Clinical Characteristics in Patients with Rheumatoid Arthritis: Differences between Genders.

OBJECTIVE: To compare the clinical characteristics of a group of men and women with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and determine the differences between genders. MATERIALS AND METHODS: A descriptive and comparative cross-sectional study was developed with a group of 50 men and a control group of 50 women with RA, from a rheumatology center in the city of Guayaquil, Ecuador. Data collected included clinical manifestations, comorbidities, treatment, and disease activity. Clinical and activity differences between sexes were analyzed. RESULTS: Women were more devoted to housework (66%), while men consumed more tobacco (34%) and alcohol (38%). Fatigue (60%), loss of appetite (54%), and weight loss (44%) were more common in women. No differences were found in comorbidities or treatment. Women had higher values of DAS-28 (3.4 vs 2.5), HAQ-DI (1.1 vs 0.4), ESR (33.0 vs 23.2), painful joints (8 vs 3), swollen joints (6 vs 2), and overall physician assessment (3 vs 2). CONCLUSION: The results are similar to other publications that establish that women have a more aggressive disease with greater activity of the disease and disability.

Bone Mass Loss and Sarcopenia in Ecuadorian Patients.

OBJECTIVE: To study the association between osteoporosis and sarcopenia and determine the prevalence of osteosarcopenia in patients who attended a rheumatology center in Ecuador. METHODS: A cross-sectional study was conducted in a population of patients who had a densitometric study. The diagnosis of sarcopenia was determined by the DXA standard gold test, screening, and conventional methods (bioimpedance, anthropometric measurements, SARC-F, muscle function, and gait test). RESULTS: A total of 92 patients were studied. The median age was 66 ± 10, 90% females. Using the criteria of SMI, 65% had sarcopenia of which 9% had only sarcopenia and 56% had osteosarcopenia; 22% had only osteopenia/osteoporosis; and 13% none of these conditions. The prevalence of sarcopenia according to handgrip strength was 60%, gait speed 45%, and SARC-F score 40%. The prevalence of osteosarcopenia according to handgrip strength was 51%, gait speed 34%, and SARC-F score 32%. Osteoporosis was associated with a higher prevalence of sarcopenia using the criteria of SMI since 40% had sarcopenia in the normal DXA group, 64% in the osteopenia group, and 76% in the osteoporosis group (p=0.017). Of the women, 69% had sarcopenia compared to 33% of the men (p=0.034). The BMI was lower in the group with sarcopenia (25.1 ± 4.1 kg/m2) compared to the group without sarcopenia (29.4 ± 4.1 kg/m2, p < 0.001). Patients with osteosarcopenia and sarcopenia had lower BMI, handgrip strength, ASM, SMI, and total-body skeletal muscle mass than those with osteopenia/osteoporosis or normal patients. CONCLUSION: 65% of the studied population had sarcopenia. It is clear that the prevalence of sarcopenia is higher in patients with greater loss of bone mass. Identifying pathways that affect both bone and muscle could facilitate the development of treatments that simultaneously improve osteoporosis and sarcopenia.

[Changes in traditional techniques in anterior hypospadias]. / Modificaciones a las técnicas tradicionales en el hipospadias anterior.

After confirming that the Magpi and Mathieu techniques are not sufficient for the adequate treatment of 100% of the anterior forms of hypospadias and observing that they often cause defects in the appearance of the meatus, 23 patients were selected and treated with traditional urethroplasties modified by the pyramid technique (King), the Barcat technique, or both, with satisfactory results in all cases. These techniques which are easy to perform, effectively contribute to improving the final appearance of the penis, do not involve major operating time, and present a lower incidence of complications than the traditional techniques.

[Hypospadias. Onlay technique]. / Hipospadias. Técnica en onlay.

The "onlay" urethroplasty is based technically on the following principles: movilization of the urethral plate without dividing it, complete exeresis of chordee beneath it and use of a double faced mucocutaneous vascularized flap from the dorsal aspect rotated to the ventral aspect of penis. Several advantages over other technical modalities make its applicability possible in almost all varieties of hypospadias even in those with severe incurvature. Up to date we have used this technique in 9 patients between 2 and 3 years of age with proximal and middle hypospadias and in one with a considerable middle third fistula, without complications.