The gut microbiota profile in psoriasis: a Brazilian case-control study.

The pathogenesis of psoriasis, an immune-mediated chronic inflammatory skin disease, remains unclear. Studies have shown an association between psoriasis and intestinal inflammation; in this context, the influence of the gut microbiota on the immune response of psoriasis has become a focus of recent research. The present research evaluated the composition and diversity of the gut microbiota of 21 participants with psoriasis from a Brazilian referral dermatology service compared to 24 healthy controls. A stool sample was collected from each participant at the time of inclusion in the study, and the samples were analysed by sequencing the 16S rRNA gene. The recruitment of research participants involved matching between groups by sex, age, body mass index, comorbidities and smoking and the exclusion of several criteria that could potentially influence the gut microbiota and the interpretation of the data. There was an increase in the Dialister genus and Prevotella copri species in patients with psoriasis compared to the control group. A reduction in the Ruminococcus, Lachnospira and Blautia genera, as well as in the Akkermansia muciniphila species, was also verified in the psoriasis group compared to the control group. Furthermore, patients with psoriasis exhibited less gut microbiota diversity than controls.

Results of a global, patient-based survey assessing the impact of psoriatic arthritis discussed in the context of the Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID) questionnaire.

BACKGROUND: Psoriatic arthritis (PsA) is a chronic immune-mediated inflammatory musculoskeletal disease, manifesting as peripheral arthritis, enthesitis, dactylitis, spondylitis, and skin and nail psoriasis. A core set of domains for measuring the impact of PsA has been developed, including pain, patient global assessment, physical function, health-related quality of life (HRQoL), and fatigue. To understand the impact of PsA on health domains from a patient's perspective, a global survey was developed and results reported in the context of the 12-item Psoriatic Arthritis Impact of Disease (PsAID-12) questionnaire. METHODS: An online patient-based global survey was conducted by The Harris Poll in Australia, Brazil, Canada, France, Spain, Taiwan, the UK, and the US between November 2, 2017 and March 12, 2018. Eligible patients were ≥ 18 years old with a diagnosis of PsA for > 1 year, had visited a rheumatologist/dermatologist in the past 12 months and reported using ≥ 1 synthetic/biologic disease-modifying antirheumatic drug for PsA. Patients reported on PsA severity and symptoms, and the impact of PsA on HRQoL. After survey completion, responses were aligned with PsAID health domains. Descriptive statistics and chi-square tests were conducted. RESULTS: This analysis included 1286 patients from eight countries. Most patients (97%) reported musculoskeletal symptoms relating to PsA in the past year. Common moderate/major impacts of PsA were on physical activity (78%), ability to perform certain activities (76%), work productivity (62%), and career path (57%). Skin/nail symptoms occurred in 80% of patients. Overall, 69% of patients reported that PsA had a moderate/major impact on emotional/mental wellbeing, 56% on romantic relationships/intimacy, and 44% on relationships with family and friends. Social impacts included emotional distress (58%), social shame or disapproval (32%), and ceased participation in social activities (45%). Over half of all patients experienced unusual fatigue over the past 12 months (52%). The health domains that patients reported as being impacted by PsA aligned with life impact domains of the patient-derived PsAID health domains. CONCLUSION: These results highlight the impact of PsA on multiple health domains from a patient perspective that should be considered during shared decision-making processes between healthcare providers and patients.

Correction to: PANLAR consensus statement on biosimilars.

The two co-authors of the mentioned above article were incorrect. The correct are authors should have been "P. A. Beltrán" instead of "P. A. B. Roa" and "J. F. Diaz-Coto" instead of "L. Diaz Soto".

PANLAR consensus statement on biosimilars.

