Two-year adherence to treatment and associated factors in a fracture liaison service in Spain.

UNLABELLED: A fracture liaison service in Spain is able to maintain 73 % of the patients on antiresorptive 2 years after the fracture. INTRODUCTION: The purpose of this study was to evaluate the 2-year effectiveness of a program for the secondary prevention of fractures. METHODS: Fragility fractures in patients over 50 attending the emergency room in our centre are captured by the recruitment system of a secondary prevention program. The unit is attended by a nurse, coordinated by two rheumatologists and with the collaboration of primary care consisted of a training program and annual meetings. The outcome of the program was analysed 2 years after implementation, including: (1) percentage of attendees/eligible; (2) percentage of attendees who start treatment with antiresorptive; (3) percentage of patients who retain treatment after 6, 12, 18 and 24 months; and (4) factors associated to adherence. RESULTS: After 2 years of implementation, the program detected 1674 patients with fracture, of whom 759 finally entered the program (57 % of eligible). After 3 months, 82 % of patients prescribed an antiresorptive started treatment. After a year, 52 % of the patients in the program, 72 % of those of a prescribed treatment, were taking antiresorptives. Adherence at 24 months among those who had prescribed anti-fracture drugs was 73 %. Factors associated with adherence at 12 months were female sex (76 vs 45 %; p = 0.01) and previous treatment with antiresorptive (86 vs 68 %; p = 0.02). CONCLUSIONS: In Spain, a program designed to prevent secondary fragility fractures based on the collaboration between primary care and rheumatology seems effective in terms of recruitment of patients and adherence to treatment in the mid/long-term.

Secondary prevention program for osteoporotic fractures and long-term adherence to bisphosphonates.

UNLABELLED: Our purpose was to assess the impact of a secondary prevention program for osteoporotic fractures in patients with fragility fracture and to determine its effect on long-term compliance with bisphosphonate treatment. Persistence with bisphosphonate use was 71%. Attending follow-up visits was the only variable significantly associated with adherence to bisphosphonates. INTRODUCTION: The aim of this study is to assess the impact a secondary prevention program for osteoporotic fractures in a prospective cohort of patients with at least one fragility fracture and to determine the effect of this intervention on long-term compliance with bisphosphonate treatment. METHODS: All patients older than 50 years with a fragility fracture attended at the emergency department over a 2-year period were appointed for a clinical visit through a telephone call. Two follow-up controls at 4 and 12 months were scheduled. After a mean of 4 years, a telephone survey was conducted to assess compliance with treatment. RESULTS: Of 683 eligible patients, 380 (55.6%) were visited at the hospital. Previous treatment with bisphosphonates was recorded in 17.9% of patients. DXA scan was considered normal in 61 patients and revealed osteopenia in 184 and osteoporosis in 135. Pharmacological treatment was indicated in 90% of patients (alendronate in 76%). Among 241 patients who participated in the survey, eight patients had new fractures (four were on treatment with bisphosphonates and four had discontinued treatment). Of 187 patients in which bisphosphonates were prescribed at the initial visit, 133 (71.1%) continued using bisphosphonates. Attendance of scheduled visits was associated with adherence to bisphosphonates (odds ratio, 3.33; 95% confidence interval, 2.99-3.67). CONCLUSIONS: The efficacy of the program to recruit patients was 55%. In patients visited at the hospital, treatment with bisphosphonates increased from 17.9% to 76%. Persistence with bisphosphonate use after a mean of 4 years was 71%. Attending follow-up visits was significantly associated with adherence to bisphosphonates.

Factors involved in the progress of preclinical atherosclerosis associated with systemic lupus erythematosus: a 2-year longitudinal study.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the changes in carotid intima-media thickness (IMT) and the associated risks factors in patients with low severity systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE). METHODS: Common carotid IMT measurements were obtained by ultrasound from 101 patients with SLE at an interval of 2 years. Cardiovascular risk factors, disease activity, accumulated damage, severity (Katz index) and biochemical parameters (including high sensitivity C-reactive protein, interleukin 6, C3a, C4a, C5a and homocysteine) were also assessed. Multiple linear regression was used to assess the effect of these variables on the end IMT measurement (eIMT) adjusted to the baseline measurement (bIMT). RESULTS: The cohort comprised 94.1% women, with a mean age at entry of 41.5 years and a mean disease duration of 12.1 years. An increase of 0.078 mm in IMT was detected over 2 years, from a mean bIMT of 0.37 mm to a mean eIMT of 0.44 mm (p<0.001). When adjusted for the bIMT, multiple linear regression identified bIMT, age at diagnosis, homocysteine, C3 and C5a as risk factors for IMT progression. CONCLUSIONS: IMT significantly increases over 2 years in patients with SLE. Age, baseline IMT, C3, C5a anaphylatoxin and homocysteine are all associated risk factors, supporting a role for complement and homocysteine in the early stages of premature SLE-associated atherosclerosis.

