Design of a Rheumatology Transition Clinic for a Resource-Constrained Setting.

OBJECTIVES: To describe the design process of a medical care program for adolescents with pediatric onset rheumatic diseases (PRD) during the transition from pediatric to adult care in a resource-constrained hospital. METHODS: The model of attention was developed in three steps: 1) the selection of a multidisciplinary team, 2) the evaluation of the state of readiness of patients and caregivers for the transition, and 3) the design of a strategy of attention according to local needs. The results of the first two steps were used in order to develop the strategy of attention. RESULTS: The transition process was structured in three stages: pretransition (at pediatric rheumatology clinic), Transition Clinic for Adolescents with Rheumatic Diseases (TCARD, the main intervention), and post-transition (at adult rheumatology clinic). Each stage was divided, in turn, into a variable number of phases (8 in total), which included activities and goals that patients and caregivers were to accomplish during the process. A multidisciplinary approach was planned by pediatric and adult rheumatologists, nutritionists, physiatrists, psychiatrist, psychologist, nurse, and social worker. During TCARD, counseling, education, nutritional, physical, and mental health interventions were considered. CONCLUSIONS: The proposed transition model for patients with rheumatic diseases can be a useful tool in developing countries.

Wernicke encephalopathy presenting in a patient with severe acute pancreatitis.

CONTEXT: Acute pancreatitis can lead to prolonged fasting and malnutrition. Many metabolic changes, including thiamine deficiency, may lead to the well know pancreatic encephalopathy. In this condition however the thiamine deficiency is rarely suspected. CASE REPORT: We report the case of a 17-year-old woman with severe acute pancreatitis who developed mental status changes and ophthalmoplegia. A magnetic resonance image showed hyperintensive signals in periventricular areas, medial thalamus, and mammillary bodies, findings consistent with the diagnosis of Wernicke encephalopathy. Thiamine treatment reversed neurological complications. CONCLUSION: Wernicke encephalopathy secondary to thiamine deficiency should be considered as a possible cause of acute mental status changes in patients with acute pancreatitis and malnutrition. Prophylactic doses of thiamine could be considered in susceptible patients.

Outcomes of transitional care programs on adolescent chronic inflammatory systemic diseases: systematic review and meta-analyses.

BACKGROUND: Patients with juvenile chronic inflammatory systemic diseases (jCID) are vulnerable to many circumstances when transitioning to adult-centered healthcare; this increases the burden of disease and worsen their quality of life. METHODS: MEDLINE, Embase, Web of Science and Scopus were searched from inception to March 16th, 2021. We included observational, randomized controlled trials and quasi-experimental studies that evaluated a transitional care program for adolescents and young adults with jCIDs. We extracted information regarding health-related quality of life, disease activity, drop-out rates, clinical attendance rates, hospital admission rates, disease-related knowledge, surgeries performed, drug toxicity and satisfaction rates. RESULTS: Fifteen studies met our inclusion criteria. The implementation of transition programs showed a reduction on hospital admission rates for those with transition program (OR 0.28; 95% CI 0.13 to 0.61; I 2 = 0%; p = 0.97), rates of surgeries performed (OR 0.26; 95% CI 0.12 to 0.59; I 2 = 0%; p = 0.50) and drop-out rates from the adult clinic (OR 0.23; 95% CI 0.12 to 0.46; I 2 = 0%; p = 0.88). No differences were found in other outcomes. CONCLUSION: The available body of evidence supports the implementation of transition programs as it could be a determining factor to prevent hospital admission rates, surgeries needed and adult clinic attendance rates.

Esophageal symptoms and their lack of association with high-resolution manometry in systemic sclerosis patients.

BACKGROUND: The esophageal involvement in systemic sclerosis (SSc) causes impact in the morbidity and mortality. High resolution manometry assesses esophageal involvement. Our aim was to categorize esophageal motor disorder in patients with SSc by HRM. METHODS: We carried out an observational, descriptive and cross-sectional study. All patients underwent HRM as well as semi-structured interviews to assess frequency and severity of upper GI symptoms. Patients also completed the gastroesophageal reflux questionnaire (Carlsson-Dent). RESULTS: We included 19 patients with SSc, 1 with morphea, and 1 with scleroderma sine scleroderma. Dysphagia and heartburn were the most frequent symptoms (61% each). We found an abnormal HRM in 15 (71.4%) patients. We found no statistically significant association between clinical or demographic variables and an abnormal HRM, or between any upper GI symptom and HRM findings. CONCLUSION: We observed a high prevalence of esophageal symptoms and of HRM abnormalities. However, there was no clear association between symptomatology and HRM findings. HRM does not seem to accurately predict upper GI symptomatology.