INTRODUCTION: Biologics have improved the treatment of rheumatic diseases, resulting in better outcomes. However, their high cost limits access for many patients in both North America and Latin America. Following patent expiration for biologicals, the availability of biosimilars, which typically are less expensive due to lower development costs, provides additional treatment options for patients with rheumatic diseases. The availability of biosimilars in North American and Latin American countries is evolving, with differing regulations and clinical indications. OBJECTIVE: The objective of the study was to present the consensus statement on biosimilars in rheumatology developed by Pan American League of Associations for Rheumatology (PANLAR). METHODS: Using a modified Delphi process approach, the following topics were addressed: regulation, efficacy and safety, extrapolation of indications, interchangeability, automatic substitution, pharmacovigilance, risk management, naming, traceability, registries, economic aspects, and biomimics. Consensus was achieved when there was agreement among 80% or more of the panel members. Three Delphi rounds were conducted to reach consensus. Questionnaires were sent electronically to panel members and comments about each question were solicited. RESULTS: Eight recommendations were formulated regarding regulation, pharmacovigilance, risk management, naming, traceability, registries, economic aspects, and biomimics. CONCLUSION: The recommendations highlighted that, after receiving regulatory approval, pharmacovigilance is a fundamental strategy to ensure safety of all medications. Registries should be employed to monitor use of biosimilars and to identify potential adverse effects. The price of biosimilars should be significantly lower than that of reference products to enhance patient access. Biomimics are not biosimilars and, if they are to be marketed, they must first be evaluated and approved according to established regulatory pathways for novel biopharmaceuticals. KEY POINTS: • Biologics have improved the treatment of rheumatic diseases. • Their high cost limits access for many patients in both North America and Latin America. • Biosimilars typically are less expensive, providing additional treatment options for patients with rheumatic diseases. • PANLAR presents its consensus on biosimilars in rheumatology.

Effect of age at disease onset in the clinical profile of spondyloarthritis: a study of 1424 Brazilian patients.

OBJECTIVES: To analyse demographic and clinical variables in patients with disease onset before and after 40, 45 and 50 years in a large series of Brazilian SpA patients. METHODS: A common protocol of investigation was prospectively applied to 1424 SpA patients in 29 centres distributed through the main geographical regions in Brazil. The mean age at disease onset was 28.56 ± 12.34 years, with 259 patients (18.2%) referring disease onset after 40 years, 151 (10.6%) after 45 years and 81 (5.8%) after 50 years. Clinical and demographic variables and disease indices (BASDAI, BASFI, BASRI, MASES, ASQoL) were investigated. Ankylosing spondylitis was the most frequent disease (66.3%), followed by psoriatic arthritis (18%), undifferentiated SpA (6.7%), reactive arthritis (5.5%), and enteropathic arthritis (3.5%). RESULTS: Comparing the groups according to age of disease onset, those patients with later onset presented statistical association with female gender, peripheral arthritis, dactylitis, nail involvement and psoriasis, as well as negative statistical association with inflammatory low back pain, alternating buttock pain, radiographic sacroiliitis, hip involvement, positive familial history, HLA-B27 and uveitis. BASDAI, BASFI and quality of life, as well as physicians and patient's global assessment, were similar in all the groups. Radiographic indices showed worse results in the younger age groups. CONCLUSIONS: There are two different clinical patterns in SpA defined by age at disease onset: one with predominance of axial symptoms in the group with disease onset ≤ 40 years and another favouring the peripheral manifestations in those with later disease onset.

[Methotrexate to treat SAPHO syndrome with keloidal scars]. / Metotrexato no tratamento da síndrome SAPHO complicadas por quelóides.

SAPHO syndrome is an uncommon clinical entity, recently described in literature, which usually affects children, young adults and middle-aged people. It is defined by the association of skin lesions (severe acne, palmo-plantar pustulosis, supurative hidradenitis), synovitis, hiperosthosis and osteitis; however, not all manifestations are required for correct diagnosis. We report a currently forty-two year-old man who initiated follow-up in 1992 for severe acne. His diagnosis changed along the years and has been treated with antibiotics many times to control pustule formation and hidrosadenitis, which evolved to keloidal scars, requiring neck zethaplasty due to limitation of mobility. In 1996 isotretinoin was started, with good response to treatment but recurrence after its completion. Ten years later, isotretinoin was being used again due to worsening clinical picture when the patient developed polyarthritis, lost 11kg in 3 months and was found to have an elevated erythrocyte sedimentation rate. SAPHO syndrome was then diagnosed by the Rheumatology clinic, which started methotrexate at 10mg per week to a good clinical response. Several cutaneous and articular flares have occurred since, however he is now clinically stable with methotrexate 20mg per week and finasteride 5mg per day. SAPHO syndrome is a rare disease and its diagnosis is often late and difficult. In this case, skin lesions preceded arthritis in several years and have been resistant to other common treatments. The patient had a better improve after initiation of methotrexate. Although the skin disease has evolved to keloids, the patient has had excellent treatment response.

Splenic tuberculosis in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis treated with adalimumab.

We present a rare case of splenic tuberculosis in a 42-year old man with long-standing ankylosing spondylitis treated with adalimumab. We review the association between antitumor necrosis factor therapy and splenic tuberculosis. Our case, like many other reported cases, illustrates that the index of suspicion of tuberculosis in patients treated with anti TNF therapies must be high and emphasizes that this rare infection may occur even with negative tuberculosis screening before the initiation of therapy.

