. Treatment and control rates have improved in most countries since 1990, but we found little change in most countries in sub-Saharan Africa and Oceania. Improvements were largest in high-income countries, central Europe, and some upper-middle-income and recently high-income countries including Costa Rica, Taiwan, Kazakhstan, South Africa, Brazil, Chile, Turkey, and Iran. Interpretation Improvements in the detection, treatment, and control of hypertension have varied substantially across countries, with some middle-income countries now outperforming most high-income nations. The dual approach of reducing hypertension prevalence through primary prevention and enhancing its treatment and control is achievable not only in high-income countries but also in low-income and middle-income settings