La resonancia magnética en el estudio de lumbalgia. Un análisis de la oportunidad perdida para el diagnóstico de espondiloartritis axial / Magnetic resonance in the study of low back pain. An analysis of the missed opportunity for the diagnosis of axial spondyloarthritis

Objetivo: Describir las características de una población con lumbalgia estudiada por RM y analizar las características de los pacientes que cumplen criterios para ser derivados para estudio de EspA. Materiales y métodos: Estudio retrospectivo observacional, se incluyeron pacientes a quienes les fue solicitada RM para el estudio de lumbalgia. Se definió "población potencial para pesquisa de EspA" a los pacientes menores de 45 años con lumbalgia crónica. Análisis estadístico: se realizó el análisis descriptivo, test de Chi2 (categóricas) y test de Student o Mann Whitney (continuas). Análisis multivariado de regresión logística donde se consideró variable dependiente "Población potencial para pesquisa de EspA". Resultados: De 1530 RM realizadas, 569 pacientes tenían seguimiento. El 56% eran hombres con una edad media de 47,1 años (DE 16,7). El 50% de las lumbalgias eran crónicas. La población potencial para pesquisa de EspA fue del 23% de los pacientes. Se comparó la población potencial para pesquisa de EspA con el resto de los pacientes. Las características diferenciales del grupo potencial para pesquisa de EspA con respecto al que no cumple los criterios fueron: mayor indicación de AINE (76% vs 54% p: 0,0006), terapia física (35% vs 50% p: 0,01) y menor patología degenerativa (6% vs 16% p: 0,01). En el análisis multivariado, se encontró asociación independiente con mayor prescripción de AINE y menor diagnóstico de patología degenerativa. Conclusión: La prevalencia de población potencial para pesquisa de EspA fue del 23%. La población objetivo para pesquisar EspA se asoció con mayor uso de AINE y menor diagnóstico de patología degenerativa

Gender differences among patients with primary ankylosing spondylitis and spondylitis associated with psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease in an iberoamerican spondyloarthritis cohort.

The aim of the study was to compare clinical manifestations, disease activity, functional capacity, spinal mobility, and radiological findings between men and women from a multicenter, multiethnic Ibero-American cohort of patients with Spondyloarthritis (SpA).This observational cross-section study included 1264 consecutive SpA patients who fulfilled the modified New York criteria for ankylosing spondylitis (AS). Demographic, clinical, and radiologic data were evaluated. Categorical data were compared by X or Fisher's exact tests and continuous variables by ANOVA with post-hoc tests.Primary AS was diagnosed in 1072 patients, psoriatic spondylitis in 147, and spondylitis associated to inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in 45 patients. Overall, male patients were significantly younger, had longer diagnostic delay, lower disease activity, worse spinal mobility, better quality of life, and more severe radiologic damage. Dactylitis and enthesitis, as well as swollen joint count, were significantly more common among women. In primary AS, there was a marked male predominance (76.2%). Among patients with psoriatic spondylitis, male predominance was lower (57.8%), but was also associated with worse spinal mobility and more severe radiologic damage. In the total population, male patients with primary AS referred higher permanent work disability (13.2% vs 6.9%; P < 0.05), although no difference was observed in psoriatic or IBD spondylitis according to the gender.Among Ibero-American SpA patients, there are some differences in clinical and radiological manifestations, men showing more structural damage, whereas women more active disease. These data suggest that the phenotype of SpA differs between genders. This can influence the subsequent diagnostic approach and therapeutic decisions.

Work instability in rheumatoid arthritis patients from Argentina: prevalence and associated factors.

To determine the prevalence of and associated factors to work instability (WI) in rheumatoid arthritis (RA) Argentinean patients. Observational cross-sectional study that assessing employment status in currently working RA patients. They answered the validated version of RA work instability scale (RA-WIS). High-risk WI was considered when RA-WIS was ≥17. Factors associated with high-risk WI were examined by univariable and multivariable analysis. Four-hundred and fifty RA patients were enrolled; of these, 205 patients were currently employed, but only 172 have completed questionnaires required [RA-WIS and health assessment questionnaire (HAQ-A)]. Their mean age was 49.3 ± 10.8 years; 81.3 % were female; and their mean disease duration was 8.1 ± 7.2 years. Fifty-two percent of patients were doing manual work. The mean RA-WIS score was 11.4 ± 6.8, and 41 % of patients had a high-risk WI. High-risk WI was associated with radiographic erosions (p < 0.001) and HAQ-A >0.87 (p < 0.001) in the univariable analysis, whereas in the multivariable logistic regression analysis the variables associated with a high-risk WI were as follows: HAQ-A >0.87 [odds ratio (OR) 12.31; 95 % CI 5.38-28.18] and the presence of radiographic erosions (OR 4.848; 95 % CI 2.22-10.5). In this model, having a higher monthly income (OR 0.301; 95 % CI 0.096-0.943) and a better functional class (OR 0.151; 95 % CI 0.036-0.632) were protective. Forty-one percent of RA working patients had high-risk WI. The predictors of high RA-WIS were HAQ-A ≥0.87 and radiographic erosions, whereas having a better functional class and have higher incomes were protective.

