Desarrollo de una aplicación para teléfonos móviles (app) basada en la colaboración Sociedad Española de Reumatología/Sociedad Española de Medicina de Familia y Comunitaria para derivación de enfermedades autoinmunes sistémicas / Development of an application for mobile phones (App) based on the collaboration between the Spanish Society of Rheumatology and Spanish Society of Family Medicine for the referral of systemic autoimmune diseases from primary care to rheumatology

El diagnóstico y tratamiento de las enfermedades autoinmunes sistémicas (EAS) constituye un reto. Aunque infrecuentes, afectan a cientos de miles de pacientes en España. El médico de familia (MF) se enfrenta a síntomas o signos inespecíficos que hacen sospechar EAS al inicio del proceso, y tiene que decidir a quiénes debería derivar. Para facilitar su reconocimiento y mejorar su derivación, expertos de la Sociedad Española de Medicina de Familia y Comunitaria y de la Sociedad Española de Reumatología seleccionaron 26 síntomas/signos-guía y alteraciones analíticas. Se escogieron parejas de MF y reumatólogo para elaborar algoritmos diagnósticos y de derivación. Posteriormente se revisaron y adaptaron al formato de aplicación para móviles (app) descargable. El resultado es el presente documento de derivación de EAS para MF en formato de papel y app. Contiene algoritmos de fácil manejo utilizando datos de la anamnesis, exploración física y pruebas analíticas accesibles en atención primaria para orientar el diagnóstico y facilitar la derivación a reumatología o a otras especialidades

Management of systemic autoimmune diseases is challenging for physicians in their clinical practice. Although not common, they affect thousands of patients in Spain. The family doctor faces patients with symptoms and non-specific cutaneous, mucous, joint, vascular signs or abnormal laboratory findings at the start of the disease process and has to determine when to refer patients to the specialist. To aid in disease detection and better referral, the Spanish Society of Rheumatology and the Spanish Society of Family Medicine has created a group of experts who selected 26 symptoms, key signs and abnormal laboratory findings which were organized by organ and apparatus. Family doctors and rheumatologists with an interest in autoimmune systemic diseases were selected and formed mixed groups of two that then elaborated algorithms for diagnostic guidelines and referral. The algorithms were then reviewed, homogenized and adapted to the algorithm format and application for cell phone (apps) download. The result is the current Referral document of systemic autoimmune diseases for the family doctor in paper format and app (download). It contains easy-to-use algorithms using data from anamnesis, physical examination and laboratory results usually available to primary care, that help diagnose and refer patients to rheumatology or other specialties if needed

Development of an application for mobile phones (App) based on the collaboration between the Spanish Society of Rheumatology and Spanish Society of Family Medicine for the referral of systemic autoimmune diseases from primary care to rheumatology. / Desarrollo de una aplicación para teléfonos móviles (app) basada en la colaboración Sociedad Española de Reumatología/Sociedad Española de Medicina de Familia y Comunitaria para derivación de enfermedades autoinmunes sistémicas.

Management of systemic autoimmune diseases is challenging for physicians in their clinical practice. Although not common, they affect thousands of patients in Spain. The family doctor faces patients with symptoms and non-specific cutaneous, mucous, joint, vascular signs or abnormal laboratory findings at the start of the disease process and has to determine when to refer patients to the specialist. To aid in disease detection and better referral, the Spanish Society of Rheumatology and the Spanish Society of Family Medicine has created a group of experts who selected 26 symptoms, key signs and abnormal laboratory findings which were organized by organ and apparatus. Family doctors and rheumatologists with an interest in autoimmune systemic diseases were selected and formed mixed groups of two that then elaborated algorithms for diagnostic guidelines and referral. The algorithms were then reviewed, homogenized and adapted to the algorithm format and application for cell phone (apps) download. The result is the current Referral document of systemic autoimmune diseases for the family doctor in paper format and app (download). It contains easy-to-use algorithms using data from anamnesis, physical examination and laboratory results usually available to primary care, that help diagnose and refer patients to rheumatology or other specialties if needed.

Giant cell arteritis: a new association with benign paroxysmal positional vertigo.

OBJECTIVE: To assess the incidence and characteristics of both benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV) and positional nystagmus in a series of patients with giant cell arteritis (GCA). STUDY DESIGN: Patients diagnosed with GCA between June 1999 and May 2001 at the single hospital for a defined population were examined prospectively. METHOD: Patients included in this study fulfilled the 1990 American College of Rheumatology classification criteria for GCA. Otologic and oculographic studies were performed. Type, frequency, and outcome of positional oculographic findings was assessed. Patients were required to have been examined within 1 week after the onset of corticosteroid therapy. Data found in GCA patients were compared with those observed in an age, sex, and ethnically matched control population. Further studies in patients and controls were performed 3 and 6 months later. RESULTS: Forty-four patients and 44 matched controls were included in this study. Nine (20.5%) GCA patients fulfilled diagnostic criteria of BPPV compared with only 1 (2.3%) of the controls (P =.007). In seven of these nine GCA patients, BPPV was related to the posterior and two to the horizontal semicircular canals, respectively. Horizontal nystagmus was found in seven GCA patients who developed nystagmus in the head hanging position test compared with none in the controls (P =.006). CONCLUSIONS: The present study shows a higher frequency of BPPV in GCA than in matched controls. Because most clinical manifestations in GCA are caused by ischemic complications, our results suggest an ischemic etiology as responsible for BPPV in these elderly patients. According to these results, GCA may constitute a new association with BPPV.