Preconception, pregnancy, and lactation in systemic lupus erythematosus patients / Preconcepción, embarazo y lactancia en pacientes con lupus eritematoso sistémico

ABSTRACT Systemic lupus erythematosus is a complex and chronic disease which impacts on the reproductive function of patients suffering this condition. This assertion is supported by the fact that lupus patients have a smaller family size in comparison to the general population as well as a higher risk of adverse pregnancy outcomes. While this disease per se does not affect fertility, there are several other factors affecting fertility such as age, drugs, disease activity, damage-related disease, and some comorbidities. Currently, there are several interventions to preserve fertility with very good outcomes, among them, cryopreservation or the use of gonadotropin releasing hormone agonists. It is recommended that lupus patients be in low disease activity or in remission for at least six months before conception and pregnancy. If the latter is achieved, multidisciplinary management is very important and recommended, but in particular, physicians must know how to differentiate between a lupus flare and pregnancy-related hypertension. The efficacy and safety of antimalarials throughout pregnancy has been demonstrated so its use must be continued and encouraged. Taking into account all the above, fertility and pregnancy in lupus patients must be an integral part of the management of this disease.

RESUMEN El lupus eritematoso sistémico es una enfermedad compleja y crónica que afecta la función reproductiva de los pacientes que la presentan, considerando que suelen tener un tamaño familiar reducido en comparación con la población general, así como un riesgo más alto de resultados adversos perinatales. Si bien esta enfermedad per se no afecta la fertilidad, existen otros factores que la alteran, como la edad, los fármacos, la actividad de la enfermedad, el dano relacionado con ella y algunas comorbilidades. En la actualidad, existen numerosas intervenciones para preservar la fertilidad, con muy buenos resultados, entre las cuales se encuentran la criopreservación o el uso de análogos de la hormona liberadora de gonadotropinas. Es recomendable que los pacientes lúpicos se encuentren en baja actividad de la enfermedad o en remisión por al menos seis meses antes de la concepción y el embarazo. Si esto se logra, el manejo multidisciplinario es muy importante y recomendado pero, sobre todo, los médicos deben saber cómo diferenciar entre reactivación de la enfermedad y enfermedad hipertensiva del embarazo. Se ha demostrado la eficacia y la seguridad de los antimaláricos a lo largo del embarazo, por lo cual su uso debe ser continuado y aconsejado. Teniendo en cuenta lo señalado en las líneas precedentes, la fertilidad y el embarazo en pacientes lúpicos deben ser parte del manejo integral de esta enfermedad.

Prevalencia de dislipemia y riesgo cardiovascular elevado en pacientes con artritis reumatoide / Prevalence of dyslipidemia and elevated cardiovascular risk in patients with rheumatoid arthritis

Los objetivos del estudio fueron comparar la frecuencia de riesgo cardiovascular (CV) elevado y dislipemia (DLP) en pacientes con artritis reumatoide (AR) y en controles, identificar variables de la enfermedad asociadas a DLP y estimar el porcentaje de pacientes con AR medicados para DLP. Estudio de corte transversal que incluyó 409 pacientes con AR y 624 controles. El riesgo CV se determinó con las clasificaciones NCEP y SCORE modificados por European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR). Para DLP se utilizó la definición de Adult Treatment Panel III (ATP III). La frecuencia de riesgo CV elevado fue similar en pacientes con AR y controles excepto cuando fue definida por NCEP-EULAR (7% vs. 2%; p = 0.00002). La DLP fue encontrada en el 43% de los pacientes con AR y en el 47% de los controles (p = 0.15). Los pacientes con AR y DLP tuvieron más manifestaciones extra-articulares (36% vs. 24%; p = 0.01) y mayor velocidad de sedimentación globular (VSG) (21 (13-35) vs. 18 (10-30) mm; p = 0.003). El tratamiento recibido para DLP varió según la definición utilizada (11% a 32%). Se encontró mayor riesgo CV en los pacientes con AR solo cuando se definió por NCEP- EULAR. Los pacientes con AR y DLP tuvieron mayor VSG y manifestaciones extra-articulares. La mayoría de los pacientes con AR y DLP no estaban recibiendo tratamiento hipolipemiante.

The objectives of this study were to compare the frequency of dyslipidemia (DLP) and the elevated cardiovascular risk between rheumatoid arthritis (RA) patients and a control group, to identify disease-related factors associated with the presence of DLP and to estimate the frequency of RA patients receiving treatment for DLP. This is a cross sectional study that included 409 RA patients and 624 controls. Cardiovascular (CV) risk was determined using the Framingham score, National Cholesterol Education Program (NCEP) and the Systematic Coronary Risk Evaluation (SCORE) adapted versions according to the European League Against Rheumatism (EULAR) guidelines. DLP was defined according to the Adult Treatment Panel III (ATPIII). The frequency of CV risk was similar in RA patients and controls, except when NCEP-EULAR adapted version for RA was applied (7% vs. 2%; p = 0.00002). A 43% of patients and 47% of controls had DLP (p = 0.15). RA patients with DLP tended to have extra-articular manifestations more frequently (36% vs. 24%; p = 0.01) and higher erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR) (21 [13-35] vs. 18 [10-30] mm; p = 0.003). RA patients treated for DLP varied between 11% and 32% according to the definition used. Patients with RA showed an elevated CV risk only when the NCEP-EULAR definition was used. Among RA patients, those with higher ESR and the presence of extra-articular manifestations were more likely to show DLP. The vast majority of patients were not receiving treatment for DLP.

Poliartritis y tenosinovitis grave por Streptococcus agalactiae en un paciente con hipoesplenia funcional / Severe polyarthritis and tenosynovitis due to Streptococcus agalactiae in a patient with functional hyposplenia

Cases of arthritis caused by Streptococcus agalactiae are infrequent and in our knowledge there are no case reports of tenosynovitis caused by S. agalactiae. A 46-year-old woman presented with fever, polyarthralgia, myalgia, diarrhea and vomiting. She had a history of papillary thyroid carcinoma and functional hyposplenia. She was febrile, with arthritis in hands, wrists, elbows, right shoulder and left ankle joints, and presented tenosynovitis in both feet and left hand. Blood and right olecranon bursa sample cultures were positive for S. agalactiae. An ultrasound scan made at the musculus tibialis anterior of left foot revealed signs of tenosynovitis. She was treated with intravenous cefazolin for 20 days and oral cefuroxime for 12 days. The joint involvement completely subsided in 60 days. Streptococcus agalactiae can cause, infrequently, a polyarthritis and tenosynovitis syndrome similar to disseminated gonococcal infection