Adherence to treatment in patients with ankylosing spondylitis.

This study aims to determine the level of adherence to treatment in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) patients and to identify possible factors associated to lack of adherence. We included consecutive AS patients (NY modified criteria). Sociodemographic and clinical data were collected. Patients answered auto-reported questionnaires: Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Disease Activity Index, Bath Ankylosing Spondylitis Functional Index, Ankylosing Spondylitis Quality of Life, and Center for Epidemiological Studies Depression scale. Patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA) (ACR'87 criteria) were assessed as the control group. The adherence of the studied groups to medical treatment and exercises was measured by means of two questionnaires: Compliance Questionnaire on Rheumatology (CQR) and Exercise Attitude Questionnaire-18 (EAQ-18). The study included 59 patients with AS and 53 patients with RA. Of the AS patients, 43 (72.9%) were male, median age 47 years (interquartile range (IQR) 33-57) and median disease duration of 120 months (IQR 33-57). Of the RA patients, 37 (69.8%) were female, had a median age of 56 years (IQR 43.5-60) and a median disease duration of 156 months (IQR 96-288). There were no significant differences in the results of the adherence questionnaires between both groups, with a total median of 68.42 for the CQR in both groups and of 40.7 in AS vs. 42.6 in RA for the EAQ. When dichotomizing patients as adherent and non-adherent, taking as good adherence a cut value in the CQR and EAQ higher than 60, adherence to pharmacological treatment was significantly higher in RA vs. AS (92.5 vs. 74.6%, p = 0.01) and there were no differences in the EAQ. On the uni- and multivariate analysis, lack of adherence to treatment was not associated to sex, age, disease duration, education, health insurance, depressive status, and disease activity parameters in neither group of patients. AS have an acceptable adherence to pharmacological treatment, although it is lower than RA patients; nonetheless, both groups show a lack of adherence to exercise.

Riesgo cardiovascular en una cohorte de pacientes con espondilitis anquilosante / Cardiovascular risk in patients with ankylosing spondylitis

Objetivos: Determinar la prevalencia de factores de riesgo y enfermedad cardiovascular en pacientes con EA, estimar el riesgo cardiovascular a 10 años a través del score de Framingham/ATPIII y evaluar la asociación entre actividad inflamatoria de la enfermedad y el riesgo de un evento cardiovascular. Métodos: Se incluyeron pacientes consecutivos con diagnóstico de EA según criterios de New York modificados. Se consignaron datos sobre factores de riesgo cardiovascular, evaluación clinimétrica, índice de actividad medida por BASDAI y tratamiento farmacológico. Se utilizó el score de Framingham/ATPIII para estimar el riesgo cardiovascular a 10 años. Resultados: Se evaluaron 44 pacientes con EA y 44 controles, con una edad mediana de 38,5 años, 86,4% varones. Los pacientes tuvieron una mediana de índice de BASDAI de 3,8 (RIC 2,10-5,81). La frecuencia de factores de riesgo cardiovascular y marcadores de inflamación fue similar en ambos grupos. La enfermedad cardiovascular fue más frecuente en el grupo con EA (13,6% vs. 2,3%, p= 0,11). No hubo diferencia en el riesgo cardiovascular estimado a 10 años entre pacientes y controles. La actividad de la enfermedad no se asoció con mayor riesgo cardiovascular. Conclusión: Los pacientes con EA tienen mayor frecuencia de enfermedad cardiovascular y su riesgo puede estar asociado con factores diferentes a los observados en la población general.

Objectives: To estimate the prevalence of cardiovascular risk factorsand cardiovascular disease in patients with AS; to determine the 10 yearcardiovascular risk by Framingham/ATPIII score, and to establish an associationbetween disease activity and increased cardiovascular risk.Methods: Consecutive patients with AS diagnosed by the modifiedNew York classification criteria were included. Data about cardiovascularrisk factors, clinimetry, BASDAI activity score and pharmacologicaltreatment were registered.Results: 44 patients and 44 controls were included, with a medianage of 38.5 years, 86.4% were men. BASDAI score was 3.85 (IQR0-8). Patients and controls had similar frequency of cardiovascularrisk factors and inflammatory markers. Cardiovascular disease wasmore frequent in AS patients (13.6% vs. 2.3%, p = 0.11). No differencewas found in the estimated cardiovascular risk at 10 yearsbetween patients and controls. Disease activity did not associate withan increased cardiovascular risk.Conclusion: Patients with AS have more cardiovascular disease andthe risk may be associated with factors different than those observedin the general population.

Differential features between primary ankylosing spondylitis and spondylitis associated with psoriasis and inflammatory bowel disease.