Value of body mass index in the diagnosis of obesity according to DEXA in well-controlled RA patients. / Desempeño del índice de masa corporal para el diagnóstico de obesidad por medio de absorciometría de rayos X de energía dual (DEXA) en pacientes con artritis reumatoide.

BACKGROUND: Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) has an indirect effect on body composition. Body mass index (BMI) is not a valid predictor of body fat in RA patients. OBJECTIVE: To evaluate the accuracy of BMI in identifying obesity diagnosed according to dual energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) in well-controlled RA patients. METHODS: An observational, cross-sectional, descriptive, analytical study. We used 3 different cutoffs for obesity as determined by DXA: >35% total fat, >40% total fat, and >35% central fat mass (central obesity). RESULTS: One hundred one patients were included. We found that 35% total fat corresponded to a BMI of 24kg/m2, with a sensitivity of 90% and specificity of 75% (area under the curve [AUC] 0.917); 40% total fat to a BMI of 25kg/m2, with a sensitivity of 86% and specificity of 39% (AUC 0.822); and 35% central fat mass to a BMI of 22kg/m2, with a sensitivity of 97% and specificity of 84% (AUC 0.951). CONCLUSION: Obesity according to DXA was underdiagnosed when the classic BMI cutoffs were used in well-controlled RA patients.

Are RA patients from a non-endemic HCV population screened for HCV? A cross-sectional analysis of three different settings.

INTRODUCTION: In Mexico, other risk factors are associated with hepatitis C virus (HCV): prior heroin users, living alone, widower, and northern region residence. Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients are considered immunosuppressed and HCV testing is recommended before treatment. The aim of the study was to describe the characteristics of HCV testing in RA patients in three different medical care settings in a non-endemic area. METHODS: A retrospective observational study was performed using medical records from 960 RA patients describing the indications for HCV testing. RESULTS: The test was performed in 28.6% and the HCV overall frequency was 0.36%. Population characteristics were not associated with an increased risk of HCV infection; therefore, anti-HCV positivity was low. The main reason for testing was before starting biological agents. CONCLUSION: Due to the low pre-test probability, testing for HCV infection should be personalized; i.e., according to disease prevalence in a particular geographical location and the individual risk factors.

Application of a prediction model for the progression of rheumatoid arthritis in patients with undifferentiated arthritis.

INTRODUCTION: Different prediction rules have been applied to patients with undifferentiated arthritis (UA) to identify those that progress to rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The Leiden Prediction Rule (LPR) has proven useful in different UA cohorts. OBJECTIVE: To apply the LPR to a cohort of patients with UA of northeastern Mexico. METHODS: We included 47 patients with UA, LPR was applied at baseline. They were evaluated and then classified after one year of follow-up into two groups: those who progressed to RA (according to ACR 1987) and those who did not. RESULTS: 43% of the AI patients developed RA. In the RA group, 56% of patients obtained a score ≤ 6 and only 15% ≥ 8. 70% who did not progress to RA had a score between 6 and ≤ 8. There was no difference in median score of LPR between groups, p=0.940. CONCLUSION: Most patients who progressed to RA scored less than 6 points in the LPR. Unlike what was observed in other cohorts, the model in our population did not allow us to predict the progression of the disease.

Case report: Transient success using prolonged treatment with miltefosine for a patient with diffuse cutaneous leishmaniasis infected with Leishmania mexicana mexicana.

Leishmania sp. is an intracellular parasite that causes a variable degree of clinical manifestations, especially in the skin. We present the case of a 38-year-old male with a chronic history of mucocutaneous disease present since childhood that generated deformity, loss of cartilage in the ears and nose, and scarring that limited his range of motion. The parasite was identified as L. mexicana mexicana. The patient was treated with a 3-month course of oral miltefosine with overwhelming results.