Atherosclerosis and endothelial dysfunction in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) is a systemic inflammatory rheumatic disease characterized primarily by axial joint involvement, sacroiliitis and various extra-articular manifestations. High cardiovascular mortality in AS has led many researchers to investigate possible risk factors involved with cardiovascular disease in these patients. This review summarizes published data concerning endothelial dysfunction and atherosclerosis in patients with AS. The author discusses current limitations and problems related to a better assessment of these two possible changes in AS.

[Acute toxoplasmosis infection in a patient with ankylosing spondylitis treated with adalimumab: a case report]. / Toxoplasmosi acuta in un paziente con spondilite anchilosante trattato con adalimumab: caso clinico.

We present a case of acute toxoplasmosis infection in a 36-year-old man with long-standing ankylosing spondylitis, treated with adalimumab. We review the association between antitumor necrosis factor therapy and toxoplasmosis. Our case illustrates that opportunistic infections may occur in patients treated with adalimumab, and emphasizes the importance of clinical suspicion and serological tests.

Stiff skin syndrome versus scleroderma: a report of two cases.

Stiff skin syndrome is a rare cutaneous disease, scleroderma-like disorder that presents in infancy or early childhood with rock-hard skin, limited joint mobility, and mild hypertrichosis. Normally, it occurs in the absence of visceral or muscle involvement. Patients do not present immunologic abnormalities or vascular hyperactivity. We describe two adults who initially were diagnosed suffering from scleroderma but fit criteria for stiff skin syndrome. A review of the clinical range of this disorder and discussion of the differential diagnosis with scleroderma is presented.

[Could Aleijadinho have suffered from scleroderma]. / La malattia dell'Aleijadinho potrebbe essere stata una sclerodermia?

Rheumatic conditions have affected, among others, emperors, kings, politicians, religious personages and artists. Knowledge about their articular illnesses has increased with a multiplicity of source documents on these personalities: ancient texts, letters, drawings, paintings, sculptures, songs and pictures. Here the case of the most important Brazilian visual artist is described, namely the sculptor Aleijadinho (1730?-1814), who, besides suffering an extremely disability condition, did not give up performing artistic works throughout his whole life. This study proposes a discussion about the possibility that such an artist has presented a clinical profile of scleroderma.

Asymmetric scleroderma in a CVA patient.

We describe a systemic sclerosis and cerebral vascular accident case in which the cutaneous manifestation and the distal acroosteolysis occurred in an asymmetrical way in the non-paretic limb. The subsequent sclerodermic alterations and the acroosteolysis acquired an asymmetric pattern, sparing the patient's hemiparetic side. Although a number of definitions of this protective effect may be found in other rheumatic diseases, such as rheumatoid arthritis and gout, we found in the literature only one previous case describing the protective effect of the hemiplegia in scleroderma.

Microalbuminuria and renal morphology in the evaluation of subclinical lupus nephritis.

AIM AND METHOD: In an attempt to evaluate subclinical lupus nephropathy, we analyzed the clinical characteristics, determined the albumin excretion rate (AER) by radioimmunoassay and performed renal biopsy in 30 patients with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) who had no clinical signs of renal involvement (no urinary sediment abnormalities, absence of proteinuria, serum creatinine <1.3 mg/dl). All biopsies were classified according to a modified classification proposed by the WHO. RESULTS: Fifteen cases (50%) had mesangial glomerulonephritis (MGN) type IIb, 12 had MGN type IIa and 3 patients showed no changes on light microscopy (LM) or on immunofluorescence (IF) (type I). Anti-IgM-fluorescent deposits were found in 83% of the renal biopsies, being associated with less heavily stained deposits of IgG, IgA and C3. Patients with MGN type IIb showed lower mean age when compared to those of MGN type IIa (26.04 years vs. 36.3 years) (p<0.029); those patients also presented disease duration of 4.8 years and their mean AER was 39.9 microg/min. Six of the patients (6 of 15, 40%) showed positive anti-dsDNA antibodies, in contrast to patients with MGN type IIa who did not show positive anti-dsDNA antibodies (p<0.002). The group with abnormal AER presented lower mean age (p<0.029) and lower C3 levels (p<0.0098) when compared to the group with normal AER. CONCLUSION: The results suggest the high prevalence of MGN type IIb and IgM deposits on IF, despite the paucity of clinical and laboratory data on these patients. Furthermore, there is an association between MGN type IIb and positive anti-dsDNA antibodies and a relationship between abnormal AER and low C3 levels. The level of AER could not determine the presence or absence of renal disease on LM or IF in this population.