Risk Factors and Outcomes for COVID-19 in Autoimmune Inflammatory Diseases during the SARS-CoV-2 Pandemic: A Comparative Study.

BACKGROUND: Patients with autoimmune disease (AID) and coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) could have higher mortality due to the co-morbidity and the use of immunosuppressive therapy. OBJECTIVES: To analyze the risk factors and outcomes of patients with AID and COVID-19 versus a control group. METHODS: A prospective cohort study included patients with and without AID and COVID-19. Patients were paired by age and sex. Clinical, biochemical, immunological treatments, and outcomes (days of hospital stay, invasive mechanical ventilation [IMV], oxygen at discharge, and death) were collected. RESULTS: We included 226 COVID-19 patients: 113 with AID (51.15 ± 14.3 years) and 113 controls (53.45 ± 13.3 years). The most frequent AIDs were Rheumatoid arthritis (26.5%), systemic lupus erythematosus (21%), and systemic sclerosis (14%). AID patients had lower lactate dehydrogenas, C-reactive protein, fibrinogen, IMV (P = 0.027), and oxygen levels at discharge (P ≤ 0.0001) and lower death rates (P ≤ 0.0001). Oxygen saturation (SaO2) ≤ 88% at hospitalization provided risk for IMV (RR [relative risk] 3.83, 95% confidence interval [95%CI] 1.1-13.6, P = 0.038). Higher creatinine and LDH levels were associated with death in the AID group. SaO2 ≤ 88% and CO-RADS ≥ 4 were risk factors for in-hospital mortality (RR 4.90, 95%CI 1.8-13.0, P = 0.001 and RR 7.60, 95%CI 1.4-39.7, P = 0.016, respectively). Anticoagulant therapy was protective (RR 0.36, 95%CI 0.1-0.9, P = 0.041). CONCLUSIONS: Patients with AID had better outcomes with COVID-19 than controls. Anticoagulation was associated with a lower death in patients with AID.

Mexican rheumatology: where do we stand?

The aim of this review was to provide an overall overview of the past, present, and future situations and main challenges that are facing Mexican Rheumatology as a medical subspecialty in the context of their national healthcare system, where a deficit of workforce at the national level coexists with a shortage of specialists in the less-developed southern states of the country and a great surplus of professionals within large metropolitan areas. We also analyzed the prevalence and burden of Rheumatic and Musculoskeletal Diseases (RMDs), the structural composition and distribution of Mexican Rheumatology, and the clinical profile of the Mexican Rheumatologist. Last, we examined comorbidities, education and training programs and one scenario for Mexican Rheumatology wherein the principal main threats and opportunities are determined.

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of pregnancy in women with autoimmune rheumatic diseases of the Mexican College of Rheumatology. Part I.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy in women with autoimmune rheumatic diseases is associated with several maternal and fetal complications. The development of clinical practice guidelines with the best available scientific evidence may help standardize the care of these patients. OBJECTIVES: To provide recommendations regarding prenatal care, treatment, and a more effective monitoring of pregnancy in women with lupus erythematosus (SLE), rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and antiphospholipid antibody syndrome (APS). METHODOLOGY: Nominal panels were formed for consensus, systematic search of information, development of clinical questions, processing and grading of recommendations, internal validation by peers, and external validation of the final document. The quality criteria of the AGREE II instrument were followed. RESULTS: The various panels answered the 37 questions related to maternal and fetal care in SLE, RA, and APS, as well as to the use of antirheumatic drugs during pregnancy and lactation. The recommendations were discussed and integrated into a final manuscript. Finally, the corresponding algorithms were developed. We present the recommendations for pregnant women with SLE in this first part. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the Mexican clinical practice guidelines for the management of pregnancy in women with SLE integrate the best available evidence for the treatment and follow-up of patients with these conditions.

Clinical practice guidelines for the management of pregnancy in women with autoimmune rheumatic diseases of the Mexican College of Rheumatology. Part II.

BACKGROUND: Pregnancy in women with autoimmune rheumatic diseases is associated with several maternal and fetal complications. The development of clinical practice guidelines with the best available scientific evidence may help standardize the care of these patients. OBJECTIVES: To provide recommendations regarding prenatal care, treatment, and a more effective monitoring of pregnancy in women with lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis (RA) and antiphospholipid syndrome (APS). METHODOLOGY: Nominal panels were formed for consensus, systematic search of information, development of clinical questions, processing and staging of recommendations, internal validation by peers and external validation of the final document. The quality criteria of the AGREE II instrument were followed. RESULTS: The panels answered 37 questions related to maternal and fetal care in lupus erythematosus, RA and APS, as well as for use of antirheumatic drugs during pregnancy and lactation. The recommendations were discussed and integrated into a final manuscript. Finally, the corresponding algorithms were developed. In this second part, the recommendations for pregnant women with RA, APS and the use of antirheumatic drugs during pregnancy and lactation are presented. CONCLUSIONS: We believe that the Mexican clinical practice guidelines for the management of pregnancy in women with RA and APS integrate the best available evidence for the treatment and follow-up of patients with these conditions.