Usefulness of clinical findings, nerve conduction studies and ultrasonography to predict response to surgical release in idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome.

OBJECTIVES: To assess the usefulness of clinical findings, nerve conduction studies and ultrasonography performed by a rheumatologist to predict success in patients with idiopathic carpal tunnel syndrome (CTS) undergoing median nerve release. METHODS: Ninety consecutive patients with CTS (112 wrists) completed a specific CTS questionnaire and underwent physical examination and nerve conduction studies. Ultrasound examination was performed by a rheumatologist who was blind to any patient's data. Outcome variables were improvement >25% in symptoms of the CTS questionnaire and patient's overall satisfaction (5-point Likert scale) at 3 months postoperatively. Success was defined as improvement in both outcome variables. Receiver operating characteristics (ROC) curves and logistic regression analyses were used to assess the best predictive combination of preoperative findings. RESULTS: Success was achieved in 63% of the operated wrists. Utility parameters and area under the ROC curve (AUC) for individual findings was poor, ranging from 0.481 of the nerve conduction study to 0.634 of the cross-sectional area at tunnel outlet. Logistic regression identified the preoperative US parameters as the best predictive variables for success after 3 months. The best predictive combination (AUC=0.708) included a negative Phalen maneuver, plus absence of thenar atrophy, plus less than moderately abnormalities on nerve conduction studies plus a large maximal cross-sectional area along the tunnel by ultrasonography. CONCLUSION: Although cross-sectional area of the median nerve was the only predictor of success after three months of surgical release, isolated preoperative findings are not reliable predictors of success in patients with idiopathic CTS. A combination of findings that include ultrasound improves prediction.

Prevalence and associated factors of anterior atlantoaxial luxation in a nation-wide sample of rheumatoid arthritis patients.

OBJECTIVE: To estimate the prevalence of anterior atlantoaxial subluxation (AAS) in patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and to analyse its association with disease markers. METHODS: Cross-sectional analysis of a cohort of RA patients randomly selected from the clinical registries of 34 centres. AAS, defined as an atlantoaxial displacement in cervical spine X-rays greater than 3 mm on flexion films, was actively searched for. Bivariate and multivariate analysis was performed to examine its association with clinical, functional, and treatment variables. RESULTS: AAS was found in 88 out of 736 patients with available cervical radiographs, (prevalence and 95% confidence interval [CI]: 12% [9.7-14.2]). The presence of AAS was highly associated with a Larsen score (0-150) over 50 (OR and 95% CI: 5.31 [2.68-10.55]), RA duration of more than 10 years (4.48 [2.70-7.44]), disease onset before age 50 (4.15 [2.42-7.12]), eye involvement (3.93 [1.63-9.46]), and previous RA related surgery (3.90 [2.46-6.19]). No association was found with rheumatoid factor. Multivariate analysis showed that a disease onset before the age of 50, the number of previous DMARD, and, above all, a Larsen score greater than 50 were important independent factors associated with AAS. There is a 33% increased risk for AAS every 10 units up in the Larsen score. CONCLUSION: AAS is frequent in RA patients, particularly in those with markers of erosive disease.

The dinucleotide repeat polymorphism in the 3'UTR of the CD154 gene has a functional role on protein expression and is associated with systemic lupus erythematosus.

OBJECTIVE: To investigate the association of the (CA)n dinucleotide repeat in the 3' untranslated region (3'UTR) of the CD154 gene with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE), and its functional role in protein expression. METHODS: The allelic and genotypic distributions of the polymorphism were compared in 80 patients with SLE and 80 controls. A complete clinical and analytical database was recorded in each patient in order to correlate the clinical manifestations in SLE with different alleles. To investigate the functional role of the polymorphism, the CD154 protein expression on activated lymphocytes from healthy homozygous controls was evaluated by flow cytometry. RESULTS: The 24 CA allele was the most represented in controls (p = 0.029), whereas the alleles containing >24 CA repeats were found in patients (p = 0.0043). Furthermore, when only homozygous women were considered, most controls carried two 24 CA alleles (p = 0.041), whereas most patients carried two alleles containing >24 CA repeats (p = 0.032). Also, patients carrying at least one 24 CA allele had less neurological involvement (p = 0.034), and carriers of at least one allele with fewer than 24 CA repeats presented more livedo reticularis (p = 0.006) and anti-Sm (p = 0.01) and anti-RNP (p = 0.038) autoantibodies. CD154 maximum expression in activated lymphocytes from all controls was reached after 54 hours, but it was more prolonged in controls carrying two alleles with >24 CA repeats (p = 0.0068). CONCLUSION: The CD154 3'UTR microsatellite is associated with SLE, and the most represented alleles in patients were accompanied by a more prolonged protein expression in activated lymphocytes from controls.