OBJECTIVE: To describe differential characteristics of axial involvement in ankylosing spondylitis (AS) as compared with that seen in psoriatic arthritis (PsA) and inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) in a cohort of Ibero-American patients. METHODS: This study included 2044 consecutive patients with spondyloarthritis (SpA; ESSG criteria). Demographic, clinical, disease activity, functional ability, quality of life, work status, radiologic, and therapeutic data were evaluated and collected by RESPONDIA members from different Ibero-American countries between June and December 2006. Patients selected for analysis met modified New York criteria (mNY) for AS. RESULTS: A total of 1264 patients met the New York criteria for AS: 1072 had primary AS, 147 had psoriatic, and 45 had IBD-associated spondylitis. Median disease duration was comparable among the 3 patient groups. Patients with primary AS were significantly younger (p = 0.01) and presented a higher frequency of males (p = 0.01) than the other 2 groups. Axial manifestations such as inflammatory back pain and sacroiliac pain were significantly more frequent in patients with primary AS (p = 0.05) versus other groups, whereas frequency of dactylitis, enthesitis, and peripheral arthritis was more common in patients with psoriatic spondylitis (p = 0.05). Spinal mobility was significantly more limited in patients with primary AS versus the other 2 groups (p = 0.0001). Radiologic changes according to BASRI total score were equally significant in primary AS. Disease activity (BASDAI), functional ability (BASFI), and quality of life (ASQoL) scores were comparable in the 3 groups. CONCLUSION: Patients with primary AS had more severe axial involvement than those with spondylitis associated with psoriasis or IBD. Functional capacity, disease activity, and quality of life were comparable among the groups studied.

Epidemiology of spondyloarthritis in Argentina.

INTRODUCTION: Spondyloarthritis (SpA) includes a group of diseases that share immunogenetic, clinical and radiologic findings, with a particular involvement of the axial skeleton and the entheses. METHODS: SpA patients attending ambulatory care in 11 rheumatology services located in 6 Argentine provinces were included in a prospective, observational multicentre cohort of SpA in Argentina (Iberoamerican Spondyloarthritis Registry [RESPONDIA]). Data collected were transmitted online and stored in the Spanish spondyloarthritis registry (REGISPONSER) Web site. Sociodemographic, clinical features and diagnosis, disease activity, functional status, quality of life, work status, radiographic changes and treatment data were collected by means of validated tools. RESULTS: A total of 402 patients were included; 59% were male, with median age of 48.3 years and median disease duration of 8 years; 68.7% of patients belonged to middle and lower-middle social classes. Eighty-six patients were diagnosed with ankylosing spondylitis (AS), 242 with psoriatic arthritis, 25 with reactive arthritis, 10 with SpA associated with inflammatory bowel disease, 33 with undifferentiated SpA and 6 with juvenile AS. The median score was 2.6 for the Bath AS Functional Index, 3.8 for the Bath AS Disease Activity Index and 5 for the Bath AS Radiology Index. The lower social class patients achieved a worse Bath AS Functional Index than other social classes and a worse Bath AS Disease Activity Index, compared with upper-middle class. CONCLUSIONS: The sociodemographic distribution pattern observed in these SpA patients was similar to that expected in the general population of Argentina, with worse functional capacity and higher disease activity observed in the lower social classes.

Indicación de terapia biológica en pacientes con enfermedades reumáticas de la consulta ambulatoria / Biologic treatment in patients with Rheumatic Diseases from the clinic

Introducción y objetivo: Determinar la proporción de pacientes que presentan indicación de tratamiento con terapia biológica y comparar las características demográficas y clínicas de los pacientes con y sin indicación y entre aquellos que reciben o no dicho tratamiento. Material y métodos: Se incluyeron pacientes consecutivos con diagnóstico de AR (ACR`87) y EASN (criterios europeos). Se recolectaron datos demográficos, socioeconómicos, clínicos, laboratorio. Se evaluó si los pacientes presentaban indicación de tratamiento con agentes anti-TNF, de acuerdo a guías de tratamiento (ASAS 2003 y SAR 2004) y/u opinión del evaluador. En pacientes con indicación y que no reciben actualmente se consignaron las causas de la misma. Resultados: Se incluyeron 200 pacientes, 182 AR y 18 EASN. De los 182 pacientes, el 44,5% presentan indicación de terapia biológica por guías de tratamiento y el 44% por opinión del evaluador. El 11% recibe actualmente tratamiento anti-TNF. El 16,5% de los pacientes que tenían indicación y no recibían tratamiento se encontraban entrámite y el 17% no tenía indicación por parte del profesional. En el análisis de regresión logística, la presencia de mayor HAQ y DAS 28 fueron las variables con mayor fuerza de asociación entre los que reciben tratamiento biológico. Los 3 grupos que no recibían biológicos difirieron significativamente en la actividad de la enfermedad. Conclusiones: El 44% tiene indicación de terapia biológica, pero sólo el 11% la recibe; las 2 principales causas son la falta de indicación por el médico y que se encuentra tramitando el mismo.