Biosimilar drugs in Mexico: position of the Mexican College of Rheumatology, 2012.

Biotechnological drugs (BTDs) are complex molecules whose manufacturing process precludes the ability to identically reproduce the structure of the original product, and therefore there cannot be an absolute equivalence between the original (innovative) medication and its biosimilar counterpart. BTDs have been proven useful in the treatment of several rheumatic diseases, however their high cost has prevented their use in many patients. Several BTD patents have expired or are close to expire, triggering the development of structurally similar drugs with efficacy and safety profiles comparable to the innovative compound; however, these must be evaluated through evidence based medicine. The Mexican General Health Law contemplates the registry of these biosimilar drugs for their use in our country. This document is a forethought from members of the Mexican College of Rheumatology, pharmacologists, and epidemiologists, in accordance with Mexican health authorities regarding the necessary scientific evidence required to evaluate the efficacy and safety of biosimilar drugs before and after their arrival to the Mexican market.

Autoanticuerpos dirigidos contra prolactina en pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico e hiperprolactinemia / Auto-antibodies VS prolactin in SLE patients and hyperprolactinemia

Encuestamos a pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico (LES) para detectar la presencia de macroprolactinemia y determinar su origen. De las muestras séricas obtenidas en 255 pacientes con LES en 37(14.5 por ciento) se encontró hiperprolactinemia y éstas fueron tratadas con polietilenglicol y en once de 37 pacientes (29.7 por ciento) hubo una proporción significativamente alta de precipitación prolactina (PRL). Los estudios en filtración en gel revelaron que la big-big PRL (peso molecular mayor de 100 kDa) fue la forma predominante de la PRL sérica en estos pacientes y en ninguna mujer se encontró manifestaciones clínicas de hiperprolactinemia como amenorrea y/o galactorrea. La naturaleza de la big-big PRL fue debida a un autoanticuerpo el cual se encontró como un complejo antígeno-anticuerpo (Ig-PRL). Estos datos sugieren que los pacientes con LES e hiperprolactinemia tiene una frecuencia muy alta de macroprolactinemia y que es debida a un autoanticuerpo anti-PRL, y que a pesar de la hiperprolactinemia no presentan las manifestaciones clínicas comunes a ella como amenorrea y/o galactorrea y ésta es una causa más que explica la alta frecuencia de hiperprolactinemia en pacientes con LES

Artritis séptica: reporte de 65 casos / Septic arthritis: report of 65 cases

Se estudiaron 65 casos de adultos vistos en el Hospital de Especialidades del Centro Médico La Raza. En el 93 por ciento los factores predisponentes fueron metabólicos, neoplásicos y reumatológicos. El cuadro clínico fue con fiebre, inflamación y dolor. El inicio fue monoarticular en 60 casos y la localización más frecuente fue la rodilla (39 casos); en 5 pacientes la presentación fue poliarticular. La aceleración de la velocidad de sedimentación globular y la leucocitosis fueron los datos de laboratorio más comunes. La tinción de Gram tiene gran utilidad para el diagnóstico presuncional y fue positiva en 43 (69 por ciento) de los casos. El líquido sinovial mostró leucocitosis con predominio de polimorfonucleares. Los gérmenes aislados fueron: Staphylococcus aureus (33 por ciento), Salmonella enteritidis (15 por ciento), Eschirichia coli (10 por ciento), Pseudomona aeruginosa (7 por ciento), Klebsiella pneumoniae (7 por ciento), Streptococcus pneumoniae (5 por ciento). La artritis por Gram negativos fue más frecuente que la artritis séptica por Gram positivos y se presentó en pacientes inmunocomprometidos. Conclusiones: El tratamiento de antibiotecoterapia con punciones evacuadoras cotidianas fue tan efectivo con el tratamiento quirúrgico. Nueve de los 10 casos de artritis por Salmonella sp. tenían LES con terapia inumodepresora y requirieron manejo quirúrgico. Las secuelas en 31 pacientes estuvieron relacionadas con el retraso en el diagnóstico y consecuentemente con el inicio del manejo