Abnormal sonographic findings in the asymptomatic arthritic shoulder.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the diagnostic value of ultrasonography (US) in the evaluation of arthritic shoulder joints, especially in painless shoulders. METHODS: US examinations were performed in 57 consecutive patients with rheumatoid arthritis (114 shoulders) and in 32 controls (32 shoulders), using a 7.5 MHz linear probe and a standardized study protocol. US findings were compared with clinical, laboratory, and radiological data to find any relationship. RESULTS: Abnormal sonographic findings were found in 80 shoulders (70%); the most common were lesions in the supraspinatus tendon (38%), subacromial-subdeltoid bursitis (29%), bone erosions of the humeral head (20%), glenohumeral joint ellusion (19%), and biceps tendinitis (13%). Although US abnormalities were most frequent in patients with painful shoulders or abnormal findings on physical examination or radiography, a high rate of alterations was found in asymptomatic shoulders (51%), in normal shoulders on physical examination (44%) and in normal shoulders on radiographic assessment (61%). Differences of US findings in relation to time of evolution of rheumatoid arthritis, patient's age, and radiographic stage in hand and/or wrist joints were not found. CONCLUSION: US abnormalities in the shoulder joint are frequent in rheumatoid arthritis, both in patients with and without shoulder complaints as well as in patients with normal findings on physical examination.

[Clinical characteristics of familial rheumatoid arthritis in Spain. A study of 73 families. Spanish Consortium for Rheumatoid Arthritis (CEAR) and European Consortium for Familial Rheumatoid Arthritis (ECRAF)]. / Características clínicas de la artritis familiar en España. Estudio de 73 familias. Consorcio Español para la Artritis Reumatoide (CEAR) y el European Consortium for Rheumatoid Arthritis Familiar (ECRAF).

OBJECTIVE: To describe clinical characteristics and the homogeneity of disease expression between involved members in multicase Spanish rheumatoid arthritis (RA) families. PATIENTS AND METHODS: 73 families with two or more siblings with RA were found, with a total of 149 patients distributed in 79 pairs (70 sib pairs, and 3 sib trios). Demographic, clinical and radiological characteristics were recorded in a standard questionnaire. RESULTS: Clinical characteristics were similar to those of sporadic RA with a high frequency of women (78%), positive rheumatoid factor (RF) (86%), erosions (89%) and a 25% of the patients having extraarticular disease. The most important variable in disease severity was disease duration. The concordance between family members of the same age and calendar year of disease onset, and the pattern of disease expression, was not higher than expected, showing that the disease is heterogenic. CONCLUSION: Environmental factors seem to be more important in RA susceptibility. Clinical characteristics of familiar RA in Spain do not seem to be different from sporadic RA, although differences were found in disease expression within families that may be due to variation of genetic or environmental factors, responsible for the susceptibility and disease duration.

[High titers of rheumatoid factor: clinical significance]. / Factor reumatoide a títulos elevados: significado clínico.

UNLABELLED: Rheumatoid factor (RF) is one of the most characteristic laboratory parameters in rheumatoid arthritis (RA), and its specificity for this disease increases when the titer is high. We investigated the diagnoses associated with high titers of RF and whether they are associated with a poor prognosis of RA. PATIENTS AND METHODS: Patients with RF titers higher than 300 IU/ml were studied (nephelometry) during a three-year period in a general hospital. Patients with RA were compared with other group of patients with RA and RF lower than 300 IU/ml regarding functional capacity, presence of nodules, HLA-DR4 and radiologic status, in a retrospective cohort study. RESULTS: RF was quantitated in 2,181 patients and was higher than 300 IU/ml in 79 cases; 63 among patients in this group (80%) had RA, and the remaining patients inflammatory diseases of the connective tissue (four patients), palindromic rheumatism (two), liver disease (two), infection (one) and neoplasm (one). In two cases the diagnosis was arthrosis and in one case arthralgia of unknown origin. RA with RF higher than 300 IU/ml had a higher frequency of rheumatoid nodules than RA with RF lower than 300 IU/ml (p = 0.01; RR: 2.26; 95% CI: 1.18-4.35). The index of functional capacity and rate of HLA-DR4 and erosions was similar in both RA groups. CONCLUSIONS: In a patient with a high RF titer, RA should be first ruled out, followed by other inflammatory diseases, collagenosis and liver diseases. The likelihood of finding a healthy patient with arthrosis or soft tissue rheumatism was very low. In RA, rheumatoid nodules were significantly associated with RF with titers higher than 300 IU/ml.

[Fibromyalgia syndrome]. / Síndrome de fibromialgia.

The Fibromialgia Syndrome (FS) is a common clinical entity which may produce symtoms and signs related to multiple fields of Medicine. Typical clinical characteristics of FS include extensive pain, presence of sensitive points during exploration, morning stiffness, asthenia and non-refresing sleep. Frequently, associated rheumatologic diseases are observed, as rheumatoid arthritis, osteoarthrosis and vertebral disorders. In FS, complementary tests are usually normal. The most widely accepted hypothesis suggests that this is a disorder affecting modulation of pain sensitivity.